Mr.Slope had made up his mind that Mr.Harding should either accept the hospital with abject submission, or else refuse it altogether, and had calculated that he would probably be more quick to do the latter, if he could be got to enter upon the subject in an ill-humour.
Perhaps Mr.Slope was not altogether wrong in his calculation.
It was nearly ten when Mr.Slope hurried into the room and, muttering something about the bishop and diocesan duties, shook Mr.Harding's hand ruthlessly and begged him to be seated.
Now the air of superiority which this man assumed did go against the grain with Mr.Harding, and yet he did not know how to resent it.
The whole tendency of his mind and disposition was opposed to any contra-assumption of grandeur on his own part, and he hadn't the worldly spirit or quickness necessary to put down insolent pretensions by downright and open rebuke, as the archdeacon would have done.

There was nothing for Mr.Harding but to submit, and he accordingly did so.
"About the hospital, Mr.Harding ?" began Mr.Slope, speaking of it as the head of a college at Cambridge might speak of some sizarship which had to be disposed of.
Mr.Harding crossed one leg over another, and then one hand over the other on the top of them, and looked Mr.Slope in the face; but he said nothing.
"It's to be filled up again," said Mr.Slope.

Mr.Harding said that he had understood so.
"Of course, you know, the income will be very much reduced," continued Mr.Slope.

"The bishop wished to be liberal, and he therefore told the government that he thought it ought to be put at not less than L450.
I think on the whole the bishop was right, for though the services required will not be of a very onerous nature, they will be more so than they were before.

And it is, perhaps, well that the clergy immediately attached to the cathedral town should be made as comfortable as the extent of the ecclesiastical means at our disposal will allow.