TABLE OF CONTENTS

I Who will be the new Bishop?
II Hiram's Hospital, according to Act of Parliament
III Dr and Mrs Proudie
IV The Bishop's Chaplain
V A Morning Visit
VI War
VII The Dean and Chapter take Counsel
VIII The Ex-Warden rejoices at his probable Return to the Hospital
IX The Stanhope Family
X Mrs Proudie's Reception--Commenced
XI Mrs Proudie's Reception--Concluded
XII Slope versus Harding
XIII The Rubbish Cart
XIV The New Champion
XV The Widow's Suitors
XVI Baby Worship
XVII Who shall be Cock of the Walk?
XVIII The Widow's Persecution
XIX Barchester by Moonlight
XX Mr Arabin
XXI St Ewold's Parsonage
XXII The Thornes of Ullathorne
XXIII Mr Arabin reads himself in at St Ewold's
XXIV Mr Slope manages matters very well at Puddingdale
XXV Fourteen Arguments in favour of Mr Quiverful's Claims
XXVI Mrs Proudie wrestles and gets a Fall
XXVII A Love Scene
XXVIII Mrs Bold is entertained by Dr and Mrs Grantly at Plumstead
XXIX A serious Interview
XXX Another Love Scene
XXXI The Bishop's Library
XXXII A New Candidate for Ecclesiastical Honours
XXXIII Mrs Proudie Victrix
XXXIV Oxford--The Master and Tutor of Lazarus
XXXV Miss Thorne's Fete Champetre
XXXVI Ullathorne Sports--Act I
XXXVII The Signora Neroni, the Countess De Courcy, and
Mrs Proudie meet each other at Ullathorne
XXXVIII The Bishop sits down to Breakfast and the Dean dies
XXXIX The Lookalofts and the Greenacres
XL Ullathorne Sports--Act II
XLI Mrs Bold confides her Sorrow to her Friend Miss Stanhope
XLII Ullathorne Sports--Act III
XLIII Mrs and Mrs Quiverful are made happy.
Mr Slope is encouraged by the Press
XLIV Mrs Bold at Home
XLV The Stanhopes at Home
XLVI Mr Slope's parting Interview with the Signora

XLVII The Dean Elect
XLVIII Miss Thorne shows her Talent at Match-making
XLIX The Belzebub Colt
L The Archdeacon is satisfied with the State of Affairs
LI Mr Slope's Farewell to the Palace and its Inhabitants
LII The new Dean takes Possession of the Deanery,
and the New Warden of the Hospital
LIII Conclusion




CHAPTER I

WHO WILL BE THE NEW BISHOP?

In the latter days of July in the year 185-, a most important
question was for ten days hourly asked in the cathedral city of
Barchester, and answered every hour in various ways--Who was to be
the new Bishop?

The death of old Dr Grantly, who had for many years filled the
chair with meek authority, took place exactly as the ministry of
Lord - was going to give place to that Lord -. The illness of the
good old man was long and lingering, and it became at last a matter
of intense interest to those concerned whether the new appointment
should be made by a conservative or liberal government.

Bishop Grantly died as he had lived, peaceably, slowly, without
pain and without excitement. The breath ebbed from him almost
imperceptibly, and for a month before his death, it was a question
whether he was alive or dead.

A trying time was this for the archdeacon, for whom was designed
the reversion of his father's see by those who then had the giving
away of episcopal thrones. I would not be understood to say that
the prime minister had in so many words promised the bishopric to
Dr Grantly. He was too discreet a man for that. There is a proverb
with reference to the killing of cats, and those who know anything
either of high or low government places, will be well aware that a
promise may be made without positive words, and that an expectant
may be put into the highest state of encouragement, though the
great man on whose breath he hangs may have done no more than
whisper that 'Mr So-and-so is certainly a rising man.'

Such a whisper had been made, and was known by those who heard it
to signify that the cures of the diocese of Barchester should not
be taken out of the hands of the archdeacon. The then prime
minister was all in all at Oxford, and had lately passed a night at
the house of the master of Lazarus. Now the master of
Lazarus--which is, by the bye, in many respects the most
comfortable, as well as the richest college at Oxford,--was the
archdeacon's most intimate friend and most trusted counsellor. On
the occasion of the prime minister's visit, Dr Grantly was of
course present, and the meeting was very gracious. On the following
morning Dr Gwynne, the master, told the archdeacon that in his
opinion the matter was settled.

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