’Youmustbeverytired，Susan，’saidhe:’wouldn’tyouliketogotobed？’
　　ButSusandidn’twanttogotillherhusbandwent——Shehadanideathatherpapamightbebulliedifshewereaway:
　　shewasn’ttiredatall，oratleastshesaidso。
　　Thearchdeaconwaspacingtheroom，expressing，bycertainnoddlesofhishead，hisopinionoftheutterfatuityofhisfather-in-law。
　　’Why，’atlasthesaid——andangelsmighthaveblushedattherebukeexpressedinhistoneandemphasis——’WhydidyougoofffromBarchestersosuddenly？Whydidyoutakesuchastepwithoutgivingusnotice，afterwhathadpassedatthepalace？’
　　Thewardenhunghishead，andmadenoreply:hecouldnotcondescendtosaythathehadnotintendedtogivehisson-in-lawtheslip；andashehadnotthecouragetoavowit，hesaidnothing。
　　’Papahasbeentoomuchforyou，’saidthelady。
　　Thearchdeacontookanotherturn，andagainejaculated，’Goodheavens！’thistimeinaverylowwhisper，butstillaudible。
　　’IthinkI’llgotobed，’saidthewarden，takingupasidecandle。
　　’Atanyrate，you’llpromisemetotakenofurtherstepwithoutconsultation，’saidthearchdeacon。MrHardingmadenoanswer，butslowlyproceededtolighthiscandle。
　　’Ofcourse，’continuedtheother，’suchadeclarationasthatyoumadetoSirAbrahammeansnothing。Come，warden，promisemethis。Thewholeaffair，yousee，isalreadysettled，andthatwithverylittletroubleorexpense。Boldhasbeencompelledtoabandonhisaction，andallyouhavetodoistoremainquietatthehospital。’MrHardingstillmadenoreply，butlookedmeeklyintohisson-in-law’sface。Thearchdeaconthoughtheknewhisfather-in-law，buthewasmistaken；hethoughtthathehadalreadytalkedoveravacillatingmantoresignhispromise。’Come，’saidhe，’promiseSusantogiveupthisideaofresigningthewardenship。’
　　Thewardenlookedathisdaughter，thinkingprobablyatthemomentthatifEleanorwerecontentedwithhim，heneednotsomuchregardhisotherchild，andsaid，’IamsureSusanwillnotaskmetobreakmyword，ortodowhatIknowtobewrong。’
　　’Papa，’saidshe，’itwouldbemadnessinyoutothrowupyourpreferment。Whatareyoutoliveon？’
　　’God，thatfeedstheyoungravens，willtakecareofmealso，’saidMrHarding，withasmile，asthoughafraidofgivingoffencebymakinghisreferencetoscripturetoosolemn。
　　’Pish！’saidthearchdeacon，turningawayrapidly。’Iftheravenspersistedinrefusingthefoodpreparedforthem，theywouldn’tbefed。’Aclergymangenerallydislikestobemetinargumentbyanyscripturalquotation；hefeelsasaffrontedasadoctordoes，whenrecommendedbyanoldwomantotakesomefavouritedose，orasalawyerwhenanunprofessionalmanattemptstoputhimdownbyaquibble。
　　’IshallhavethelivingofCrabtree，’modestlysuggestedthewarden。
　　’Eightypoundsayear！’sneeredthearchdeacon。
　　’Andtheprecentorship，’saidthefather-in-law。
　　’Itgoeswiththewardenship，’saidtheson-in-law。MrHardingwaspreparedtoarguethispoint，andbegantodoso，butDrGrantlystoppedhim。’Mydearwarden，’saidhe，’thisisallnonsense。Eightypoundsorahundredandsixtymakesverylittledifference。Youcan’tliveonit——youcan’truinEleanor’sprospectsforever。Inpointoffact，youcan’tresign；thebishopwouldn’tacceptit；thewholethingissettled。WhatInowwanttodoistopreventanyinconvenienttittle-tattle——anymorenewspaperarticles。’
　　’That’swhatIwant，too，’saidthewarden。
　　’Andtopreventthat，’continuedtheother，’wemustn’tletanytalkofresignationgetabroad。’
　　’ButIshallresign，’saidthewarden，very，verymeekly。
　　’Goodheavens！Susan，mydear，whatcanIsaytohim？’
　　’But，papa，’saidMrsGrantly，gettingup，andputtingherarmthroughthatofherfather，’whatisEleanortodoifyouthrowawayyourincome？’
　　Ahottearstoodineachofthewarden’seyesashelookedrounduponhismarrieddaughter。Whyshouldonesisterwhowassorichpredictpovertyforanother？Somesuchideaasthiswasonhismind，buthegavenoutterancetoit。Thenhethoughtofthepelicanfeedingitsyoungwithbloodfromitsownbreast，buthegavenoutterancetothateither；andthenofEleanorwaitingforhimathome，waitingtocongratulatehimontheendofallhistrouble。
　　’ThinkofEleanor，papa，’saidMrsGrantly。
　　’Idothinkofher，’saidherfather。
