out the whole of this speech, but
gradually his steps became quicker, and his turns became shorter.
"And now here is Christmas Day upon us, and what is to be done?" With
these words Mrs. Proudie finished her speech.

"Mr. Thumble," said the bishop, "perhaps you had better now retire.
I am very sorry that you should have had so thankless and so
disagreeable a task."

"Why should Mr. Thumble retire?" asked Mrs. Proudie.

"I think it better," said the bishop. "Mr. Thumble, good-night."
Then Mr. Thumble did retire, and Mrs. Proudie stood forth in her full
panoply of armour, silent and awful, with her helmet erect, and
vouchsafed no recognition whatever of the parting salutation with
which Mr. Thumble greeted her. "My dear, the truth is, you do not
understand the matter," said the bishop, as soon as the door was
closed. "You do not know how limited is my power."

"Bishop, I understand it a great deal better than some people; and I
understand also what is due to myself and the manner in which I ought
to be treated by you in the presence of the subordinate clergy of
the diocese. I shall not, however, remain here to be insulted in the
presence or in the absence of any one." Then the conquered amazon
collected together her weapons which she had laid upon the table,
and took her departure with majestic step, and not without the clang
of arms. The bishop, even when he was left alone, enjoyed for a few
moments the triumph of his victory.

But then he was left so very much alone! When he looked round about
him upon his solitude after the departure of his wife, and remembered
that he should not see her again till he should encounter her on
ground that was all her own, he regretted his own success, and was
tempted to follow her and to apologise. He was unable to do anything
alone. He would not even know how to get his tea, as the very
servants would ask questions, if he were to do so unaccustomed a
thing as to order it to be brought up to him in his solitude. They
would tell him that Mrs. Proudie was having her tea in her little
sitting-room upstairs, or else that the things were laid in the
drawing-room. He did wander forth to the latter apartment, hoping
that he might find his wife there; but the drawing-room was dark
and deserted, and so he wandered back again. It was a grand thing
certainly to have triumphed over his wife, and there was a crumb
of comfort in the thought that he had vindicated himself before Mr
Thumble; but