’Iwasneversodistressedinmylife，’MarkRobartssaidtohiswife。
’Andyouthinkyouhavedonenogood？’
’Onlythis，thatIhaveconvincedmyselfthatthepoormanistoresponsibleforwhathedoes，andthatforhersakeaswellasforhisown，somepersonshouldbeenabledtointerfereforhisprotection。’
ThenhetoldMrsRobartswhatMrWalkerhadsaid；alsothemessagewhichMrCrawleyhadsenttothearchdeacon。Butthebothagreedthatthatmessageneednotbesentanyfurther。
CHAPTERXXII
MAJORGRANTLYATHOME
MrsThornehadspokenveryplainlyintheadvicewhichshehadgiventoMajorGrantly。ThathadbeenMrsThorne’sadvice；andthoughMajorGrantlyhadnoideaofmakingthejourneysorapidlyastheladyhadproposed，stillhethoughtthathewouldmakeitbeforelong，andfollowtheadviceinspiritifnottotheletter。MrsThornehadaskedhimifitwasfairthatthegirlshouldbepunishedbecauseofthefather’sfault；andtheideahadbeensweettohimthattheinflictionornon—inflictionofsuchpunishmentshouldbeinhishands。’Yougoandaskher，’MrsThornehadsaid。Well；——hewouldgoanaskher。Ifitshouldturnoutatlastthathehadmarriedthedaughterofathief，andthathewasdisinheritedfordoingso——anarrangementofcircumstanceswhichhadtoteachhimselftoregardasveryprobable——hewouldnotloveGracethelessonthataccount，orallowhimselfforonemomenttorepentwhathaddone。Ashethoughtofallthishebecamesomewhatinlovewithasmallincome，andimaginedtohimselfwhathonourswouldbedonetohimbytheMrsThornesofthecounty，whentheyshouldcometoknowinwhatwayhehadsacrificedhimselftohislove。Yes；——theywouldgoandliveinPau。HethoughtPauwoulddo。Hewouldhaveenoughincomeforthat；——andEdithwouldgetlessonscheaply，andwouldlearntotalkFrenchfluently。Hecertainlywoulddoit。HewouldgodowntoAllington，andaskGracetobehiswife；andbidhertounderstandthatifshelovedhimshecouldnotbejustifiedinrefusinghimbythecircumstancesofherfather’sposition。
ButhemustgotoPlumsteadbeforehecouldgotoAllington。HewasengagedtospendChristmasthere，andmustgonowatonce。TherewasnottimeforthejourneytoAllingtonbeforehewasdueatPlumstead。And，moreover，thoughhecouldnotbringhimselftoresolvethathewouldtellhisfatherwhathewasgoingtodo；——’ItwouldseemasthoughI
wereaskinghisleave！’hesaidtohimself；——hethoughthewouldmakeacleanbreastofittohismother。ItmadehimsadtothinkthatheshouldcuttheropewhichfastenedhisownboatamongtheotherboatsinthehomeharbouratPlumstead，andthatheshouldgooutallaloneintostrangewaters——turnedadriftaltogether，asitwere，fromtheGrantlyfleet。Ifhecouldonlygetthepromiseofhismother’ssympathyforGraceitwouldbesomething。Heunderstood——noonebetterthanhe——thetendencyofallhisfamilytoanuprisingintheworld，whichtendencywasalmostasstronginhismotherashisfather。Andhehadbeenbynomeanswithoutasimilarambitionhimself，thoughwithhimtheambitionhadbeenonlyfitful，notenduring。Hehadabrother，aclergyman，abusy，stirring，eloquentLondonpreacher，whogotchurchesbuilt，andwasheardoffarandwideasarisingman，whohadmarriedacertainLadyAnne，thedaughterofanearl，andwhowasalreadymentionedasacandidateforhighplaces。Howhissisterwasthewifeofamarquis，andaleaderinthefashionableworld，thereaderalreadyknows。Thearchdeaconhimselfwasarichman，sopowerfulthathecouldaffordtolookdownuponabishop；andMrsGrantly，thoughtherewasleftabouthersomethingofanoldsoftnessofnature，atouchoftheformerlifewhichhadbeenhersbeforethestreamofherdayshadruntogold，yetshe，too，hadtakenkindlytowealthandhighstanding，andwasbynomeansoneofthosewhoconstrueliterallythatpassageofscripturewhichtellsofthecamelandtheneedle’seye。