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Page 84
The archdeacon then left his father, and went down to the hospital;
but Mr Harding wouldn't listen at all to the Puddingdale scheme. To
his eyes it had no attraction; it savoured of simony, and was likely
to bring down upon him harder and more deserved strictures than any he
had yet received: he positively declined to become vicar of
Puddingdale under any circumstances.
The archdeacon waxed wroth, talked big, and looked bigger; he said
something about dependence and beggary, spoke of the duty every man
was under to earn his bread, made passing allusions to the follies of
youth and waywardness of age, as though Mr Harding were afflicted by
both, and ended by declaring that he had done. He felt that he had
left no stone unturned to arrange matters on the best and easiest
footing; that he had, in fact, so arranged them, that he had so
managed that there was no further need of any anxiety in the matter.
And how had he been paid? His advice had been systematically
rejected; he had been not only slighted, but distrusted and avoided;
he and his measures had been utterly thrown over, as had been Sir
Abraham, who, he had reason to know, was much pained at what had
occurred. He now found it was useless to interfere any further, and
he should retire. If any further assistance were required from him,
he would probably be called on, and should be again happy to come
forward. And so he left the hospital, and has not since entered it
from that day to this.
And here we must take leave of Archdeacon Grantly. We fear that he is
represented in these pages as being worse than he is; but we have had
to do with his foibles, and not with his virtues. We have seen only
the weak side of the man, and have lacked the opportunity of bringing
him forward on his strong ground. That he is a man somewhat too fond
of his own way, and not sufficiently scrupulous in his manner of
achieving it, his best friends cannot deny. That he is bigoted in
favour, not so much of his doctrines as of his cloth, is also true:
and it is true that the possession of a large income is a desire that
sits near his heart. Nevertheless, the archdeacon is a gentleman and
a man of conscience; he spends his money liberally, and does the work
he has to do with the best of his ability; he improves the tone of
society of those among whom he lives. His aspirations are of a
healthy, if not of the highest, kind. Though never an austere man,
he upholds propriety of conduct both by example and precept. He
is generous to the poor, and hospitable to the rich; in matters of
religion he is sincere, and yet no Pharisee; he is in earnest, and yet
no fanatic. On the whole, the Archdeacon of Barchester is a man doing
more good than harm,--a man to be furthered and supported, though
perhaps also to be controlled; and it is matter of regret to us that
the course of our narrative has required that we should see more of
his weakness than his strength.
Mr Harding allowed himself no rest till everything was prepared for
his departure from the hospital. It may be as well to mention that he
was not driven to the stern necessity of selling all his furniture: he
had been quite in earnest in his intention to do so, but it was soon
made known to him that the claims of Messrs Cox and Cummins made no
such step obligatory. The archdeacon had thought it wise to make use
of the threat of the lawyer's bill, to frighten his father-in-law into
compliance; but he had no intention to saddle Mr Harding with costs,
which had been incurred by no means exclusively for his benefit.
The amount of the bill was added to the diocesan account, and was,
in fact, paid out of the bishop's pocket, without any consciousness
on the part of his lordship. A great part of his furniture he did
resolve to sell, having no other means to dispose of it; and the
ponies and carriage were transferred, by private contract, to the use
of an old maiden lady in the city.
For his present use Mr Harding took a lodging in Barchester, and
thither were conveyed such articles as he wanted for daily use:--his
music, books, and instruments, his own arm-chair, and Eleanor's pet
sofa; her teapoy and his cellaret, and also the slender but still
sufficient contents of his wine-cellar. Mrs Grantly had much wished
that her sister would reside at Plumstead, till her father's house
at Crabtree should be ready for her; but Eleanor herself strongly
resisted this proposal. It was in vain urged upon her, that a lady
in lodgings cost more than a gentleman; and that, under her father's
present circumstances, such an expense should be avoided. Eleanor had
not pressed her father to give up the hospital in order that she might
live at Plumstead Rectory and he alone in his Barchester lodgings;
nor did Eleanor think that she would be treating a certain gentleman
very fairly, if she betook herself to the house which he would be the
least desirous of entering of any in the county. So she got a little
bedroom for herself behind the sitting-room, and just over the little
back parlour of the chemist, with whom they were to lodge. There was
somewhat of a savour of senna softened by peppermint about the place;
but, on the whole, the lodgings were clean and comfortable.
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