has loved
that wicked one, how many have been his sacrifices for that wicked
one, and that now that wicked one is repaying him simply with
wickedness! And yet the wicked one is at that very moment dearer to
him than ever. If that wicked one could only be forgiven how sweet
would the world be again! And yet he nurses his wrath.

So it was in these days with Archdeacon Grantly. He was very angry
with his son. It is hardly too much to say that in every moment of
his life, whether waking or sleeping, he was thinking of the injury
that his son was doing him. He had almost come to forget the fact
that his anger had first been roused by the feeling that his son was
about to do himself an injury,--to cut his own throat. Various other
considerations had now added themselves to that, and filled not only
his mind but his daily conversation with his wife. How terrible
would be the disgrace to Lord Hartletop, how incurable the injury to
Griselda, the marchioness, should the brother-in-law of the one, and
the brother of the other, marry the daughter of a convicted thief!
"Of himself he would say nothing." So he declared constantly, though
of himself he did say a great deal. "Of himself he would say nothing,
though of course such a marriage would ruin him in the county." "My
dear," said his wife, "that is nonsense. That really is nonsense. I
feel sure there is not a single person in the county who would think
of the marriage in such a light." Then the archdeacon would have
quarrelled with his wife too, had she not been too wise to admit
such a quarrel. Mrs. Grantly was very wise and knew that it took two
persons to make a quarrel. He told her over and over again that she
was in league with her son,--that she was encouraging her son to
marry Grace Crawley. "I believe that in your heart you wish it," he
once said to her. "No, my dear, I do not wish it. I do not think it a
becoming marriage. But if he does marry her, I should wish to receive
his wife in my house, and certainly should not quarrel with him." "I
will never receive her," the archdeacon had replied; "and as for him,
I can only say that in such a case I will make no provision for his
family."

It will be remembered that the archdeacon had on a former occasion
instructed his wife to write to their son and tell him of his
father's determination. Mrs. Grantly had so manoeuvred that a little
time had been gained, and that those instructions had not been
insisted upon in all th