MrToogoodlaughedtoo。Helaughedloudandcheerily。Andthenheaskedasuddenquestion，keepinghiseyeashedidsouponalittlesquareopenwindowwhichcommunicatedbetweenthelandlord’sprivateroomandthebar。Throughthissmallaperturehecouldseeashestoodaportionofthehatwornbythemanwiththerednose。Sincehehadbeenintheroomwiththelandlord，themanwiththerednosehadmovedhisheadtwice，oneachoccasiondrawinghimselfcloserintohiscorner；butMrToogood，bymovingalso，hadstillcontrivedtokeepamorselofthathatinsight。Helaughedcheerilyatthelandlord’sjoke，andthenheaskedasuddenquestion——lookingatthemorselofthathatashedidso。
’MrStringer，’saidhe，’howdoyoupayyourrent，andtowhomdoyoupayit？’Therewasimmediatelyajerkinthehat，andthenitdisappeared。Toogood，steppingtotheopendoor，sawthatthered—nosedclerkhadtakenhishatoffandwasverybusyathisaccounts。
’HowdoIpaymyrent？’saidMrStringer，thelandlord。’Well，sir，sincethiscursedgouthasbeensobad，it’shardenoughtopayitatallsometimes。Youain’theretolookforit，sir，areyou？’
’NotI，’saidToogood。’Itwasonlyachancequestion。’HefeltthathehadnothingmoretodowithMrStringer，thelandlord。MrStringer，thelandlord，knewnothingaboutMrSoames’scheque。’What’sthenameofyourclerk？’saidhe。
’Thenameofmyclerk？’saidMrStringer。’Whydoyouwanttoknowthenameofmyclerk？’
’Doesheeverpaytherentforyou？’
’Well，yes；hedoes，attimes。Hepaysitintothebankfortheladyasownsthishouse。Isthereanyreasonforyouaskingthesequestions，sir。Itisn’tusual，youknow，forastranger，sir。’
Toogoodthewholeofthistimewasstandingwithhiseyeuponthered—nosedman，andthered—nosedmancouldnotmove。Thered—nosedmanheardallthequestionsandthelandlord’sanswers，andcouldnotevenpretendthathedidnothearthem。’Iammycousin’sclerk，’saidhe，puttingonhishat，andcominguptoMrToogoodwithaswagger。’MynameisDanStringer，andI’mMrJohnStringer’scousin。I’velivedwithMrJohnStringerfortwelveyearandmore，andI’ma’mostaswellknowninBarchesterashimself。Haveyouanythingtosaytome，sir？’
’Well，yes；Ihave，’saidToogood。
’Ibelieveyou’retheoneofthemattorneysfromLondon？’saidMrDanStringer。
’That’strue。IamanattorneyfromLondon。’
’Ihopethere’snothingwrong？’saidthegoutyman，tryingtogetoffhischair，butnotsucceeding。’Ifthereisanythingwrongerthanusual，Dan，dotellme。Isthereanythingwrong，sir？’andthelandlordappealedpiteouslytoMrToogood。
’Neveryoumind，John，’saidDan。’Youkeepyourselfquiet，anddon’tanswernoneofhisquestions。He’soneofthemlowsort，heis。Iknowhim。IknowedhimforwhatheisdirectlyIsawhim。Ferretingabout——that’shisgame；toseeifthere’sanythingtobegot。’
’Butwhatisheferretingfor？’saidMrJohnStringer。
’I’mferretingforMrSoames’schequefortwentypounds，’saidMrToogood。
’That’sthechequetheparsonstole，’saidDanStringer。’He’stobetriedforitatthe’sizes。’
’You’veheardaboutMrSoamesandhischeque，andaboutMrCrawley，I
daresay？’saidMrToogood。
’I’veheardadealaboutthem，’saidthelandlord。
’Andso，Idaresay，haveyou？’saidToogood，turningtoDanStringer。
