第133章

But the bishop did not know what to say to him. If he intended to direct an inquiry to be made by the rural dean, it would be by no means becoming that he should consult Mr Chadwick as to doing so. It might be well, or if not well at any rate not improper, that he should make application to Dr Tempest through Mr Chadwick; but in that case he must give the order at once, and he still wished to avoid it if it were possible. Since he had been in the diocese no case so grave as this had been pushed upon him. The intervention of the rural dean in an ordinary way he had used--had been made to use--more than once, by his wife. Avicar had been absent a little too long from one parish, and there had been rumours about brandy-and-water in another. Once he had been very nearly in deep water because Mrs Proudie had taken it in dudgeon that a certain young rector, who had been left a widower, had a pretty governess for his children; and there had been that case, sadly notorious in the diocese at the time, of our excellent friend Mr Robarts of Framley, when the bailiffs were in the house because he couldn't pay his debts--or rather, the debts of his friend for whom he had signed bills. But in all these cases some good fortune had intervened, and he had been saved from the terrible necessity of any ulterior process. But now--now he was being driven beyond himself, and all to no purpose. If Mrs Proudie would only wait three months the civil law would do it all for him. But here was Mr Chadwick in the room, and he knew that it would be useless for him to attempt to talk to Mr Chadwich about other matters, and so dismiss him. The wife of his bosom would be down upon them before Chadwick could be out of the room.

'H-m-ha. How d'ye do, Mr Chadwick--won't you sit down?' Mr Chadwick thanked his lordship, and sat down. 'It's very cold, isn't it, Mr Chadwick?'

'A hard frost, my lord, but a beautiful day.'

'Won't you come near the fire?' The bishop knew that Mrs Proudie was on the road, and had an eye to the proper strategical position of his forces. Mrs Proudie would certainly take up her position in a certain chair from whence the light enabled her to rake her husband thoroughly.

What advantage she might have from this he could not prevent;--but he could so place Mr Chadwick, that the lawyer should be more than within reach of his eye than that of his wife. So the bishop pointed to an arm-chair opposite to himself and near the fire, and Mr Chadwick seated himself accordingly.

'This is a very sad affair about Mr Crawley,' said the bishop.

'Very said indeed,' said the lawyer. 'I never pitied a man so much in my life, my lord.'

This was not exactly the line which the bishop was desirous of taking.

'Of course he is to be pitied;--of course he is. But from all I hear, Mr Chadwick, I am afraid--I am afraid we must not acquit him.'

'As to that, my lord, he has to stand his trial, of course.'

'But, you see, Mr Chadwick, regarding him as a beneficed clergyman--with a cure of souls--the question is whether I should be justified in leaving him where he is till his trial shall come on.'

'Of course your lordship knows best about that, but--'

'I know there is a difficulty. I know that. But I am inclined to think that in the interests of the parish I am bound to issue a commission of inquiry.'

'I believer your lordship has attempted to silence him, and that he has refused to comply.'

'I thought it better for everybody's sake--especially for his own, that he should for a while be relieved from his duties; but he is an obstinate man, a very obstinate man. I made the attempt with all consideration for his feelings.'