ethink himself. "At any
rate," said he, "when I tell you that there is no ground whatever for
such a report you will do me the kindness to say that, as far as you
are concerned, it shall go no further. I think, my lord, I am not
asking too much in asking that."

"The bishop knows nothing about it," said Mrs. Proudie again.

"Nothing at all," said the bishop.

"And as I must protest that I believe the information which has
reached me on this head," said Mrs. Proudie, "I do not see how it is
possible that I should contradict it. I can easily understand your
feelings, Dr. Grantly. Considering your daughter's position the match
was, as regards earthly wealth, a very great one. I do not wonder
that you should be grieved at its being broken off; but I trust that
this sorrow may eventuate in a blessing to you and to Miss Griselda.
These worldly disappointments are precious balms, and I trust you
know how to accept them as such." The fact was that Dr. Grantly had
done altogether wrong in coming to the palace. His wife might have
some chance with Mrs. Proudie, but he had none. Since she had come to
Barchester he had had only two or three encounters with her, and in
all of these he had gone to the wall. His visits to the palace always
resulted in his leaving the presence of the inhabitants in a frame
of mind by no means desirable, and he now found that he had to do so
once again. He could not compel Mrs. Proudie to say that the report
was untrue; nor could he condescend to make counter hits at her
about her own daughter, as his wife would have done. And thus having
utterly failed, he got up and took his leave. But the worst of the
matter was, that, in going home, he could not divest his mind of
the idea that there might be some truth in the report. What if Lord
Dumbello had gone to the Continent resolved to send back from thence
some reason why it was impossible that he should make Miss Grantly
his wife? Such things had been done before now by men in his rank.
Whether or no Mrs. Tickler had been the letter-writing wellwisher
from Littlebath, or had induced her friend to be so, it did seem
manifest to him, Dr. Grantly, that Mrs. Proudie absolutely believed
the report which she promulgated so diligently. The wish might be
father to the thought, no doubt; but that the thought was truly
there, Dr. Grantly could not induce himself to disbelieve. His wife
was less credulous, and to a certain degree comforted him; but that
evening h