also in a way that, although she had been industrious, although she
had been faithful, although she was clever, yet she had failed. At
the bottom of her heart she knew that she had been a bad wife. And
yet she had meant to be a pattern wife! She had meant to be a good
Christian; but she had so exercised her Christianity that not a soul
in the world loved her, or would endure her presence if it could be
avoided! She had sufficient insight to the minds and feelings of
those around her to be aware of this. And now her husband had told
her that her tyranny to him was so overbearing that he must throw
up his great position, and retire to an obscurity that would be
exceptionally disgraceful to them both, because he could no longer
endure the public disgrace which her conduct brought upon him in his
high place before the world! Her heart was too full for speech; and
she left him, very quietly closing the door behind her.

She was preparing to go up to her chamber, with her hand on the
banisters and with her foot on the stairs, when she saw the servant
who had answered the bishop's bell. "John," she said, "when Mr
Thumble comes to the palace, let me see him before he goes to my
lord."

"Yes, ma'am," said John, who well understood the nature of these
quarrels between his master and his mistress. But the commands of the
mistress were still paramount among the servants, and John proceeded
on his mission with the view of accomplishing Mrs. Proudie's behests.
Then Mrs. Proudie went upstairs to her chamber, and locked her door.

Mr. Thumble returned to Barchester that day, leading the broken-down
cob; and a dreadful walk he had. He was not good at walking, and
before he came near Barchester had come to entertain a violent hatred
for the beast he was leading. The leading of a horse that is tired,
or in pain, or even stiff in his limbs, is not pleasant work. The
brute will not accommodate his paces to the man, and will contrive to
make his head very heavy on the bridle. And he will not walk on the
part of the road which the man intends for him, but will lean against
the man, and will make himself altogether disagreeable. It may be
understood, therefore, that Mr. Thumble was not in a good humour when
he entered the palace yard. Nor was he altogether quiet in his mind
as to the injury which he had done to the animal. "It was the brute's
fault," said Mr. Thumble. "It comes generally of not knowing how to
ride 'em," said the groom. Fo