’THEREVJOSHUACRAWLEY，M。A。，PerpetualCurateofHogglestock’
Hewasthenusheredintoawaiting—room，but，tohisdisappointment，wasnotkepttherewaitinglong。Withinthreeminuteshewasusheredintothebishop’sstudy，andintothepresenceofthetwogreatluminariesofthediocese。HewasatfirstsomewhatdisconcertedbyfindingMrsProudieintheroom。Intheimaginaryconversationwiththebishopwhichhehadbeenpreparingontheroad，hehadconceivedthatthebishopwouldbeattendedbyachaplain，andhehadsuitedhiswordstothejointdiscomfitureofthebishopandofthelowerclergyman；——butnowthelineofhisbattlemustbealtered。Thiswasnodoubtaninjury，buthetrustedtohiscourageandreadinesstoenablehimtosurmountit。Hehadlefthishatbehindhiminthewaitingroom，buthekepthisoldshortcloakstilluponhisshoulders；andwhenheenteredthebishop’sroomhishandsandarmswerehidbeneathit。Therewassomethinglowlyinthisconstrainedgait。Itshowedatleastthathehadnoideaofbeingaskedtoshakehandswiththeaugustpersonshemightmeet。Andhisheadwassomewhatbowed，thoughhisgreat，bald，broadforeheadshoweditselfsoprominent，thatneitherthebishopnorMrsProudiecoulddropitfromtheirsightduringthewholeinterview。Hewasamanwhowhenseencouldhardlybeforgotten。Thedeepangryremonstranteyes，theshaggyeyebrows，tellingtalesoffrequentanger——ofangerfrequentbutgenerallysilent——therepressedindignationofthehabitualfrown，thelongnoseandlargepowerfulmouth，thedeepfurrowsonthecheek，andthegenerallookofthoughtandsuffering，allcombinedtomaketheappearanceofthemanremarkable，andtodescribetothebeholdersatoncehistruecharacter。NooneeveronseeingMrCrawleytookhimtobeahappyman，oraweakman，oranignorantman，orawiseman。
’Youareverypunctual，MrCrawley，’saidthebishop。MrCrawleysimplybowedhishead，stillkeepinghishandsbeneathhiscloak。’Willyounottakeachairnearertothefire？’MrCrawleyhadnotseatedhimself，buthadplacedhimselfinfrontofachairattheextremeendoftheroom——resolvedthathewouldnotuseitunlessheweredulyasked。
’Thankyou，mylord，’hesaid。’Iamwarmwithwalking，andifyouplease，willavoidthefire。’
’Youhavenotwalked，MrCrawley？’
’Yes，mylord；Ihavebeenwalking。’
’NotfromHogglestock！’
NowthiswasamatterwhichMrCrawleycertainlydidnotmeantodiscusswiththebishop。Itmightbewellforthebishoptodemandhispresenceinthepalace，butitcouldbenopartofthebishop’sdutytoinquirehowhegotthere。’That，mylord，isamatterofnomoment，’saidhe。’I
amgladatanyratethatIhavebeenenabletoobeyyourlordship’sorderincominghitheronthismorning。’
HithertoMrsProudiehadnotsaidaword。Shestoodbackintheroom，nearthefire——morebackwardagooddealthanshewasaccustomedtodowhenclergymenmadetheirordinaryvisits。Onsuchoccasionsshewouldcomeforwardandshakehandswiththemgraciously——graciously，evenifproudly；butshehadfeltthatshemustdonothingofthatkindnow；
theremustbenoshakinghandswithamanwhohadstolenachequefortwentypounds！ItmightprobablybenecessarytokeepMrCrawleyatadistance，andthereforeshehadremainedinthebackground。ButMrCrawleyseemeddisposedtokeephimselfinthebackground，andthereforeshecouldspeak。’Ihopeyourwifeandchildrenarewell，MrCrawley’
shesaid。
’Thankyou，madam，mychildrenarequitewell，andMrsCrawleysuffersnospecialailmentatpresent。’
’Thatismuchtobethankfulfor，MrCrawley。’Whetherhewereorwerenotthankfulforsuchmerciesasthesewasnobusinessofthebishoporofthebishop’swife。ThatwasbetweenhimandhisGod。Sohewouldnotevenbowtothiscivility，butsatwithhisheaderect，andwithagreatfrownonhisheavybrow。
