CHAPTERLXXXIII
MRCRAWLEYISCONQUERED
ItwasmorethanaweekbeforethearchdeaconreceivedareplyfromMrCrawley，duringwhichtimethedeanhadbeenovertoHogglestockmorethanonce，ashadalsoMrsArabinandLadyLuftontheyounger——andtherehadbeenletterswrittenwithoutend，andthearchdeaconhadbeennearlybesidehimself。’Amanwhopretendstoconscientiousscruplesofthatkindisnotfittohaveaparish，’hehadsaidtohiswife。Hiswifeunderstoodwhathemeant，andItrustthatthereadermayalsounderstandit。Intheordinarycuttingofblocksaveryfinerazorisnotanappropriateinstrument。Thearchdeacon，moreover，lovedthetemporalitiesoftheChurchastemporalities。TheChurchwasbeautifultohimbecauseonemanbyinterestmighthaveathousandayear，whileanothermanequallygood，butwithoutinterest，couldonlyhaveahundred。Andhelikedthemenwhohadtheinterestagreatdealbetterthanthemenwhohaditnot。Hehadbeenwillingtoadmitthepoorperpetualcurate，whohadsolongbeenkeptoutinthecold，withinthepleasantcirclewhichwaswarmwithecclesiasticalgoodthings，andthemanhesitated——becauseofscruples，asthedeantoldhim！’IalwaysbuttonupmypocketwhenIhearofscruples，’thearchdeaconsaid。
ButatlastMrCrawleycondescendedtoacceptStEwold’s。
’Reverendanddearsir，’hesaidinhisletter：’Forthepersonalbenevolenceoftheoffermadetomeinyourletterofthe——instant，Ibegtotenderyoumymostgratefulthanks；asalsoforyougenerouskindnesstome，intellingmeofthehighpraisebestoweduponmebyagentlemanwhoisnownomore——whosecharacterIhaveesteemedandwhosegoodopinionIvalue。Thereis，methinks，somethinginexpressiblydeartomeintherecordedpraiseofthedead。ForthefurtherinstanceofthefriendshipoftheDeanofBarchester，Iamalsothankful。