OurHenryGrantly，ourmajor，knewhimselftobehismother’sfavouritechild——knewhimselftohavebecomesosincesomethingofacoolnesshadgrownupbetweenherandherdaughter。TheaugustnessofthedaughterhaddonemuchtoreproducetheoldfreshnessofwhichIspokeofinthemother’sheart，andhadspeciallyendearedtohertheson，who，ofallherchildren，wastheleastsubjecttothefamily’sfailing。Theclergyman，CharlesGrantly——hewhohadmarriedtheLadyAnne——washisfather’sdarlinginthesedays。TheoldarchdeaconwouldgouptoLondonandbequitehappyinhisson’shouse。Hemettherethemenwhomhelovedtomeet，andheardthetalkwhichhelovedtohear。Itwasveryfine，havingtheMarquisofHartletopforhisson—in—law，buthehadnevercaredtobemuchatLadyHartletop’shouse。Indeed，thearchdeaconcaredtobeinnohouseinwhichthosearoundhimweresupposedtobebiggerthanhimself。
SuchwasthelittlefamilyfleetfromwhichHenryGrantlywasnowproposingtosailalonewithhislittleboat——takingGraceCrawleywithhimatthehelm。’Myfatherisajustmanatthebottom，’hesaidtohimself，’andthoughhemaynotforgiveme，hewillnotpunishEdith。’
Buttherewasstillleftoneofthefamily——notaGrantly，indeed，butonesonearlyalliedtothemastohavehisboatmooredinthesameharbour——who，asthemajorwellknew，wouldthoroughlysympathisewithhim。ThiswasoldMrHarding，hismother’sfather——thefatherofhismotherandofhisauntMrsArabin——whosehomewasnowatthedeanery。HewasalsotobeatPlumsteadduringthisChristmas，andheatanyratewouldgiveareadyassenttosuchamarriageasthatwhichthemajorwasproposingtohimself。ButthenpooroldMrHardinghadbeenthoroughlydeficientinthatambitionwhichhadservedtoaggrandizethefamilyintowhichhisdaughterhadmarried。Hewasapooroldmanwho，inspiteofgoodfriends——forthelatebishopofthediocesehadbeenhisdearestfriend——hadneverrisenhighinhisprofession，andhadfallenevenfromthemoderatealtitudewhichhehadattained。Buthewasamanwhomalllovedwhoknewhim；anditwasmuchtothecreditofhisson—in—lawthearchdeacon，that，withallhistendenciestoloverisingsuns，hehadeverbeentruetoMrHarding。
MajorGrantlytookhisdaughterwithhim，andonhisarrivalatPlumsteadsheofcoursewasthefirstobjectofattention。MrsGrantlydeclaredthatshehadgrownimmensely。Thearchdeaconcomplimentedherredcheeks，andsaidthatCosbyLodgewasashealthyaplaceasanyinthecounty，whileMrHarding，Edith’sgreat—grandfather，drewslowlyfromhispocketsundrytreasureswithwhichhehadcomepreparedforthedelightofthelittlegirl。CharlesGrantlyandLadyAnnehadnochildren，andtheheirofalltheHartletopswastooaugusttohavebeentrustedtotheembracesofhermother’sgrandfather。Edith，therefore，wasallthathehadinthatgeneration，andofEdithhewaspreparedtobeasindulgentashehadbeen，intheirtime，ofhisgrandchildren，theGrantlys，andstillwasofhisgrandchildrentheArabins，andbeforethatofhisowndaughters。’She’smorelikeEleanorthananyoneelse，’
saidtheoldmaninaplaintivetone。NowEleanorwasMrsArabin，thedean’swife，andwasatthistime——ifIweretosayoverfortyIdonotthinkIshouldbeuncharitable。Nooneelsesawthespeciallikeness，butnooneelseremembered，asMrHardingdid，whatEleanorhadbeenwhenshewasthreeyearsold。
’AuntNellyisinFrance，’saidthechild。
’Yes，mydarling，auntNellyisinFrance，andIwishshewereathome。
AuntNellyhasbeenawayalongtime。’
’Isupposeshe’llstaytillthedeanpicksheruponhiswayhome？’
