CHAPTER LIV.
THE CLERICAL COMMISSION.
It was at last arranged that the five clergymen selected should meetat Dr. Tempest's house in Silverbridge to make inquiry and report tothe bishop whether the circumstances connected with the cheque fortwenty pounds were of such a nature as to make it incumbent on himto institute proceedings against Mr. Crawley in the Court of Arches.Dr. Tempest had acted upon the letter which he had received from thebishop, exactly as though there had been no meeting at the palace, noquarrel to the death between him and Mrs. Proudie. He was a prudentman, gifted with the great power of holding his tongue, and had notspoken a word, even to his wife, of what had occurred. After sucha victory our old friend the archdeacon would have blown his owntrumpet loudly among his friends. Plumstead would have heard of itinstantly, and the paean would have been sung out in the neighbouringparishes of Eiderdown, Stogpingum, and St. Ewolds. The high-street ofBarchester would have known of it, and the very bedesmen in Hiram'sHospital would have told among themselves the terrible discomfitureof the bishop and his lady. But Dr. Tempest spoke no word of it toanybody. He wrote letters to the two clergymen named by the bishop,and himself selected two others out of his own rural deanery, andsuggested to them all a day at which a preliminary meeting shouldbe held at his own house. The two who were invited by him were Mr.Oriel, the rector of Greshamsbury, and Mr. Robarts, the vicar ofFramley. They all assented to the proposition, and on the day namedassembled themselves at Silverbridge.
It was now April, and the judges were to come into Barchesterbefore the end of the month. What then could be the use of thisecclesiastical inquiry exactly at the same time? Men and womendeclared that it was a double prosecution, and that a doubleprosecution for the same offence was a course of action opposed tothe feelings and traditions of the country. Miss Anne Prettymanwent so far as to say that it was unconstitutional, and Mary Walkerdeclared that no human being except Mrs. Proudie would ever have beenguilty of such cruelty. "Don't tell me about the bishop, John," shesaid; "the bishop is a cypher." "You may be sure Dr. Tempest wouldnot have a hand in it if it were not right," said John Walker. "Mydear Mr. John," said Miss Anne Prettyman, "Dr. Tempest is as hard asa bar of iron, and always was. But I am surprised that Mr. Robartsshould take a part in it."
In the meantime, at the palace, Mrs. Proudie had been reduced tolearn what was going on from Mr. Thumble. The bishop had never spokena word to her respecting Mr. Crawley since that terrible day on whichDr. Tempest had witnessed his imbecility,--having absolutely declinedto answer when his wife had mentioned the subject. "You won't speakto me about it, my dear?" she had said to him, when he had thusdeclined, remonstrating more in sorrow than in anger. "No; I won't,"the bishop had replied; "there has been a great deal too much talkingabout it. It has broken my heart already, I know." These were verybad days in the palace. Mrs. Proudie affected to be satisfied withwhat was being done. She talked to Mr. Thumble about Mr. Crawleyand the cheque, as though everything were arranged quite to hersatisfaction,--as though everything, indeed, had been arranged byherself. But everybody about the house could see that the manner ofthe woman was altogether altered. She was milder than usual with theservants and was almost too gentle in her usage of her husband. Itseemed as though something had happened to frighten her and breakher spirit, and it was whispered about through the palace that shewas afraid that the bishop was dying. As for him, he hardly left hisown sitting-room in these days, except when he joined the family atbreakfast and at dinner. And in his study he did little or nothing.He would smile when his chaplain went to him, and give some triflingverbal directions; but for days he scarcely ever took a pen in hishands, and though he took up many books he read hardly a page. Howoften he told his wife in those days that he was broken-hearted, noone but his wife ever knew.
"What has happened that you should speak like that?" she said to himonce. "What has broken your heart?"
"You," he replied. "You; you have done it."
"Oh, Tom," she said, going back into the memory of very far distantdays in her nomenclature, "how can you speak to me so cruelly asthat! That it should come to that between you and me, after all!"
"Why did you not go away and leave me that day when I told you?"
"Did you ever know a woman who liked to be turned out of a room inher own house?" said Mrs. Proudie. When Mrs. Proudie had condescendedso far as this, it must be admitted that in those days there wasgreat trouble in the palace.
Mr. Thumble, on the day before he went to Silverbridge, asked for anaudience with the bishop in order that he might receive instructions.He had been strictly desired to do this by Mrs. Proudie, and had notdared to disobey her injunctions,--thinking, however, himself, thathis doing so was inexpedient. "I have got nothing to say to you aboutit; not a word," said the bishop crossly. "I thought that perhapsyou might like to see me before I started," pleaded Mr. Thumble veryhumbly. "I don't want to see you at all," said the bishop; "you aregoing there to exercise your own judgment,--if you have got any;and you ought not to come to me." After that Mr. Thumble began tothink that Mrs. Proudie was right, and that the bishop was near hisdissolution.
