’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——