　　’Andyouwillnotdothisrashthing？’Theladywasreallymovedbeyondherusualcalmcomposure。
　　’Itcanneverberashtodoright，’saidhe。’Ishallcertainlyresignthiswardenship。’
　　’Then，MrHarding，thereisnothingbeforeyoubutruin，’
　　saidthearchdeacon，nowmovedbeyondallendurance。’RuinbothforyouandEleanor。Howdoyoumeantopaythemonstrousexpensesofthisaction？’
　　MrsGrantlysuggestedthat，astheactionwasabandoned，thecostswouldnotbeheavy。
　　’Indeedtheywill，mydear，’continuedhe。’Onecannothavetheattorney-generalupattwelveo’clockatnightfornothing——butofcourseyourfatherhasnotthoughtofthis。’
　　’Iwillsellmyfurniture，’saidthewarden。
　　’Furniture！’ejaculatedtheother，withamostpowerfulsneer。
　　Come，archdeacon，’saidthelady，’weneedn’tmindthatatpresent。Youknowyouneverexpectedpapatopaythecosts。’
　　’Suchabsurdityisenoughtoprovokejob，’saidthearchdeacon，marchingquicklyupanddowntheroom。’Yourfatherislikeachild。Eighthundredpoundsayear！——eighthundredandeightywiththehouse——withnothingtodo。Theveryplaceforhim。Andtothrowthatupbecausesomescoundrelwritesanarticleinanewspaper！Well——Ihavedonemyduty。IfhechoosestoruinhischildIcannothelpit’；andhestoodstillatthefire-place，andlookedathimselfinadingymirrorwhichstoodonthechimney-piece。
　　Therewasapauseforaboutaminute，andthenthewarden，findingthatnothingelsewascoming，lightedhiscandle，andquietlysaid，’Good-night。’
　　’Good-night，papa，’saidthelady。
　　Andsothewardenretired；but，asheclosedthedoorbehindhim，heheardthewell-knownejaculation——slower，lower，moresolemn，moreponderousthanever——’Goodheavens！’
　　TheWardenResignsThepartymetthenextmorningatbreakfast；andaverysombreaffairitwas——veryunlikethebreakfastsatPlumsteadEpiscopi。
　　Therewerethreethin，small，drybitsofbacon，eachaninchlong，servedupunderahugeoldplatedcover；therewerefourthree-corneredbitsofdrytoast，andfoursquarebitsofbutteredtoast；therewasaloafofbread，andsomeoily-
　　lookingbutter；andonthesideboardthereweretheremainsofacoldshoulderofmutton。Thearchdeacon，however，hadnotcomeupfromhisrectorytoStPaul’sChurchyardtoenjoyhimselfandthereforenothingwassaidofthescantyfare。
　　Theguestswereassorryastheviands——hardlyanythingwassaidoverthebreakfast-table。Thearchdeaconmunchedhistoastinominoussilence，turningoverbitterthoughtsinhisdeepmind。Thewardentriedtotalktohisdaughter，andshetriedtoanswerhim；buttheybothfailed。Therewerenofeelingsatpresentincommonbetweenthem。ThewardenwasthinkingonlyofgettingbacktoBarchester，andcalculatingwhetherthearchdeaconwouldexpecthimtowaitforhim；
　　andMrsGrantlywaspreparingherselfforagrandattackwhichshewastomakeonherfather，asagreeduponbetweenherselfandherhusbandduringtheircurtainconfabulationofthatmorning。
　　Whenthewaiterhadcreakedoutoftheroomwiththelastoftheteacups，thearchdeacongotupandwenttothewindowasthoughtoadmiretheview。TheroomlookedoutonanarrowpassagewhichrunsfromStPaul’sChurchyardtoPaternosterRow；andDrGrantlypatientlyperusedthenamesofthethreeshopkeeperswhosedoorswereinview。
　　Thewardenstillkepthisseatatthetable，andexaminedthepatternofthetablecloth；andMrsGrantly，seatingherselfonthesofa，begantoknit。
　　AfterawhilethewardenpulledhisBradshawoutofhispocket，andbeganlaboriouslytoconsultit。TherewasatrainforBarchesterat10A。M。Thatwasoutofthequestion，foritwasnearlytenalready。Anotherat3P。M。；another，thenight-mailtrain，at9P。M。Thethreeo’clocktrainwouldtakehimhometotea，andwouldsuitverywell。
　　’Mydear，’saidhe，’IthinkIshallgobackhomeatthreeo’clocktoday。Ishallgethomeathalf-pasteight。Idon’tthinkthere’sanythingtokeepmeinLondon。’
　　’ThearchdeaconandIreturnbytheearlytraintomorrow，papa；won’tyouwaitandgobackwithus？’
　　’Why，Eleanorwillexpectmetonight；andI’vesomuchtodo；and——’
　　’Muchtodo！’saidthearchdeaconsottovoce；butthewardenheardhim。
　　’You’dbetterwaitforus，papa。’
　　’Thankye，mydear！IthinkI’llgothisafternoon。’Thetamestanimalwillturnwhendriventoohard，andevenMrHardingwasbeginningtofightforhisownway。