Isupposeyouwon’tbebackbeforethree？’saidthelady，addressingherhusband。
’Imustleavethisattwo，’saidthewarden。
’Quiteoutofthequestion，’saidthearchdeacon，answeringhiswife，andstillreadingtheshopkeepers’names；’Idon’tsupposeIshallbebacktillfive。’
Therewasanotherlongpause，duringwhichMrHardingcontinuedtostudyhisBradshaw。
’ImustgotoCoxandCummins，’saidthearchdeaconatlast。
’Oh，toCoxandCummins，’saidthewarden。Itwasquiteamatterofindifferencetohimwherehisson-in-lawwent。
ThenamesofCoxandCumminshadnownointerestinhisears。WhathadhetodowithCoxandCumminsfurther，havingalreadyhadhissuitfinallyadjudicateduponinacourtofconscience，ajudgmentwithoutpowerofappealfullyregistered，andthemattersettledsothatallthelawyersinLondoncouldnotdisturbit。ThearchdeaconcouldgotoCoxandCummins，couldremaintherealldayinanxiousdiscussion；butwhatmightbesaidtherewasnolongermatterofinteresttohim，whowassosoontolayasidethenameofwardenofBarchesterHospital。
Thearchdeacontookuphisshiningnewclericalhat，andputonhisblacknewclericalgloves，andlookedheavy，respectable，decorous，andopulent，adecidedclergymanoftheChurchofEngland，everyinchofhim。’IsupposeIshallseeyouatBarchesterthedayaftertomorrow，’saidhe。
Thewardensupposedhewould。
’Imustoncemorebeseechyoutotakenofurtherstepstillyouseemyfather；ifyouowemenothing，’andthearchdeaconlookedasthoughhethoughtagreatdealwereduetohim，’atleastyouowesomuchtomyfather’；and，withoutwaitingforareply，DrGrantlywendedhiswaytoCoxandCummins。
MrsGrantlywaitedtillthelastfallofherhusband’sfootwasheard，asheturnedoutofthecourtintoStPaul’sChurchyard，andthencommencedhertaskoftalkingherfatherover。
’Papa，’shebegan，’thisisamostseriousbusiness。’
’Indeeditis，’saidthewarden，ringingthebell。
’Igreatlyfeelthedistressofmindyoumusthaveendured。’
’Iamsureyoudo，mydear’；andheorderedthewaitertobringhimpen，ink，andpaper。
’Areyougoingtowrite，papa？’
’Yes，mydear——Iamgoingtowritemyresignationtothebishop。’
’Pray，pray，papa，putitofftillourreturn——prayputitofftillyouhaveseenthebishop——dearpapa！formysake，forEleanor’s！——’
’ItisforyoursakeandEleanor’sthatIdothis。Ihope，atleast，thatmychildrenmayneverhavetobeashamedoftheirfather。’
’Howcanyoutalkaboutshame，papa？’andshestoppedwhilethewaitercreakedinwiththepaper，andthenslowlycreakedoutagain；’howcanyoutalkaboutshame？youknowwhatallyourfriendsthinkaboutthisquestion。’
Thewardenspreadhispaperonthetable，placingitonthemeagreblotting-bookwhichthehotelafforded，andsathimselfdowntowrite。
’Youwon’trefusemeonerequest，papa？’continuedhisdaughter；’youwon’trefusetodelayyourletterfortwoshortdays？Twodayscanmakenopossibledifference。’
’Mydear，’saidhenaively，’ifIwaitedtillIgottoBarchester，Imight，perhaps，beprevented。’
’Butsurelyyouwouldnotwishtooffendthebishop？’
saidshe。
’Godforbid！Thebishopisnotapttotakeoffence，andknowsmetoowelltotakeinbadpartanythingthatImaybecalledontodo。’
’But，papa——’
’Susan，’saidhe，’mymindonthissubjectismadeup；itisnotwithoutmuchrepugnancethatIactinoppositiontotheadviceofsuchmenasSirAbrahamHaphazardandthearchdeacon；
butinthismatterIcantakenoadvice，IcannotaltertheresolutiontowhichIhavecome。’
’Buttwodays，papa——’
’No——norcanIdelayit。Youmayaddtomypresentunhappinessbypressingme，butyoucannotchangemypurpose；itwillbeacomforttomeifyouwillletthematterrest’:and，dippinghispenintotheinkstand，hefixedhiseyesintentlyonthepaper。
Therewassomethinginhismannerwhichtaughthisdaughtertoperceivethathewasinearnest；shehadatonetimeruledsupremeinherfather’shouse，butsheknewthatthereweremomentswhen，mildandmeekashewas，hewouldhavehisway，andthepresentwasanoccasionofthesort。
Shereturned，therefore，toherknitting，andveryshortlyafterlefttheroom。
