The game was so good a one, and the stake so important, that Mrs. Grantly felt that it would be worth playing for to the last.
“It is no good.”
“But I certainly would suggest it to Lord De Terrier. I am sure the country would go along with him; at any rate the Church would.”
“It is impossible,” said the archdeacon. “To tell the truth, it did occur to me. But some of them down there seemed to think that it would not do.”
Mrs. Grantly sat awhile on the sofa, still meditating in her mind whether there might not yet be some escape from so terrible a downfall.
“But, archdeacon—”
“I’ll go upstairs and dress,” said he, in despondency.
“But, archdeacon, surely the present ministry may have a majority on such a subject as that; I thought they were sure of a majority now.”
“No; not sure.”
“But at any rate the chances are in their favour? I do hope they’ll do their duty, and exert themselves to keep their members together.”