第317章

At this time Grace had returned from Framley. As long as the terrible tragedy of the forthcoming trial was dragging itself on she had been content to stay away, at her mother's bidding. It has not been possible in these pages to tell of all the advice that had been given to the ladies of the Crawley family in their great difficulty, and of all the assistance that had been offered. The elder Lady Lufton and the younger, and Mrs Robarts had continually been in consultation on the subject; Mrs Grantly's opinion had been asked and given; and even the Miss Prettymans and Mrs Walker had found means of expressing themselves. The communications to Mrs Crawley had been very frequent--though they had not of course been allowed to reach the ears of Mr Crawley. What was to be done when the living should be gone and Mr Crawley should be in prison? Some said that he might be there for six weeks, and some for two years. Old Lady Lufton made anxious inquiries about Judge Medlicote, before whom it was said that the trial would be taken. Judge Medlicote was a Dissenter, and old Lady Lufton was in despair. When she was assured by some liberally-disposed friend that this would certainly make no difference, she shook her head woefully. 'I don't know why we are to have Dissenteres at all,' she said, 'to try people who belong to the Established Church.' When she heard that Judge Medlicote would certainly be the judge, she made up her mind that two years would be the least of it. She would not have minded, she said, if he had been a Roman Catholic. And whether the punishment might be for six weeks or for two years, what should be done with the family? Where should they be housed?

How should they be fed? What should be done with the poor man when he came out of prison? It was a case in which the generous, soft-hearted old Lady Lufton was almost beside herself. 'As for Grace,' said young Lady Lufton, 'it will be a great deal better that we should keep her amongst us. Of course she will become Mrs Grantly, and it will be nicer for her that it should be so.' In those days the posters had been seen, and the flitting to Pau had been talked of, and the Framley opinion was that Grace had better remain at Framley till she should be carried off to Pau. There were schemes, too, about Jane, but what was to be done for the wife? And what was to be done for Mr Crawley? Then came the news from Mrs Arabin, and all interest in Judge Medlicote was at an end.

But even now, after this great escape, what was to be done? As to Grace, she had felt the absolute necessity of being obedient to her friends--with the consent of course of her mother--during the great tribulation of her family. Things were so bad that she had not the heart to make them worse by giving any unnecessary trouble as to herself.

Having resolved--and having made her mother so understand--that on one point she would guide herself by her own feelings, she was contented to go hither and thither as she was told, and to do as she was bid. Her hope was that Miss Prettyman would allow her to go back to her teaching, but it had come to be understood among them all that nothing was to be said on that subject till the trial should be over. Till that time she would be passive. But then, as I have said, had come the news from Mrs Arabin, and Grace, with all the others, understood that there would be no trial. When this was known and acknowledged, she declared her purpose of going back to Hogglestock. She would go back at once. When asked both by Lady Lufton and Mrs Robarts why she was in so great a haste, she merely said that it must be so. She was, as it were, absolved from her passive obedience to Framley authorities by the diminution of the family misfortunes.

Mrs Robarts understood the feeling by which Grace was hurried away. 'Do you know why she is so obstinate?' Lady Lufton asked.

'I think I do,' said Mrs Robarts.

'And what is it?'

'Should Major Grantly renew his offer to her she is under a pledge to accept him now.'

'Of course he will renew it, and of course she will accept him.'

'Just so. But she prefers that he should come for her to her own house--because of the poverty. If he chooses to seek her there, I don't think she will make much difficulty.' Lady Lufton demurred at this, not however with anger, and expressed a certain amount of mild displeasure.

She did not quite see why Major Grantly should not be allowed to come and do his love-making comfortably, where there was a decent dinner for him to eat, and chairs and tables and sofas and carpets. She said that she thought that something was due to Major Grantly. She was in truth a little disappointed that she was not allowed to have her own way, and to arrange the marriage at Framley under her own eye. But, through it all, she appreciated Grace; and they who knew her well and heard what she said upon the occasion, understood that her favour was not to be withdrawn. All young women were divided by the old Lady Lufton into sheep and goats--very white sheep and very black goats--and Grace was to be a sheep. Thus it came to pass that Grace Crawley was at home when the dean visited Hogglestock. 'Mamma,' she said, looking out of the window, 'there is the dean with papa at the gate.'

'It was a narrow squeak--a very narrow squeak,' Mr Crawley had said when his friend had congratulated him on his escape. The dean felt at the moment that not for many years had he heard the incumbent of Hogglestock speak either of himself or of anything else with so manifest an attempt at jocularity. Arabin had expected to find the man broken down by the weight of his sorrows, and lo! at the first moment of their first interview he himself began to ridicule them! Crawley having thus alluded to the narrow squeak had asked his visitor to enter the house and see his wife.

'Of course I will,' said Arabin, 'but I will speak just a word to you first.' Jane who had accompanied the dean from the school, now left them, and went into the house to her mother. 'My wife cannot forgive herself about the cheque,' continued he.

'There is nothing to be forgiven,' said Mr Crawley; 'nothing.'