'I should think such an appointment highly improbable,' said the minor canon, 'and, moreover, extremely injudicious. Should not you, Mr Archdeacon?'
'I should presume such a thing to be quite out of the question,' said the archdeacon; 'but at the present moment I am thinking rather of our poor friend who is lying so near us than of Mr Slope.'
'Of course, of course,' said the vicar choral with a very solemn air; 'of course you are. So are we all. Poor Dr Trefoil; the best of men but—'
'It's the most comfortable dean's residence in England,' said a second prebendary. 'Fifteen acres in the grounds. 'It is better than many of the bishops' palaces.'
'And full two thousand a year,' said the meagre doctor.
'It is cut down to L 1200,' said the chancellor.
'No,' said the second prebendary. 'It is to be fifteen. A special case was made.'
'No such thing,' said the chancellor.
'You'll find I'm right,' said the prebendary.
'I'm sure I read it in the report,' said the minor canon.