‘Because I love you,’ said he, ‘better than all the world.’

’By why should you be so good to me as that?  Why should you love me?  I am such a poor thing for a man like you to love.’

’I have had the wit to see that you are not a poor thing, Grace; and it is thus that I have earned my treasure.  Some girls are poor things, and some are rich treasures.’

’If love can make me a treasure, I will be your treasure.  And if love can make me rich, I will be rich for you.’  After that I think he had no difficulty in following in his father’s footsteps.

After a while Mrs Crawley came in, and there was much pleasant talking among them, while Henry Grantly sat happily with his love, as though waiting for Mr Crawley’s return.  But though he was there nearly all morning Mr Crawley did not return.  ’I think he likes the brickmakers better than anybody in the world, except ourselves,’ said Grace.  ’I don’t know how he will manage to get on without his friends.’  Before Grace has said this, Major Grantly had told all his story, and had produced a letter from his father, addressed to Mr Crawley, of which the reader shall have a copy, although at this time the letter had not been opened.  The letter was as follows:-

’Plumstead rectory, May, 186-
’my dear sir,

’You will no doubt have heard that Mr Harding, the vicar of St Ewold’s, who was the father of my wife and of Mrs Arabin, has been taken from us.  The loss to us of so excellent and so dear a man has been very great.  I have conferred with my friend the Dean of Barchester as to a new nomination, and I venture to request your acceptance of the preferment; if it should suit you to move from Hogglestock to St Ewold’s.  It may be as well that I should state plainly my reasons for making this offer to a gentleman with whom I am not personally acquainted.  Mr Harding, on his death-bed, himself suggested it, moved thereto by what he had heard of the cruel and undeserved persecution to which you had been subjected; as also—­on which point he was very urgent in what he said—­by the character which you bear in the diocese for zeal and piety.  I may also add, that the close connection which, as I understand, is likely to take place between your family and mine has been an additional reason for my taking this step, and the long friendship which has existed between you and my wife’s brother-in-law, the Dean of Barchester, is a third.

’St Ewold’s is worth 350 pounds per annum, besides the house, which is sufficiently commodious for a moderate family.  The population is about twelve hundred, of which more than a half consists of persons dwelling in an outskirt of the city—­for the parish runs almost into Barchester.

’I shall be glad to hear your reply with as little delay as may suit your convenience, and in the event of your accepting the offer—­which I sincerely trust that you may be enable to do—­I shall hope to have an early opportunity of seeing you, with reference to your institution to the parish.