Itappearstousaquestionwhetheranyclergymancangothroughourchurchservicewithdecorum，morningaftermorning，inanimmensebuilding，surroundedbynotmorethanadozenlisteners。Thebestactorscannotactwellbeforeemptybenches，andthoughthereis，ofcourse，ahighermotiveinonecasethantheother，stilleventhebestofclergymencannotbutbeinfluencedbytheiraudience；andtoexpectthatadutyshouldbewelldoneundersuchcircumstances，wouldbetorequirefromhumannaturemorethanhumanpower。
Whenthetwoladieswiththegiltcrosses，theoldmanwithhiscrutch，andthestillpalpitatinghousemaidweregoing，MrHardingfoundhimselfobligedtogotoo。Thevergerstoodinhisway，andlookedathimandlookedatthedoor，andsohewent。Buthereturnedagaininafewminutes，andre-enteredwithanothertwopence。Therewasnoothersanctuarysogoodforhim。
Ashewalkedslowlydownthenave，andthenuponeaisle，andthenagaindownthenaveanduptheotheraisle，hetriedtothinkgravelyofthestephewasabouttotake。Hewasgoingtogiveupeighthundredayearvoluntarily；anddoomhimselftolivefortherestofhislifeonaboutahundredandfifty。Heknewthathehadhithertofailedtorealisethisfactasheoughttodo。Couldhemaintainhisownindependenceandsupporthisdaughteronahundredandfiftypoundsayearwithoutbeingaburdenonanyone？Hisson-in-lawwasrich，butnothingcouldinducehimtoleanonhisson-in-lawafteracting，asheintendedtodo，indirectoppositiontohisson-in-law’scounsel。Thebishopwasrich，buthewasabouttothrowawaythebishop’sbestgift，andthatinamannertoinjuremateriallythepatronageofthegiver:hecouldneitherexpectnoracceptanythingfurtherfromthebishop。Therewouldbenotonlynomerit，butpositivedisgrace，ingivinguphiswardenship，ifhewerenotpreparedtomeettheworldwithoutit。Yes，hemustfromthistimeforwardboundallhishumanwishesforhimselfandhisdaughtertothepoorextentofsolimitedanincome。Heknewhehadnotthoughtsufficientlyofthis，thathehadbeencarriedawaybyenthusiasm，andhadhithertonotbroughthometohimselfthefullrealityofhisposition。
Hethoughtmostabouthisdaughter，naturally。Itwastruethatshewasengaged，andheknewenoughofhisproposedson-in-lawtobesurethathisownalteredcircumstanceswouldmakenoobstacletosuchamarriage；nay，hewassurethattheveryfactofhispovertywouldinduceBoldmoreanxiouslytopressthematter；buthedislikedcountingonBoldinthisemergency，broughton，asithadbeen，byhisdoing。Hedidnotlikesayingtohimself，Boldhasturnedmeoutofmyhouseandincome，and，therefore，hemustrelievemeofmydaughter；
hepreferredreckoningonEleanorasthecompanionofhispovertyandexile——asthesharerofhissmallincome。
Somemodestprovisionforhisdaughterhadbeenlongsincemade。Hislifewasinsuredforthreethousandpounds，andthissumwastogotoEleanor。Thearchdeacon，forsomeyearspast，hadpaidthepremium，andhadsecuredhimselfbytheimmediatepossessionofasmallpropertywhichwastohavegonetoMrsGrantlyafterherfather’sdeath。Thismatter，therefore，hadbeentakenoutofthewarden’shandslongsince，as，indeed，hadallthebusinesstransactionsofhisfamily，andhisanxietywas，therefore，confinedtohisownlifeincome。
Yes。Ahundredandfiftyperannumwasverysmall，butstillitmightsuffice；buthowwashetochantthelitanyatthecathedralonSundaymornings，andgettheservicedoneatCrabtreeParva？True，CrabtreeChurchwasnotquiteamileandahalffromthecathedral；buthecouldnotbeintwoplacesatonce。Crabtreewasasmallvillage，andafternoonservicemightsuffice，butstillthiswentagainsthisconscience；
