Thepoorwardengroanedashesatperfectlystill，lookingupatthehard-heartedoratorwhothustormentedhim，andthebishopechoedthesoundfaintlyfrombehindhishands；
　　butthearchdeaconcaredlittleforsuchsignsofweakness，andcompletedhisexhortation。
　　’Butletussupposetheofficetobeleftvacant，andthatyourowntroublesconcerningitwereover；wouldthatsatisfyyou？
　　Areyouronlyaspirationsinthematterconfinedtoyourselfandfamily？Iknowtheyarenot。Iknowyouareasanxiousasanyofusforthechurchtowhichwebelong；andwhatagrievousblowwouldsuchanactofapostacygiveher！Youoweittothechurchofwhichyouareamemberandaminister，tobearwiththisaffliction，howeversevereitmaybe:youoweittomyfather，whoinstitutedyou，tosupporthisrights:youoweittothosewhoprecededyoutoassertthelegalityoftheirposition；youoweittothosewhoaretocomeafteryou，tomaintainuninjuredforthemthatwhichyoureceiveduninjuredfromothers；andyouowetousalltheunflinchingassistanceofperfectbrotherhoodinthismatter，sothatupholdingoneanotherwemaysupportourgreatcausewithoutblushingandwithoutdisgrace。’
　　Andsothearchdeaconceased，andstoodself-satisfied，watchingtheeffectofhisspokenwisdom。
　　Thewardenfelthimself，toacertainextent，stifled；hewouldhavegiventheworldtogethimselfoutintotheopenairwithoutspeakingto，ornoticingthosewhowereintheroomwithhim；butthiswasimpossible。Hecouldnotleavewithoutsayingsomething，andhefelthimselfconfoundedbythearchdeacon’seloquence。Therewasaheavy，unfeeling，unanswerabletruthinwhathehadsaid；therewassomuchpractical，butodiouscommonsenseinit，thatheneitherknewhowtoassentortodiffer。Ifitwerenecessaryforhimtosuffer，hefeltthathecouldendurewithoutcomplaintandwithoutcowardice，providingthathewasself-satisfiedofthejusticeofhisowncause。Whathecouldnotendurewas，thatheshouldbeaccusedbyothers，andnotacquittedbyhimself。
　　Doubting，ashehadbeguntodoubt，thejusticeofhisownpositioninthehospital，heknewthathisownself-confidencewouldnotberestoredbecauseMrBoldhadbeeninerrorastosomelegalform；norcouldhebesatisfiedtoescape，because，throughsomelegalfiction，hewhoreceivedthegreatestbenefitfromthehospitalmightbeconsideredonlyasoneofitsservants。
　　Thearchdeacon’sspeechhadsilencedhim——stupefiedhim——annihilatedhim；anythingbutsatisfiedhim。Withthebishopitfarednotmuchbetter。Hedidnotdiscernclearlyhowthingswere，buthesawenoughtoknowthatabattlewastobepreparedfor；abattlethatwoulddestroyhisfewremainingcomforts，andbringhimwithsorrowtothegrave。
　　Thewardenstillsat，andstilllookedatthearchdeacon，tillhisthoughtsfixedthemselveswhollyonthemeansofescapefromhispresentposition，andhefeltlikeabirdfascinatedbygazingonasnake。
　　’Ihopeyouagreewithme，’saidthearchdeaconatlast，breakingthedreadsilence；’mylord，Ihopeyouagreewithme。’
　　Oh，whatasighthebishopgave！’Mylord，Ihopeyouagreewithme，’againrepeatedthemercilesstyrant。
　　’Yes，Isupposeso，’groanedthepooroldman，slowly。
　　’Andyou，warden？’
　　MrHardingwasnowstirredtoaction——hemustspeakandmove，sohegotupandtookoneturnbeforeheanswered。
　　’Donotpressmeforananswerjustatpresent；Iwilldonothinglightlyinthematter，andofwhateverIdoIwillgiveyouandthebishopnotice。’Andsowithoutanotherwordhetookhisleave，escapingquicklythroughthepalacehall，anddowntheloftysteps，nordidhebreathefreelytillhefoundhimselfaloneunderthehugeelmsofthesilentclose。Herehewalkedlongandslowly，thinkingonhiscasewithatroubledair，andtryinginvaintoconfutethearchdeacon’sargument。
　　Hethenwenthome，resolvedtobearitall——ignominy，suspense，disgrace，self-doubt，andheart-burning——andtodoasthosewouldhavehim，whohestillbelievedweremostfitandmostabletocounselhimaright。
　　TribulationMrHardingwasasaddermanthanhehadeveryetbeenwhenhereturnedtohisownhouse。Hehadbeenwretchedenoughonthatwell-rememberedmorningwhenhewasforcedtoexposebeforehisson-in-lawthepublisher’saccountforusheringintotheworldhisdearbookofsacredmusic:whenaftermakingsuchpaymentsashecoulddounassisted，hefoundthathewasadebtorofmorethanthreehundredpounds；buthissufferingsthenwereasnothingtohispresentmisery；——thenhehaddonewrong，andheknewit，andwasabletoresolvethathewouldnotsininlikemanneragain；butnowhecouldmakenoresolution，andcomforthimselfbynopromisesoffirmness。Hehadbeenforcedtothinkthathislothadplacedhiminafalseposition，andhewasabouttomaintainthatpositionagainsttheopinionoftheworldandagainsthisownconvictions。
