Moneyhehadnonetogive；theknackofputtingguineastogetherhadneverbelongedtohim；buthowwillingly，withwhatafoolisheasiness，withwhathappyalacrity，wouldhehaveabandonedthehalfofhisincomeforalltimetocome，couldhebysodoinghavequietlydispelledthecloudsthatweregatheringoverhim——couldhehavethuscompromisedthematterbetweenthereformerandtheconservative，betweenhispossibleson-in-law，Bold，andhispositiveson-in-law，thearchdeacon。
　　Andthiscompromisewouldnothavebeenmadefromanyprudentialmotiveofsavingwhatwouldyetremain，forMrHardingstillfeltlittledoubtbutheshouldbeleftforlifeinquietpossessionofthegoodthingshehad，ifhechosetoretainthem。No；hewouldhavedonesofromthesheerloveofquiet，andfromahorrorofbeingmadethesubjectofpublictalk。Hehadveryoftenbeenmovedtopity——tothatinwardweepingoftheheartforothers’woes；butnonehadheeverpitiedmorethanthatoldlord，whosealmostfabulouswealth，drawnfromhischurchpreferments，hadbecomethesubjectofsomuchopprobrium，ofsuchpublicscorn；thatwretchedclericaloctogenarianCroesus，whommenwouldnotallowtodieinpeace——whomalltheworldunitedtodecryandtoabhor。
　　Washetosuffersuchafate？Washishumblenametobebandiedinmen’smouths，asthegormandiseroftheresourcesofthepoor，asofonewhohadfilchedfromthecharityofotherageswealthwhichhadbeenintendedtorelievetheoldandtheinfirm？Washetobegibbetedinthepress，tobecomeabywordforoppression，tobenamedasanexampleofthegreedoftheEnglishchurch？Shoulditeverbesaidthathehadrobbedthoseoldmen，whomhesotrulyandsotenderlylovedinhisheartofhearts？Asheslowlypaced，hourafterhour，underthosenoblelime-trees，turningthesesadthoughtswithinhim，hebecameallbutfixedinhisresolvethatsomegreatstepmustbetakentorelievehimfromtheriskofsoterribleafate。
　　Inthemeanwhile，thearchdeacon，withcontentedmindandunruffledspirit，wentabouthisbusiness。HesaidawordortwotoMrChadwick，andthenfinding，asheexpected，thepetitionlyinginhisfather’slibrary，hewroteashortanswertothemen，inwhichhetoldthemthattheyhadnoevilstoredress，butrathergreatmerciesforwhichtobethankful；
　　andhavingseenthebishopsignit，hegotintohisbroughamandreturnedhometoMrsGrantly，andPlumsteadEpiscopi。
　　TheWarden’sTeaPartyAftermuchpainfuldoubting，ononethingonlycouldMrHardingresolve。Hedeterminedthatatanyratehewouldtakenooffence，andthathewouldmakethisquestionnocauseofquarreleitherwithBoldorwiththebedesmen。Infurtheranceofthisresolution，hehimselfwroteanotetoMrBold，thesameafternoon，invitinghimtomeetafewfriendsandhearsomemusiconaneveningnamedinthenextweek。
　　HadnotthislittlepartybeenpromisedtoEleanor，inhispresentstateofmindhewouldprobablyhaveavoidedsuchgaiety；butthepromisehadbeengiven，theinvitationsweretobewritten，andwhenEleanorconsultedherfatheronthesubject，shewasnotillpleasedtohearhimsay，’Oh，IwasthinkingofBold，soItookitintomyheadtowritetohimmyself，butyoumustwritetohissister。’
　　MaryBoldwasolderthanherbrother，and，atthetimeofourstory，wasjustoverthirty。Shewasnotanunattractiveyoungwoman，thoughbynomeansbeautiful。Hergreatmeritwasthekindlinessofherdisposition。Shewasnotveryclever，norveryanimated，norhadsheapparentlytheenergyofherbrother；butshewasguidedbyahighprincipleofrightandwrong；hertemperwassweet，andherfaultswerefewerinnumberthanhervirtues。ThosewhocasuallymetMaryBoldthoughtlittleofher；butthosewhoknewherwelllovedherwell，andthelongertheyknewherthemoretheylovedher。AmongthosewhowerefondestofherwasEleanorHarding；andthoughEleanorhadneveropenlytalkedtoherofherbrother，eachunderstoodtheother’sfeelingsabouthim。
　　Thebrotherandsisterweresittingtogetherwhenthetwonoteswerebroughtin。
　　’Howodd，’saidMary，’thattheyshouldsendtwonotes。
　　Well，ifMrHardingbecomesfashionable，theworldisgoingtochange。’
　　Herbrotherunderstoodimmediatelythenatureandintentionofthepeace-offering；butitwasnotsoeasyforhimtobehavewellinthematter，asitwasforMrHarding。Itismuchlessdifficultforthesufferertobegenerousthanfortheoppressor。JohnBoldfeltthathecouldnotgotothewarden’sparty:heneverlovedEleanorbetterthanhedidnow；hehadneversostronglyfelthowanxioushewastomakeherhiswifeasnow，whensomanyobstaclestohisdoingsoappearedinview。Yetherewasherfatherhimself，asitwere，clearingawaythoseveryobstacles，andstillhefeltthathecouldnotgotothehouseanymoreasanopenfriend。
