’WouldyoulikeBuncetocomein，papa？’saidEleanor，thinkingthatthecompanyoftheoldmanmightlightenhissorrow。
　　’No，mydear，thankyou，nottoday；butarenotyougoingout，Eleanor，thislovelyafternoon？don’tstayinforme，mydear。’
　　’Ithoughtyouseemedsosad，papa。’
　　’Sad，’saidhe，irritated；’well，peoplemustallhavetheirshareofsadnesshere；Iamnotmoreexemptthananother:
　　butkissme，dearest，andgonow；Iwill，ifpossible，bemoresociablewhenyoureturn。’
　　AndEleanorwasagainbanishedfromherfather’ssorrow。
　　Ah！herdesirenowwasnottofindhimhappy，buttobeallowedtosharehissorrows；nottoforcehimtobesociable，buttopersuadehimtobetrustful。
　　Sheputonherbonnetasdesired，andwentuptoMaryBold；thiswasnowherdailyhaunt，forJohnBoldwasupinLondonamonglawyersandchurchreformers，divingdeepintootherquestionsthanthatofthewardenshipofBarchester；
　　supplyinginformationtoonememberofParliament，anddiningwithanother；subscribingtofundsfortheabolitionofclericalincomes，andsecondingatthatgreatnationalmeetingattheCrownandAnchoraresolutiontotheeffect，thatnoclergymanoftheChurchofEngland，behewhohemight，shouldhavemorethanathousandayear，andnonelessthantwohundredandfifty。Hisspeechonthisoccasionwasshort，forfifteenhadtospeak，andtheroomwashiredfortwohoursonly，attheexpirationofwhichtheQuakersandMrCobdenweretomakeuseofitforanappealtothepublicinaidoftheEmperorofRussia；butitwassharpandeffective；atleasthewastoldsobyacompanionwithwhomhenowlivedmuch，andonwhomhegreatlydepended——oneTomTowers，averyleadinggenius，andsupposedtohavehighemploymentonthestaffofTheJupiter。
　　SoEleanor，aswasnowherwont，wentuptoMaryBold，andMarylistenedkindly，whilethedaughterspokemuchofherfather，and，perhapskinderstill，foundalistenerinEleanor，whileshespokeaboutherbrother。Inthemeantimethewardensatalone，leaningonthearmofhischair；hehadpouredoutaglassofwine，buthaddonesomerelyfromhabit，forheleftituntouched；therehesatgazingattheopenwindow，andthinking，ifhecanbesaidtohavethought，ofthehappinessofhispastlife。Allmannerofpastdelightscamebeforehismind，whichatthetimehehadenjoyedwithoutconsideringthem；hiseasydays，hisabsenceofallkindofhardwork，hispleasantshadyhome，thosetwelveoldneighbourswhosewelfaretillnowhadbeenthesourceofsomuchpleasantcare，theexcellenceofhischildren，thefriendshipofthedearoldbishop，thesolemngrandeurofthosevaultedaisles，throughwhichhelovedtohearhisownvoicepealing；
　　andthenthatfriendoffriends，thatchoiceallythathadneverdesertedhim，thateloquentcompanionthatwouldalways，whenasked，discoursesuchpleasantmusic，thatvioloncelloofhis——ah，howhappyhehadbeen！butitwasovernow；hiseasydaysandabsenceofworkhadbeenthecrimewhichbroughtonhimhistribulation；hisshadyhomewaspleasantnolonger；maybeitwasnolongerhis；theoldneighbours，whosewelfarehadbeensodesiredbyhim，werehisenemies；
　　hisdaughterwasaswretchedashimself；andeventhebishopwasmademiserablebyhisposition。Hecouldneveragainliftuphisvoiceboldlyashehadhithertodoneamonghisbrethren，forhefeltthathewasdisgraced；andhefearedeventotouchhisbow，forheknewhowgrievousasoundofwailing，howpiteousalamentation，itwouldproduce。
　　Hewasstillsittinginthesamechairandthesameposture，havinghardlymovedalimbfortwohours，whenEleanorcamebacktotea，andsucceededinbringinghimwithherintothedrawing-room。
　　Theteaseemedascomfortlessasthedinner，thoughthewarden，whohadhithertoeatennothingallday，devouredtheplatefulofbreadandbutter，unconsciousofwhathewasdoing。
　　Eleanorhadmadeuphermindtoforcehimtotalktoher，butshehardlyknewhowtocommence:shemustwaittilltheurnwasgone，tilltheservantwouldnolongerbecominginandout。
　　Atlasteverythingwasgone，andthedrawing-roomdoorwaspermanentlyclosed；thenEleanor，gettingupandgoingroundtoherfather，putherarmroundhisneck，andsaid，’Papa，won’tyoutellmewhatitis？’
　　’Whatwhatis，mydear？’
　　’Thisnewsorrowthattormentsyou；Iknowyouareunhappy，papa。’
　　’Newsorrow！it’snonewsorrow，mydear；wehaveallourcaressometimes’；andhetriedtosmile，butitwasaghastlyfailure；’butIshouldn’tbesodullacompanion；
　　come，we’llhavesomemusic。’
　　’No，papa，nottonight——itwouldonlytroubleyoutonight’；
　　andshesatuponhisknee，asshesometimeswouldintheirgayestmoods，andwithherarmroundhisneck，shesaid:
　　’Papa，Iwillnotleaveyoutillyoutalktome；oh，ifyouonlyknewhowmuchgooditwoulddotoyou，totellmeofitall。’
　　Thefatherkissedhisdaughter，andpressedhertohisheart；
