butperhapshemighteffectanexchange。Andthen，recollectingthattheattorney-generalwouldhardlycaretohearhowtheserviceofacathedralchurchisdividedamongtheminorcanons，stoppedshortinhisexplanations。
SirAbrahamlistenedinpityingwonder。’Ireallythink，MrHarding，youhadbetterwaitforthearchdeacon。Thisisamostseriousstep——oneforwhich，inmyopinion，thereisnottheslightestnecessity；and，asyouhavedonemethehonourofaskingmyadvice，Imustimploreyoutodonothingwithouttheapprovalofyourfriends。Amanisneverthebestjudgeofhisownposition。’
’Amanisthebestjudgeofwhathefeelshimself。I’dsoonerbegmybreadtillmydeaththanreadsuchanotherarticleasthosetwothathaveappeared，andfeel，asIdo，thatthewriterhastruthonhisside。’
’Haveyounotadaughter，MrHarding——anunmarrieddaughter？’
’Ihave，’saidhe，nowstandingalso，butstillplayingawayonhisfiddlewithhishandbehindhisback。’Ihave，SirAbraham；andsheandIarecompletelyagreedonthissubject。’
’Prayexcuseme，MrHarding，ifwhatIsayseemsimpertinent；
butsurelyitisyouthatshouldbeprudentonherbehalf。Sheisyoung，anddoesnotknowthemeaningoflivingonanincomeofahundredandsixtypoundsayear。Onheraccountgiveupthisidea。Believeme，itissheerQuixotism。’
Thewardenwalkedawaytothewindow，andthenbacktohischair；andthen，irresolutewhattosay，tookanotherturntothewindow。Theattorney-generalwasreallyextremelypatient，buthewasbeginningtothinkthattheinterviewhadbeenlongenough。
’Butifthisincomebenotjustlymine，whatifsheandI
havebothtobeg？’saidthewardenatlast，sharply，andinavoicesodifferentfromthathehadhithertoused，thatSirAbrahamwasstartled。’Ifso，itwouldbebettertobeg。’
’Mydearsir，nobodynowquestionsitsjustness。’
’Yes，SirAbraham，onedoesquestionit——themostimportantofallwitnessesagainstme——Iquestionitmyself。MyGodknowswhetherornoIlovemydaughter；butIwouldsoonerthatsheandIshouldbothbeg，thanthatsheshouldliveincomfortonmoneywhichistrulythepropertyofthepoor。
Itmayseemstrangetoyou，SirAbraham，itisstrangetomyself，thatIshouldhavebeentenyearsinthathappyhome，andnothavethoughtofthesethingstilltheyweresoroughlydinnedintomyears。Icannotboastofmyconscience，whenitrequiredtheviolenceofapublicnewspapertoawakenit；but，nowthatitisawake，Imustobeyit。WhenIcamehere，IdidnotknowthatthesuitwaswithdrawnbyMrBold，andmyobjectwastobegyoutoabandonmydefence。Asthereisnoaction，therecanbenodefence；butitis，atanyrate，aswellthatyoushouldknowthatfromtomorrowIshallceasetobethewardenofthehospital。MyfriendsandIdifferonthissubject，SirAbraham，andthataddsmuchtomysorrow；butitcannotbehelped。’And，ashefinishedwhathehadtosay，heplayedupsuchatuneasneverbeforehadgracedthechambersofanyattorney-general。Hewasstandingup，gallantlyfrontingSirAbraham，andhisrightarmpassedwithboldandrapidsweepsbeforehim，asthoughhewereembracingsomehugeinstrument，whichallowedhimtostandthuserect；andwiththefingersofhislefthandhestopped，withpreternaturalvelocity，amultitudeofstrings，whichrangedfromthetopofhiscollartothebottomofthelappetofhiscoat。SirAbrahamlistenedandlookedinwonder。
AshehadneverbeforeseenMrHarding，themeaningofthesewildgesticulationswaslostuponhim；butheperceivedthatthegentlemanwhohadafewminutessincebeensosubduedastobeunabletospeakwithouthesitation，wasnowimpassioned——nay，almostviolent。
’You’llsleeponthis，MrHarding，andtomorrow——’
’Ihavedonemorethansleepuponit，’saidthewarden；
’Ihavelainawakeuponit，andthatnightafternight。I
foundIcouldnotsleepuponit:nowIhopetodoso。’
Theattorney-generalhadnoanswertomaketothis；soheexpressedaquiethopethatwhateversettlementwasfinallymadewouldbesatisfactory；andMrHardingwithdrew，thankingthegreatmanforhiskindattention。
MrHardingwassufficientlysatisfiedwiththeinterviewtofeelaglowofcomfortashedescendedintothesmalloldsquareofLincoln’sInn。Itwasacalm，bright，beautifulnight，andbythelightofthemoon，eventhechapelofLincoln’sInn，andthesombrerowofchambers，whichsurroundthequadrangle，lookedwell。Hestoodstillamomenttocollecthisthoughts，andreflectonwhathehaddone，andwasabouttodo。Heknewthattheattorney-generalregardedhimaslittlebetterthanafool，butthathedidnotmind；heandtheattorney-
