butperhapshemighteffectanexchange。Andthen，recollectingthattheattorney-generalwouldhardlycaretohearhowtheserviceofacathedralchurchisdividedamongtheminorcanons，stoppedshortinhisexplanations。
　　SirAbrahamlistenedinpityingwonder。’Ireallythink，MrHarding，youhadbetterwaitforthearchdeacon。Thisisamostseriousstep——oneforwhich，inmyopinion，thereisnottheslightestnecessity；and，asyouhavedonemethehonourofaskingmyadvice，Imustimploreyoutodonothingwithouttheapprovalofyourfriends。Amanisneverthebestjudgeofhisownposition。’
　　’Amanisthebestjudgeofwhathefeelshimself。I’dsoonerbegmybreadtillmydeaththanreadsuchanotherarticleasthosetwothathaveappeared，andfeel，asIdo，thatthewriterhastruthonhisside。’
　　’Haveyounotadaughter，MrHarding——anunmarrieddaughter？’
　　’Ihave，’saidhe，nowstandingalso，butstillplayingawayonhisfiddlewithhishandbehindhisback。’Ihave，SirAbraham；andsheandIarecompletelyagreedonthissubject。’
　　’Prayexcuseme，MrHarding，ifwhatIsayseemsimpertinent；
　　butsurelyitisyouthatshouldbeprudentonherbehalf。Sheisyoung，anddoesnotknowthemeaningoflivingonanincomeofahundredandsixtypoundsayear。Onheraccountgiveupthisidea。Believeme，itissheerQuixotism。’
　　Thewardenwalkedawaytothewindow，andthenbacktohischair；andthen，irresolutewhattosay，tookanotherturntothewindow。Theattorney-generalwasreallyextremelypatient，buthewasbeginningtothinkthattheinterviewhadbeenlongenough。
　　’Butifthisincomebenotjustlymine，whatifsheandI
　　havebothtobeg？’saidthewardenatlast，sharply，andinavoicesodifferentfromthathehadhithertoused，thatSirAbrahamwasstartled。’Ifso，itwouldbebettertobeg。’
　　’Mydearsir，nobodynowquestionsitsjustness。’
　　’Yes，SirAbraham，onedoesquestionit——themostimportantofallwitnessesagainstme——Iquestionitmyself。MyGodknowswhetherornoIlovemydaughter；butIwouldsoonerthatsheandIshouldbothbeg，thanthatsheshouldliveincomfortonmoneywhichistrulythepropertyofthepoor。
　　Itmayseemstrangetoyou，SirAbraham，itisstrangetomyself，thatIshouldhavebeentenyearsinthathappyhome，andnothavethoughtofthesethingstilltheyweresoroughlydinnedintomyears。Icannotboastofmyconscience，whenitrequiredtheviolenceofapublicnewspapertoawakenit；but，nowthatitisawake，Imustobeyit。WhenIcamehere，IdidnotknowthatthesuitwaswithdrawnbyMrBold，andmyobjectwastobegyoutoabandonmydefence。Asthereisnoaction，therecanbenodefence；butitis，atanyrate，aswellthatyoushouldknowthatfromtomorrowIshallceasetobethewardenofthehospital。MyfriendsandIdifferonthissubject，SirAbraham，andthataddsmuchtomysorrow；butitcannotbehelped。’And，ashefinishedwhathehadtosay，heplayedupsuchatuneasneverbeforehadgracedthechambersofanyattorney-general。Hewasstandingup，gallantlyfrontingSirAbraham，andhisrightarmpassedwithboldandrapidsweepsbeforehim，asthoughhewereembracingsomehugeinstrument，whichallowedhimtostandthuserect；andwiththefingersofhislefthandhestopped，withpreternaturalvelocity，amultitudeofstrings，whichrangedfromthetopofhiscollartothebottomofthelappetofhiscoat。SirAbrahamlistenedandlookedinwonder。
　　AshehadneverbeforeseenMrHarding，themeaningofthesewildgesticulationswaslostuponhim；butheperceivedthatthegentlemanwhohadafewminutessincebeensosubduedastobeunabletospeakwithouthesitation，wasnowimpassioned——nay，almostviolent。
　　’You’llsleeponthis，MrHarding，andtomorrow——’
　　’Ihavedonemorethansleepuponit，’saidthewarden；
　　’Ihavelainawakeuponit，andthatnightafternight。I
　　foundIcouldnotsleepuponit:nowIhopetodoso。’
　　Theattorney-generalhadnoanswertomaketothis；soheexpressedaquiethopethatwhateversettlementwasfinallymadewouldbesatisfactory；andMrHardingwithdrew，thankingthegreatmanforhiskindattention。
　　MrHardingwassufficientlysatisfiedwiththeinterviewtofeelaglowofcomfortashedescendedintothesmalloldsquareofLincoln’sInn。Itwasacalm，bright，beautifulnight，andbythelightofthemoon，eventhechapelofLincoln’sInn，andthesombrerowofchambers，whichsurroundthequadrangle，lookedwell。Hestoodstillamomenttocollecthisthoughts，andreflectonwhathehaddone，andwasabouttodo。Heknewthattheattorney-generalregardedhimaslittlebetterthanafool，butthathedidnotmind；heandtheattorney-