Thenthebishoprosefromhischairtospeak，intendingtotakeupapositionontherug。ButashedidsoMrCrawley，whohadalsoseatedhimselfonanintimationthathewasexpectedtositdown，rosealso，andthebishopfoundthathewouldthuslosehisexpectedvantage。’Willyounotbeseated，MrCrawley？’saidthebishop。MrCrawleysmiled，butstoodhisground。Thenthebishopreturnedtohisarm—chair，andMrCrawleyalsosatdownagain。’MrCrawley，’beganthebishop，’thismatterwhichtheotherdaycamebeforethemagistratesatSilverbridgehasbeenamostunfortunateaffair。Ithasgivenme，Icanassureyou，themostsincerepain。’
MrCrawleyhadmadeuphismindhowfarthebishopshouldbeallowedtogowithoutarebuke。Hehadtoldhimselfthatitwouldonlybenatural，andwouldnotbeunbecoming，thatthebishopshouldalludetoameetingofthemagistratesandtotheallegedtheft，andthatthereforesuchallusionsshouldbeenduredwithpatienthumility。And，moreover，themoreropehegavethebishop，themorelikelythebishopwouldbetoentanglehimself。ItcertainlywasMrCrawley’swishthatthebishopshouldentanglehimself。He，therefore，replied，verymeekly。’Ithasbeenmostunfortunate，mylord。’
’IhavefeltforMrsCrawleyverydeeply，’saidMrsProudie。MrCrawleynowmadeuphismindthataslongasitwaspossiblehewouldignorethepresenceofMrsProudiealtogether；and，therefore，hemadenosignthathehadheardthelatterremark。
’Ithasbeenmostunfortunate，’continuedthebishop。’Ihaveneverbeforehadaclergymaninmydioceseplacedinsodistressingaposition。’
’Thatisamatterofopinion，mylord，’saidMrCrawley，whoatthatmomentthoughtofacrisisthathadcomeinthelifeofanotherclergymaninthedioceseofBarchester，andthecircumstancesofwhichhehadbychancebecomeacquainted。
’Exactly，’saidthebishop。’AndIamexpressingmyopinion。’MrCrawley，whounderstoodfighting，didnotthinkthetimehadyetcomeforstrikingablow，sohesimplybowedagain。’Amostunfortunateposition，MrCrawley，’continuedthebishop。’Farbeitfrommetoexpressanopiniononthematter，whichwillhavetocomebeforeajuryofyourcountrymen。ItisenoughformetoknowthatthemagistratesassembledatSilverbridge，gentlementowhomnodoubtyoumustbeknown，asmostofthemliveinyourneighbourhood，haveheardevidenceuponthesubject——’
’Mostconvincingevidence，’saidMrsProudie，interruptingherhusband。
MrCrawley’sblackbrowbecamealittleblackerhasheheardtheword，buthestillignoredthewoman。Henotonlydidnotspeak，butdidnotturnhiseyesuponher。
’Theyhaveheardtheevidenceonthesubject，’continuedthebishop，’andtheyhavethoughtitpropertoreferthedecisionastoyourinnocenceoryourguilttoajuryofyourcountrymen。’
’Andtheywereright，’saidMrCrawley。
’Verypossibly。Idon’tdenyit。Probably，’saidthebishop，whoseeloquencewassomewhatdisturbedbyMrCrawley’sreadyacquiescence。
’Ofcoursetheywereright，’saidMrsProudie。
’Atanyrateitisso，’saidthebishop。’Youareinapositionofamanamenabletothecriminallawsoftheland。’
’Therearenocriminallaws，mylord，’saidMrCrawley；’buttosuchlawsasthereareweareallamenable——yourlordshipandIalike。’
’Butyouaresoinaveryparticularway。Idonotwishtoremindyouwhatmightbeyourconditionnow，butfortheinterpositionofprivatefriends。’
’Ishouldbeintheconditionofamannotguiltybeforethelaw；
——guiltlessasfarasthelawgoes——butkeptindurance，norforthefaultsofhisown，butbecauseotherwise，byreasonoflachesinthepolice，hispresenceattheassizesmightnotbeensured。Insuchapositionaman’sreputationismadetohangforawhileonthetrustwhichsomefriendsorneighboursmayhaveinit。Idonotsaythetestisagoodone。’
