But not so Mrs. Proudie. Mrs. Grantly had had
the imprudence to throw Mr. Slope in her face--there, in her own
drawing-room, and she was resolved to be revenged. Mrs. Grantly, too,
had ridiculed the Tickler match, and no too great niceness should now
prevent Mrs. Proudie from speaking her mind about the Dumbello match.
"A great many people are talking about her, I am sorry to say," said
Mrs. Proudie; "but, poor dear, it is not her fault. It might have
happened to any girl; only, perhaps, a little more care--; you'll
excuse me, Dr. Grantly."
"I have come here to allude to a report which has been spread about
in Barchester, that the match between Lord Dumbello and my daughter
has been broken off; and--"
"Everybody in Barchester knows it, I believe," said Mrs. Proudie.
"--and", continued the archdeacon, "to request that that report may
be contradicted."
"Contradicted! Why, he has gone right away,--out of the country."
"Never mind where he has gone to, Mrs. Proudie; I beg that the report
may be contradicted."
"You'll have to go round to every house in Barchester then," said
she.
"By no means," replied the archdeacon. "And, perhaps, it may be right
that I should explain to the bishop that I came here because--"
"The bishop knows nothing about it," said Mrs.
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