’IwastakenbeforethemagistratesatSilverbridge，andwasbythemcommittedtostandmytrialattheassizestobeholdeninBarchesteronthetwenty—eighthofthismonth。
Withoutdoubt，themagistrateshadnotalternativebuttocommitme，andIamindebtedtothemthattheyhaveallowedmemypresentlibertyuponbail。Thatmysufferingsinallthisshouldhavebeengrievous，youwillunderstand。ButonthatheadIshallnottouch，wereitnotthatIamboundtoexplaintoyouthatmytroubleswithreferencetothisparishofHogglestock，towhichIwasappointedbyyou，havenotbeentheslightestofthosesufferings。Ifeltatfirst，believingthenthattheworldaroundmewouldthinkitunlikelythatsuchaoneasIhadwilfullystolenasumofmoney，thatitwasmydutytomaintainmyselfinmychurch。
Ididsomaintainmyselfagainstanattackmadeuponmebythebishop，whosentovertoHogglestockoneMrThumble，agentlemandoubtlessinholyorders，thoughIknownothingandcanlearnnothingoftheplaceofhiscure，todispossessmeofmypulpitandtoremovemefrommyministrationsamongmypeople。ToMrThumbleIturnedadeafear，andwouldnotlethimsomuchasopenhismouthinsidetheporchofmychurch。UptothistimeImyselfhavereadtheservices，andhavepreachedtothepeople，andhavecontinued，asbestIcould，myvisitstothepoorandmylaboursintheschool，thoughIknow——nooneknowsaswell——howunfittedIamforsuchworkbythegriefwhichhasfallenuponme。
’Thenthebishopsentforme，andIthoughtitbecomingonmyparttogotohim。Ipresentedmyselftohislordshipathispalace，andwasmindedtobemuchgovernedinmyconductbywhathemightsaytome，rememberingthatIamboundtorespecttheoffice，eventhoughImaynotapproveoftheman；andIhumbledmyselfbeforehislordship，waitingpatientlyforanydirectionswhichheinhisdiscretionmightthinkitpropertobestowonme。Buttherearoseupbetweenusthatverypestilentwoman，hiswife——tohisdismay，seemingly，asmuchastomine——andshewouldletthereplacefornospeechbutherown。Iftherebeaughtcleartomeinecclesiasticalmatters，itisthis——thatnoauthoritycanbedelegatedtoafemale。Thespeciallawsofthisandofsomeothercountriesdoallowthatwomenshallsituponthetemporalthronesoftheearth，butontheloweststepofthethroneoftheChurchnowomanhasbeenallowedtositasbearingauthority，theromantictaleofthewomanPopenotwithstanding。Thereupon，Ileftthepalaceinwrath，feelingmyselfaggrievedthatawomanshouldhaveattemptedtodictatetome，andfindingithopelesstogetaclearinstructionfromhislordship——thewomantakingupthewordwheneverIputaquestiontomylordthebishop。
Nothing，therefore，cameofthatinterviewbutfruitlesslabourtomyself，andanger，ofwhichIhavesincebeenashamed。
’SincethattimeIhavecontinuedinmyparish——working，notwithoutzeal，though，intruth，almostwithouthope——andlearningevenfromdaytodaythattheopinionofmenaroundmehavedeclaredmetobeguiltyofthecrimeimputedtome。
AndnowthebishophasissuedacommissionaspreparatorytoproceedingsagainstmeundertheActforthepunishmentforclericaloffences。Indoingthis，Icannotsaythatthebishophasbeenill—advised，eventhoughtheadvicemayhavecomefromthatevil—tonguedlady，hiswife。AndIholdthatawomanmaybecalleduponforadvice，withmostsalutaryeffect，inaffairsastowhichanyshowoffemaleauthorityshouldbeequallyfalseandpernicious。Withmeithaseverbeenso，andIhavehadacounsellorbymeaswiseasshehasbeendevoted。’ItmustbenoticedthatinthedraftcopyofhisletterwhichMrCrawleygavetohiswifetoreadthislastsentencewasnotinserted。Intendingthatsheshouldreadhisletter，heomittedittillhemadethefaircopy。
’OverthiscommissionhislordshiphasappointedDrTempestofSilverbridgetopreside，andwithhimIhavebeenincommunication。Itrustthatthelaboursofthegentlemenofwhomitiscomposedmaybebroughttoaspeedyclose；and，havingregardtotheirtrouble，IhaveinformedDrTempestthatIshouldwritethislettertoyouwiththeintentandassuredpurposeofresigningtheperpetualcuracyofHogglestockinyourhands。
