Lady Lufton? And thus, in spite of all his triumphs, he could not get himself to bed in a happy frame of mind.
On the next day, which was Friday, he postponed the disagreeable task of writing. Saturday would do as well; and on Saturday morning, before they all started for Barchester, he did write. And his letter ran as follows:
"Chaldicotes, November, 185–.
"Dearest Love,—You will be astonished when I tell you how gay we all are here, and what farther dissipations are in store for us. The Arabins, as you supposed, are not of our party; but the Proudies are—as you supposed also. Your suppositions are always right. And what will you think when I tell you that I am to sleep at the palace on Saturday? You know that there is to be a lecture in Barchester on that day. Well, we must all go, of course, as Harold Smith, one of our set here, is to give it. And now it turns out that we can not get back the same night, because there is no moon; and Mrs. Bishop would not allow that my cloth should be contaminated by a hotel—very kind and considerate, is it not?
"But I have a more astounding piece of news for you than this. There is to be a great party at Gatherum Castle next week, and they have talked me over into accepting an invitation which the duke sent expressly to me. I refused at first; but every body here said that my doing so would be so strange; and then they all wanted to know my reason. When I came to render it, I did not know what reason I had to give. The bishop is going, and he thought it very odd that I should not go also, seeing that I was asked.
"I know what my own darling will think, and I know that she will not be pleased, and I must put off my defense till I return to her from this ogre-land—if ever I do get back alive. But, joking apart, Fanny, I think that I should have been wrong to stand out when so much was said about it. I should have been seeming to take upon myself to sit in judgment upon the duke. I doubt if there be a single clergyman in the diocese, under fifty years of age, who would have refused the invitation under such circumstances, unless it be Crawley, who is so mad on the subject that he thinks it almost wrong to take a walk out of his own parish.
"I must stay at Gatherum Castle over Sunday week—indeed, we only go there on Friday. I have written to Jones about the duties. I can make it up to him, as I know he wishes to go into Wales at Christmas. My wanderings will all be over then, and he may go for a couple of months if he pleases. I suppose you will take my classes in the school on Sunday as well as your own, but pray make them have a good fire. If this is too much for you, make Mrs. Podgens take the boys. Indeed, I think that will be better.
"Of course you will tell her ladyship of my whereabouts. Tell her from me that as regards the bishop, as well as regarding another great personage, the color has been laid on perhaps a little too thickly. Not that Lady Lufton would ever like him. Make her understand that my going to the duke's has almost become a matter of conscience with me. I have not known how to make it appear that it would be right for me
