beneath his table a volume of Rabelais, and began to amuse
himself with the witty mischief of Panurge; and so passed the

archdeacon's morning on that day.
He was left undisturbed at his studies for an hour or two,

when a knock came to the door, and Mr Chadwick was announced.
Rabelais retired into the secret drawer, the easy-chair seemed

knowingly to betake itself off, and when the archdeacon quickly
undid his bolt, he was discovered by the stewardworking, as

usual, for that church of which he was so useful a pillar.
Mr Chadwick had just come from London, and was, therefore, known

to be the bearer of important news.
'We've got Sir Abraham's opinion at last,' said Mr Chadwick, as

he seated himself.
'Well, well, well!' exclaimed the archdeacon impatiently.

'Oh, it's as long as my arm,' said the other; 'it can't be told
in a word, but you can read it'; and he handed him a copy,

in heaven knows how many spun-out folios, of the opinion
which the attorney-general had managed to cram on the back

and sides of the case as originallysubmitted to him.
'The upshot is,' said Chadwick, 'that there's a screw loose in

their case, and we had better do nothing. They are proceeding
against Mr Harding and myself, and Sir Abraham holds

that, under the wording of the will, and subsequent arrangements
legally sanctioned, Mr Harding and I are only paid servants.

The defendants should have been either the Corporation of
Barchester, or possibly the chapter of your father.'

'W-hoo!' said the archdeacon; 'so Master Bold is on the
wrong scent, is he?'

'That's Sir Abraham's opinion; but any scent almost would
be a wrong scent. Sir Abraham thinks that if they'd taken the

corporation, or the chapter, we could have baffled them. The
bishop, he thinks, would be the surest shot; but even there we

could plead that the bishop is only a visitor, and that he has
never made himself a consenting party to the performance of

other duties.'
'That's quite clear,' said the archdeacon.

'Not quite so clear,' said the other. 'You see the will says,
"My lord, the bishop, being graciously pleased to see that due

justice be done." Now, it may be a question whether, in
accepting and administering the patronage, your father has

not accepted also the other duties assigned. It is doubtful,
however; but even if they hit that nail--and they are far off

from that yet--the point is so nice, as Sir Abraham says, that
you would force them into fifteen thousand pounds' cost before

they could bring it to an issue! and where's that sum of money
to come from?'

The archdeacon rubbed his hands with delight; he had
never doubted the justice of his case, but he had begun to have

some dread of unjust success on the part of his enemies. It was
delightful to him thus to hear that their cause was surrounded

with such rocks and shoals; such causes of shipwreck unseen
by the landsman's eye, but visible enough to the keen eyes of

practical law mariners. How wrong his wife was to wish that
Bold should marry Eleanor! Bold! why, if he should be ass

enough to persevere, he would be a beggar before he knew
whom he was at law with!

'That's excellent, Chadwick--that's excellent! I told you
Sir Abraham was the man for us'; and he put down on the

table the copy of the opinion, and patted it fondly.
'Don't you let that be seen, though, archdeacon.'

'Who?-I!-not for worlds,' said the doctor.
'People will talk, you know, archdeacon.'

'Of course, of course,' said the doctor.
'Because, if that gets abroad, it would teach them how to

fight their own battle.'
'Quite true,' said the doctor.

'No one here in Barchester ought to see that but you and I,
archdeacon.'

'No, no, certainly no one else,' said the archdeacon, pleased
with the closeness of the confidence; 'no one else shall.'

'Mrs Grantly is very interested in the matter, I know,' said
Mr Chadwick.

Did the archdeacon wink, or did he not? I am inclined to
think he did not quite wink; but that without such, perhaps,

unseemly gesture he communicated to Mr Chadwick, with the
corner of his eye, intimation that, deep as was Mrs Grantly's

interest in the matter, it should not procure for her a perusal
of that document; and at the same time he partly opened the

small drawer, above spoken of, deposited the paper on the
volume of Rabelais, and showed to Mr Chadwick the nature

of the key which guarded these hidden treasures. The careful
steward then expressed himself contented. Ah! vain man!

he could fasten up his Rabelais, and other things secret, with
all the skill of Bramah or of Chubb; but where could he fasten

up the key which solved these mechanical mysteries? It is
probable to us that the contents of no drawer in that house

were unknown to its mistress, and we think, moreover, that she
was entitled to all such knowledge.

'But,' said Mr Chadwick, 'we must, of course, tell your
father and Mr Harding so much of Sir Abraham's opinion as

will satisfy them that the matter is doing well.'
'Oh, certainly--yes, of course,' said the doctor.

'You had better let them know that Sir Abraham is of
opinion that there is no case at any rate against Mr Harding;

and that as the action is worded at present, it must fall to the
ground; they must be nonsuited, if they carry it on; you had

better tell Mr Harding, that Sir Abraham is clearly of opinion
that he is only a servant, and as such not liable--or if you like

it, I'll see Mr Harding myself.'
'Oh, I must see him tomorrow, and my father too, and I'll

explain to them exactly so much--you won't go before lunch,
Mr Chadwick: well, if you will, you must, for I know your

time is precious'; and he shook hands with the diocesan
steward, and bowed him out.

The archdeacon had again recourse to his drawer, and twice
read through the essence of Sir Abraham Haphazard's law-

enlightened and law-bewildered brains. It was very clear that
to Sir Abraham, the justice of the old men's claim or the justice

of Mr Harding's defence were ideas that had never presented
themselves. A legal victory over an opposing party was the

service for which Sir Abraham was, as he imagined, to be
paid; and that he, according to his lights, had diligently

laboured to achieve, and with probable hope of success. Of
the intense desire which Mr Harding felt to be assured on fit

authority that he was wronging no man, that he was entitled
in true equity to his income, that he might sleep at night

without pangs of conscience, that he was no robber, no spoiler of
the poor; that he and all the world might be openly convinced

that he was not the man which The Jupiter had described him
to be; of such longings on the part of Mr Harding, Sir

Abraham was entirely ignorant; nor, indeed, could it be
looked on as part of his business to gratify such desires. Such

was not the system on which his battles were fought, and
victories gained. Success was his object, and he was generally

successful. He conquered his enemies by their weakness rather
than by his own strength, and it had been found almost

impossible to make up a case in which Sir Abraham, as an
antagonist, would not find a flaw.