generalhadnotmuchincommonbetweenthem；heknewalsothatothers，whomhedidcareabout，wouldthinksotoo；
butEleanor，hewassure，wouldexultinwhathehaddone，andthebishop，hetrusted，wouldsympathisewithhim。
Inthemeantimehehadtomeetthearchdeacon，andsohewalkedslowlydownChanceryLaneandalongFleetStreet，feelingsurethathisworkforthenightwasnotyetover。
Whenhereachedthehotelherangthebellquietly，andwithapalpitatingheart；healmostlongedtoescaperoundthecorner，anddelaythecomingstormbyafurtherwalkroundStPaul’sChurchyard，butheheardtheslowcreakingshoesoftheoldwaiterapproaching，andhestoodhisgroundmanfully。
TheWardenisVeryObstinate’DrGrantlyishere，sir，’greetedhisearsbeforethedoorwaswellopen，’andMrsGrantly。Theyhaveasitting-roomabove，andarewaitingupforyou。’
Therewassomethinginthetoneoftheman’svoicewhichseemedtoindicatethatevenhelookeduponthewardenasarunawayschoolboy，justrecapturedbyhisguardian，andthathepitiedtheculprit，thoughhecouldnotbutbehorrifiedatthecrime。
Thewardenendeavouredtoappearunconcerned，ashesaid，’Oh，indeed！I’llgoupstairsatonce’；buthefailedsignally。Therewas，perhaps，arayofcomfortinthepresenceofhismarrieddaughter；thatistosay，ofcomparativecomfort，seeingthathisson-in-lawwasthere；buthowmuchwouldhehavepreferredthattheyshouldbothhavebeensafeatPlumsteadEpiscopi！However，upstairshewent，thewaiterslowlyprecedinghim；andonthedoorbeingopenedthearchdeaconwasdiscoveredstandinginthemiddleoftheroom，erect，indeed，asusual，butoh！howsorrowful！andonthedingysofabehindhimreclinedhispatientwife。
’Papa，Ithoughtyouwerenevercomingback，’saidthelady；’it’stwelveo’clock。’
’Yes，mydear，’saidthewarden。’Theattorney-generalnamedtenformymeeting；tobesuretenislate，butwhatcouldIdo，youknow？Greatmenwillhavetheirownway。’
Andhegavehisdaughterakiss，andshookhandswiththedoctor，andagaintriedtolookunconcerned。
’Andyouhaveabsolutelybeenwiththeattorney-general？’
askedthearchdeacon。
MrHardingsignifiedthathehad。
’Goodheavens，howunfortunate！’Andthearchdeaconraisedhishugehandsinthemannerinwhichhisfriendsaresoaccustomedtoseehimexpressdisapprobationandastonishment。
’WhatwillSirAbrahamthinkofit？Didyounotknowthatitisnotcustomaryforclientstogodirecttotheircounsel？’
’Isn’tit？’askedthewarden，innocently。’Well，atanyrate，I’vedoneitnow。SirAbrahamdidn’tseemtothinkitsoverystrange。’
Thearchdeacongaveasighthatwouldhavemovedaman-of-war。
’But，papa，whatdidyousaytoSirAbraham？’askedthelady。
’Iaskedhim，mydear，toexplainJohnHiram’swilltome。
Hecouldn’texplainitintheonlywaywhichwouldhavesatisfiedme，andsoIresignedthewardenship。’
’Resignedit！’saidthearchdeacon，inasolemnvoice，sadandlow，butyetsufficientlyaudible——asortofwhisperthatMacreadywouldhaveenvied，andthegallerieshaveapplaudedwithacoupleofrounds。’Resignedit！Goodheavens！’
Andthedignitaryofthechurchsankbackhorrifiedintoahorsehairarm-chair。
’AtleastItoldSirAbrahamthatIwouldresign；andofcourseImustnowdoso。’
’Notatall，’saidthearchdeacon，catchingarayofhope。
’Nothingthatyousayinsuchawaytoyourowncounselcanbeinanywaybindingonyou；ofcourseyouweretheretoaskhisadvice。I’msureSirAbrahamdidnotadviseanysuchstep。’
MrHardingcouldnotsaythathehad。
’Iamsurehedisadvisedyoufromit，’continuedthereverendcross-examiner。
MrHardingcouldnotdenythis。
’I’msureSirAbrahammusthaveadvisedyoutoconsultyourfriends。’
TothispropositionalsoMrHardingwasobligedtoassent。
’Thenyourthreatofresignationamountstonothing，andwearejustwherewewerebefore。’
MrHardingwasnowstandingontherug，movinguneasilyfromonefoottotheother。Hemadenodistinctanswertothearchdeacon’slastproposition，forhismindwaschieflyengagedonthinkinghowhecouldescapetobed。Thathisresignationwasathingfinallyfixedon，afactallbutcompleted，wasnotinhismindamatterofanydoubt；heknewhisownweakness；heknewhowpronehewastobeled；buthewasnotweakenoughtogivewaynow，togobackfromthepositiontowhichhisconsciencehaddrivenhim，afterhavingpurposelycometoLondontodeclarehisdetermination:hedidnotintheleastdoubthisresolution，buthegreatlydoubtedhispowerofdefendingitagainsthisson-in-law。