Status Updates From Barchester Towers (Chronicl...

He is still Precentor of Barchester, and still pastor of the little church of St. Cuthbert's. Despite what he has so often said himself, he is not yet an older man. He does such duties as fall to his lot well and conscientiously, and is thankful that he has never been tempted to assume others for which he might be less fitted.

On one point, she fully resolved to follow the advice given her. If it should ever please Mr. Arabin to put such a question to her as that suggested, her 'yea' should be 'yea.' Would not all her miseries be at an end if she could talk of them to him openly, with her head resting on his shoulder?

Eleanor, looking out of the window, saw him with his hat in his hand, bowing to her with his usual gay smile, as though nothing had happened to mar the tranquillity of the day. It was many a long year before she saw him again. Dr. Stanhope hardly spoke to her on her way home, and John safely deposited her at her own hall-door before the carriage drove into the close.

And what did Elleanor mean when she declared that whatever she did, she would tell her father first? What was she thinking of doing?
So ended the first act of the melodrama, which Eleanor was called on to perform this day at Ullathorne.