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Claims

       Chapter XXVI. Mrs. Proudie Wrestles and Gets a Fall

       Chapter XXVII. A Love Scene

       Chapter XXVIII. Mrs. Bold Is Entertained by Dr. And Mrs. Grantly at Plumstead

       Chapter XXIX. A Serious Interview

       Chapter XXX. Another Love Scene

       Chapter XXXI. The Bishop’s Library

       Chapter XXXII. A New Candidate for Ecclesiastical Honours

       Chapter XXXIII. Mrs. Proudie Victrix

       Chapter XXXIV. Oxford—The Master and Tutor of Lazarus

       Chapter XXXV. Miss Thorne’s Fête Champêtre

       Chapter XXXVI. Ullathorne Sports—Act I

       Chapter XXXVII. The Signora Neroni, the Countess De Courcy, and Mrs. Proudie Meet Each Other at Ullathorne

       Chapter XXXVIII. The Bishop Sits Down to Breakfast, and the Dean Dies

       Chapter XXXIX. The Lookalofts and the Greenacres

       Chapter XL. Ullathorne Sports—Act II

       Chapter XLI. Mrs. Bold Confides Her Sorrow to Her Friend Miss Stanhope

       Chapter XLII. Ullathorne Sports—Act III

       Chapter XLIII. Mr. And Mrs. Quiverful Are Made Happy

       Chapter XLIV. Mrs. Bold at Home

       Chapter XLV. The Stanhopes at Home

       Chapter XLVI. Mr. Slope’s Parting Interview With the Signora

       Chapter XLVII. The Dean Elect

       Chapter XLVIII. Miss Thorne Shows Her Talent at Match-Making

       Chapter XLIX. The Beelzebub Colt

       Chapter L. The Archdeacon Is Satisfied With the State of Affairs

       Chapter LI. Mr. Slope Bids Farewell to the Palace and Its Inhabitants

       Chapter LII. The New Dean Takes Possession of the Deanery, and the New Warden of the Hospital

       Chapter LIII. Conclusion

      Chapter I.

       Who Will Be the New Bishop?

       Table of Contents

      In the latter days of July in the year 185––, a most important question was for ten days hourly asked in the cathedral city of Barchester, and answered every hour in various ways—Who was to be the new bishop?

      The death of old Dr. Grantly, who had for many years filled that chair with meek authority, took place exactly as the ministry of Lord –––– was going to give place to that of Lord ––––. The illness of the good old man was long and lingering, and it became at last a matter of intense interest to those concerned whether the new appointment should be made by a conservative or liberal government.

      It was pretty well understood that the outgoing premier had made his selection and that if the question rested with him, the mitre would descend on the head of Archdeacon Grantly, the old bishop’s son. The archdeacon had long managed the affairs of the diocese, and for some months previous to the demise of his father rumour had confidently assigned to him the reversion of his father’s honours.

      Bishop Grantly died as he had lived, peaceably, slowly, without pain and without excitement. The breath ebbed from him almost imperceptibly, and for a month before his death it was a question whether he were alive or dead.

      A trying time was this for the archdeacon, for whom was designed the reversion of his father’s see by those who then had the giving away of episcopal thrones. I would not be understood to say that the prime minister had in so many words promised the bishopric to Dr. Grantly. He was too discreet a man for that. There is a proverb with reference to the killing of cats, and those who know anything either of high or low government places will be well aware that a promise may be made without positive words and that an expectant may be put into the highest state of encouragement, though the great man on whose breath he hangs may have done no more than whisper that “Mr. So-and-So is certainly a rising man.”

      Such a whisper had been made, and was known by those who heard it to signify that the cures of the diocese of Barchester should not be taken out of the hands of the archdeacon. The then prime minister was all in all at Oxford, and had lately passed a night at the house of the Master of Lazarus. Now the Master of Lazarus—which is, by the by, in many respects the most comfortable as well as the richest college at Oxford—was the archdeacon’s most intimate friend and most trusted counsellor. On the occasion of the prime minister’s visit, Dr. Grantly was of course present, and the meeting was very gracious. On the following morning Dr. Gwynne, the master, told the archdeacon that in his opinion the thing was settled.

      At this time the bishop was quite on his last legs; but the ministry also were tottering. Dr. Grantly returned from Oxford, happy and elated, to resume his place in the palace and to continue to perform for the father the last duties of a son, which, to give him his due, he performed with more tender care than was to be expected from his usual somewhat worldly manners.

      A month since, the physicians had named four weeks as the outside period during which breath could be supported within the body of the dying man. At the end of the month the physicians wondered, and named another fortnight. The old man lived on wine alone, but at the end of the fortnight he still lived, and the tidings of the fall of the ministry became more frequent. Sir Lamda Mewnew and Sir Omicron Pie, the two great London doctors, now came down for the fifth time and declared, shaking their learned

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