’Youmustbeverytired，Susan，’saidhe:’wouldn’tyouliketogotobed？’
ButSusandidn’twanttogotillherhusbandwent——Shehadanideathatherpapamightbebulliedifshewereaway:
shewasn’ttiredatall，oratleastshesaidso。
Thearchdeaconwaspacingtheroom，expressing，bycertainnoddlesofhishead，hisopinionoftheutterfatuityofhisfather-in-law。
’Why，’atlasthesaid——andangelsmighthaveblushedattherebukeexpressedinhistoneandemphasis——’WhydidyougoofffromBarchestersosuddenly？Whydidyoutakesuchastepwithoutgivingusnotice，afterwhathadpassedatthepalace？’
Thewardenhunghishead，andmadenoreply:hecouldnotcondescendtosaythathehadnotintendedtogivehisson-in-lawtheslip；andashehadnotthecouragetoavowit，hesaidnothing。
’Papahasbeentoomuchforyou，’saidthelady。
Thearchdeacontookanotherturn，andagainejaculated，’Goodheavens！’thistimeinaverylowwhisper，butstillaudible。
’IthinkI’llgotobed，’saidthewarden，takingupasidecandle。
’Atanyrate，you’llpromisemetotakenofurtherstepwithoutconsultation，’saidthearchdeacon。MrHardingmadenoanswer，butslowlyproceededtolighthiscandle。
’Ofcourse，’continuedtheother，’suchadeclarationasthatyoumadetoSirAbrahammeansnothing。Come，warden，promisemethis。Thewholeaffair，yousee，isalreadysettled，andthatwithverylittletroubleorexpense。Boldhasbeencompelledtoabandonhisaction，andallyouhavetodoistoremainquietatthehospital。’MrHardingstillmadenoreply，butlookedmeeklyintohisson-in-law’sface。Thearchdeaconthoughtheknewhisfather-in-law，buthewasmistaken；hethoughtthathehadalreadytalkedoveravacillatingmantoresignhispromise。’Come，’saidhe，’promiseSusantogiveupthisideaofresigningthewardenship。’
Thewardenlookedathisdaughter，thinkingprobablyatthemomentthatifEleanorwerecontentedwithhim，heneednotsomuchregardhisotherchild，andsaid，’IamsureSusanwillnotaskmetobreakmyword，ortodowhatIknowtobewrong。’
’Papa，’saidshe，’itwouldbemadnessinyoutothrowupyourpreferment。Whatareyoutoliveon？’
’God，thatfeedstheyoungravens，willtakecareofmealso，’saidMrHarding，withasmile，asthoughafraidofgivingoffencebymakinghisreferencetoscripturetoosolemn。
’Pish！’saidthearchdeacon，turningawayrapidly。’Iftheravenspersistedinrefusingthefoodpreparedforthem，theywouldn’tbefed。’Aclergymangenerallydislikestobemetinargumentbyanyscripturalquotation；hefeelsasaffrontedasadoctordoes，whenrecommendedbyanoldwomantotakesomefavouritedose，orasalawyerwhenanunprofessionalmanattemptstoputhimdownbyaquibble。
’IshallhavethelivingofCrabtree，’modestlysuggestedthewarden。
’Eightypoundsayear！’sneeredthearchdeacon。
’Andtheprecentorship，’saidthefather-in-law。
’Itgoeswiththewardenship，’saidtheson-in-law。MrHardingwaspreparedtoarguethispoint，andbegantodoso，butDrGrantlystoppedhim。’Mydearwarden，’saidhe，’thisisallnonsense。Eightypoundsorahundredandsixtymakesverylittledifference。Youcan’tliveonit——youcan’truinEleanor’sprospectsforever。Inpointoffact，youcan’tresign；thebishopwouldn’tacceptit；thewholethingissettled。WhatInowwanttodoistopreventanyinconvenienttittle-tattle——anymorenewspaperarticles。’
’That’swhatIwant，too，’saidthewarden。
’Andtopreventthat，’continuedtheother，’wemustn’tletanytalkofresignationgetabroad。’
’ButIshallresign，’saidthewarden，very，verymeekly。
’Goodheavens！Susan，mydear，whatcanIsaytohim？’
’But，papa，’saidMrsGrantly，gettingup，andputtingherarmthroughthatofherfather，’whatisEleanortodoifyouthrowawayyourincome？’
Ahottearstoodineachofthewarden’seyesashelookedrounduponhismarrieddaughter。Whyshouldonesisterwhowassorichpredictpovertyforanother？Somesuchideaasthiswasonhismind，buthegavenoutterancetoit。Thenhethoughtofthepelicanfeedingitsyoungwithbloodfromitsownbreast，buthegavenoutterancetothateither；andthenofEleanorwaitingforhimathome，waitingtocongratulatehimontheendofallhistrouble。
’ThinkofEleanor，papa，’saidMrsGrantly。
’Idothinkofher，’saidherfather。
