Moneyhehadnonetogive；theknackofputtingguineastogetherhadneverbelongedtohim；buthowwillingly，withwhatafoolisheasiness，withwhathappyalacrity，wouldhehaveabandonedthehalfofhisincomeforalltimetocome，couldhebysodoinghavequietlydispelledthecloudsthatweregatheringoverhim——couldhehavethuscompromisedthematterbetweenthereformerandtheconservative，betweenhispossibleson-in-law，Bold，andhispositiveson-in-law，thearchdeacon。
Andthiscompromisewouldnothavebeenmadefromanyprudentialmotiveofsavingwhatwouldyetremain，forMrHardingstillfeltlittledoubtbutheshouldbeleftforlifeinquietpossessionofthegoodthingshehad，ifhechosetoretainthem。No；hewouldhavedonesofromthesheerloveofquiet，andfromahorrorofbeingmadethesubjectofpublictalk。Hehadveryoftenbeenmovedtopity——tothatinwardweepingoftheheartforothers’woes；butnonehadheeverpitiedmorethanthatoldlord，whosealmostfabulouswealth，drawnfromhischurchpreferments，hadbecomethesubjectofsomuchopprobrium，ofsuchpublicscorn；thatwretchedclericaloctogenarianCroesus，whommenwouldnotallowtodieinpeace——whomalltheworldunitedtodecryandtoabhor。
Washetosuffersuchafate？Washishumblenametobebandiedinmen’smouths，asthegormandiseroftheresourcesofthepoor，asofonewhohadfilchedfromthecharityofotherageswealthwhichhadbeenintendedtorelievetheoldandtheinfirm？Washetobegibbetedinthepress，tobecomeabywordforoppression，tobenamedasanexampleofthegreedoftheEnglishchurch？Shoulditeverbesaidthathehadrobbedthoseoldmen，whomhesotrulyandsotenderlylovedinhisheartofhearts？Asheslowlypaced，hourafterhour，underthosenoblelime-trees，turningthesesadthoughtswithinhim，hebecameallbutfixedinhisresolvethatsomegreatstepmustbetakentorelievehimfromtheriskofsoterribleafate。
Inthemeanwhile，thearchdeacon，withcontentedmindandunruffledspirit，wentabouthisbusiness。HesaidawordortwotoMrChadwick，andthenfinding，asheexpected，thepetitionlyinginhisfather’slibrary，hewroteashortanswertothemen，inwhichhetoldthemthattheyhadnoevilstoredress，butrathergreatmerciesforwhichtobethankful；
andhavingseenthebishopsignit，hegotintohisbroughamandreturnedhometoMrsGrantly，andPlumsteadEpiscopi。