’Youwouldhavebeenputinprison，MrCrawley，becausethemagistrateswereoftheopinionthatyouhadtakenMrSoames’scheque，’saidMrsProudie。Onthisoccasionhedidlookather。Heturnedoneglanceuponherfromunderhiseyebrows，buthedidnotspeak。
’WithallthatIhavenothingtodo，’saidthebishop。
’Nothingwhatever，mylord，’saidMrCrawley。
’But，bishop，Ithinkyouhave，’saidMrsProudie。’Thejudgmentformedbythemagistratesastotheconductofoneofyourclergymenmakesitimperativeuponyoutoactinthematter。’
’Yes，mydear，yes；Iamcomingtothat。WhatMrsProudiesaysisperfectlytrue。Ihavebeenconstrainedmostunwillinglytotakeactioninthematter。Itisundoubtedlythefactthatyoumustatthenextassizessurrenderyourselfatthecourt—houseyonder，tobetriedforthisoffenceagainstthelaws。’
’Thatistrue。IfIbealive，andhavestrengthsufficient，Ishallbethere。’
’Youmustbethere，’saidMrsProudie。’Thepolicewilllooktothat，MrCrawley。’Shewasbecomingveryangryinthatthemanwouldnotanswerheraword。Onthisoccasionhedidnotevenlookather。
’Yes；youwillbethere，’saidthebishop。’Nowthatis，tosaytheleastofit，anunseemlypositionforabeneficedclergyman。’
’Yousaidbefore，mylord，thatitwasanunfortunateposition，andtheword，methinks，wasbetterchosen。’
’Itisveryunseemly，veryunseemlyindeed，’saidMrsProudie；’nothingcouldpossiblybemoreunseemly。Thebishopmightveryproperlyhaveusedamuchstrongerword。’
’Underthesecircumstances，’continuedthebishop，’lookingtothewelfareofyourparish，tothewelfareofthediocese，andallowmetosay，MrCrawley，tothewelfareofyourselfalso——’
’Andespeciallythesoulsofthepeople，’saidMrsProudie。
Thebishopshookhishead。Itishardtobeimpressivelyeloquentwhenoneisinterruptedateverybestturningperiod，evenbyasupportingvoice。’Yes；——andlookingofcoursetothereligiousinterestsofyourpeople，MrCrawley，Icametotheconclusionthatitwouldbeexpedientthatyoushouldceaseyourministrationsforawhile。’Thebishoppaused，andMrCrawleybowedhishead。’I，therefore，sentovertoyouagentlemanwithwhomIamwellacquainted，MrThumble，withaletterfrommyself，inwhichIendeavouredtoimpressuponyou，withouttheuseofanyseverelanguage，whatmyconvictionswere。’
’Severewordsareoftenthebestmercy，’saidMrsProudie。MrCrawleyhadraisedhishand，withhisfingerout，preparatorytoansweringthebishop。ButasMrsProudiehadspokenhedroppedhisfingerandwassilent。
’MrThumblebroughtmebackyourwrittenreply，’continuedthebishop，’bywhichIwasgrievedtofindthatyouwerenotwillingtosubmityourselftomycounselinthematter。’
’Iwasmostunwilling，mylord。Submissiontoauthorityisattimeaduty；——andattimesoppositiontoauthorityisadutyalso。’
’Oppositiontojustauthoritycannotbeaduty，MrCrawley。’
’Oppositiontousurpedauthorityisanimperativeduty，’saidMrCrawley。
’Andwhoistobethejudge？’demandedMrsProudie。Thentherewassilenceforawhile；when，asMrCrawleymadenoreply，theladyrepeatedherquestion。’Willyoubepleasedtoanswermyquestion，sir？
Who，insuchcase，istobethejudge？’ButMrCrawleydidnotpleasetoanswerthequestion。’Themanisobstinate，’saidMrsProudie。
’Ihadbetterproceed，’saidthebishop。’MrThumblebroughtmebackyourreply，whichgrievedmegreatly。’
’Itwascontumaciousandindecent，’saidMrsProudie。
