and trusted. Her life had been passed at
school till she was nearly twenty, and since then she had been vainly
endeavouring to accommodate herself and her feelings to her mother.
Now she was about to throw herself into the absolute power of a man
who was nearly a stranger to her! But she did love him, as she had
never loved any one else;--and then, on the other side, there was Mr
Musselboro!

Dalrymple went upstairs for an hour, and Clara did not see him again
before he left the house. It was clear to her, from Mrs. Broughton's
first words, that Conway had told her what had passed. "Of course I
shall never see anything more of either of you now?" said Mrs
Broughton.

"I should say that probably you will see a great deal of us both."

"There are some people," said Mrs. Broughton, "who can do well for
their friends, but can never do well for themselves. I am one of
them. I saw at once how great a thing it would be for both of you to
bring you two together,--especially for you, Clara; and therefore I
did it. I may say that I never had it out of my mind for months past.
Poor Dobbs misunderstood what I was doing. God knows how far that may
have brought about what has happened."

"Oh, Mrs. Broughton!"

"Of course he could not be blind to one thing;--nor was I. I mention
it now because it is right, but I shall never, never allude to again.
Of course he saw, and I saw, that Conway--was attached to me. Poor
Conway meant no harm. I was aware of that. But there was the terrible
fact. I knew at once that the only cure for him was a marriage with
some girl that he could respect. Admiring you as I do, I immediately
resolved on bringing you two together. My dear, I have been
successful, and I heartily trust that you may be happier than Maria
Broughton."

Miss Van Siever knew the woman, understood all the facts, and pitying
the condition of the wretched creature, bore all this without a word
of rebuke. She scorned to put out her strength against one who was in
truth so weak.

CHAPTER LXVI

Requiescat in Pace

Things were gloomy at the palace. It has already been said that for
may days after Dr. Tempest's visit to Barchester the intercourse
between the bishop and Mrs. Proudie had not been of a pleasant nature.
He had become so silent, so sullen, and so solitary in his ways,
that even her courage had been almost cowed, and for a while she had
condescended to use gentler measures, with the hope that she might
thus br