rs; but I should be deceiving you if I did not let
you know that both the archdeacon and I think that the time of his
departure from us is near at hand." After reading this letter, Mrs
Arabin could not wait in town for her husband, even though he was
expected in two days, and though she had been told that her presence
at Barchester was not immediately required on behalf of Mr. Crawley.

But during that one day she kept her promise to John Eames by going
to Lily Dale. Mrs. Arabin had become very fond of Johnny, and felt
that he deserved the prize which he had been so long trying to win.
The reader, perhaps, may not agree with Mrs. Arabin. The reader, who
may have caught a closer insight into Johnny's character than Mrs
Arabin had obtained, may, perhaps, think that a young man who could
amuse himself with Miss Demolines was unworthy of Lily Dale. If so, I
may declare for myself that I and the reader are in accord about John
Eames. It is hard to measure worth and worthlessness in such matters,
as there is no standard for such measurement. My old friend John was
certainly no hero,--was very unheroic in many phases of his life;
but then, if all the girls are to wait for heroes, I fear that the
difficulties in the way of matrimonial arrangements, great as they
are at present, will be very seriously enhanced. Johnny was not
ecstatic, nor heroic, nor transcendental, nor very beautiful in his
manliness; he was not a man to break his heart for love or to have
his story written in an epic; but he was an affectionate, kindly,
honest young man; and I think most girls might have done worse than
take him. Whether he was wise to ask assistance in his love-making so
often as he had done, that may be another question.

Mrs. Arabin was intimately acquainted with Mrs. Thorne, and therefore
there was nothing odd in her going to Mrs. Thorne's house. Mrs
Thorne was very glad to see her, and told her all the Barsetshire
news,--much more than Mrs. Arabin would have learned in a week at the
deanery; for Mrs. Thorne had a marvellous gift of picking up news.
She had already heard the whole story of Mr. Soames's cheque, and
expressed her conviction that the least that could be done in amends
to Mr. Crawley was to make him a bishop. "And you see the palace is
vacant," said Mrs. Thorne.

"The palace vacant!" said Mrs. Arabin.

"It is just as good. Now that Mrs. Proudie has gone, I don't suppose
the poor bishop will count for much. I can assure yo