ThebishopagainshookhisheadandlookedsoutterlymiserablethatasmilecameacrossMrCrawley’sface。Afterall，othersbesidehimselfhadtheirtroublesandtrials。MrsProudiesawandunderstoodthesmile，andbecamemoreangrythanever。Shedrewherchairclosetothetable，andbegantofidgetwithherfingersamongthepapers。Shehadneverbeforeencounteredaclergymansocontumacious，soindecent，sounreverend——soupsetting。Shehadhadtodealwithmendifficulttomanage——thearchdeaconforinstance；butthearchdeaconhadneverbeensoimpertinenttoherasthisman。Shehadquarrelledonceopenlywithachaplainofherhusband’s，aclergymanwhomsheherselfhadintroducedtoherhusband，andwhohadtreatedherverybadly；——butnotsobadly，notwithsuchunscrupulousviolence，asshewasnowencounteringfromthisill—clothedbeggarlyman，thisperpetualcurate，withhisdirtybrokenboots，thisalreadyhalf—convictedthief！SuchwasherideaofMrCrawley’sconducttoher，whileshewasfingeringthepapers——simplybecauseMrCrawleywouldnotspeaktoher。
’IforgetwhereIwas，’saidthebishop。’Oh，MrThumblecameback，andIreceivedyourletter；——ofcourseIreceivedit。AndIwassurprisedtolearnfromthat，thatinspiteofwhathadoccurredatSilverbridge，youwerestillanxioustocontinuetheusualSundayministrationsinyourchurch。’
’IwasdeterminedthatIwoulddomydutyatHogglestock，aslongasI
mightbelefttheretodoit，’saidMrCrawley。
’Duty！’saidMrsProudie。
’Justamoment，mydear，’saidthebishop。’WhenSundaycame，IhadnoalternativebuttosendMrThumbleoveragaintoHogglestock。Itoccurredtous——tomeandtoMrsProudie——’
’IwilltellMrCrawleyjustnowwhathasoccurredtome，’saidMrsProudie。
’Yes；——justso。AndIamsurethathewilltakeitingoodpart。Itoccurredtome，MrCrawley，thatyourfirstlettermighthavebeenwritteninhaste。’
’Itwaswritteninhaste，mylord；yourmessengerwaswaiting。’
’Yes；——justso。Well；soIsenthimagain，hopingthathemightbeacceptedasamessengerofpeace。Itwasamostdisagreeablemissionforanygentleman，MrCrawley。’
’Mostdisagreeable，mylord。’
’AndyourefusedhimpermissiontoobeytheinstructionswhichIhadgivenhim。Youwouldnotlethimreadfromyourdesk，orpreachfromyourpulpit。’
’HadIbeenMrThumble，’saidMrsProudie，’IwouldhavereadfromthatdeskandIwouldhavepreachedfromthatpulpit。’
MrCrawleywaitedforamoment，thinkingthatthebishopmightperhapsspeakagain；butashedidnot，butsatexpectantasthoughhehadfinishedhisdiscourse，andnowexpectedareply，MrCrawleygotupfromhisseatanddrewnearthetable。’Mylord，’hebegan，’ithasallbeenjustasyousaid。Ididansweryourfirstletterinhaste。’
’Themoreshameforyou，’saidMrsProudie。
’Andtherefore，foraughtIknow，mylettertoyourlordshipmaybesowordedastoneedsomeapology。’
’Ofcourseitneedsanapology，’saidMrsProudie。
’Butofthematterofit，mylord，noapologycanbemade，norisanyneeded。Ididrefuseyourmessengerpermissiontoperformtheservicesofmychurch，andifyousendtwentymore，Ishallrefusethemall——tillthetimemaycomewhenitwillbeyourlordship’sduty，inaccordancewiththelawsoftheChurch——asborneoutandbackedbythelawsoftheland，toprovideduringmycontstrainedabsenceforthespiritualwantsofthosepoorpeopleatHogglestock。’
’Poorpeople，indeed，’saidMrsProudie。’Poorwretches！’
’And，mylord，itmaywellbe，thatitshallsoonbeyourlordship’sdutytotakedueandlegalstepsfordeprivingmeofmybeneficeatHogglestock；——nay，probably，forsilencingmealtogetherastotheexerciseofmysacredprofession！’
’Ofcourseitwill，sir。Yourgownwillbetakenfromyou，’saidMrsProudie。Thebishopwaslookingwithallhiseyesonthegreatforeheadandgreateyebrowsoftheman，andwassofascinatedbythepowerthatwasexercisedoverhimbytheotherman’sstrengththathehardlynownoticedhiswife。