　　butstillhesaidnothing:itwassohardtohimtospeakofhisownsorrows；hewassoshyamanevenwithhisownchild！
　　’Oh，papa，dotellmewhatitis；Iknowitisaboutthehospital，andwhattheyaredoingupinLondon，andwhatthatcruelnewspaperhassaid；butiftherebesuchcauseforsorrow，letusbesorrowfultogether；weareallinalltoeachothernow:dear，dearpapa，dospeaktome。’
　　MrHardingcouldnotwellspeaknow，forthewarmtearswererunningdownhischeekslikeraininMay，butheheldhischildclosetohisheart，andsqueezedherhandasalovermight，andshekissedhisforeheadandhiswetcheeks，andlayuponhisbosom，andcomfortedhimasawomanonlycando。
　　，Myownchild，’hesaid，assoonashistearswouldlethimspeak，’myown，ownchild，whyshouldyoutoobeunhappybeforeitisnecessary？Itmaycometothat，thatwemustleavethisplace，buttillthattimecomes，whyshouldyouryoungdaysbeclouded？’
　　’Andisthatall，papa？Ifthatbeall，letusleaveit，andhavelightheartselsewhere:ifthatbeall，letusgo。Oh，papa，youandIcouldbehappyifwehadonlybreadtoeat，solongasourheartswerelight。’
　　AndEleanor’sfacewaslightedupwithenthusiasmasshetoldherfatherhowhemightbanishallhiscare；andagleamofjoyshotacrosshisbrowasthisideaofescapeagainpresenteditself，andheagainfanciedforamomentthathecouldspurnawayfromhimtheincomewhichtheworldenviedhim；thathecouldgivethelietothatwielderofthetomahawkwhohaddaredtowritesuchthingsofhiminTheJupiter；
　　thathecouldleaveSirAbraham，andthearchdeacon，andBold，andtherestofthemwiththeirlawsuitamongthem，andwipehishandsaltogetherofsosorrow-stirringaconcern。Ah，whathappinessmighttherebeinthedistance，withEleanorandhiminsomesmallcottage，andnothingleftoftheirformergrandeurbuttheirmusic！Yes，theywouldwalkforthwiththeirmusicbooks，andtheirinstruments，andshakingthedustfromofftheirfeetastheywent，leavetheungratefulplace。
　　Neverdidapoorclergymansighforawarmbeneficemoreanxiouslythanourwardendidnowtoberidofhis。
　　’Giveitup，papa，’shesaidagain，jumpingfromhiskneesandstandingonherfeetbeforehim，lookingboldlyintohisface；’giveitup，papa。’
　　Oh，itwassadtoseehowthatmomentarygleamofjoypassedaway；howthelookofhopewasdispersedfromthatsorrowfulface，astheremembranceofthearchdeaconcamebackuponourpoorwarden，andhereflectedthathecouldnotstirfromhisnowhatedpost。Hewasasamanboundwithiron，fetteredwithadamant:hewasinnorespectafreeagent；hehadnochoice。’Giveitup！’Ohifheonlycould:
　　whataneasywaythatwereoutofallhistroubles！
　　’Papa，don’tdoubtaboutit，’shecontinued，thinkingthathishesitationarosefromhisunwillingnesstoabandonsocomfortableahome；’isitonmyaccountthatyouwouldstayhere？DoyouthinkthatIcannotbehappywithoutapony-
　　carriageandafinedrawing-room？Papa，Inevercanbehappyhere，aslongasthereisaquestionastoyourhonourinstayinghere；butIcouldbegayasthedayislonginthesmallesttinylittlecottage，ifIcouldseeyoucomeinandgooutwithalightheart。Oh！papa，yourfacetellssomuch；
　　thoughyouwon’tspeaktomewithyourvoice，IknowhowitiswithyoueverytimeIlookatyou。’
　　Howhepressedhertohisheartagainwithalmostaspasmodicpressure！Howhekissedherasthetearsfelllikerainfromhisoldeyes！Howheblessedher，andcalledherbyahundredsoftsweetnameswhichnowcamenewtohislips！Howhechidhimselfforeverhavingbeenunhappywithsuchatreasureinhishouse，suchajewelonhisbosom，withsosweetaflowerinthechoicegardenofhisheart！Andthenthefloodgatesofhistonguewereloosed，and，atlength，withunsparingdetailofcircumstances，hetoldherallthathewished，andallthathecouldnotdo。Herepeatedthoseargumentsofthearchdeacon，notagreeingintheirtruth，butexplaininghisinabilitytoescapefromthem——howithadbeendeclaredtohimthathewasboundtoremainwherehewasbytheinterestsofhisorder，bygratitudetothebishop，bythewishesofhisfriends，byasenseofduty，which，thoughhecouldnotunderstandit，hewasfaintoacknowledge。Hetoldherhowhehadbeenaccusedofcowardice，andthoughhewasnotamantomakemuchofsuchachargebeforetheworld，nowinthefullcandourofhisheartheexplainedtoherthatsuchanaccusationwasgrievoustohim；thathedidthinkitwouldbeunmanlytodeserthispost，merelytoescapehispresentsufferings，andthat，therefore，hemustbearasbesthemightthemiserywhichwaspreparedforhim。
　　Anddidshefindthesedetailstedious？Oh，no；sheencouragedhimtodilateoneveryfeelingheexpressed，tillhelaidbaretheinmostcornersofhishearttoher。Theyspoketogetherofthearchdeacon，astwochildrenmightofastern，unpopular，butstillrespectedschoolmaster，andofthebishopasaparentkindaskindcouldbe，butpowerlessagainstanomnipotentpedagogue。