’Andyouwillnotdothisrashthing？’Theladywasreallymovedbeyondherusualcalmcomposure。
’Itcanneverberashtodoright，’saidhe。’Ishallcertainlyresignthiswardenship。’
’Then，MrHarding，thereisnothingbeforeyoubutruin，’
saidthearchdeacon，nowmovedbeyondallendurance。’RuinbothforyouandEleanor。Howdoyoumeantopaythemonstrousexpensesofthisaction？’
MrsGrantlysuggestedthat，astheactionwasabandoned，thecostswouldnotbeheavy。
’Indeedtheywill，mydear，’continuedhe。’Onecannothavetheattorney-generalupattwelveo’clockatnightfornothing——butofcourseyourfatherhasnotthoughtofthis。’
’Iwillsellmyfurniture，’saidthewarden。
’Furniture！’ejaculatedtheother，withamostpowerfulsneer。
Come，archdeacon，’saidthelady，’weneedn’tmindthatatpresent。Youknowyouneverexpectedpapatopaythecosts。’
’Suchabsurdityisenoughtoprovokejob，’saidthearchdeacon，marchingquicklyupanddowntheroom。’Yourfatherislikeachild。Eighthundredpoundsayear！——eighthundredandeightywiththehouse——withnothingtodo。Theveryplaceforhim。Andtothrowthatupbecausesomescoundrelwritesanarticleinanewspaper！Well——Ihavedonemyduty。IfhechoosestoruinhischildIcannothelpit’；andhestoodstillatthefire-place，andlookedathimselfinadingymirrorwhichstoodonthechimney-piece。
Therewasapauseforaboutaminute，andthenthewarden，findingthatnothingelsewascoming，lightedhiscandle，andquietlysaid，’Good-night。’
’Good-night，papa，’saidthelady。
Andsothewardenretired；but，asheclosedthedoorbehindhim，heheardthewell-knownejaculation——slower，lower，moresolemn，moreponderousthanever——’Goodheavens！’
TheWardenResignsThepartymetthenextmorningatbreakfast；andaverysombreaffairitwas——veryunlikethebreakfastsatPlumsteadEpiscopi。
Therewerethreethin，small，drybitsofbacon，eachaninchlong，servedupunderahugeoldplatedcover；therewerefourthree-corneredbitsofdrytoast，andfoursquarebitsofbutteredtoast；therewasaloafofbread，andsomeoily-
lookingbutter；andonthesideboardthereweretheremainsofacoldshoulderofmutton。Thearchdeacon，however，hadnotcomeupfromhisrectorytoStPaul’sChurchyardtoenjoyhimselfandthereforenothingwassaidofthescantyfare。
Theguestswereassorryastheviands——hardlyanythingwassaidoverthebreakfast-table。Thearchdeaconmunchedhistoastinominoussilence，turningoverbitterthoughtsinhisdeepmind。Thewardentriedtotalktohisdaughter，andshetriedtoanswerhim；buttheybothfailed。Therewerenofeelingsatpresentincommonbetweenthem。ThewardenwasthinkingonlyofgettingbacktoBarchester，andcalculatingwhetherthearchdeaconwouldexpecthimtowaitforhim；
andMrsGrantlywaspreparingherselfforagrandattackwhichshewastomakeonherfather，asagreeduponbetweenherselfandherhusbandduringtheircurtainconfabulationofthatmorning。
Whenthewaiterhadcreakedoutoftheroomwiththelastoftheteacups，thearchdeacongotupandwenttothewindowasthoughtoadmiretheview。TheroomlookedoutonanarrowpassagewhichrunsfromStPaul’sChurchyardtoPaternosterRow；andDrGrantlypatientlyperusedthenamesofthethreeshopkeeperswhosedoorswereinview。
Thewardenstillkepthisseatatthetable，andexaminedthepatternofthetablecloth；andMrsGrantly，seatingherselfonthesofa，begantoknit。
AfterawhilethewardenpulledhisBradshawoutofhispocket，andbeganlaboriouslytoconsultit。TherewasatrainforBarchesterat10A。M。Thatwasoutofthequestion，foritwasnearlytenalready。Anotherat3P。M。；another，thenight-mailtrain，at9P。M。Thethreeo’clocktrainwouldtakehimhometotea，andwouldsuitverywell。
’Mydear，’saidhe，’IthinkIshallgobackhomeatthreeo’clocktoday。Ishallgethomeathalf-pasteight。Idon’tthinkthere’sanythingtokeepmeinLondon。’
’ThearchdeaconandIreturnbytheearlytraintomorrow，papa；won’tyouwaitandgobackwithus？’
’Why，Eleanorwillexpectmetonight；andI’vesomuchtodo；and——’
’Muchtodo！’saidthearchdeaconsottovoce；butthewardenheardhim。
’You’dbetterwaitforus，papa。’
’Thankye，mydear！IthinkI’llgothisafternoon。’Thetamestanimalwillturnwhendriventoohard，andevenMrHardingwasbeginningtofightforhisownway。