The novel presents the moral dilemma of Reverend Septimus Harding, who finds himself at the center of a legal and moral controversy. He serves as the warden of Hiram's Hospital, an almshouse supported by a medieval charitable bequest. When the legitimacy of his income from a charity is questioned, he must decide whether to keep his comfortable position at the possible cost of his integrity. The novel explores themes of power, greed, and morality.
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