of what had happened to the
bishop, and he thought it probable that neither would Mrs. Proudie
speak of it,--at any rate till after he was gone. Generals who are
beaten out of the field are not quick to talk of their own repulses.
He, indeed, had not beaten Mrs. Proudie out of the field. He had, in
fact, himself run away. But he had left his foe silenced; and with
such a foe, and in such a contest, that was everything. He put up his
portmanteau, therefore, and prepared for his final retreat. Then he
rang his bell and desired the servant to show him to the bishop's
study. The servant did so, and when he entered the room the first
thing he saw was Mrs. Proudie sitting in an arm-chair near the window.
The bishop was also in the room, sitting with his arms upon the
writing-table, and his head upon his hands. It was very evident that
Mrs. Proudie did not consider herself to have been beaten, and that
she was prepared to fight another battle. "Will you sit down, Dr
Tempest?" she said, motioning him with her hand to a chair opposite
to that occupied by the bishop. Dr. Tempest sat down. He felt that at
the moment he had nothing else to do, and that he must restrain any
remonstrance that he might make till Mr. Crawley's name should be
mentioned. He was almost lost in admiration of the woman. He had
left her, as he thought, utterly vanquished and prostrated by his
determined but uncourteous usage of her; and here she was, present
again on the field of battle as though she had never been even
wounded. He could see that there had been words between her and the
bishop, and that she had carried a point on which the bishop had been
very anxious to have his own way. He could perceive at once that the
bishop had begged her to absent herself and was greatly chagrined
that he should not have prevailed with her. There she was,--and as Dr
Tempest was resolved that he would neither give advice nor receive
instructions respecting Mr. Crawley in her presence, he could only
draw upon his courage and his strategy for the coming warfare. For a
few moments no one said a word. The bishop felt that if Dr. Tempest
would only begin, the work on hand might be got through, even in his
wife's presence. Mrs. Proudie was aware that her husband should begin.
If he would do so, and if Dr. Tempest would listen and then reply, she
might gradually make her way into the conversation; and if her words
were once accepted then she could say all that she desired to s