第10章

Moneyhehadnonetogive；theknackofputtingguineastogetherhadneverbelongedtohim；buthowwillingly，withwhatafoolisheasiness，withwhathappyalacrity，wouldhehaveabandonedthehalfofhisincomeforalltimetocome，couldhebysodoinghavequietlydispelledthecloudsthatweregatheringoverhim——couldhehavethuscompromisedthematterbetweenthereformerandtheconservative，betweenhispossibleson-in-law，Bold，andhispositiveson-in-law，thearchdeacon。

Andthiscompromisewouldnothavebeenmadefromanyprudentialmotiveofsavingwhatwouldyetremain，forMrHardingstillfeltlittledoubtbutheshouldbeleftforlifeinquietpossessionofthegoodthingshehad，ifhechosetoretainthem。No；hewouldhavedonesofromthesheerloveofquiet，andfromahorrorofbeingmadethesubjectofpublictalk。Hehadveryoftenbeenmovedtopity——tothatinwardweepingoftheheartforothers’woes；butnonehadheeverpitiedmorethanthatoldlord，whosealmostfabulouswealth，drawnfromhischurchpreferments，hadbecomethesubjectofsomuchopprobrium，ofsuchpublicscorn；thatwretchedclericaloctogenarianCroesus，whommenwouldnotallowtodieinpeace——whomalltheworldunitedtodecryandtoabhor。

Washetosuffersuchafate？Washishumblenametobebandiedinmen’smouths，asthegormandiseroftheresourcesofthepoor，asofonewhohadfilchedfromthecharityofotherageswealthwhichhadbeenintendedtorelievetheoldandtheinfirm？Washetobegibbetedinthepress，tobecomeabywordforoppression，tobenamedasanexampleofthegreedoftheEnglishchurch？Shoulditeverbesaidthathehadrobbedthoseoldmen，whomhesotrulyandsotenderlylovedinhisheartofhearts？Asheslowlypaced，hourafterhour，underthosenoblelime-trees，turningthesesadthoughtswithinhim，hebecameallbutfixedinhisresolvethatsomegreatstepmustbetakentorelievehimfromtheriskofsoterribleafate。

Inthemeanwhile，thearchdeacon，withcontentedmindandunruffledspirit，wentabouthisbusiness。HesaidawordortwotoMrChadwick，andthenfinding，asheexpected，thepetitionlyinginhisfather’slibrary，hewroteashortanswertothemen，inwhichhetoldthemthattheyhadnoevilstoredress，butrathergreatmerciesforwhichtobethankful；

andhavingseenthebishopsignit，hegotintohisbroughamandreturnedhometoMrsGrantly，andPlumsteadEpiscopi。

TheWarden’sTeaPartyAftermuchpainfuldoubting，ononethingonlycouldMrHardingresolve。Hedeterminedthatatanyratehewouldtakenooffence，andthathewouldmakethisquestionnocauseofquarreleitherwithBoldorwiththebedesmen。Infurtheranceofthisresolution，hehimselfwroteanotetoMrBold，thesameafternoon，invitinghimtomeetafewfriendsandhearsomemusiconaneveningnamedinthenextweek。

HadnotthislittlepartybeenpromisedtoEleanor，inhispresentstateofmindhewouldprobablyhaveavoidedsuchgaiety；butthepromisehadbeengiven，theinvitationsweretobewritten，andwhenEleanorconsultedherfatheronthesubject，shewasnotillpleasedtohearhimsay，’Oh，IwasthinkingofBold，soItookitintomyheadtowritetohimmyself，butyoumustwritetohissister。’

MaryBoldwasolderthanherbrother，and，atthetimeofourstory，wasjustoverthirty。Shewasnotanunattractiveyoungwoman，thoughbynomeansbeautiful。Hergreatmeritwasthekindlinessofherdisposition。Shewasnotveryclever，norveryanimated，norhadsheapparentlytheenergyofherbrother；butshewasguidedbyahighprincipleofrightandwrong；hertemperwassweet，andherfaultswerefewerinnumberthanhervirtues。ThosewhocasuallymetMaryBoldthoughtlittleofher；butthosewhoknewherwelllovedherwell，andthelongertheyknewherthemoretheylovedher。AmongthosewhowerefondestofherwasEleanorHarding；andthoughEleanorhadneveropenlytalkedtoherofherbrother，eachunderstoodtheother’sfeelingsabouthim。

Thebrotherandsisterweresittingtogetherwhenthetwonoteswerebroughtin。

’Howodd，’saidMary，’thattheyshouldsendtwonotes。

Well，ifMrHardingbecomesfashionable，theworldisgoingtochange。’

Herbrotherunderstoodimmediatelythenatureandintentionofthepeace-offering；butitwasnotsoeasyforhimtobehavewellinthematter，asitwasforMrHarding。Itismuchlessdifficultforthesufferertobegenerousthanfortheoppressor。JohnBoldfeltthathecouldnotgotothewarden’sparty:heneverlovedEleanorbetterthanhedidnow；hehadneversostronglyfelthowanxioushewastomakeherhiswifeasnow，whensomanyobstaclestohisdoingsoappearedinview。Yetherewasherfatherhimself，asitwere，clearingawaythoseveryobstacles，andstillhefeltthathecouldnotgotothehouseanymoreasanopenfriend。