’Youwillbegoodenough，therefore，tounderstandthatIdosoresigntheliving，andthatIshallcontinuetoadministertheservicesoftheChurchonlytillsomeclergyman，certifiedtomeascomingfromyouorfromthebishop，maypresenthimselfintheparish，andshalldeclarehimselfpreparedtoundertakethecure。ShoulditbesothatMrThumblebesenthitheragain，Iwillsitunderhim，endeavouringtocatchimprovementfromhisteaching，andstrivingtoovercomethecontemptwhichIfeltforhimwhenhebeforevisitedthisparish。IannexbeneathmysignatureacopyoftheletterwhichIhavewrittentothebishoponthissubject。
’Andnowitbehovesme，astheguardianshipofthesoulsofthosewasplacedinmyhandsbyyou，toexplaintoyouasshortlyasmaybepossiblethereasonswhichhadinducedmetoabandonmywork。OneortwowhosejudgmentIdonotdiscredit——andIamallowedtonameDrTempestofSilverbridgeasone——havesuggestedtomethatIshouldtakenosteptillaftermytrial。TheythinkthatIshouldhaveregardtothechanceoftheverdict，sothattheprefermentmaystillbemineshouldIbeacquitted；andtheysay，thatshouldIbeacquitted，thebishop’sactionagainstmemustofnecessitycease。ThattheyarerightinthesefactsIdonotdoubt；butingivingsuchadvicetheylookonlytothefacts，havingnoregardtotheconscience。Idonotblamethem。Ishouldgivesuchadvicemyself，knowingthatafriendmaygivecounselastoouterthings，butthatamanmustsatisfyhisinnerconsciencebyhisownperceptionsofwhatisrightandwhatiswrong。
’Ifindmyselftobeill—spokenof，toberegardedwithhardeyesbythosearoundme，mypeoplethinkingthatIhavestolenthismoney。Twofarmersinthisparish，have，asIamaware，expressedopinionsthatnojurycouldacquitmehonestly，andneitherofthesemenhaveappearedinmychurchsincetheexpressionofthatopinion。Idoubtwhethertheyhavegonetootherchurches；andifnottheyhavebeendeterredfromallpublicworshipbymypresence。Ifthisbeso，howcanIwithaclearconscienceremainamongthesemen？ShallItakefromtheirhandswagesforthoseadministrations，whichtheirdeliberatelyformedopinionswillnotallowthemtoacceptfrommyhands？’Andyet，thoughhethuspleadedagainsthimself，heknewthatthetwomenofwhomhewasspeakingwerethick—headeddoltswhowerealwaystipsyinSaturdaynights，andwhocametochurchperhapsonceinthreeweeks。
’Yourkindheartwilldoubtlesspromptyoutotellmethatnoclergymancouldbesafeinhisparishifheweretoallowtheopinionofchanceparishionerstoprevailagainsthim；
andyouwouldprobablylaydownformyguidancethegrandolddoctrine"Nilconsciresibi；nullapallescereculpa。"
Presumingthatyoumaydoso，Iwillacknowledgesuchguidancetobegood。Ifmymindwereclearinthismatter，I
wouldnotbudgeaninchforanyfarmer——no，norforanybishop，furtherthanhemightbylawcompelme！Butmymindisnotclear。Idogrowpale，andmyhairsstandsonendwithhorror，asIconfesstomyselfthatIdonotknowwhetherIstolethismoneyorno！Suchisthefact。InallsincerityItellyouthatIknownotwhetherIbeguiltyorinnocent。ItmaybethatIpickedupthechequefromthefloorofmyroom，andafterwardstookitoutandusedit，notknowingwhenceithadcometome。Ifitbeso，Istoleit，andamguiltybeforethelawsofmycountry。Ifitbeso，IamnotfittoadministertheLord’ssacramentstothesepeople。WhenthecupwaslastinmyhandandIwasblessingthem，IfeltthatIwasnotfit，andIalmostdroppedthechalice。ThatGodwillknowmyweaknessandpardonmetheperplexityofmymind——thatisbetweenHimandHiscreature。
’AsIreadmyletterovertomyselfIfeelhowweakaremywords，andhowinefficienttoexplaintoyoutheexactpositioninwhichIstand；buttheywillsufficetoconvinceyouthatIamassuredlypurposedtoresignthisparishofHogglestock，andthatitisthereforeincumbentonyou，aspatronoftheliving，tonominatemysuccessortothebenefice。Ihaveonlyfurthertoaskyourpardonforthislongletter，andtothankyouagainforthemanyandgreatmarksof...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：