’Soshesaysinherletters。Iheardfromheryesterday，andIbroughttheletter，asIthoughtyou’dliketoseeit。’MrsGrantlytooktheletterandreadit，whileherfatherstillplayedwiththechild。ThearchdeaconandthemajorwerestandingtogetherontherugdiscussingtheshootingatChaldicotes，astowhichthearchdeaconhadastrongopinion。’I’mquitesurethatamanwithaplacelikethatdoesmoregoodbypreservingthanbyleavingitalone。Thebetterheadofgameheasthericherthecountywillbegenerally。Itisjustthesamewithpheasantsasitiswithsheepandbullocks。Apheasantdoesn’tcostmorethanhe’sworthanymorethanabarn—doorfowl。Besides，amanwhopreservesisalwaysrespectedbythepoachers，andthemanwhodoesn’tisnot。’
’There’ssomethinginthat，sir，certainly，’saidthemajor。
’Morethanyouthinkfor，perhaps。LookatpoorSowerby，whowentonthereforyearswithoutashilling。Howhewasrespected，becausehelivedasthepeoplearoundhimexpectedagentlemantolive。Thornewillhaveabadtimeofit，ifhetriestochangethings。’
’Onlythink，’exclaimedMrsGrantly，’whenEleanorwroteshehadnotheardofthataffairofpoorMrCrawley’s。’
’Doesshesayanythingabouthim？’askedthemajor。
’I’llreadwhatitsays。"IseeinGalignanithataclergymaninBarsetshirehasbeencommittedfortheft。Praytellmewhoitis。Notthebishop，Ihope，forthecreditofthediocese？"’
’Iwishitwere，’saidthearchdeacon’Forshame，mydear，’saidhiswife。
’Noshameatall。Ifwearetohaveathiefamongus，I’dsoonerfindhiminabadmanthanagoodone。Besides，weshouldhaveachangeatthepalace，whichwouldbeagreatthing。’
’ButisitnotoddthatEleanorshouldhaveheardnothingofit？’saidMrsGrantly。
’It’soddthatyoushouldnothavementionedityourself。’
’Ididnot，certainly；noryou，papa，Isuppose？’
MrHardingacknowledgedthathehadnotspokenofit，andthentheycalculatedthatperhapsshemightnothavereceivedanyletterfromherhusbandsincethenewshadreachedhim。’Besides，whyshouldhehavementionedit？’saidthemajor。’Heonlyknowsasyetoftheinquiryaboutthecheque，andcanhaveheardnothingofwhatwasdonebythemagistrates。’
’StillitseemsoddthatEleanorshouldnothaveknownofit，seeingthatwehavebeentalkingofnothingelseforthelastweek。’
FortwodaysthemajorsaidnotawordofGraceCrawleytoanyone。
Nothingcouldbemorecourteousandcomplaisantthatwashisfather’sconducttohim。AnythingthathewantedforEdithwastobedone。Forhimselftherewasnotroublewhichwouldnotbetaken。Hishunting，andhisshooting，andhisfishingseemedtohavebecomemattersofparamountconsiderationtohisfather。Andthenthearchdeaconbecameveryconfidentialaboutmoneymatters——notofferinganythingtohisson，which，ashewellknew，wouldbeseenthroughaspalpablebriberyandcorruption——buttellinghimofthislittleschemeandofthat，ofoneinvestmentandofanother；——howhecontemplatedbuyingasmallpropertyhere，andspendingafewthousandsonbuildingthere。’Ofcourseitisallforyouandyourbrother，’saidthearchdeacon，withthatbenevolentsadnesswhichisusedhabituallybyfathersonsuchoccasions；’andI
likeyoutoknowwhatitisIamdoing。ItoldCharlesabouttheLondonpropertythelasttimeIwasup，’saidthearchdeacon，’andthereshallbenodifferencebetweenhimandyou，ifallgoeswell。’Thiswasverygood—naturedonthearchdeacon’spart，andwasnotstrictlynecessary，asCharleswastheeldestson；butthemajorunderstooditperfectly。
’Thereshallbeanelysiumopenedtoyou，ifonlyyouwillnotdothatterriblethingofwhichyouspokewhenlastyouwerehere。’Thearchdeaconutterednosuchwordsasthese，anddidnotevenalludetoGraceCrawley；butthewordswereasgoodasspoken，andhadtheybeenspokeneversoplainlythemajorcouldnothaveunderstoodthemmoreclearly。Hewasquiteawaketothelovelinessoftheelysiumbeforehim。