Ashesatthinkingofthesethingswiththenoteinhishand，hissisterwaswaitingforhisdecision。

’Well，’saidshe，’Isupposewemustwriteseparateanswers，andbothsayweshallbeveryhappy。’

’You’llgo，ofcourse，Mary，’saidhe；towhichshereadilyassented。’Icannot，’hecontinued，lookingseriousandgloomy。’IwishIcould，withallmyheart。’

’Andwhynot，John？’saidshe。Shehadasyetheardnothingofthenew-foundabusewhichherbrotherwasabouttoreform——atleastnothingwhichconnecteditwithherbrother’sname。

Hesatthinkingforawhiletillhedeterminedthatitwouldbebesttotellheratoncewhatitwasthathewasabout:itmustbedonesoonerorlater。

’IfearIcannotgotoMrHarding’shouseanymoreasafriend，justatpresent。’

’Oh，John！Whynot？Ah，you’vequarrelledwithEleanor！’

’No，indeed，’saidhe；’I’venoquarrelwithherasyet。’

’Whatisit，John？’saidshe，lookingathimwithananxious，lovingface，forsheknewwellhowmuchofhisheartwasthereinthathousewhichhesaidhecouldnolongerenter。

’Why，’saidheatlast，’I’vetakenupthecaseofthesetwelveoldmenofHiram’sHospital，andofcoursethatbringsmeintocontactwithMrHarding。Imayhavetoopposehim，interferewithhim，perhapsinjurehim。’

Marylookedathimsteadilyforsometimebeforeshecommittedherselftoreply，andthenmerelyaskedhimwhathemeanttodofortheoldmen。

’Why，it’salongstory，andIdon’tknowthatIcanmakeyouunderstandit。JohnHirammadeawill，andlefthispropertyincharityforcertainpooroldmen，andtheproceeds，insteadofgoingtothebenefitofthesemen，goeschieflyintothepocketofthewardenandthebishop’ssteward。’

’AndyoumeantotakeawayfromMrHardinghisshareofit？’

’Idon’tknowwhatImeanyet。Imeantoinquireaboutit。

Imeantoseewhoisentitledtothisproperty。Imeantosee，ifIcan，thatjusticebedonetothepoorofthecityofBarchestergenerally，whoare，infact，thelegateesunderthewill。Imean，inshort，toputthematterright，ifIcan。’

’Andwhyareyoutodothis，John？’

’Youmightaskthesamequestionofanybodyelse，’saidhe；

’andaccordingtothatthedutyofrightingthesepoormenwouldbelongtonobody。Ifwearetoactonthatprinciple，theweakarenevertobeprotected，injusticeisnevertobeopposed，andnooneistostruggleforthepoor！’AndBoldbegantocomforthimselfinthewarmthofhisownvirtue。

’Butistherenoonetodothisbutyou，whohaveknownMrHardingsolong？Surely，John，asafriend，asayoungfriend，somuchyoungerthanMrHarding——’

’That’swoman’slogic，allover，Mary。Whathasagetodowithit？Anothermanmightpleadthathewastooold；

andastohisfriendship，ifthethingitselfberight，privatemotivesshouldneverbeallowedtointerfere。BecauseI

esteemMrHarding，isthatareasonthatIshouldneglectadutywhichIowetotheseoldmen？orshouldIgiveupaworkwhichmyconsciencetellsmeisagoodone，becauseI

regretthelossofhissociety？’

’AndEleanor，John？’saidthesister，lookingtimidlyintoherbrother’sface。

’Eleanor，thatis，MissHarding，ifshethinksfit——thatis，ifherfather——or，rather，ifshe——or，indeed，he——iftheyfinditnecessary——butthereisnonecessitynowtotalkaboutEleanorHarding；butthisIwillsay，thatifshehasthekindofspiritforwhichIgivehercredit，shewillnotcondemnmefordoingwhatIthinktobeaduty。’AndBoldconsoledhimselfwiththeconsolationofaRoman。

Marysatsilentforawhile，tillatlastherbrotherremindedherthatthenotesmustbeanswered，andshegotup，andplacedherdeskbeforeher，tookoutherpenandpaper，wroteonitslowly:

’PAKENHAMVILLAS

’Tuesdaymorning’MYDEARELEANOR，’I——’

andthenstopped，andlookedatherbrother。

’Well，Mary，whydon’tyouwriteit？’

’Oh，John，’saidshe，’dearJohn，praythinkbetterofthis。’

’Thinkbetterofwhat？’saidhe。

’Ofthisaboutthehospital——ofallthisaboutMrHarding——

ofwhatyousayaboutthoseoldmen。Nothingcancalluponyou——nodutycanrequireyoutosetyourselfagainstyouroldest，yourbestfriend。Oh，John，thinkofEleanor。You’llbreakherheart，andyourown。’