This now had gone so far that Mrs. Arabin
conceived herself bound in duty to see her sister, and it was then
settled in consultation at Plumstead that the archdeacon should
call officially at the palace and beg that the rumour might be
contradicted. This he did early on the next morning and was shown
into the bishop's study, in which he found both his lordship and Mrs.
Proudie. The bishop rose to greet him with special civility, smiling
his very sweetest on him, as though of all his clergy the archdeacon
were the favourite; but Mrs. Proudie wore something of a gloomy
aspect, as though she knew that such a visit at such an hour must
have reference to some special business. The morning calls made by
the archdeacon at the palace in the way of ordinary civility were not
numerous. On the present occasion he dashed at once into his subject.
"I have called this morning, Mrs. Proudie," said he, "because I wish
to ask a favour from you." Whereupon Mrs. Proudie bowed.
"Mrs. Proudie will be most happy, I am sure," said the bishop.
"I find that some foolish people have been talking in Barchester
about my daughter," said the archdeacon; "and I wish to ask Mrs.
Proudie--"
Most women under such circumstances would have felt the awkwardness
of their situation, and would have prepared to eat their past words
with wry faces.
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