Hehadhadhismomentofanxiety，whetherhisfatherwouldorwouldnotmakeaneldersonofhisbrotherCharles。Thewholethingwasnowputbeforehimplainly。GiveupGraceCrawley，andyoushallsharealikewithyourbrother。Disgraceyourselfbymarryingher，andyoubrothershallhaveeverything。Therewasthechoice，anditwastillopentohimtotakewhichsidehepleased。WerehenevertogonearGraceCrawleyagainnoonewouldblamehim，unlessitwereMissPrettymanorMrsThorne。’Fillyourglass，Henry，’saidthearchdeacon。’You’dbetter，I
tellyou，forthereisnomoreofitleft。’Thenthemajorfilledhisglassandsippedthewine，andsworetohimselfthathewouldgodowntoAllingtonatonce。What！Didhisfatherthinktobribehimbygivinghim’20port？HewouldcertainlygodowntoAllington，andhewouldtellhismothertomorrowmorning，orcertainlyonthenextday，whathewasgoingtodo。’Pityitshouldallbegone；isn’tit，sir？’saidthearchdeacontohisfather—in—law。’Ithaslastedmytime，’saidMrHarding，’andI’mverymuchobligedtoit。Dear，dear；howwellIrememberyourfathergivingtheorderforit！Thereweretwopipes，andsomebodysaiditwasaheadywine。"Iftheprebendariesandrectorscan’tdrinkit，"saidyourfather，"thecurateswill。"’
’Curatesindeed！’saidthearchdeacon。’It’stoogoodforabishop，unlessitisoftherightsort。’
’Yourfatherusedtosaythosethings，butwithhimthepoorertheguestthebetterthecheer。Whenhehadafewclergymenroundhim，howhelovedtomakethemhappy！’
’Nevertalkedshoptothem——didhe？’saidthearchdeacon。
’Notafterdinner，atanyrate。Goodnessgracious，whenonethinksofit！Doyourememberhowweusedtoplaycards？’
’Everynightregularly；——threepennypoints，andsixpenceontherubber，’
saidthearchdeacon。
’Dear，dear！Howthingsarechanged！AndIrememberwhentheclergymendidmoreofthedancinginBarchesterthanalltheotheryoungmeninthecityputtogether。’
’Andagoodsettheywere；——gentlemeneveryoneofthem。It’swellthatsomeofthemdon’tdancenow；——thatis，forthegirl’ssake。’
’Isometimessitandwonder，’saidMrHarding，’whetheryourfather’sspiritevercomesbacktotheoldhouseandseesthechanges——andifsowhetherheapprovesofthem。’
’Approvesthem！’saidthearchdeacon。
’Well；——yes。Ithinkhewould，uponthewhole。I’msureofthis：hewouldnotdisapprove，becausethenewwaysarechangedfromhisways。Heneverthoughthimselfinfallible。Anddoyouknow，mydear，Iamnotsurethatitisn’tallforthebest。Isometimesthinkthatsomeofuswereveryidlewhenwewereyoung。Iwas，Iknow。’
’Iworkedhardenough，’saidthearchdeacon。
’Ah，yes；you。Butmostofustookitveryeasily。Dear，dear！WhenI
thinkofit，andseehowhardtheyworknow，andrememberwhatpleasanttimesweusedtohave——Idon’tfeelsometimesquitesure。’
’Ibelievetheworkwasdoneagreatdealbetterthanitisnow，’saidthearchdeacon。’Therewasn’tsomuchfuss，buttherewasmorereality。
Andmenweremen，andclergymenweregentlemen。’
’Yes；——theyweregentlemen。’
’Suchacreatureasthatoldwomanatthepalacecouldn’thaveheldhisheadupamongus。That’swhathascomefromReform。AreformedHouseofCommonsmakesLordBrockPrimeMinister，andthenyourPrimeMinistermakesDrProudieabishop！Well；——itwilllastmytime，Isuppose。’
’Ithaslastedmine——likethewine，’saidMrHarding。
’There’soneglassmore，andyoushallhaveit，sir。’ThenMrHardingdrankthelastofthe1820port，andtheywentintothedrawing—room。
Onthenextmorningafterbreakfastthemajorwentoutforawalkbyhimself。HisfatherhadsuggestedtohimthatheshouldgoovertoshootatFramley，andhadofferedhimtheuseofeverythingthearchdeaconpossessedinthewayofhorses，dogs，gunsandcarriages。Butthemajorwouldhavenoneofthesethings。Hewouldgooutandwalkbyhimself。
’He’snotthinkingofher；ishe？’saidthearchdeacontohiswife，inawhisper。’Idon’tknow。Ithinkheis，’saidMrsGrantly。’ItwillbesomuchbetterforCharles，ifhedoes，’saidthearchdeacongrimly；andthelookofhisfaceashespokewasbynomeanspleasant。’Youwilldonothingunjust，archdeacon，’saidhiswife。’IwilldoasIlikewithmyown，’saidhe。Andthenhealsowentoutandtookawalkbyhimself。
