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Page 82
Dr Grantly, however, in the eyes of Messrs Cox and Cummins,
represented the spiritualities of the diocese of Barchester, as Mr
Chadwick did the temporalities, and was, therefore, too great a man to
undergo the half-hour in the clerk's room. It will not be necessary
that we should listen to the notes of sorrow in which the archdeacon
bewailed to Mr Cox the weakness of his father-in-law, and the end
of all their hopes of triumph; nor need we repeat the various
exclamations of surprise with which the mournful intelligence was
received. No tragedy occurred, though Mr Cox, a short and somewhat
bull-necked man, was very near a fit of apoplexy when he first
attempted to ejaculate that fatal word--resign!
Over and over again did Mr Cox attempt to enforce on the archdeacon
the propriety of urging on Mr Warden the madness of the deed he was
about to do.
"Eight hundred a year!" said Mr Cox.
"And nothing whatever to do!" said Mr Cummins, who had joined the
conference.
"No private fortune, I believe," said Mr Cox.
"Not a shilling," said Mr Cummins, in a very low voice, shaking his
head.
"I never heard of such a case in all my experience," said Mr Cox.
"Eight hundred a year, and as nice a house as any gentleman could wish
to hang up his hat in," said Mr Cummins.
"And an unmarried daughter, I believe," said Mr Cox, with much moral
seriousness in his tone. The archdeacon only sighed as each separate
wail was uttered, and shook his head, signifying that the fatuity of
some people was past belief.
"I'll tell you what he might do," said Mr Cummins, brightening up.
"I'll tell you how you might save it:--let him exchange."
"Exchange where?" said the archdeacon.
"Exchange for a living. There's Quiverful, of Puddingdale;--he has
twelve children, and would be delighted to get the hospital. To
be sure Puddingdale is only four hundred, but that would be saving
something out of the fire: Mr Harding would have a curate, and still
keep three hundred or three hundred and fifty."
The archdeacon opened his ears and listened; he really thought the
scheme might do.
"The newspapers," continued Mr Cummins, "might hammer away at
Quiverful every day for the next six months without his minding
them."
The archdeacon took up his hat, and returned to his hotel, thinking
the matter over deeply. At any rate he would sound Quiverful. A man
with twelve children would do much to double his income.
Chapter XX
FAREWELL
On the morning after Mr Harding's return home he received a note from
the bishop full of affection, condolence, and praise. "Pray come to
me at once," wrote the bishop, "that we may see what had better be
done; as to the hospital, I will not say a word to dissuade you; but I
don't like your going to Crabtree: at any rate, come to me at once."
Mr Harding did go to him at once; and long and confidential was the
consultation between the two old friends. There they sat together
the whole long day, plotting to get the better of the archdeacon, and
to carry out little schemes of their own, which they knew would be
opposed by the whole weight of his authority.
The bishop's first idea was, that Mr Harding, if left to himself,
would certainly starve,--not in the figurative sense in which so many
of our ladies and gentlemen do starve on incomes from one to five
hundred a year; not that he would be starved as regarded dress coats,
port wine, and pocket-money; but that he would positively perish of
inanition for want of bread.
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