ark, dear Mark; don't say so. You know I don't mean it.
But Lady Lufton does not like those Chaldicotes people. You know Lord
Lufton was with you the last time you were there; and how annoyed she
was!"

"Lord Lufton won't be with me now, for he is still in Scotland. And
the reason why I am going is this: Harold Smith and his wife will be
there, and I am very anxious to know more of them. I have no doubt
that Harold Smith will be in the government some day, and I cannot
afford to neglect such a man's acquaintance."

"But, Mark, what do you want of any government?"

"Well, Fanny, of course I am bound to say that I want nothing;
neither in one sense do I; but, nevertheless, I shall go and meet the
Harold Smiths."

"Could you not be back before Sunday?"

"I have promised to preach at Chaldicotes. Harold Smith is going to
lecture at Barchester, about the Australasian archipelago, and I am
to preach a charity sermon on the same subject. They want to send out
more missionaries."

"A charity sermon at Chaldicotes!"

"And why not? The house will be quite full, you know; and I dare say
the Arabins will be there."

"I think not; Mrs. Arabin may get on with Mrs. Harold Smith, though
I doubt that; but I'm sure she's not fond of Mrs. Smith's brother. I
don't think she would stay at Chaldicotes."

"And the bishop will probably be there for a day or two."

"That is much more likely, Mark. If the pleasure of meeting Mrs.
Proudie is taking you to Chaldicotes, I have not a word more to say."

"I am not a bit more fond of Mrs. Proudie than you are, Fanny," said
the vicar, with something like vexation in the tone of his voice,
for he thought that his wife was hard upon him. "But it is generally
thought that a parish clergyman does well to meet his bishop now and
then. And as I was invited there, especially to preach while all
these people are staying at the place, I could not well refuse."
And then he got up, and taking his candlestick, escaped to his
dressing-room.

"But what am I to say to Lady Lufton?" his wife said to him, in the
course of the evening.

"Just write her a note, and tell her that you find I had promised to
preach at Chaldicotes next Sunday. You'll go of course?"

"Yes: but I know she'll be annoyed. You were away the last time she
had people there."

"It can't be helped. She must put it down against Sarah Thompson. She
ought not to expect to win always."

"I should not have minded it, if she had lost,