Funny / The Chronicles of Barsetshire

Barchester Towers

• Dr. Grantly and Mr. Harding meet the Proudies and Mr. Slope. Hilarity Ensues. Highlights include:
  • Dr. Grantly swears that "no earthly consideration should ever again induce him to touch the paw of that impure and filthy animal" — meaning he refuses to shake hands with Mr. Slope.
  • Mr. Harding sums up the situation with his usual politeness: "I don't think I shall ever like that Mr. Slope."
  • Dr. Grantly says what he thinks about Mrs. Proudie.
  The archdeacon hereupon forgot himself. I will not follow his example, nor shock my readers by transcribing the term in which he expressed his feeling as to the lady who had been named.
  ...There was a pause, during which the precentor tried to realize the fact that the wife of a Bishop of Barchester had been thus designated, in the close of the cathedral, by the lips of its own archdeacon; but he could not do it.

The Last Chronicle of Barset

• It's safe to conclude that Mrs. Grantly does not like her son-in-law:
  Dr. Grantly: [Griselda's husband] was here the year before last.
  Mrs. Grantly: And I never was so tired of a man in all my life.

Barchester Chronicles (the series):

• Dr. Grantly, just trying to be polite, asks how the Proudies like their new home. He's stunned when Mrs. Proudie and Mr. Slope immediately list everything they don't like about it.
• Mr. Slope visits Eleanore while Mr. Harding is at her house. Mr. Harding leaves through the back door while Mr. Slope walks in the front door. Then, as soon as Mr. Slope leaves, Mr. Harding reappears.
• Mrs. Grantly tells her husband that she thinks Slope plans to marry Eleanore. Once he recovers from his initial horror at the idea, Dr. Grantly gets out of bed and kneels down. She asks what he's doing, and he says he needs to say some extra prayers.

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