MrThumblescrambledintothereading—desksometenminutesafterthepropertime，andwentthroughthemorningserviceunder，whatmustbeadmittedtobe，seriousdifficulties。ThereweretheeyesofMrCrawleyfixeduponhimthroughoutthework，andafeelingpervadedhimthateverybodythereregardedhimasanintruder。AtfirstthiswassostronguponhimthatMrCrawleypitiedhim，andwouldhaveencouragedhimhaditbeenpossible。Butastheworkprogressed，andascustomandthesoundofhisownvoiceemboldenedhim，therecametothemansometouchesofthearrogancewhichsogenerallyaccompaniescowardice，andMrCrawley’sacuteeardetectedthemomentwhenitwasso。Anobservermighthaveseenthatthemotionofhishandswasalteredastheywereliftedinprayer。Thoughhewaspraying，eveninprayerhecouldnotforgetthemanwhowasoccupyingthedesk。
Thencamethesermon，preachedveryoftenbefore，lastingexactlyhalf—an—hour，andthenMrThumble’sworkwasdone。Itinerantclergymen，whopreachnowhereandnowthere，asithadbeenthelotofMrThumbletodo，haveatanyratethisrelief——thattheycanpreachtheirsermonsoften。Fromthecommunion—tableMrThumblehadstatedthat，inthepresentpeculiarcircumstancesoftheparish，therewouldbenosecondserviceatHogglestockforthepresent；andthiswasallhesaidordidpeculiartotheoccasion。Themomentoftheservicewasoverandhegotintohisgig，andwasdrivenbacktoBarchester。
’Mamma，’saidJane，astheysatatdinner，’suchasermonIamsurewasneverheardinHogglestockbefore。Indeed，youcanhardlycallitasermon。Itwasdownrightnonsense。’
’Mydear，’saidMrCrawleyenergetically，’keepyourcriticismsformattersthatareprofane；then，thoughtheybechildishandsilly，theymayatleastbeinnocent。BecriticalofEurypides，ifyoumustbecritical。’ButwhenJanekissedherfatherafterdinner，she，knowinghishumourwell，feltassuredthatherremarkshadnotbeentakenaltogetherinillpart。
MrThumblewasneitherseennorheardofagainintheparishduringtheentireweek。