e him. It was
manifest to all now that he became feebler and feebler from day to
day, and that he would never leave his bed again. Even the archdeacon
had shaken his head, and had acknowledged to his wife that the last
day for her father was near at hand. It would very soon be necessary
that he should select another vicar for St Ewold's.

"Grandpa won't play cat's-cradle," said Posy, as Mrs. Arabin entered
the room.

"No, darling,--not this morning," said the old man. He himself well
knew that he would never play cat's-cradle again. Even that was over
for him now.

"She teases you, papa," said Mrs. Arabin.

"No, indeed," said he. "Posy never teases me;" and he slowly moved
his withered hand down outside the bed, so as to hold the child by
her frock. "Let her stay with me, my dear."

"Dr. Filgrave is downstairs, papa. You will see him, if he comes up?"
Now Dr. Filgrave was the leading physician of Barchester, and nobody
of note in the city,--or for the matter of that in the eastern
division of the county,--was allowed to start upon the last great
journey without some assistance from him as the hour of going drew
nigh. I do not know that he had much reputation for prolonging life,
but he was supposed to add a grace to the hour of departure. Mr
Harding expressed no wish to see the doctor,--had rather declared his
conviction that Dr. Filgrave could be of no possible service to him.
But he was not a man to persevere in his objection in opposition to
the wishes of his friends around him; and as soon as the archdeacon
had spoken a word on the subject he assented.

"Of course, my dear, I will see him."

"And Posy shall come back when he has gone," said Mrs. Arabin.

"Posy will do me more good than Dr. Filgrave I am quite sure;--but
Posy shall go now." So Posy scrambled off the bed, and the doctor was
ushered into the room.

"A day or two will see the end of it, Mr. Archdeacon;--I should say a
day or two," said the doctor, as he met Dr. Grantly in the hall. "I
should say that a day or two will see the end of it. Indeed I will
not undertake that twenty-four hours may not see the close of his
earthly troubles. He has no suffering, no pain, no disturbing cause.
Nature simply retires to rest." Dr. Filgrave, as he said this, made a
slow falling motion with his hands, which alone on various occasions
had been thought to be worth all the money paid for his attendance.
"Perhaps you would wish that I should step in in the eve