第34章

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