　　Hehadreadwithpity，amountingalmosttohorror，thestrictureswhichhadappearedfromtimetotimeagainsttheEarlofGuildfordasmasterofStCross，andtheinvectivesthathadbeenheapedonrichdiocesandignitariesandovergrownsinecurepluralists。Injudgingofthem，hejudgedleniently；
　　thewholebiasofhisprofessionhadtaughthimtothinkthattheyweremoresinnedagainstthansinning，andthattheanimositywithwhichtheyhadbeenpursuedwasvenomousandunjust；buthehadnotthelessregardedtheirplightasmostmiserable。
　　Hishairhadstoodonendandhisfleshhadcreptashereadthethingswhichhadbeenwritten；hehadwonderedhowmencouldliveundersuchaloadofdisgrace；howtheycouldfacetheirfellow-creatureswhiletheirnameswerebandiedaboutsoinjuriouslyandsopublicly——andnowthislotwastobehis——he，thatshy，retiringman，whohadsocomfortedhimselfinthehiddenobscurityofhislot，whohadsoenjoyedtheunassumingwarmthofhisownlittlecorner，hewasnowdraggedforthintotheglaringday，andgibbetedbeforeferociousmultitudes。Heenteredhisownhouseacrestfallen，humiliatedman，withoutahopeofovercomingthewretchednesswhichaffectedhim。
　　Hewanderedintothedrawing-roomwherewashisdaughter；
　　buthecouldnotspeaktohernow，soheleftit，andwentintothebook-room。HewasnotquickenoughtoescapeEleanor’sglance，ortopreventherfromseeingthathewasdisturbed；
　　andinalittlewhileshefollowedhim。Shefoundhimseatedinhisaccustomedchairwithnobookopenbeforehim，nopenreadyinhishand，noill-shapennotesofblottedmusiclyingbeforehimaswasusual，noneofthosehospitalaccountswithwhichhewassopreciseandyetsounmethodical:hewasdoingnothing，thinkingofnothing，lookingatnothing；
　　hewasmerelysuffering。
　　’Leaveme，Eleanor，mydear，’hesaid；’leaveme，mydarling，forafewminutes，forIambusy。’
　　Eleanorsawwellhowitwas，butshedidleavehim，andglidedsilentlybacktoherdrawing-room。Whenhehadsatawhile，thusaloneandunoccupied，hegotuptowalkagain——
　　hecouldmakemoreofhisthoughtswalkingthansitting，andwascreepingoutintohisgarden，whenhemetBunceonthethreshold。
　　’Well，Bunce，’saidhe，inatonethatforhimwassharp，’whatisit？doyouwantme？’
　　’Iwasonlycomingtoaskafteryourreverence，’saidtheoldbedesman，touchinghishat；’andtoinquireaboutthenewsfromLondon，’headdedafterapause。
　　Thewardenwinced，andputhishandtohisforeheadandfeltbewildered。
　　’AttorneyFinneyhasbeentherethismorning，’continuedBunce，’andbyhislooksIguessheisnotsowellpleasedasheoncewas，andithasgotabroadsomehowthatthearchdeaconhashaddowngreatnewsfromLondon，andHandyandMoodyarebothasblackasdevils。AndIhope，’saidtheman，tryingtoassumeacheerytone，’thatthingsarelookingup，andthatthere’llbeanendsoontoallthisstuffwhichbothersyourreverencesosorely。’
　　’Well，Iwishtheremaybe，Bunce。’
　　’Butaboutthenews，yourreverence？’saidtheoldman，almostwhispering。
　　MrHardingwalkedon，andshookhisheadimpatiently。
　　PoorBuncelittleknewhowhewastormentinghispatron。
　　’Iftherewasanythingtocheeryou，Ishouldbesogladtoknowit，’saidhe，withatoneofaffectionwhichthewardeninallhismiserycouldnotresist。
　　Hestopped，andtookboththeoldman’shandsinhis。
　　’Myfriend，’saidhe，’mydearoldfriend，thereisnothing；
　　thereisnonewstocheerme——God’swillbedone’:andtwosmallhottearsbrokeawayfromhiseyesandstoledownhisfurrowedcheeks。
　　’ThenGod’swillbedone，’saidtheothersolemnly；’buttheytoldmethattherewasgoodnewsfromLondon，andI
　　cametowishyourreverencejoy；butGod’swillbedone，’
　　andsothewardenagainwalkedon，andthebedesman，lookingwistfullyafterhimandreceivingnoencouragementtofollow，returnedsadlytohisownabode。
　　Foracoupleofhoursthewardenremainedthusinthegarden，nowwalking，nowstandingmotionlessontheturf，andthen，ashislegsgotweary，sittingunconsciouslyonthegardenseats，andthenwalkingagain。AndEleanor，hiddenbehindthemuslincurtainsofthewindow，watchedhimthroughthetreesashenowcameinsight，andthenagainwasconcealedbytheturningsofthewalk；andthusthetimepassedawaytillfive，whenthewardencreptbacktothehouseandpreparedfordinner。
　　Itwasbutasorrymeal。Thedemureparlour-maid，asshehandedthedishesandchangedtheplates，sawthatallwasnotright，andwasmoredemurethanever:neitherfathernordaughtercouldeat，andthehatefulfoodwassoonclearedaway，andthebottleofportplaceduponthetable。