Havingwrittentheselettersandmadeacopyoftheformeroneforthebenefitofthearchdeacon，MrHarding，whomwemustnowceasetocallthewarden，hehavingdesignatedhimselfsoforthelasttime，foundthatitwasnearlytwoo’clock，andthathemustprepareforhisjourney。Yes，fromthistimeheneveragainadmittedthenamebywhichhehadbeensofamiliarlyknown，andinwhich，totellthetruth，hehadrejoiced。Theloveoftitlesiscommontoallmen，andavicarorfellowisaspleasedatbecomingMrArchdeaconorMrProvost，asalieutenantatgettinghiscaptaincy，oracitytallow-chandlerinbecomingSirJohnontheoccasionofaQueen’svisittoanewbridge。Butwardenhewasnolonger，andthenameofprecentor，thoughtheofficewastohimsodear，confersinitselfnosufficientdistinction；ourfriend，therefore，againbecameMrHarding。
MrsGrantlyhadgoneout；hehad，therefore，noonetodelayhimbyfurtherentreatiestopostponehisjourney；hehadsoonarrangedhisbag，andpaidhisbill，and，leavinganoteforhisdaughter，inwhichheputthecopyofhisofficialletter，hegotintoacabanddroveawaytothestationwithsomethingoftriumphinhisheart。
Hadhenotcausefortriumph？Hadhenotbeensupremelysuccessful？Hadhenotforthefirsttimeinhislifeheldhisownpurposeagainstthatofhisson-in-law，andmanfullycombatedagainstgreatodds——againstthearchdeacon’swifeaswellasthearchdeacon？Hadhenotgainedagreatvictory，andwasitnotfitthatheshouldstepintohiscabwithtriumph？
HehadnottoldEleanorwhenhewouldreturn，butshewasonthelook-outforhimbyeverytrainbywhichhecouldarrive，andthepony-carriagewasattheBarchesterstationwhenthetraindrewupattheplatform。
’Mydear，’saidhe，sittingbesideher，asshesteeredherlittlevesseltoonesideoftheroadtomakeroomfortheclatteringomnibusastheypassedfromthestationintothetown，’Ihopeyou’llbeabletofeelaproperdegreeofrespectforthevicarofCrabtree。’
’Dearpapa，’saidshe，’Iamsoglad。’
Therewasgreatcomfortinreturninghometothatpleasanthouse，thoughhewastoleaveitsosoon，andindiscussingwithhisdaughterallthathehaddone，andallthathehadtodo。
Itmusttakesometimetogetoutofonehouseintoanother；
thecurateatCrabtreecouldnotbeabolishedundersixmonths，thatis，unlessotherprovisioncouldbemadeforhim；
andthenthefurniture——themostofthatmustbesoldtopaySirAbrahamHaphazardforsittinguptilltwelveatnight。
MrHardingwasstrangelyignorantastolawyers’bills；hehadnoidea，fromtwentypoundstotwothousand，astothesuminwhichhewasindebtedforlegalassistance。True，hehadcalledinnolawyerhimself；true，hehadbeennoconsentingpartytotheemploymentofeitherCoxandCummins，orSirAbraham；hehadneverbeenconsultedonsuchmatters；——thearchdeaconhadmanagedallthishimself，neverforamomentsuspectingthatMrHardingwouldtakeuponhimtoendthematterinawayofhisown。Hadthelawyers’
billsbeententhousandpounds，MrHardingcouldnothavehelpedit；buthewasnotonthataccountdisposedtodisputehisownliability。Thequestionneveroccurredtohim；butitdidoccurtohimthathehadverylittlemoneyathisbanker’s，thathecouldreceivenothingfurtherfromthehospital，andthatthesaleofthefurniturewashisonlyresource。
’Notall，papa，’saidEleanorpleadingly。
’Notquiteall，mydear，’saidhe；’thatis，ifwecanhelpit。
WemusthavealittleatCrabtree——butitcanonlybealittle；
wemustputaboldfrontonit，Nelly；itisn’teasytocomedownfromaffluencetopoverty。’
Andsotheyplannedtheirfuturemodeoflife；thefathertakingcomfortfromthereflectionthathisdaughterwouldsoonbefreedfromit，andsheresolvingthatherfatherwouldsoonhaveinherownhouseareadymeansofescapefromthesolitudeoftheCrabtreevicarage。
Whenthearchdeaconlefthiswifeandfather-in-lawattheChapterCoffeeHousetogotoMessrsCoxandCummins，hehadnoverydefinedideaofwhathehadtodowhenhegotthere。Gentlemenwhenatlaw，orinanywayengagedinmattersrequiringlegalassistance，areveryapttogototheirlawyerswithoutmuchabsolutenecessity；——gentlemenwhendoingso，areapttodescribesuchattendanceasquitecompulsory，andverydisagreeable。Thelawyers，ontheotherhand，donotatallseethenecessity，thoughtheyquiteagreeastothedisagreeablenatureofthevisit；——gentlemenwhensoengagedareusuallysomewhatgravelledatfindingnothingtosaytotheirlearnedfriends；theygenerallytalkalittlepolitics，alittleweather，asksomefewfoolishquestionsabouttheirsuit，andthenwithdraw，havingpassedhalfanhourinasmalldingywaiting-room，incompanywithsomejuniorassistant-