Thateveningafterdinner，therewasno1820port，andnorecollectionofolddays。Theywereratherdull，thethreeofthem，astheysattogether——anddullnessisalwaysmoreendurablethansadness。OldMrHardingwenttosleepandthearchdeaconwascross。’Henry，’hesaid，’youhaven’tsaidawordtothrowtoadog。’’I’vegotratheraheadachethisevening，sir，’saidthemajor。Thearchdeacondranktwoglassesofwine，oneafteranother，quickly。Thenhewokehisfather—in—lawgently，andwentoff。’Isthereanythingthematter？’askedtheoldman。
’Nothingparticular。Myfatherseemsalittlecross。’’Ah！I’vebeentosleep，andIoughtn’t。It’smyfault。We’llgoinandsmoothhimdown。’
Butthearchdeaconwouldn’tbesmootheddownonthatoccasion。Hewouldlethissonseethedifferencebetweenafatherpleased，andafatherdispleased——orratherbetweenafatherpleasant，andafatherunpleasant。’Hehasn’tsaidanythingtoyou，hashe？’saidthearchdeaconthatnighttohiswife。’Notaword；——asyet。’’Ifhedoesitwithoutthecouragetotellus，Ishallthinkhimacur，’saidthearchdeacon。’Buthedidtellyou，’saidMrsGrantly，standingupforherfavouriteson；’and，forthematterofthat，hehascourageenoughforanything。Ifhedoesit，Ishallalwayssaythathehasbeendriventoitbyyourthreats。’
’That’ssheernonsense，’saidthearchdeacon。
’It’snotnonsenseatall，’saidMrsGrantly。
’ThenIsupposeIwastoholdmytongueandsaynothing？’saidthearchdeacon；andashespokehebangedthedoorbetweenhisdressing—roomandMrsGrantly’sbedroom。
OnthefirstdayofthenewyearMajorGrantlyspokehismindtohismother。ThearchdeaconhadgoneintoBarchester，havinginvainattemptedtoinducehissontogowithhim。MrHardingwasinthelibraryreadingalittleandsleepingalittle，anddreamingofolddaysandoldfriends，andperhapssometimes，oftheoldwine。MrsGrantlywasaloneinasmallsitting—roomwhichshefrequentedupstairs，whensuddenlyhersonenteredtheroom。’Mother，’hesaid，’IthinkitbettertotellyouthatIamgoingtoAllington。’
’ToAllington，Henry？’SheknewverywellwhowasatAllington，andwhatmustbethebusinesswhichwouldtakehimthere。
’Yes，mother。MissCrawleyisthere，andtherearecircumstanceswhichmakeitincumbentonmetoseeherwithoutdelay。’
’Whatcircumstances，Henry？’
’AsIintendtoaskhertobemywife，Ithinkitbesttodosonow。I
oweittoherandtomyselfthatsheshouldnotthinkIamdeterredbyherfather’sposition。’
’Butwoulditnotbereasonablethatyoushouldbedeterredbyherfather’sposition？’
’No，Ithinknot。Ithinkitwouldbedishonestaswellasungenerous。
Icannotbringmyselftobrooksuchdelay。OfcourseIamalivetothemisfortunewhichhasfallenuponher——uponherandme，too，shouldsheeverbecomemywife。Butitisoneofthoseburdenswhichamanshouldhaveshouldersbroadenoughtobear。’
’Quiteso，ifshewereyourwife，orevenifyouwereengagedtoher。
Thenhonourwouldrequireitofyou，aswellasaffection。Asitis，yourhonourdoesnotrequireit，andIthinkyoushouldhesitate，foralloursakes，andespeciallyforEdith’s。’
’ItwilldoEdithnoharm；and，mother，ifyoualonewereconcerned，I
thinkyouwouldfeelthatitwouldnothurtyou。’
’Iwasnotthinkingofmyself，Henry。’
’Asformyfather，theverythreatswhichhehasmademakemeconsciousthatIhaveonlytomeasuretheprice。Hehastoldmethathewillstopmyallowance。’
’Butthanmaynotbetheworst。Thinkhowyouaresituated。Youaretheyoungersonofamanwhowillbeheldtobejustifiedinmakinganelderson，ifhethinksfittodoso。’
’IcanonlyhopethathewillbefairtoEdith。Ifyouwilltellhimthatfromme，itisallthatIwishyoutodo。’