’Well，MrThumble！’shesaid。
MrThumbledidnotansweratonce，thinking，probably，thatthebishopmightchoosetoexplainthecircumstances。Butneitherdidthebishopsayanything。
’Well，MrThumble？’shesaidagain；andthenshestoodlookingatthemanwhohadfailedsodisastrously。
’Ihaveexplainedtothebishop，’saidhe。’MrCrawleyhasbeencontumacious——verycontumaciousindeed。’
’ButyoupreachedatHogglestock？’
’No，indeed，MrsProudie。Norwouldithavebeenpossible，unlessIhadthepolicetoassistme。’
’Thenyoushouldhavehadthepolice。Ineverheardofanythingsomismanagedinallmylife——neverinallmylife。’Andsheputherbooksdownonthestudytable，andturnedherselfroundfromMrThumbletowardsthebishop。’Ifthingsgoonlikethis，mylord，’shesaid，’yourauthorityinthediocesewillverysoonbeworthnothingatall。’
ItwasnotoftenthatMrsProudiecalledherhusbandmylord，butwhenshedidso，itwasasignthatterribletimeshadcome；——timessoterriblethatthebishopwouldknowthathemusteitherfightorfly。Hewouldalmostendureanythingratherthandescendintothearenaforthepurposeofdoingbattlewithhiswife，butoccasionswouldcomenowandagainwheneventhealternativesofflightwerehardlylefttohim。
’But，mydear——’beganthebishop。
’AmItounderstandthatthismanhasprofessedhimselftobealtogetherindifferenttothebishop’sprohibition？’saidMrsProudie，interruptingherhusbandandaddressingMrThumble。
’Quiteso。Heseemedtothinkthatthebishophadnolawfulpowerinthematteratall，’saidMrThumble。
’Doyouhearthat，mylord？’saidMrsProudie。
’NorhaveIany，’saidthebishop，almostweepingashespoke。
’Noauthorityinyourowndiocese！’
’Nonetosilenceamanmerelybymyownjudgment。Ithought，andstillthink，thatitwasforthisgentleman’sowninterest，aswellasforthecreditoftheChurch，thatsomeprovisionshouldbemadeforhisdutiesduringthepresent——present——difficulties。’
’Difficultiesindeed！Everybodyknowsthatthemanhasbeenathief。’
’No，mydear；Idonotknowit。’
’Youneverknowanything，bishop。’
’ImeantosayIdonotknowitofficially。Ofcourse，Ihaveheardthesadstory；andthoughIhopeitmaynotbe——’
’Thereisnodoubtaboutitstruth。Alltheworldknowsit。Hehasstolentwentypounds，andyetheistobeallowedtodesecratetheChurch，andimperilthesoulsofthepeople！’Thebishopgotupfromhischairandbegantowalkbackwardsandforwardsthroughtheroomwithshortquicksteps。’ItonlywantsfivedaystoChristmasDay，’continuedMrsProudie，’andsomethingmustbedoneatonce。Isaynothingastotheproprietyorimproprietyofhisbeingoutonbail，asitisnoaffairofours。WhenIheardthathehadbeenbailedbyabeneficedclergymanofthisdiocese，ofcourseIknewwheretolookforthemanwhowouldactwithsomuchimpropriety。OfcourseIwasnotsurprised，whenIfoundthatthatpersonbelongedtoFramley。But，asIhavesaidbefore，thatisnobusinessofours。Ihope，MrThumble，thatthebishopwillneverbefoundinterferingwiththeordinarylawsoftheland。Iamverysurethathewillneverdosobymyadvice。Butwhentherecomesaquestionofinhibitingaclergymanwhohascommittedhimselfasthatclergymanunfortunatelyhasdone，thenIsaythatthatclergymanoughttobeinhibited。’Thebishopwalkedupanddowntheroomthroughoutthewholeofthisspeech，butgraduallyhisstepsbecamequicker，andhisturnsbecameshorter。’AndnowhereisChristmasDayuponus，andwhatistobedone？’WiththesewordsMrsProudiefinishedherspeech。
’MrThumble，’saidthebishop，’perhapsyouhadbetternowretire。Iamverysorrythatyoushouldhavehadsothanklessandsodisagreeableatask。’
’WhyshouldMrThumbleretire？’askedMrsProudie。
’Ithinkitbetter，’saidthebishop。’MrThumble，good—night。’ThenMrThumbledidretire，andMrsProudiestoodforthinherfullpanoplyofarmour，silentandawful，withherhelmeterect，andvouchsafednorecognitionwhateverofthepartingsalutationwhichMrThumblegreetedher。’Mydear，thetruthis，youdonotunderstandthematter，’saidthebishop，assoonasthedoorwasclosed。’Youdonotknowhowlimitedismypower。’
’Bishop，Iunderstanditagreatdealbetterthansomepeople；andI
understandalsowhatisduetomyselfandthemannerinwhichIoughttobetreatedbyyouinthepresenceofthesubordinateclergyofthediocese。Ishallnot，however，remainheretobeinsultedinthepresenceorabsenceofanyone。’Thentheconqueredamazoncollectedtogetherherweaponswhichshehadlaiduponthetable，andtookherdeparturewithmajesticstep，andnotwithouttheclangofarms。Thebishop，whenhewasleftalone，enjoyedforafewmomentsthetriumphofvictory。
Butthenhewasleftsoverymuchalone！Whenhelookedroundabouthimuponhissolitudeafterthedepartureofhiswife，andrememberedthatheshouldnotseeheragaintillheshouldencounterongroundthatwasallherown，heregrettedhisownsuccess，andwastemptedtofollowherandtoapologise。Hewasunabletoanythingalone。Hewouldnotevenknowhowtogethistea，astheveryservantswouldaskquestions，ifheweretodosounaccustomedathingastoorderittobebroughtuptohiminhissolitude。TheywouldtellhimthatMrsProudiewashavingteainherlittlesitting—roomupstairs，orelsethatthethingswerelaidinthedrawing—room。Hedidwanderforthtothelatterapartment，hopingthathemightfindhiswifethere；butthedrawing—roomwasdarkanddeserted，andsohewanderedbackagain。Itwasagrandthingcertainlytohavetriumphedoverhiswife，andtherewasacrumbofcomfortinthethoughtthathehadvindicatedhimselfbeforeMrThumble；butthegeneralresultwasnotcomforting，andheknewfromoldhowshort—livedhistriumphwouldbe。
Butwretchedashewasduringthateveninghedidemployhimselfwithsomeenergy。AftermuchthoughtheresolvedthathewouldagainwritetoMrCrawley，andsummonhimtoappearatthepalace。Indoingthishewouldatanyratebedoingsomething。Therewouldbeaction。AndthoughMrCrawleywould，ashethought，declinetoobeytheorder，somethingwouldbegainedevenbythatdisobedience。Sohewrotehissummons——sittingveryfortlessandallaloneonthatSundayevening——datinghisletter，however，forthefollowingday：——
’PALACE，December20，186—
’REVERENDSIR，’IhavejustheardfromMrThumblethatyouhavedeclinedtoaccedetothe...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：