Thewardenwasnowatlibertytocomposehisletter，and，asitwascharacteristicoftheman，itshallbegivenatfulllength。Theofficialletter，which，whenwritten，seemedtohimtobetooformallycoldtobesentalonetosodearafriend，wasaccompaniedbyaprivatenote；andbotharehereinserted。
Theletterofresignationranasfollows:
’MyLORDBISHOP，’ItiswiththegreatestpainthatIfeelmyselfconstrainedtoresignintoyourLordship’shandsthewardenshipofthehospitalatBarchester，whichyousokindlyconferreduponme，nownearlytwelveyearssince。
’Ineednotexplainthecircumstanceswhichhavemadethisstepappearnecessarytome。Youareawarethataquestionhasarisenastotherightofthewardentotheincomewhichhasbeenallottedtothewardenship；ithasseemedtomethatthisrightisnotwellmadeout，andIhesitatetoincurtheriskoftakinganincometowhichmylegalclaimappearsdoubtful。
’Theofficeofprecentorofthecathedralis，asyourLordshipisaware，joinedtothatofthewarden；thatistosay，theprecentorhasformanyyearsbeenthewardenofthehospital；
thereis，however，nothingtomakethejunctionofthetwoofficesnecessary，and，unlessyouorthedeanandchapterobjecttosuchanarrangement，Iwouldwishtokeeptheprecentorship。Theincomeofthisofficewillnowbenecessarytome；indeed，IdonotknowwhyIshouldbeashamedtosaythatIshouldhavedifficultyinsupportingmyselfwithoutit。
’YourLordship，andsuchothersasyoumaypleasetoconsultonthematter，willatonceseethatmyresignationofthewardenshipneedoffernottheslightestbartoitsoccupationbyanotherperson。IamthoughtinthewrongbyallthosewhomIhaveconsultedinthematter；Ihaveverylittlebutaninwardandanunguidedconvictionofmyowntobringmetothisstep，andIshall，indeed，behurttofindthatanysluristhrownontheprefermentwhichyourkindnessbestowedonme，bymyresignationofit。I，atanyrateforone，shalllookonanysuccessorwhomyoumayappointasenjoyingaclericalsituationofthehighestrespectability，andonetowhichyourLordship’snominationgivesanindefeasibleright。
’IcannotfinishthisofficialletterwithoutagainthankingyourLordshipforallyourgreatkindness，andIbegtosubscribemyself——YourLordship’smostobedientservant’SEPTIMUSHARDING，’WardenofBarchesterHospital，andPrecentoroftheCathedral。’
Hethenwrotethefollowingprivatenote:
’MyDEARBISHOP，’Icannotsendyoutheaccompanyingofficialletterwithoutawarmerexpressionofthanksforallyourkindnessthanwouldbefitadocumentwhichmaytoacertaindegreebemadepublic。You，Iknow，willunderstandthefeeling，and，perhaps，pitytheweaknesswhichmakesmeresignthehospital。Iamnotmadeofcalibrestrongenoughtowithstandpublicattack。WereIconvincedthatIstoodongroundperfectlyfirm，thatIwascertainlyjustifiedintakingeighthundredayearunderHiram’swill，Ishouldfeelboundbydutytoretaintheposition，howeverunendurablemightbethenatureoftheassault；but，asIdonotfeelthisconviction，IcannotbelievethatyouwillthinkmewronginwhatIamdoing。
’Ihadatonetimeanideaofkeepingonlysomemoderateportionoftheincome；perhapsthreehundredayear，andofremittingtheremaindertothetrustees；butitoccurredtome，andIthinkwithreason，thatbysodoingIshouldplacemysuccessorsinaninvidiousposition，andgreatlydamageyourpatronage。
’Mydearfriend，letmehavealinefromyoutosaythatyoudonotblamemeforwhatIamdoing，andthattheofficiatingvicarofCrabtreeParvawillbethesametoyouasthewardenofthehospital。
’Iamveryanxiousabouttheprecentorship:thearchdeaconthinksitmustgowiththewardenship；Ithinknot，and，that，havingit，Icannotbeousted。Iwill，however，beguidedbyyouandthedean。Nootherdutywillsuitmesowell，orcomesomuchwithinmypowerofadequateperformance。
’IthankyoufrommyheartfortheprefermentwhichIamnowgivingup，andforallyourkindness，andam，dearbishop，nowasalways——Yoursmostsincerely，’SEPTIMUSHARDING