l the distress of mind you must have endured."

"I am sure you do, my dear;"--and he ordered the waiter to bring him
pen, ink, and paper.

"Are you going to write, papa?"

"Yes, my dear;--I am going to write my resignation to the bishop."

"Pray, pray, papa, put it off till our return;--pray put it off till
you have seen the bishop;--dear papa! for my sake, for Eleanor's!--"

"It is for your sake and Eleanor's that I do this. I hope, at least,
that my children may never have to be ashamed of their father."

"How can you talk about shame, papa?" and she stopped while the waiter
creaked in with the paper, and then slowly creaked out again; "how can
you talk about shame? you know what all your friends think about this
question."

The warden spread his paper on the table, placing it on the
meagre blotting-book which the hotel afforded, and sat himself
down to write.

"You won't refuse me one request, papa?" continued his
daughter; "you won't refuse to delay your letter for two short
days? Two days can make no possible difference."

"My dear," said he naively, "if I waited till I got to Barchester, I
might, perhaps, be prevented."

"But surely you would not wish to offend the bishop?" said she.

"God forbid! The bishop is not apt to take offence, and knows me too
well to take in bad part anything that I may be called on to do."

"But, papa--"

"Susan," said he, "my mind on this subject is made up; it is not
without much repugnance that I act in opposition to the advice of such
men as Sir Abraham Haphazard and the archdeacon; but in this matter
I can take no advice, I cannot alter the resolution to which I have
come."

"But two days, papa--"

"No;--nor can I delay it. You may add to my present unhappiness by
pressing me, but you cannot change my purpose; it will be a comfort
to me if you will let the matter rest": and, dipping his pen into the
inkstand, he fixed his eyes intently on the paper.

There was something in his manner which taught his daughter to
perceive that he was in earnest; she had at one time ruled supreme in
her father's house, but she knew that there were moments when, mild
and meek as he was, he would have his way, and the present was an
occasion of the sort. She returned, therefore, to her knitting, and
very shortly after left the room.

The warden was now at liberty to compose his letter, and, as it was
characteristic of the man, it shall be given at full length. The
official