abin in
the close and condoled with her openly on the termination of the
marriage treaty;--quite openly, for Mrs. Tickler--as she was to
be--was with her mother, and Mrs. Arabin was accompanied by her
sister-in-law, Mary Bold.

"It must be very grievous to Mrs. Grantly, very grievous indeed,"
said Mrs. Proudie, "and I sincerely feel for her. But, Mrs. Arabin,
all these lessons are sent to us for our eternal welfare."

"Of course," said Mrs. Arabin. "But as to this special lesson, I am
inclined to doubt that it--"

"Ah-h! I fear it is too true. I fear there is no room for doubt. Of
course you are aware that Lord Dumbello is off for the Continent."
Mrs Arabin was not aware of it, and she was obliged to admit as much.

"He started four days ago, by way of Boulogne," said Mrs. Tickler,
who seemed to be very well up in the whole affair. "I am so sorry for
poor dear Griselda. I am told she has got all her things. It is such
a pity, you know."

"But why should not Lord Dumbello come back from the Continent?" said
Miss Bold, very quietly.

"Why not, indeed? I'm sure I hope he may," said Mrs. Proudie. "And no
doubt he will, some day. But if he be such a man as they say he is,
it is really well for Griselda that she should be relieved from such
a marriage. For, after all, Mrs. Arabin, what are the things of this
world?--dust beneath our feet, ashes between our teeth, grass cut for
the oven, vanity, vexation, and nothing more!"--well pleased with
which variety of Christian metaphors Mrs. Proudie walked on, still
muttering, however, something about worms and grubs, by which she
intended to signify her own species and the Dumbello and Grantly
sects of it in particular. This now had gone so far that Mrs. Arabin
conceived herself bound in duty to see her sister, and it was then
settled in consultation at Plumstead that the archdeacon should
call officially at the palace and beg that the rumour might be
contradicted. This he did early on the next morning and was shown
into the bishop's study, in which he found both his lordship and Mrs.
Proudie. The bishop rose to greet him with special civility, smiling
his very sweetest on him, as though of all his clergy the archdeacon
were the favourite; but Mrs. Proudie wore something of a gloomy
aspect, as though she knew that such a visit at such an hour must
have reference to some special business. The morning calls made by
the archdeacon at the palace in the way of ordinary civility we