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