Whentheyreturnedtothedeanery，MrHardingwasfluttered，weary，andunwell。WhenhisdaughterlefthimforafewminuteshetoldMrsBaxterinconfidenceofthestoryofhisaccident，andhisgreatgriefthathisdaughtershouldhaveseenit。’Lawsamercy，sir，itwasablessingshewaswithyou，’saidMrsBaxter；’itwas，indeed，MrHarding。’ThenMrHardinghadbeenangry，andspokealmostcrosslytoMrsBaxter；but，beforeshelefttheroom，hefoundanopportunityofbeggingherpardon——notinasetspeechtothateffect，butbyalittlewordofgentlekindness，whichshehadunderstoodperfectly。’Papa，’saidMrsGrantlytohimassoonasshehasucceededingettingbothPosyandMrsBaxteroutoftheroom——againstthedoingofwhich，MrHardinghadmanoeuvredwithallhislittleimpotentskill——’Papa，youmustpromisethatyouwillnotgotothecathedralagainalone，tillEleanorcomeshome。’Whenheheardthesentencehelookedatherwithblankmiseryinhiseyes。Hemadenotattemptatremonstrance。Hebeggedfornorespite。
Thewordhadgoneforth，andheknewthatitmustbeobeyed。Thoughhewouldhavehiddenthesignsofhisweaknesshadhebeenable，hewouldnotcondescendtopleadthathewasstrong。’Ifyouthinkitwrong，mydear，Iwillnotgoalone，’hesaid。’Papa，Ido；indeedIdo。Dearpapa，IwouldnothurtyoubysayingitifIdidnotknowthatIamright。’Hewassittingwithhishanduponthetable，and，asshespoketohim，sheputherhanduponhis，caressingit。’Mydear，’hesaid，’youarealwaysright。’
Shelefthimagainforawhile，havingsomebusinessoutinthecity，andhewasaloneinhisroomforanhour。Whatwastherelefttohimnowintheworld？Oldashewas，andinsomethingsalmostchildish，nevertheless，hethoughtofthiskeenly，andsomehalf—realisedremembranceofthe’leanandslipperedpantaloon’flittedacrosshismind，causinghimapang。Whatwastherelefttohimnowintheworld？
Posyandcat’s—cradle！Then，inthemidstofhisregrets，ashesatwithhisbackbentinhisoldeasy—chair，withonearmovertheshoulderofthechair，andtheotherhangingloosebyhisside，onasuddentherecameacrosshisfaceasmileassweetaseverybrightenedthefaceofmanorwoman。Hehadbeenabletotellhimselfthathehadnogroundforcomplaint——greatgroundratherforrejoicingandgratitude。Hadnottheworldandallinitbeengoodtohim；hadhenotchildrenwholovedhim，whohaddonehimhonour，whohadbeentohimalwaysacrownofglory，neveramarkforreproach；hadnothislinesfallentohiminverypleasantplaces；wasitnothishappyfatetogoandleaveitallamidstthegoodwordsandkindlovingcaresofdevotedfriends？Whoselatterdayshadeverbeenmoreblessedthanhis？Andforthefuture——？Itwasashethoughtofthisthatthesmilecameacrosshisface——asthoughitwerealreadythefaceofanangel。Andthenhemutteredtohimselfawordortwo。’Lord，nowlettestThouThyservantdepartinpeace。Lord，nowlettestThouThyservantdepartinpeace。’
WhenMrsGrantlyreturnedshefoundhiminjocundspirits。Andyetsheperceivedthathewassoweakthatwhenhelefthischairhecouldbarelygetacrosstheroomwithoutassistance。MrsBaxter，indeed，hadnotsenttohertoosoon，anditwaswellthattheprohibitionhadcomeintimetopreventsometerribleaccident。’Papa，’shesaid，’IthinkyouhadbettergowithmetoPlumstead。Thecarriageishere，andIcantakeyouhomesocomfortably。’ButhewouldnotallowhimselftobetakenonthisoccasiontoPlumstead。Hesmiledandthankedher，andputhishandintohers，andrepeatedhispromisethathewouldnotleavethehouseonanyoccasionwithoutassistance，anddeclaredhimselfspeciallythankfultoherforcomingtohimonthatspecialmorning；——buthewouldnotbetakentoPlumstead。’Whensummercomes，’hesaid，’then，ifyouwillhavemeforafewdays！’