himself he did say a great deal.  Of himself he would say nothing, though of course such a marriage would ruin him in the county.  ‘My dear,’ said his wife, ’that is nonsense.  That is really nonsense.  I feel sure there is not a single person in the county who would think of the marriage in such a light.’  Then the archdeacon would have quarrelled with his wife, too, had she not been too wise to admit such a quarrel.  Mrs Grantly was very wise and knew that it took two persons to make a quarrel.  He told her over and over again that she was in league with her son—­that she was encouraging her son to marry Grace Crawley.  ‘I believe that in your heart you wish it,’ he once said to her.  ’No, my dear, I do not wish it.  I do not think it a becoming marriage.  But if he does marry her, I should wish to receive his wife in my house and certainly would not quarrel with him.’  ’I will never receive her,’ the archdeacon had replied; ’and as for him, I can only say that in such a case I will make no provision for his family.’

It will be remembered that the archdeacon had on a former occasion instructed his wife to write to their son and tell him of his father’s determination.  Mrs Grantly had so manoeuvred that a little time had been gained, and that those instructions had not been insisted upon in all their bitterness.  Since that time Major Grantly had renewed his assurance that he would marry Grace Crawley if Grace Crawley would accept him—­writing on this occasion direct to his father—­and had asked his father whether, in such a case, he was to look forward to be disinherited.  ‘It is essential that I should know,’ the major had said, ’because in such a case I must take immediate measures for leaving this place.’  His father had sent back his letter, writing a few words at the bottom of it.  ’If you do as you propose above, you must expect nothing from me.’  The words were written in large round handwriting, very hurriedly, and the son when he received them perfectly understood the mood of his father’s mind when he wrote them.

Then there came tidings, addressed on this occasion to Mrs Grantly, that Cosby Lodge was to be given up.  Lady-day had come, and the notice necessarily to be given at that period, was so given.  ’I know this will grieve you,’ Major Grantly had said, ’but my father has driven me to it.’  This, in itself, was a cause of great sorrow, both to the archdeacon and to Mrs Grantly, as there were circumstances connected with Cosby Lodge which made them think that it was a very desirable residence for their son.  ’I shall sell everything about the place and go abroad at once,’ he said in a subsequent letter.  ’My present idea is that, I shall settle myself at Pau, as my income will suffice for me to live there, and education for Edith will be cheap.  At any rate I will not continue to live in England.  I could never be happy here in circumstance so altered.  Of course I should not have left my profession, unless I had understood from my father that the income arising from it would not be necessary to me.  I do not, however, mean to complain, but simply to tell you that I shall go.’  There were many letters between the mother and son in those days.