MrThumblescrambledintothereading—desksometenminutesafterthepropertime，andwentthroughthemorningserviceunder，whatmustbeadmittedtobe，seriousdifficulties。ThereweretheeyesofMrCrawleyfixeduponhimthroughoutthework，andafeelingpervadedhimthateverybodythereregardedhimasanintruder。AtfirstthiswassostronguponhimthatMrCrawleypitiedhim，andwouldhaveencouragedhimhaditbeenpossible。Butastheworkprogressed，andascustomandthesoundofhisownvoiceemboldenedhim，therecametothemansometouchesofthearrogancewhichsogenerallyaccompaniescowardice，andMrCrawley’sacuteeardetectedthemomentwhenitwasso。Anobservermighthaveseenthatthemotionofhishandswasalteredastheywereliftedinprayer。Thoughhewaspraying，eveninprayerhecouldnotforgetthemanwhowasoccupyingthedesk。
Thencamethesermon，preachedveryoftenbefore，lastingexactlyhalf—an—hour，andthenMrThumble’sworkwasdone。Itinerantclergymen，whopreachnowhereandnowthere，asithadbeenthelotofMrThumbletodo，haveatanyratethisrelief——thattheycanpreachtheirsermonsoften。Fromthecommunion—tableMrThumblehadstatedthat，inthepresentpeculiarcircumstancesoftheparish，therewouldbenosecondserviceatHogglestockforthepresent；andthiswasallhesaidordidpeculiartotheoccasion。Themomentoftheservicewasoverandhegotintohisgig，andwasdrivenbacktoBarchester。
’Mamma，’saidJane，astheysatatdinner，’suchasermonIamsurewasneverheardinHogglestockbefore。Indeed，youcanhardlycallitasermon。Itwasdownrightnonsense。’
’Mydear，’saidMrCrawleyenergetically，’keepyourcriticismsformattersthatareprofane；then，thoughtheybechildishandsilly，theymayatleastbeinnocent。BecriticalofEurypides，ifyoumustbecritical。’ButwhenJanekissedherfatherafterdinner，she，knowinghishumourwell，feltassuredthatherremarkshadnotbeentakenaltogetherinillpart。
MrThumblewasneitherseennorheardofagainintheparishduringtheentireweek。
CHAPTERLXX
MRSARABINISCAUGHT
OnemorningaboutthemiddleofAprilMrToogoodreceivedatelegramfromVenicewhichcausedhiminstantlytoleavehisbusinessinBedfordRowandtakethefirsttrainforSilverbridge。’Itseemstomethatthisjobwillbeadealoftimeandverylittlemoney，’saidhispartnertohim，whenToogoodonthespurofthemomentwasmakingarrangementsforhissuddendepartureanduncertainperiodofabsence。’That’saboutit，’
saidToogood。’Adealoftime，someexpense，andnoreturns。Itisnotthekindofbusinessamancanliveupon，isit？’Thepartnergrowled，andToogoodwent。ButwemustgowithMrToogooddowntoSilverbridge，andaswecannotmakethejourneyinthischapter，wewilljustindicatehisdepartureandthengobacktoJohnEames，who，aswillberemembered，wasjuststartingforFlorencewhenwelastsawhim。
OurdearoldfriendJohnnyhadbeenratherproudofhimselfashestartedfromLondon。HehadgottenanabsolutevictoryoverSirRaffleBuffle，andthatalonewasgratifyingtohisfeelings。Helikedtheexcitementofajourney，andespeciallyajourneytoItaly；andtheimportanceofthecauseofhisjourneywassatisfactorytohim。ButaboveallthingshewasdelightedathavingfoundthatLilyDalewaspleasedathisgoing。Hehadseenclearlythatshewasmuchpleased，andthatshehadmadesomethingofaheroofhimbecauseofhisalacrityinthecauseofhiscousin。Hehadpartiallyunderstood——andhadunderstoodinadimsortofway——thathiswantoffavourinLily’seyeshadcomefromsomedeficiencyofhisowninthisrespect。Shehadnotfoundhimtobeahero。Shehadknownhimfirstasaboy，withboyishbelongingsaroundhim，andshehadseenhimfromtimetotimeashebecameaman，almostwithtoomuchintimacyforthecreationofthatlovewithwhichhewishedtofillherheart。HisrivalhadcomebeforehereyesforthefirsttimewithallthegloriesofPallMallheroismabouthim，andLilyinherweaknesshadbeenconqueredbythem。Sincethatshehadlearnedhowweakshehadbeen——howsilly，howchildish，shewouldsaytoherselfwhensheallowedhermemorytogobacktothedetailsofherownstory；
