Der Praefekt

between herself and Eleanor
    on the sofa: as the sofa was full large for three, Eleanor could not
    resent this, nor could she show suspicion by taking another seat; but
    she felt it to be a most unkind proceeding.  And then Mary would talk
    as though they three were joined in some close peculiar bond together;
    as though they were in future always to wish together, contrive
    together, and act together; and Eleanor could not gainsay this; she
    could not make another speech, and say, “Mr Bold and I are strangers,
    Mary, and are always to remain so!”
     
    He explained to her that, though undoubtedly the proceeding against
    the hospital had commenced solely with himself, many others were now
    interested in the matter, some of whom were much more influential than
    himself; that it was to him alone, however, that the lawyers looked
    for instruction as to their doings, and, more important still, for
    the payment of their bills; and he promised that he would at once
    give them notice that it was his intention to abandon the cause. Er
    thought, he said, that it was not probable that any active steps would
    be taken after he had seceded from the matter, though it was possible
    that some passing allusion might still be made to the hospital in the
    daily _Jupiter_.  He promised, however, that he would use his best
    influence to prevent any further personal allusion being made to Mr
    Harding.  He then suggested that he would on that afternoon ride over
    himself to Dr Grantly, and inform him of his altered intentions on the
    subject, and with this view, he postponed his immediate return to
    London.
     
    This was all very pleasant, and Eleanor did enjoy a sort of triumph in
    the feeling that she had attained the object for which she had sought
    this interview; but still the part of Iphigenia was to be played out.
    The gods had heard her prayer, granted her request, and were they not
    to have their promised sacrifice?  Eleanor was not a girl to defraud
    them wilfully; so, as soon as she decently could, she got up for her
    bonnet.
     
    “Are you going so soon?” said Bold, who half an hour since would
    have given a hundred pounds that he was in London, and she still at
    Barchester.
     
    “Oh ja!” sagte sie. “I am so much obliged to you; papa will feel
    this to be so kind.”  She did not quite appreciate all her father’s
    Gefühle. “Of course I must tell him, and I will say that you will
    see the archdeacon.”
     
    “But may I not say one word for myself?” said Bold.
     
    “I’ll fetch you your bonnet, Eleanor,” said Mary, in the act of
    leaving the room.
     
    “Mary, Mary,” said she, getting up and catching her by her dress;
    “don’t go, I’ll get my bonnet myself.”  But Mary, the traitress, stood
    fast by the door, and permitted no such retreat. Poor Iphigenia!
     
    And with a volley of impassioned love, John Bold poured forth the
    feelings of his heart, swearing, as men do, some truths and many
    falsehoods; and Eleanor repeated with every shade of vehemence the
    “No, no, no,” which had had a short time since so much effect; but
    now, alas! its strength was gone.  Let her be never so vehement, her
    vehemence was not respected; all her “No, no, no’s” were met with
    counter-asseverations, and at last were overpowered.  The ground was
    cut from under her on every side.  She was pressed to say whether her
    father would object; whether she herself had any aversion (aversion!
    God help her, poor girl! the word nearly made her jump into his arms);
    any other preference (this she loudly disclaimed); whether it was
    impossible that she should love him (Eleanor could not say that it
    was impossible): and so at last all her defences demolished, all her
    maiden barriers swept away, she capitulated, or rather marched out
    with the honours of war, vanquished evidently, palpably vanquished,
    but still not reduced to the necessity of confessing it.
     
    And so the altar on the shore of the modern Aulis reeked with no
    zu opfern.
     
     
     
     
    Chapter XII
     
    MR BOLD’S VISIT TO PLUMSTEAD
     
     
    Whether or no the ill-natured prediction made by certain ladies in
    the beginning of the last chapter was or was not carried out to the
    letter, I am not in a position to state.  Eleanor, however, certainly
    did feel herself to have been baffled as she returned home with all
    her news to her father.  Certainly she had been victorious, certainly
    she had achieved her object, certainly she was not