"We will see him again to-morrow morning," said he; "we had better leave the room now to the women." And so they went downstairs.
It was already evening and nearly dark.

It was most important that the prime minister should know that night that the diocese was vacant.

Everything might depend on it; and so, in answer to Mr.
Harding's further consolation, the archdeacon suggested that a telegraph message should be immediately sent off to London.

Mr.
Harding, who had really been somewhat surprised to find Dr.Grantly, as he thought, so much affected, was rather taken aback, but he made no objection.

He knew that the archdeacon had some hope of succeeding to his father's place, though he by no means knew how highly raised that hope had been.
"Yes," said Dr.Grantly, collecting himself and shaking off his weakness, "we must send a message at once; we don't know what might be the consequence of delay.