butnotthelessonthataccountdidshefeelthewantofsomethingheroicinamanbeforeshecouldteachherselftolookuponhimasmoreworthyofherregardthanothermen。ShehadstillunconsciouslyhopedinregardtoCrosbie，butnowthathopehadbeendispelledasunconsciously，bysimplybyhisappearance。TherehadbeenmomentsinwhichJohnEameshadalmostrisentothenecessarypoint——hadalmostmadegoodhisfootingonthetopofsomemoderate，butstillsufficientmountain。Buttherehadstillbeasuccessionoflittletumbles——unfortunatelyslipsforwhichhehimselfshouldnotalwayshavebeenheldresponsible；andhehadneverquitestooduprightonhispinnacle，visibletoLily’seyesasbeingreallyexcelsior。OfallthisJohnEameshimselfhadaninklingwhichhadoftenmadehimuncomfortable。Whatthemischiefwasitshewantedofhim；andwhatwashetodo？Thedaysforpluckinggloryfromthenettledangerwerecleangoneby。Hewaswelldressed。Heknewagoodmanyoftherightsortofpeople。Hewasnotindebt。Hehadsavedanoldnobleman’slifeonceuponatime，andhadbeenagooddealtalkedaboutonthatscore。Hehadeventhrashedthemanwhohadill—treatedher。HisconstancyhadbeenastheconstancyofJacob！
Whatwasitthatshewantedofhim？Butinacertainwayhedidknowwhatwaswanted；andnow，ashestartedforFlorence，intendingtostopnowheretillhereachedthatcity，hehopedthatbythischivalrousjourneyhemightevenyetachievethethingnecessary。
ButonreachingParisheheardtidingsofMrsArabinwhichinducedhimtochangehisplansandmakeforVeniceinsteadofforFlorence。A
bankeratParis，whowhomhehadbroughtaletter，toldhimthatMrsArabinwouldnowbefoundatVenice。Thisdidnotperplexhimatall。ItwouldhavebeendelightfultohaveseenFlorence——butwasmoredelightfulstilltoseeVenice。HisjourneywasthesameasfarasTurin；butfromTurinheproceededthroughMilantoVenice，insteadofgoingtoBolognatoFlorence。HehadfortunatelycomearmedwithanAustrianpassport——aswasnecessaryinthosebygonedaysofVenice’sthraldom。Hewasalmostproudofhimself，asthoughhehaddonesomethinggreat，whenhetumbledintohisinnatVenice，withouthavingbeeninbedsinceheleftLondon。
Buthewasbarelyallowedtoswiminagondola，foronreachingVenicehefoundthatMrsArabinhadgonebacktoFlorence。HehadbeendirectedtothehotelwhichMrsArabinhadused，andwastheretoldthatshehadstartedthedaybefore。Shehadreceivedsomeletter，fromherhusbandasthelandlordthought，andhaddoneso。Thatwasallthelandlordknew。Johnnywasvexed，butbecamealittleprouderthanbeforeashefeltittobehisdutytogoontoFlorencebeforehewenttobed。Therewouldbeanothernightinarailwaycarriage，buthewouldlivethroughit。Therewasjusttimetohaveatub，andabreakfast，toswiminagondola，tolookattheoutsideoftheDoge’spalace，andtowalkupanddownthepiazzabeforehestartedagain。Itwashardwork，butIthinkhewouldhavebeenpleasedhadheheardthatMrsArabinhadretreatedfromFlorencetoRome。Hadsuchbeenthecase，hewouldhavefoldedhiscloakaroundhim，andhavegoneon——regardlessofbrigands——thinkingofLily，andwonderingwhetheranybodyelsehadeverdonesomuchbeforewithoutgoingtobed。Asitwas，hefoundthatMrsArabinwasatthehotelinFlorence——stillinbed，ashehadarrivedearlyinthemorning。
Sohehadanothertub，anotherbreakfast，andsentuphiscard——’MrJohnEames’——andacrossthetopofithewrote，’hascomefromEnglandaboutMrCrawley。’Thenhethrewhimselfonasofainthehotelreading—room，andwentfasttosleep。
Johnhadfoundanopportunityoftalkingtoayoungladyinthebreakfast—room，andhadtoldherofhisdeeds。’IonlyleftLondononTuesdaynight，andIhavecomeheretakingVeniceontheroad。’
’Thenyouhavetravelledfast，’saidtheyounglady。
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