" By which she intended,
no doubt, to signify that whereas Mr. Tickler had been given to her
Olivia, Lord Dumbello had been taken away from the archdeacon's
Griselda. The happy couple then went in Mrs. Proudie's carriage
to the nearest railway station but one, and from thence proceeded
to Malvern, and there spent the honeymoon. And a great comfort it
was, I am sure, to Mrs. Proudie when authenticated tidings reached
Barchester that Lord Dumbello had returned from Paris, and that the
Hartletop-Grantly alliance was to be carried to its completion. She
still, however, held her opinion--whether correctly or not who shall
say?--that the young lord had intended to escape. "The archdeacon has
shown great firmness in the way in which he has done it," said Mrs.
Proudie; "but whether he has consulted his child's best interests
in forcing her into a marriage with an unwilling husband, I for one
must take leave to doubt. But then, unfortunately, we all know how
completely the archdeacon is devoted to worldly matters."
In this instance the archdeacon's devotion to worldly matters was
rewarded by that success which he no doubt desired. He did go up
to London, and did see one or two of Lord Dumbello's friends. This
he did, not obtrusively, as though in fear of any falsehood or
vacillation on the part of the viscount, but with that discretion
and tact for which he has been so long noted.
Pages:
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852