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Page 33
He was left undisturbed at his studies for an hour or two, when a
knock came to the door, and Mr Chadwick was announced. Rabelais
retired into the secret drawer, the easy-chair seemed knowingly to
betake itself off, and when the archdeacon quickly undid his bolt,
he was discovered by the steward working, as usual, for that church
of which he was so useful a pillar. Mr Chadwick had just come from
London, and was, therefore, known to be the bearer of important news.
"We've got Sir Abraham's opinion at last," said Mr Chadwick, as he
seated himself.
"Well, well, well!" exclaimed the archdeacon impatiently.
"Oh, it's as long as my arm," said the other; "it can't be told in a
word, but you can read it;" and he handed him a copy, in heaven knows
how many spun-out folios, of the opinion which the attorney-general
had managed to cram on the back and sides of the case as originally
submitted to him.
"The upshot is," said Chadwick, "that there's a screw loose in their
case, and we had better do nothing. They are proceeding against Mr
Harding and myself, and Sir Abraham holds that, under the wording of
the will, and subsequent arrangements legally sanctioned, Mr Harding
and I are only paid servants. The defendants should have been either
the Corporation of Barchester, or possibly the chapter of your
father."
"W-hoo!" said the archdeacon; "so Master Bold is on the wrong scent,
is he?"
"That's Sir Abraham's opinion; but any scent almost would be a wrong
scent. Sir Abraham thinks that if they'd taken the corporation, or
the chapter, we could have baffled them. The bishop, he thinks, would
be the surest shot; but even there we could plead that the bishop is
only a visitor, and that he has never made himself a consenting party
to the performance of other duties."
"That's quite clear," said the archdeacon.
"Not quite so clear," said the other. "You see the will says, 'My
lord, the bishop, being graciously pleased to see that due justice
be done.' Now, it may be a question whether, in accepting and
administering the patronage, your father has not accepted also the
other duties assigned. It is doubtful, however; but even if they hit
that nail,--and they are far off from that yet,--the point is so nice,
as Sir Abraham says, that you would force them into fifteen thousand
pounds' cost before they could bring it to an issue! and where's that
sum of money to come from?"
The archdeacon rubbed his hands with delight; he had never doubted the
justice of his case, but he had begun to have some dread of unjust
success on the part of his enemies. It was delightful to him thus to
hear that their cause was surrounded with such rocks and shoals; such
causes of shipwreck unseen by the landsman's eye, but visible enough
to the keen eyes of practical law mariners. How wrong his wife was to
wish that Bold should marry Eleanor! Bold! why, if he should be ass
enough to persevere, he would be a beggar before he knew whom he was
at law with!
"That's excellent, Chadwick;--that's excellent! I told you Sir
Abraham was the man for us;" and he put down on the table the copy of
the opinion, and patted it fondly.
"Don't you let that be seen, though, archdeacon."
"Who?--I!--not for worlds," said the doctor.
"People will talk, you know, archdeacon."
"Of course, of course," said the doctor.
"Because, if that gets abroad, it would teach them how to fight their
own battle."
"Quite true," said the doctor.
"No one here in Barchester ought to see that but you and I,
archdeacon."
"No, no, certainly no one else," said the archdeacon, pleased with the
closeness of the confidence; "no one else shall."
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