'It would break my heart, Griselda,'said the archdeacon, piteously--'and
your mother's.'

'There is nothing against the girl's character,' said Mrs Grantly, 'and
the father and mother are gentlefolk by birth; but such a marriage for
Henry would be unseemly.'

'To make it worse, there is a terrible story about him,' said the
archdeacon.

'I don't suppose there is much in that,' said Mrs Grantly.

'I can't say. There is no knowing. They told me today in Barchester
that Soames is pressing a case against him.'

'Who is Soames, papa?' asked the marchioness.

'He is Lord Lufton's man of business, my dear.'

'Oh, Lord Lufton's man of business!' There was something of a sneer in
the tone of the lady's voice as she mentioned Lord Lufton's name.

'I am told,' continued the archdeacon, 'that Soames declares the cheque
was taken from a pocket-book which he left by accident in Crawley's
house.'

'You don't mean to say, archdeacon, that you think that Mr Crawley--a
clergyman--stole it!' said Mrs Grantly.

'I don't say anything of the kind, my dear. But supposing Mr Crawley to