own daughter and dearest
friend, had refused the lover who proposed to her, although the
marriage was so much to her advantage,--loving him too, the while,
with her whole heart, as it was natural to suppose that Grace Crawley
might so love her lover. The more she thought of the similarity of
the stories, the stronger were her sympathies on the side of poor
Grace. Nevertheless, she would comfort her old friend if she knew
how; and of course she could not but admit to herself that the match
was one which must be a cause of real sorrow to him. "I don't know
why her refusal should mean nothing," said Lady Lufton.

"Of course a girl refuses at first,--a girl, I mean, in such
circumstances as hers. She can't but feel that more is offered to
her than she ought to take, and that she is bound to go through the
ceremony of declining. But my anger is not with her, Lady Lufton."

"I do not see how it can be."

"No; it is not with her. If she becomes his wife I trust that I may
never see her."

"Oh, Dr. Grantly!"

"I do; I do. How can it be otherwise with me? But I shall have no
quarrel with her. With him I must quarrel."

"I do not see why," said Lady Lufton.

"You do not? Does he not set me at defiance?"

"At his age surely a son has a right to marry as he pleases."

"If he took her out of the streets, then it would be the same?" said
the archdeacon with bitter anger.

"No;--for such a one would herself be bad."

"Or if she were the daughter of a huckster out of the city?"

"No again;--for in that case her want of education would probably
unfit her for your society."

"Her father's disgrace, then, should be a matter of indifference to
me, Lady Lufton?"

"I did not say so. In the first place, her father is not
disgraced--not as yet; and we do not know whether he may ever be
disgraced. You will hardly be disposed to say that persecution from
the palace disgraces a clergyman in Barsetshire."

"All the same, I believe that the man was guilty," said the
archdeacon.

"Wait and see, my friend, before you condemn him altogether. But, be
that as it may, I acknowledge that the marriage is one which must
naturally be distasteful to you."

"Oh, Lady Lufton! If you only knew! If you only knew!"

"I do know; and I feel for you. But I think that your son has a
right to expect that you should not show the same repugnance to such
a marriage as this as you would have had a right to show had he
suggested to himself such a wi