itwasnotrightthathisparishionersshouldberobbedofanyoftheirprivilegesonaccountofhispoverty。Hemight，tobesure，makesomearrangementsfordoingweek-dayserviceatthecathedral；buthehadchantedthelitanyatBarchestersolong，andhadaconsciousfeelingthathediditsowell，thathewasunwillingtogiveuptheduty。
Thinkingofsuchthings，turningoverinhisownmindtogethersmalldesiresandgraveduties，butneverhesitatingforamomentastothenecessityofleavingthehospital，MrHardingwalkedupanddowntheabbey，orsatstillmeditatingonthesamestonestep，hourafterhour。Onevergerwentandanothercame，buttheydidnotdisturbhim；everynowandthentheycreptupandlookedathim，buttheydidsowithareverentialstare，and，onthewhole，MrHardingfoundhisretreatwellchosen。Aboutfouro’clockhiscomfortwasdisturbedbyanenemyintheshapeofhunger。Itwasnecessarythatheshoulddine，anditwasclearthathecouldnotdineintheabbey:sohelefthissanctuarynotwillingly，andbetookhimselftotheneighbourhoodoftheStrandtolookforfood。
Hiseyeshadbecomesoaccustomedtothegloomofthechurch，thattheyweredazedwhenhegotoutintothefulllightofday，andhefeltconfusedandashamedofhimself，asthoughpeoplewerestaringathim。Hehurriedalong，stillindreadofthearchdeacon，tillhecametoCharingCross，andthenrememberedthatinoneofhispassagesthroughtheStrandhehadseenthewords’ChopsandSteaks’onaplacardinashopwindow。Herememberedtheshopdistinctly；itwasnextdoortoatrunk-seller’s，andtherewasacigarshopontheotherside。Hecouldn’tgotohishotelfordinner，whichtohimhithertowastheonlyknownmodeofdininginLondonathisownexpense；and，therefore，hewouldgetasteakattheshopintheStrand。ArchdeaconGrantlywouldcertainlynotcometosuchaplaceforhisdinner。
Hefoundthehouseeasily——justashehadobservedit，betweenthetrunksandthecigars。Hewasratherdauntedbythehugequantityoffishwhichhesawinthewindow。Therewerebarrelsofoysters，hecatombsoflobsters，afewtremendous-
lookingcrabs，andatubfullofpickledsalmon；not，however，beingawareofanyconnectionbetweenshell-fishandiniquity，heentered，andmodestlyaskedaslatternlywoman，whowaspickingoystersoutofagreatwateryreservoir，whetherhecouldhaveamuttonchopandapotato。
Thewomanlookedsomewhatsurprised，butansweredintheaffirmative，andaslipshodgirlusheredhimintoalongbackroom，filledwithboxesfortheaccommodationofparties，inoneofwhichhetookhisseat。Inamoremiserablyforlornplacehecouldnothavefoundhimself:theroomsmeltoffish，andsawdust，andstaletobaccosmoke，withaslighttaintofescapedgas；everythingwasroughanddirty，anddisreputable；
theclothwhichtheyputbeforehimwasabominable；
theknivesandforkswerebruised，andhacked，andfilthy；andeverythingwasimpregnatedwithfish。Hehadonecomfort，however:hewasquitealone；therewasnoonetheretolookonhisdismay；norwasitprobablethatanyonewouldcometodoso。ItwasaLondonsupper-house。Aboutoneo’clockatnighttheplacewouldbelivelyenough，butatthepresenttimehisseclusionwasasdeepasithadbeenintheabbey。
Inabouthalfanhourtheuntidygirl，notyetdressedforhereveninglabours，broughthimhischopandpotatoes，andMrHardingbeggedforapintofsherry。Hewasimpressedwithanidea，whichwasgenerallyprevalentafewyearssince，andisnotyetwhollyremovedfromthemindsofmen，thattoorderadinneratanykindofinn，withoutalsoorderingapintofwineforthebenefitofthelandlord，wasakindoffraud——notpunishable，indeed，bylaw，butnotthelessabominableonthataccount。MrHardingrememberedhiscomingpoverty，andwouldwillinglyhavesavedhishalf-crown，buthethoughthehadnoalternative；andhewassoonputinpossessionofsomehorridmixtureprocuredfromtheneighbouringpublic-house。