clerk，andtenminuteswiththemembersofthefirm；thebusinessisthenoverforwhichthegentlemanhascomeuptoLondon，probablyadistanceofahundredandfiftymiles。
Tobesurehegoestotheplay，anddinesathisfriend’sclub，andhasabachelor’slibertyandbachelor’srecreationforthreeorfourdays；andhecouldnotprobablypleadthedesireofsuchgratificationsasareasontohiswifeforatriptoLondon。
Marriedladies，whenyourhusbandsfindtheyarepositivelyobligedtoattendtheirlegaladvisers，thenatureofthedutytobeperformedisgenerallyofthisdescription。
ThearchdeaconwouldnothavedreamtofleavingLondonwithoutgoingtoCoxandCummins；andyethehadnothingtosaytothem。Thegamewasup；heplainlysawthatMrHardinginthismatterwasnottobemoved；hisonlyremainingbusinessonthisheadwastopaythebillandhavedonewithit；andIthinkitmaybetakenforgranted，thatwhateverthecausemaybethattakesagentlemantoalawyer’schambers，henevergoestheretopayhisbill。
DrGrantly，however，intheeyesofMessrsCoxandCummins，representedthespiritualitiesofthedioceseofBarchester，asMrChadwickdidthetemporalities，andwas，therefore，toogreatamantoundergothehalf-hourintheclerk’sroom。ItwillnotbenecessarythatweshouldlistentothenotesofsorrowinwhichthearchdeaconbewailedtoMrCoxtheweaknessofhisfather-in-law，andtheendofalltheirhopesoftriumph；norneedwerepeatthevariousexclamationsofsurprisewithwhichthemournfulintelligencewasreceived。
Notragedyoccurred，thoughMrCox，ashortandsomewhatbull-neckedman，wasverynearafitofapoplexywhenhefirstattemptedtoejaculatethatfatalword——resign！
OverandoveragaindidMrCoxattempttoenforceonthearchdeacontheproprietyofurgingonMrWardenthemadnessofthedeedhewasabouttodo。
’Eighthundredayear！’saidMrCox。
’Andnothingwhatevertodo！’saidMrCummins，whohadjoinedtheconference。
’Noprivatefortune，Ibelieve，’saidMrCox。
’Notashilling，’saidMrCummins，inaverylowvoice，shakinghishead。
’Ineverheardofsuchacaseinallmyexperience，’saidMrCox。
’Eighthundredayear，andasniceahouseasanygentlemancouldwishtohanguphishatin，’saidMrCummins。
’Andanunmarrieddaughter，Ibelieve，’saidMrCox，withmuchmoralseriousnessinhistone。Thearchdeacononlysighedaseachseparatewailwasuttered，andshookhishead，signifyingthatthefatuityofsomepeoplewaspastbelief。
’I’lltellyouwhathemightdo，’saidMrCummins，brighteningup。’I’lltellyouhowyoumightsaveit——lethimexchange。’
’Exchangewhere？’saidthearchdeacon。
’Exchangeforaliving。There’sQuiverful，ofPuddingdale——hehastwelvechildren，andwouldbedelightedtogetthehospital。TobesurePuddingdaleisonlyfourhundred，butthatwouldbesavingsomethingoutofthefire:MrHardingwouldhaveacurate，andstillkeepthreehundredorthreehundredandfifty。’
Thearchdeaconopenedhisearsandlistened；hereallythoughttheschememightdo。
’Thenewspapers，’continuedMrCummins，’mighthammerawayatQuiverfuleverydayforthenextsixmonthswithouthismindingthem。’
Thearchdeacontookuphishat，andreturnedtohishotel，thinkingthematteroverdeeply。AtanyratehewouldsoundQuiverful。Amanwithtwelvechildrenwoulddomuchtodoublehisincome。
FarewellOnthemorningafterMrHarding’sreturnhomehereceivedanotefromthebishopfullofaffection，condolence，andpraise。’Praycometomeatonce，’wrotethebishop，’thatwemayseewhathadbetterbedone；astothehospital，Iwillnotsayawordtodissuadeyou；butIdon’tlikeyourgoingtoCrabtree:atanyrate，cometomeatonce。’
MrHardingdidgotohimatonce；andlongandconfidentialwastheconsultationbetweenthetwooldfriends。Theretheysattogetherthewholelongday，plottingtogetthebetterofthearchdeacon，andtocarryoutlittleschemesoftheirown，whichtheyknewwouldbeopposedbythewholeweightofhisauthority。
Thebishop’sfirstideawas，thatMrHarding，iflefttohimself，wouldcertainlystarve——notinthefigurativesenseinwhichsomanyofourladiesandgentlemendostarveonincomesfromonetofivehundredayear；notthathewouldbestarvedasregardeddresscoats，portwine，andpocket-money；butthathewouldpositivelyperishofinanitionforwantofbread。
’Howisamantolive，whenhegivesupallhisincome？’
saidthebishoptohimself。Andthenthegood-naturedlittlemanbegantoconsiderhowhisfriendmightbebestrescuedfromadeathsohorridandpainful。
HisfirstpropositiontoMrHardingwas，thattheyshouldlivetogetheratthepalace。He，thebishop，positivelyassuredMrHardingthathewantedanotherresidentchaplain——notayoungworkingchaplain，butasteady，middle-agedchaplain；