Mr. Thumble and Mr. Quiverful went over to Silverbridge together ina gig, hired from the "Dragon of Wantly"--as to the cost of whichthere arose among them a not unnatural apprehension which amountedat last almost to dismay. "I don't mind it so much for once," saidMr. Quiverful, "but if many such meetings are necessary, I for onecan't afford it, and I won't do it. A man with my family can't allowhimself to be money out of pocket in that way." "It is hard," saidMr. Thumble. "She ought to pay it herself, out of her own pocket,"said Mr. Quiverful. He had had concerns with the palace when Mrs.Proudie was in the full swing of her dominion, and had not as yetbegun to suspect that there might possibly be a change.
Mr. Oriel and Mr. Robarts were already sitting with Dr. Tempest whenthe other two clergymen were shown into the room. When the firstgreetings were over luncheon was announced, and while they wereeating not a word was said about Mr. Crawley. The ladies of thefamily were not present, and the five clergymen sat round the tablealone. It would have been difficult to have got together fivegentlemen less likely to act with one mind and one spirit;--andperhaps it was all the better for Mr. Crawley that it should be so.Dr. Tempest himself was a man peculiarly capable of exercising thefunctions of a judge in such a matter, had he sat alone as a judge;but he was one who would be almost sure to differ from others who satas equal assessors with him. Mr. Oriel was a gentleman at all points;but he was very shy, very reticent, and altogether uninstructed inthe ordinary daily intercourse of man with man. Any one knowing himmight have predicted of him that he would be sure on such an occasionas this to be found floundering in a sea of doubts. Mr. Quiverful wasthe father of a large family, whose whole life had been devoted tofighting a cruel world on behalf of his wife and children. That fighthe had fought bravely; but it had left him no energy for any otherbusiness. Mr. Thumble was a poor creature,--so poor a creature that,in spite of a small restless ambition to be doing something, he wasalmost cowed by the hard lines of Dr. Tempest's brow. The Rev. MarkRobarts was a man of the world, and a clever fellow, and did notstand in awe of anybody,--unless it might be, in a very moderatedegree, of his patrons the Luftons, whom he was bound to respect;but his cleverness was not the cleverness needed by a judge. He wasessentially a partisan, and would be sure to vote against the bishopin such a matter as this now before him. There was a palace factionin the diocese, and an anti-palace faction. Mr. Thumble and Mr.Quiverful belonged to one, and Mr. Oriel and Mr. Robarts to theother. Mr. Thumble was too weak to stick to his faction against thestrength of such a man as Dr. Tempest. Mr. Quiverful would be tooindifferent to do so,--unless his interest were concerned. Mr. Orielwould be too conscientious to regard his own side on such an occasionas this. But Mark Robarts would be sure to support his friends andoppose his enemies, let the case be what it might. "Now, gentlemen,if you please, we will go into the other room," said Dr. Tempest.They went into the other ro
om, and there they found five chairsarranged for them round the table. Not a word had as yet been saidabout Mr. Crawley, and no one of the four strangers knew whether Mr.Crawley was to appear before them on that day or not.
"Gentlemen," said Dr. Tempest, seating himself at once in anarm-chair placed at the middle of the table, "I think it will bewell to explain to you at first what, as I regard the matter, is theextent of the work which we are called upon to perform. It is of itsnature very disagreeable. It cannot but be so, let it be ever solimited. Here is a brother clergyman and a gentleman, living amongus, and doing his duty, as we are told, in a most exemplary manner;and suddenly we hear that he is accused of a theft. The matter isbrought before the magistrates, of whom I myself was one, and he wascommitted for trial. There is therefore prima facie evidence of hisguilt. But I do not think that we need go into the question of hisguilt at all." When he said this, the other four all looked up athim in astonishment. "I thought that we had been summoned here forthat purpose," said Mr. Robarts. "Not at all, as I take it," saidthe doctor. "Were we to commence any such inquiry, the jury wouldhave given their verdict before we could come to any conclusion andit would be impossible for us to oppose that verdict, whether itdeclares this unfortunate gentleman to be innocent or to be guilty.If the jury shall say that he is innocent, there is an end of thematter altogether. He would go back to his parish amidst the sympathyand congratulations of his friends. That is what we should all wish."
"Of course it is," said Mr. Robarts. They all declared that was theirdesire, as a matter of course; and Mr. Thumble said it louder thanany one else.
