at he and that young lady had passed the evening
in so close a flirtation as to make the matter more than ordinarily
particular; and Mrs. Grantly, as she was driven home to her lodgings,
began to have doubts in her mind whether it would be wise to
discountenance so great an alliance as that which the head of the
great Hartletop family now seemed so desirous to establish. The
prudent mother had not yet spoken a word to her daughter on these
subjects, but it might soon become necessary to do so. It was all
very well for Lady Lufton to hurry up to town, but of what service
would that be, if Lord Lufton were not to be found in Bruton Street?

CHAPTER XVIII

The New Minister's Patronage

At that time, just as Lady Lufton was about to leave Framley for
London, Mark Robarts received a pressing letter, inviting him also to
go up to the metropolis for a day or two--not for pleasure, but on
business. The letter was from his indefatigable friend Sowerby. "My
dear Robarts," the letter ran:--"I have just heard that poor little
Burslem, the Barsetshire prebendary, is dead. We must all die some
day, you know,--as you have told your parishioners from the Framley
pulpit more than once, no doubt. The stall must be filled up, and
why should not you have it as well as another? It is six hundred a
year and a house. Little Burslem had nine, but the good old times
are gone. Whether the house is letable or not under the present
ecclesiastical regime, I do not know. It used to be so, for I
remember Mrs. Wiggins, the tallow-chandler's widow, living in old
Stanhope's house.

"Harold Smith has just joined the Government as Lord Petty Bag, and
could, I think, at the present moment, get this for asking. He cannot
well refuse me, and, if you will say the word, I will speak to him.
You had better come up yourself; but say the word 'Yes,' or 'No,' by
the wires.

"If you say 'Yes,' as of course you will, do not fail to come up.
You will find me at the 'Travellers,' or at the House. The stall
will just suit you,--will give you no trouble, improve your position,
and give some little assistance towards bed and board, and rack and
manger.--Yours ever faithfully, N. SOWERBY.

"Singularly enough, I hear that your brother is private secretary to
the new Lord Petty Bag. I am told that his chief duty will consist in
desiring the servants to call my sister's carriage. I have only seen
Harold once since he accepted office; but my Lady Petty Bag say