Hischopandpotatoes，however，wereeatable，andhavinggotoverasbesthemightthedisgustcreatedbytheknivesandforks，hecontrivedtoswallowhisdinner。Hewasnotmuchdisturbed:oneyoungman，withpalefaceandwateryfishlikeeyes，wearinghishatominouslyononeside，didcomeinandstareathim，andaskthegirl，audiblyenough，’Whothatoldcockwas’；buttheannoyancewentnofurther，andthewardenwasleftseatedonhiswoodenbenchinpeace，endeavouringtodistinguishthedifferentscentsarisingfromlobsters，oysters，andsalmon。
UnknowingasMrHardingwasinthewaysofLondon，hefeltthathehadsomehowselectedanineligibledining-house，andthathehadbetterleaveit。Itwashardlyfiveo’clock——
howwashetopassthetimetillten？Fivemiserablehours！
Hewasalreadytired，anditwasimpossiblethatheshouldcontinuewalkingsolong。Hethoughtofgettingintoanomnibus，andgoingouttoFulhamforthesakeofcomingbackinanother:this，however，wouldbewearywork，andashepaidhisbilltothewomanintheshop，heaskedheriftherewereanyplacenearwherehecouldgetacupofcoffee。
Thoughshedidkeepashellfishsupper-house，shewasverycivil，anddirectedhimtothecigardivanontheothersideofthestreet。
MrHardinghadnotamuchcorrecternotionofacigardivanthanhehadofaLondondinner-house，buthewasdesperatelyinwantofrest，andwentashewasdirected。Hethoughthemusthavemadesomemistakewhenhefoundhimselfinacigarshop，butthemanbehindthecountersawimmediatelythathewasastranger，andunderstoodwhathewanted。
’Oneshilling，sir——thankye，sir——cigar，sir？——ticketforcoffee，sir——you’llonlyhavetocallthewaiter。Upthosestairs，ifyouplease，sir。Bettertakethecigar，sir——youcanalwaysgiveittoafriend，youknow。Well，sir，thankye，sir——asyouaresogood，I’llsmokeitmyself。’AndsoMrHardingascendedtothedivan，withhisticketforcoffee，butminusthecigar。
Theplaceseemedmuchmoresuitabletohisrequirementsthantheroominwhichhehaddined:therewas，tobesure，astrongsmelloftobacco，towhichhewasnotaccustomed；
butaftertheshell-fish，thetobaccodidnotseemdisagreeable。
Therewerequantitiesofbooks，andlongrowsofsofas。Whatonearthcouldbemoreluxuriousthanasofa，abook，andacupofcoffee？Anoldwaitercameuptohim，withacoupleofmagazinesandaneveningpaper。Waseveranythingsocivil？Wouldhehaveacupofcoffee，orwouldheprefersherbet？Sherbet！WasheabsolutelyinanEasterndivan，withtheslightadditionofalltheLondonperiodicals？Hehad，however，anideathatsherbetshouldbedrunksittingcross-legged，andashewasnotquiteuptothis，heorderedthecoffee。
Thecoffeecame，andwasunexceptionable。Why，thisdivanwasaparadise！Theciviloldwaitersuggestedtohimagameofchess:thoughachessplayerhewasnotequaltothis，sohedeclined，and，puttinguphiswearylegsonthesofa，leisurelysippedhiscoffee，andturnedoverthepagesofhisBlackwood。Hemighthavebeensoengagedforaboutanhour，fortheoldwaiterenticedhimtoasecondcupofcoffee，whenamusicalclockbegantoplay。MrHardingthenclosedhismagazine，keepinghisplacewithhisfinger，andlay，listeningwithclosedeyestotheclock。Soontheclockseemedtoturnintoavioloncello，withpianoaccompaniments，andMrHardingbegantofancytheoldwaiterwastheBishopofBarchester；hewasinexpressiblyshockedthatthebishopshouldhavebroughthimhiscoffeewithhisownhands；thenDrGrantlycamein，withabasketfulloflobsters，whichhewouldnotbeinducedtoleavedownstairsinthekitchen；andthenthewardencouldn’tquiteunderstandwhysomanypeoplewouldsmokeinthebishop’sdrawing-room；andsohefellfastasleep，andhisdreamswanderedawaytohisaccustomedstallinBarchesterCathedral，andthetwelveoldmenhewassosoonabouttoleaveforever。