"But if he be found guilty, then will come that difficulty to thebishop, in which we are bound to give him any assistance within ourpower."
"Of course we are," said Mr. Thumble, who, having heard his own voiceonce, and having liked the sound, thought that he might creep into alittle importance by using it on any occasion that opened itself forhim.
"If you will allow me, sir, I will venture to state my views asshortly as I can," said Dr. Tempest. "That may perhaps be the mostexpeditious course for us all in the end."
"Oh, certainly," said Mr. Thumble. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
"In the case of his being found guilty," continued the doctor, "therewill arise the question whether the punishment awarded to him bythe judge should suffice for ecclesiastical purposes. Suppose, forinstance, that he should be imprisoned for two months, should he beallowed to return to his living at the expiration of that term?"
"I think he ought," said Mr. Robarts;--"considering all things."
"I don't see why he shouldn't," said Mr. Quiverful.
Mr. Oriel sat listening patiently, and Mr. Thumble looked up to thedoctor, expecting to hear some opinion expressed by him with which hemight coincide.
"There certainly are reasons why he should not," said Dr. Tempest;"though I by no means say that those reasons are conclusive in thepresent case. In the first place, a man who has stolen money canhardly be a fitting person to teach others not to steal."
"You must look to the circumstances," said Robarts.
"Yes, that is true; but just bear with me a moment. It cannot, at anyrate, be thought that a clergyman should come out of prison and goto his living without any notice from his bishop, simply because hehas already been punished under the common law. If this were so, aclergyman might be fined ten days running for being drunk in thestreet,--five shillings each time,--and at the end of that time mightset his bishop at defiance. When a clergyman has shown himself tobe utterly unfit for clerical duties, he must not be held to beprotected from ecclesiastical censure or from deprivation by theaction of the common law."
"But Mr. Crawley has not shown himself to be unfit," said Robarts.
"That is begging the question, Robarts," said the doctor.
"Just so," said Mr. Thumble. Then Mr. Robarts gave a look at Mr.Thumble, and Mr. Thumble retired into his shoes.
"That is the question as to which we are called upon to advise thebishop," continued Dr. Tempest. "And I must say that I think thebishop is right. If he were to allow the matter to pass by withoutnotice,--that is to say, in the event of Mr. Crawley being pronouncedto be guilty by a jury,--he would, I think, neglect his duty. Now,I have been informed that the bishop has recommended Mr. Crawley todesist from his duties till the trial be over, and that Mr. Crawleyhas declined to take the bishop's advice."
"That is true," said Mr. Thumble. "He altogether disregarded thebishop."
"I cannot say that I think he was wrong," said Dr. Tempest.
"I think he was quite right," said Mr. Robarts.
"A bishop in almost all cases is entitled to the obedience of hisclergy," said Mr. Oriel.
"I must say that I agree with you, sir," said Mr. Thumble.
"The income is not large, and I suppose that it would have gone withthe duties," said Mr. Quiverful. "It is very hard for a man with afamily to live when his income has been stopped."
"Be that as it may," continued the doctor, "the bishop feels that itmay be his duty to oppose the return of Mr. Crawley to his pulpit,and that he can oppose it in no other way than by proceeding againstMr. Crawley under the Clerical Offences Act. I propose, therefore,that we should invite Mr. Crawley to attend here--"
"Mr. Crawley is not coming here to-day, then?" said Mr. Robarts.
"I thought it useless to ask for his attendance until we had settledon our course of action," said Dr. Tempest. "If we are all agreed,I will beg him to come here on this day week, when we will meetagain. And we will then ask him whether he will submit himself to thebishop's decision, in the event of the jury finding him guilty. Ifhe should decline to do so, we can only then form our opinion as towhat will be the bishop's duty by reference to the facts as they areelicited at the trial. If Mr. Crawley should choose to make to usany statement as to his own case, of course we shall be willing toreceive it. That is my idea of what had better be done; and now, ifany gentleman has any other proposition to make, of course we shallbe pleased to hear him." Dr. Tempest, as he said this, looked roundupon his companions, as though his pleasure, under the circumstancessuggested by himself, would be very doubtful.
"I don't suppose we can do anything better," said Mr. Robarts. "Ithink it a pity, however, that any steps should have been taken bythe bishop before the trial."
"The bishop has been placed in a very delicate position," said Mr.Thumble, pleading for his patron.
"I don't know the meaning of the word 'delicate,'" said Robarts."I think his duty was very clear, to avoid interference whilst thematter is, so to say, before the judge."
