But they fell very dull and flat. And at the moment when he was
interrupted, he was about to explain that that material progress to
which he had alluded could not be attained without money; and that it
behoved them, the people of Barchester before him, to come forward
with their purses like men and brothers. He did also attempt this;
but from the moment of that fatal onslaught from the arm-chair,
it was clear to him, and to every one else, that Mrs. Proudie was
now the hero of the hour. His time had gone by, and the people of
Barchester did not care a straw for his appeal. From these causes
the lecture was over full twenty minutes earlier than any one had
expected, to the great delight of Messrs. Sowerby and Supplehouse,
who, on that evening, moved and carried a vote of thanks to Mrs.
Proudie. For they had gay doings yet before they went to their beds.
"Robarts, here one moment," Mr. Sowerby said, as they were standing
at the door of the Mechanics' Institute. "Don't you go off with Mr.
and Mrs. Bishop. We are going to have a little supper at the Dragon
of Wantly, and, after what we have gone through, upon my word we want
it. You can tell one of the palace servants to let you in." Mark
considered the proposal wistfully. He would fain have joined the
supper party had he dared; but he, like many others of his cloth, had
the fear of Mrs.
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