’Itmaywellbeso，continuedMrCrawley。’Thecircumstancesarestrongagainstme；and，thoughyourlordshipmayaltogethermisunderstoodthenatureofthedutyperformedbythemagistratesinsendingmycasefortrial——although，asitseemstome，youhavecometoconclusionsinthismatterinignoranceoftheverytheoryofourlaws——’
’Sir！’saidMrsProudie。
’YetIcanforeseetheprobabilitythatajurywillmaydiscovermetohavebeenguiltyoftheft。’
’Ofcoursethejurywilldo，’saidMrsProudie。
’Shouldsuchaverdictbegiven，then，mylord，yourinterferencewillbelegal，proper，andnecessary。Andyouwillfindthat，evenifitbewithinmypowertoopposeobstaclestoyourlordship’sauthority，Iwillopposenosuchobstacle。Thereis，Ibelieve，noappealincriminalcases。’
’Noneatall，’saidMrsProudie。’Thereisnoappealagainstyourbishop。Youshouldhavelearnedthatbefore。’
’Buttillthattimeshallcome，mylord，IshallholdmyownatHogglestockasyouholdyourownhereatBarchester。Norhaveyouanymorepowertoturnmeoutofmypulpitbyyourmerevoice，thanIhavetoturnyououtofyourthronebymine。Ifyoudoubtme，mylord，yourlordship’secclesiasticalcourtisopentoyou。Tryitthere。’
’Youdefyus，then？’saidMrsProudie。
’Mylord，Igrantyourauthorityasbishopisgreat，butevenabishopcanonlyactasthelawsallowshim。’
’GodforbidthatIshoulddomore，’saidthebishop。
’Sir，youwillfindthatyourwickedthreatswillfallbackuponyourownhead，’saidMrsProudie。
’Peace，woman，’MrCrawleysaid，addressingheratlast。Thebishopjumpedoutofhischairathearingthewifeofhisbosomcalledawoman。
Buthejumpedratherinadmirationthaninanger。HehadalreadybeguntoperceivethatMrCrawleywasamanwhohadbetterbelefttotakecareofthesoulsatHogglestock，atanyratetillthetrialshouldcomeon。
’Woman！’saidMrsProudie，risingtoherfeetasthoughshereallyintendedsomepersonalencounter。
’Madam，’saidMrCrawley，’youshouldnotinterfereinthesematters。
Yousimplydebaseyouhusband’shighoffice。Thedistaffismorefittedforyou。Mylord，goodmorning。’Andbeforeeitherofthemcouldspeakagain，hewasoutoftheroom，andthroughthehall，andbeyondthegate，andstandingbeneaththetowersofthecathedral。Yes，hehad，hethought，intruthcrushedthebishop。Hehadsucceededincrumplingthebishopupwithintheclutchofhisfist。
HestartedinspiritoftriumphtowalkbackonhisroadtowardsHogglestock。Hedidnotthinkofthelongdistancebeforehimforthefirsthourofhisjourney。Hehadhadhisvictory，andtheremembranceofthatbracedhisnervesandgaveelasticitytohissinews，andhewentstalkingalongtoroadwithrapidstrides，mutteringtohimselffromtimetotimeashewentalongsomewordaboutMrsProudieandherdistaff。MrThumblewouldnot，hethought，cometohimagain——not，atanyrate，tilltheassizesweredrawingnear。Andhehadresolvedwhathewoulddothen。Whenthedayofhistrialwasnear，hewouldhimselfwritetothebishop，andbegthatprovisionmightbemadeforhischurch，intheeventoftheverdictgoingagainsthim。Hisfriend，DeanArabin，wastobehomebeforethattime，andtheideahadoccurredtohimofaskingthedeantoseetothis；butnowtheotherwouldbethemoreindependentcourse，andthebetter。Andtherewasamatterastowhichhewasnotaltogetherwellpleasedwiththedean，althoughhewassoconsciousofhisownpeculiaritiesastoknowthathecouldhardlytrusthimselfforajudgment。But，atanyrate，hewouldapplytothebishop——tothebishopwhomhehadjustleftprostrateinhispalace——