　　Ashesatthinkingofthesethingswiththenoteinhishand，hissisterwaswaitingforhisdecision。
　　’Well，’saidshe，’Isupposewemustwriteseparateanswers，andbothsayweshallbeveryhappy。’
　　’You’llgo，ofcourse，Mary，’saidhe；towhichshereadilyassented。’Icannot，’hecontinued，lookingseriousandgloomy。’IwishIcould，withallmyheart。’
　　’Andwhynot，John？’saidshe。Shehadasyetheardnothingofthenew-foundabusewhichherbrotherwasabouttoreform——atleastnothingwhichconnecteditwithherbrother’sname。
　　Hesatthinkingforawhiletillhedeterminedthatitwouldbebesttotellheratoncewhatitwasthathewasabout:itmustbedonesoonerorlater。
　　’IfearIcannotgotoMrHarding’shouseanymoreasafriend，justatpresent。’
　　’Oh，John！Whynot？Ah，you’vequarrelledwithEleanor！’
　　’No，indeed，’saidhe；’I’venoquarrelwithherasyet。’
　　’Whatisit，John？’saidshe，lookingathimwithananxious，lovingface，forsheknewwellhowmuchofhisheartwasthereinthathousewhichhesaidhecouldnolongerenter。
　　’Why，’saidheatlast，’I’vetakenupthecaseofthesetwelveoldmenofHiram’sHospital，andofcoursethatbringsmeintocontactwithMrHarding。Imayhavetoopposehim，interferewithhim，perhapsinjurehim。’
　　Marylookedathimsteadilyforsometimebeforeshecommittedherselftoreply，andthenmerelyaskedhimwhathemeanttodofortheoldmen。
　　’Why，it’salongstory，andIdon’tknowthatIcanmakeyouunderstandit。JohnHirammadeawill，andlefthispropertyincharityforcertainpooroldmen，andtheproceeds，insteadofgoingtothebenefitofthesemen，goeschieflyintothepocketofthewardenandthebishop’ssteward。’
　　’AndyoumeantotakeawayfromMrHardinghisshareofit？’
　　’Idon’tknowwhatImeanyet。Imeantoinquireaboutit。
　　Imeantoseewhoisentitledtothisproperty。Imeantosee，ifIcan，thatjusticebedonetothepoorofthecityofBarchestergenerally，whoare，infact，thelegateesunderthewill。Imean，inshort，toputthematterright，ifIcan。’
　　’Andwhyareyoutodothis，John？’
　　’Youmightaskthesamequestionofanybodyelse，’saidhe；
　　’andaccordingtothatthedutyofrightingthesepoormenwouldbelongtonobody。Ifwearetoactonthatprinciple，theweakarenevertobeprotected，injusticeisnevertobeopposed，andnooneistostruggleforthepoor！’AndBoldbegantocomforthimselfinthewarmthofhisownvirtue。
　　’Butistherenoonetodothisbutyou，whohaveknownMrHardingsolong？Surely，John，asafriend，asayoungfriend，somuchyoungerthanMrHarding——’
　　’That’swoman’slogic，allover，Mary。Whathasagetodowithit？Anothermanmightpleadthathewastooold；
　　andastohisfriendship，ifthethingitselfberight，privatemotivesshouldneverbeallowedtointerfere。BecauseI
　　esteemMrHarding，isthatareasonthatIshouldneglectadutywhichIowetotheseoldmen？orshouldIgiveupaworkwhichmyconsciencetellsmeisagoodone，becauseI
　　regretthelossofhissociety？’
　　’AndEleanor，John？’saidthesister，lookingtimidlyintoherbrother’sface。
　　’Eleanor，thatis，MissHarding，ifshethinksfit——thatis，ifherfather——or，rather，ifshe——or，indeed，he——iftheyfinditnecessary——butthereisnonecessitynowtotalkaboutEleanorHarding；butthisIwillsay，thatifshehasthekindofspiritforwhichIgivehercredit，shewillnotcondemnmefordoingwhatIthinktobeaduty。’AndBoldconsoledhimselfwiththeconsolationofaRoman。
　　Marysatsilentforawhile，tillatlastherbrotherremindedherthatthenotesmustbeanswered，andshegotup，andplacedherdeskbeforeher，tookoutherpenandpaper，wroteonitslowly:
　　’PAKENHAMVILLAS
　　’Tuesdaymorning’MYDEARELEANOR，’I——’
　　andthenstopped，andlookedatherbrother。
　　’Well，Mary，whydon’tyouwriteit？’
　　’Oh，John，’saidshe，’dearJohn，praythinkbetterofthis。’
　　’Thinkbetterofwhat？’saidhe。
　　’Ofthisaboutthehospital——ofallthisaboutMrHarding——
　　ofwhatyousayaboutthoseoldmen。Nothingcancalluponyou——nodutycanrequireyoutosetyourselfagainstyouroldest，yourbestfriend。Oh，John，thinkofEleanor。You’llbreakherheart，andyourown。’