‘Psha!’ Mrs Grantly’s temper was never bitter, but at this moment it was not sweetened by her husband’s very uncivil reference to her sex.  ‘The whole idea is nonsense, and you should get it out of your head.’

’Am I to get it out of my head that Henry wants to make this girl his wife, and that the two are at this moment at Framley together?’ In this the archdeacon was wrong as to his facts.  Major Grantly had left Framley on the previous day, having stayed there only one night.  ’It is coming to that that one can trust no one—­no one—­literally no one.’  Mrs Grantly perfectly understood that the archdeacon, in the agony of the moment, intended to exclude even herself from his confidence by that ’no one’; but to this she was indifferent, understanding accurately when his words should be accepted as expressing his thoughts, and when they should be supposed to express only his anger.

’The probability is that no one at Lufton knew anything about Henry’s partiality for Miss Crawley,’ said Mrs Grantly.

‘I tell you I think they are both at Framley together.’

’And I tell you that if they are, which I doubt, they are there simply by accident.  Besides, what does it matter?  If they choose to marry each other, you and I cannot prevent them.  They don’t want any assistance from Lady Lufton, or anybody else.  They have simply got to make up their own minds, and then no one can hinder them.’

‘And, therefore, you would wish to see them brought together?’

’I say nothing about it, archdeacon; but I do say that we must take these things as they come.  What can we do?  Henry may go and stay with Lady Lufton if he pleases.  You and I cannot prevent him.’

After this the archdeacon walked away, and would not argue the matter any further with his wife at the moment.  He knew very well that he could not get the better of her, and was apt at such moments to think that she took an unfair advantage of him by keeping her temper.  But he could not get out of his head the idea that perhaps on this very day things were being arranged between his son and Grace Crawley at Framley; and he resolved that he himself would go over and see what might be done.  He would, at any rate, tell all his trouble to Lady Lufton, and beg his old friend to assist him.  He could not think that such a one as he had always known Lady Lufton to be would approve of a marriage between Henry Grantly and Grace Crawley.  At any rate, he would learn the truth.  He had once been told that Grace Crawley had herself refused to marry his son, feeling that she would do wrong to inflict so great an injury upon any gentleman.  He had not believed in so great a virtue.  He could not believe it now—­now, when he heard that Miss Crawley and his son were staying together in the same parish.  Somebody must be doing him an injury.  It could hardly be chance.  But his presence at Framley might even yet have a good effect, and he would at least learn the truth.  So he had himself driven to Barchester, and from Barchester he took post-horses to Framley.