"Nobody has anything else to propose?" said Dr. Tempest. "Then I willwrite to Mr. Crawley, and you, gentlemen, will perhaps do me thehonour of meeting me here at one o'clock on this day week." Then themeeting was over, and the four clergymen having shaken hands with Dr.Tempest in the hall, all promised that they would return on that dayweek. So far, Dr. Tempest had carried his point exactly as he mighthave done had the four gentlemen been represented by the chairs onwhich they had sat.
"I shan't come again, all the same, unless I know where I'm to get myexpenses," said Mr. Quiverful, as he got into the gig.
"I shall come," said Mr. Thumble, "because I think it a duty. Ofcourse it is a hardship." Mr. Thumble liked the idea of being joinedwith such men as Dr. Tempest, and Mr. Oriel, and Mr. Robarts, andwould any day have paid the expense of a gig from Barchester toSilverbridge out of his own pocket, for the sake of sitting with suchbenchfellows on any clerical inquiry.
"One's first duty is to one's own wife and family," said Mr.Quiverful.
"Well, yes; in a way, of course, that is quite true, Mr. Quiverful;and when we know how very inadequate are the incomes of the workingclergy, we cannot but feel ourselves to be, if I may so say, putupon, when we have to defray the expenses incidental to specialduties out of our own pockets. I think, you know,--I don't mindsaying this to you,--that the palace should have provided us witha chaise and pair." This was ungrateful on the par
t of Mr. Thumble,who had been permitted to ride miles upon miles to various outlyingclerical duties upon the bishop's worn-out cob. "You see," continuedMr. Thumble, "you and I go specially to represent the palace, and thepalace ought to remember that. I think there ought to have been achaise and pair; I do indeed."
"I don't care much what the conveyance is," said Mr. Quiverful; "butI certainly shall pay nothing more out of my own pocket;--certainly Ishall not."
"The result will be that the palace will be thrown over if theydon't take care," said Mr. Thumble. "Tempest, however, seems to bepretty steady. Tempest, I think, is steady. You see he is gettingtired of parish work, and would like to go into the close. That'swhat he is looking out for. Did you ever see such a fellow as thatRobarts,--just look at him;--quite indecent, wasn't he? He thinks hecan have his own way in everything, just because his sister married alord. I do hate to see all that meanness."
Mark Robarts and Caleb Oriel left Silverbridge in another gig by thesame road, and soon passed their brethren, as Mr. Robarts was in thehabit of driving a large, quick-stepping horse. The last remarks werebeing made as the dust from the vicar of Framley's wheels saluted thefaces of the two slower clergymen. Mr. Oriel had promised to dine andsleep at Framley, and therefore returned in Mr. Robarts' gig.
"Quite unnecessary, all this fuss; don't you think so?" said Mr.Robarts.
"I am not quite sure," said Mr. Oriel. "I can understand that thebishop may have found a difficulty."
"The bishop, indeed! The bishop doesn't care two straws about it.It's Mrs. Proudie! She has put her finger on the poor man's neckbecause he has not put his neck beneath her feet; and now she thinksshe can crush him,--as she would crush you or me, if it were inher power. That's about the long and the short of the bishop'ssolicitude."
"You are very hard on him," said Mr. Oriel.
"I know him;--and am not at all hard on him. She is hard upon him ifyou like. Tempest is fair. He is very fair, and as long as no onemeddles with him he won't do amiss. I can't hold my tongue always,but I often know that it is better that I should."
Dr. Tempest said not a word to any one on the subject, not even inhis own defence. And yet he was sorely tempted. On the very day ofthe meeting he dined at Mr. Walker's in Silverbridge, and theresubmitted to be talked at by all the ladies and most of the gentlemenpresent, without saying a word in his own defence. And yet a word ortwo would have been so easy and so conclusive.
"Oh, Dr. Tempest," said Mary Walker, "I am so sorry that you havejoined the bishop."
"Are you, my dear?" said he. "It is generally thought well that aparish clergyman should agree with his bishop."
"But you know, Dr. Tempest, that you don't agree with your bishopgenerally."
"Then it is the more fortunate that I shall be able to agree with himon this occasion."
Major Grantly was present at the dinner, and ventured to ask thedoctor in the course of the evening what he thought would be done."I should not venture to ask such a question, Dr. Tempest," he said,"unless I had the strongest possible reason to justify my anxiety."
"I don't know that I can tell you anything, Major Grantly," said thedoctor. "We did not even see Mr. Crawley to-day. But the real truthis that he must stand or fall as the jury shall find him guilty ornot guilty. It would be the same in any profession. Could a captainin the army hold up his head in his regiment after he had been triedand found guilty of stealing twenty pounds?"
"I don't think he could," said the major.
"Neither can a clergyman," said the doctor. "The bishop can neithermake him nor mar him. It is the jury that must do it."