第250章

In accordance with the resolution to which the clerical commission had come on the first day of their sitting, Dr Tempest wrote the following letter to Mr Crawley:-'RECTORY, SILVERBRIDGE, April, 9, 186-'DEAR SIR, 'I have been given to understand that you have been informed that the Bishop of Barchester has appointed a commission of clergymen of the diocese to make inquiry respecting certain accusations which, to the great regret of us all, have been made against you, in respect of a cheque for twenty pounds which was passed by you to a tradesman of the town. The clergymen appointed to form this commission are Mr Oriel, the rector of Greshamsbury, Mr Robarts, the vicar of Framley, Mr Quiverful, the warden of Hiram's Hospital at Barchester, and Mr Thumble, a clergyman established in that city, and myself. We held our first meeting on last Monday, and I now write to you in compliance with a resolution to which we came. Before taking any other steps we thought it best to ask you to attend us here on next Monday, at two o'clock, and I beg that you will accept this letter as an invitation to that effect.

'We are, of course, aware that you are about to stand your trial at the next assizes for the offence in question. I beg you to understand that I do not express any opinion as to your guilt. But I think it right to point out to you that in the event of a jury finding an adverse verdict, the bishop will be placed in great difficulty unless he were fortified with the opinion of a commission formed from your fellow clerical labourers in the diocese. Should such adverse verdict unfortunately be given, the bishop would hardly be justified in allowing a clergyman placed as you then would be placed, to return to his cure after the expiration of such punishment as the judge might award, without a further decision from an ecclesiastical court. This decision he could only obtain by proceeding against you under the Act in reference to clerical offences, which empowers him as bishop of the diocese to bring you before the Court of Arches--unless you would think well to submit yourself entirely to his judgment. You will, I think, understand what I mean. The judge at assizes might find it his duty to imprison a clergyman for a month--regarding tat clergyman simply as he would regard any other person found guilty by a jury and thus made subject to his judgment--and might do this for an offence which the ecclesiastical judge would find himself obliged to visit with the severer sentence of prolonged suspension, or even with deprivation.

'We are, however, clearly of the opinion that should the jury find themselves able to acquit you, no further action whatsoever should be taken. In such case we think that the bishop may regard your innocence to be fully established, and in such case we shall recommend his lordship to look upon the matter as altogether at an end. I can assure you that in such case I shall so regard it myself.

'You will perceive that, as a consequence of this resolution, to which we have already come, we are not minded to take any inquiries ourselves into the circumstances of your alleged guilt, till the verdict of the jury shall be given. But should you be convicted, we must in that case advise the bishop to take the proceedings to which I have alluded, or to abstain from taking them. We wish to ask you whether, now that our opinion has been conveyed to you, you will be willing to submit the bishop's decision, in the event of an adverse verdict being given by the jury; and we think that it will be better for us all that you should meet us here at the hour I have named on Monday next, the fifteenth instant. It is not our intention to make any report to the bishop until the trial shall be over.--I have the honour to be, my dear sir, your obedient servant, 'MORTIMER TEMPEST'The Rev. Josiah Crawley, 'Hogglestock.'

In the same envelope Dr Tempest sent a short private note, in which he said that he should be very happy to see Mr Crawley at half-past one on the Monday named, that luncheon would be ready at that hour, and that, as Mr Crawley's attendance was required on public grounds, he would take care that a carriage was provided for the day.

Mr Crawley received this letter in his wife's presence, and read it in silence. Mrs Crawley saw that he paid close attention to it, and was sure--she felt that she was sure--that it referred in some way to the terrible subject of the cheque for twenty pounds. Indeed, everything that came into the house, almost every word spoken there, and every thought that came into the breast of any of the family, had more or less reference to the coming trial. How could it be otherwise? There was ruin coming on them all--ruin and complete disgrace coming on father, mother, and children! To have been accused itself was very bad; but now it seemed to be the opinion of everyone that the verdict must be against the man. Mrs Crawley herself, who was perfectly sure of her husband's innocence before God, believed that the jury would find him guilty--and believed also that he had become possessed of the money in some manner that would have been dishonest, had he not been so different from other people as to be entitled to be considered innocent where another man would have been plainly guilty. She was full of the cheque for twenty pounds, and of its results. When, therefore, he had read the letter through a second time, and even then had spoken no word about it, of course she could not refrain from questioning him. 'My love,' she said, 'what is the letter?'

'It is on business,' he answered.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke again. 'May I not know the business?'

'No,' said he; 'not at present.'

'Is it from the bishop?'