　　generalhadnotmuchincommonbetweenthem；heknewalsothatothers，whomhedidcareabout，wouldthinksotoo；
　　butEleanor，hewassure，wouldexultinwhathehaddone，andthebishop，hetrusted，wouldsympathisewithhim。
　　Inthemeantimehehadtomeetthearchdeacon，andsohewalkedslowlydownChanceryLaneandalongFleetStreet，feelingsurethathisworkforthenightwasnotyetover。
　　Whenhereachedthehotelherangthebellquietly，andwithapalpitatingheart；healmostlongedtoescaperoundthecorner，anddelaythecomingstormbyafurtherwalkroundStPaul’sChurchyard，butheheardtheslowcreakingshoesoftheoldwaiterapproaching，andhestoodhisgroundmanfully。
　　TheWardenisVeryObstinate’DrGrantlyishere，sir，’greetedhisearsbeforethedoorwaswellopen，’andMrsGrantly。Theyhaveasitting-roomabove，andarewaitingupforyou。’
　　Therewassomethinginthetoneoftheman’svoicewhichseemedtoindicatethatevenhelookeduponthewardenasarunawayschoolboy，justrecapturedbyhisguardian，andthathepitiedtheculprit，thoughhecouldnotbutbehorrifiedatthecrime。
　　Thewardenendeavouredtoappearunconcerned，ashesaid，’Oh，indeed！I’llgoupstairsatonce’；buthefailedsignally。Therewas，perhaps，arayofcomfortinthepresenceofhismarrieddaughter；thatistosay，ofcomparativecomfort，seeingthathisson-in-lawwasthere；buthowmuchwouldhehavepreferredthattheyshouldbothhavebeensafeatPlumsteadEpiscopi！However，upstairshewent，thewaiterslowlyprecedinghim；andonthedoorbeingopenedthearchdeaconwasdiscoveredstandinginthemiddleoftheroom，erect，indeed，asusual，butoh！howsorrowful！andonthedingysofabehindhimreclinedhispatientwife。
　　’Papa，Ithoughtyouwerenevercomingback，’saidthelady；’it’stwelveo’clock。’
　　’Yes，mydear，’saidthewarden。’Theattorney-generalnamedtenformymeeting；tobesuretenislate，butwhatcouldIdo，youknow？Greatmenwillhavetheirownway。’
　　Andhegavehisdaughterakiss，andshookhandswiththedoctor，andagaintriedtolookunconcerned。
　　’Andyouhaveabsolutelybeenwiththeattorney-general？’
　　askedthearchdeacon。
　　MrHardingsignifiedthathehad。
　　’Goodheavens，howunfortunate！’Andthearchdeaconraisedhishugehandsinthemannerinwhichhisfriendsaresoaccustomedtoseehimexpressdisapprobationandastonishment。
　　’WhatwillSirAbrahamthinkofit？Didyounotknowthatitisnotcustomaryforclientstogodirecttotheircounsel？’
　　’Isn’tit？’askedthewarden，innocently。’Well，atanyrate，I’vedoneitnow。SirAbrahamdidn’tseemtothinkitsoverystrange。’
　　Thearchdeacongaveasighthatwouldhavemovedaman-of-war。
　　’But，papa，whatdidyousaytoSirAbraham？’askedthelady。
　　’Iaskedhim，mydear，toexplainJohnHiram’swilltome。
　　Hecouldn’texplainitintheonlywaywhichwouldhavesatisfiedme，andsoIresignedthewardenship。’
　　’Resignedit！’saidthearchdeacon，inasolemnvoice，sadandlow，butyetsufficientlyaudible——asortofwhisperthatMacreadywouldhaveenvied，andthegallerieshaveapplaudedwithacoupleofrounds。’Resignedit！Goodheavens！’
　　Andthedignitaryofthechurchsankbackhorrifiedintoahorsehairarm-chair。
　　’AtleastItoldSirAbrahamthatIwouldresign；andofcourseImustnowdoso。’
　　’Notatall，’saidthearchdeacon，catchingarayofhope。
　　’Nothingthatyousayinsuchawaytoyourowncounselcanbeinanywaybindingonyou；ofcourseyouweretheretoaskhisadvice。I’msureSirAbrahamdidnotadviseanysuchstep。’
　　MrHardingcouldnotsaythathehad。
　　’Iamsurehedisadvisedyoufromit，’continuedthereverendcross-examiner。
　　MrHardingcouldnotdenythis。
　　’I’msureSirAbrahammusthaveadvisedyoutoconsultyourfriends。’
　　TothispropositionalsoMrHardingwasobligedtoassent。
　　’Thenyourthreatofresignationamountstonothing，andwearejustwherewewerebefore。’
　　MrHardingwasnowstandingontherug，movinguneasilyfromonefoottotheother。Hemadenodistinctanswertothearchdeacon’slastproposition，forhismindwaschieflyengagedonthinkinghowhecouldescapetobed。Thathisresignationwasathingfinallyfixedon，afactallbutcompleted，wasnotinhismindamatterofanydoubt；heknewhisownweakness；heknewhowpronehewastobeled；buthewasnotweakenoughtogivewaynow，togobackfromthepositiontowhichhisconsciencehaddrivenhim，afterhavingpurposelycometoLondontodeclarehisdetermination:hedidnotintheleastdoubthisresolution，buthegreatlydoubtedhispowerofdefendingitagainsthisson-in-law。