ButDanStringerdidnotseeminclinedtocarryontheconversationanyfurther。Whenhewashardlypressed，hedeclaredthathejusthadheardthattherewassomeparsonintroubleaboutasumofmoney；butthatheknewnomoreaboutitthanthat。Hedidn’tknowwhetheritwasachequeoranotethattheparsonhadtaken，andhadneverbeensufficientlyinterestedinthemattertomakeanyinquiry。
’Butyou’vejustsaidthatMrSoames’schequewasthechequetheparsonstole，’saidtheastonishedlandlord，turningwithopeneyes，uponhiscousin。
’Youbeblowed，’saidDanStringer，theclerk，toMrJohnStringer，thelandlord；andthenwalkedoutoftheroombacktothebar。
’Iunderstandnothingaboutit——nothingatall，’saidthegoutyman。
’Iunderstandnearlyallaboutit，’saidMrToogood，followingthered—nosedclerk。Therewasnonecessitythatheshouldtroublethelandlordanyfurther。Helefttheroom，andwentthroughthebar，andashepassedoutalongthehall，hefoundDanStringerwithhishatontalkingtothewaiter。Thewaiterimmediatelypulledhimselfup，andadjustedhisdirtynapkinunderhisarm，afterthefashionofwaiters，andshowedthatheintendedtobeciviltothecustomersofthehouse。
Butheoftherednosecockedhishat，andlookedwithinsolenceatMrToogood，anddefiedhim。’There’snothingIdohatesomuchasthemlow—bredOldBaileyattorneys，’saidMrDanStringertothewaiter，inavoiceintendedtoreachMrToogood’sears。ThenMrToogoodtoldhimselfthatDanStringerwasnotthethiefhimself，andthatitmightbeverydifficulttoprovethatDanhadevenbeenthereceiverofstolengoods。
Hehad，however，nodoubtinhisownmindbutthatsuchwasthecase。
Hefirstwenttothepoliceoffice，andthereexplainedhisbusiness。
NobodyatthepoliceofficepretendedtoforgetMrSoames’scheque，orMrCrawley’sposition。Theconstablewentsofarastoswearthattherewasn’taman，woman，orchildinallBarchesterwhowasnottalkingofMrCrawleyatthatpresentmoment。ThenMrToogoodwentwiththeconstabletotheprivatehouseofthemayor，andhadalittleconversationwiththemayor。’Notguilty！’saidthemayor，withincredulity，whenhefirstheardthenewsaboutCrawley。ButwhenheheardMrToogood’sstory，orasmuchofitasitwasnecessarythatheshouldhear，heyieldedreluctantly。’Dear，dear！’hesaid。’I’dhavebetanything’twashewhostoleit。’Andafterthathemayorwasquitesad。OnlyletusthinkwhatacomfortableexcitementitwouldcreatethroughoutEnglandifitwassurmisedthatanarchbishophadforgedadeed；andhowEnglandwouldlosewhenitwasdiscoveredthatthearchbishopwasinnocent！AsthearchbishopandhisforgerywouldbetoEngland，sowasMrCrawleyandthechequefortwentypoundstoBarchesteranditsmayor。Nevertheless，themayorpromisedhisassistancetoMrToogood。
MrToogood，stillneglectinghisred—nosedfriend，wentnexttothedeanery，hopingthathemightagainseeMrHarding。MrHardingwas，hewastold，tooilltobeseen。MrHarding，MrsBaxtersaid，couldneverbeseennowbystrangers，noryetbyfriends，unlesstheywereveryoldfriends。’There’sbeenadealofchangesinceyouwereherelast，sire。
Irememberyoucoming，sir。YouweretalkingtoMrHardingaboutthepoorclergymanasistobetried。’HedidnotstoptotellMrsBaxterthewholestoryofMrCrawley’sinnocence；buthavinglearnedthatamessagehadbeenreceivedtosaythatMrsArabinwouldbehomeonthenextTuesday——thisbeingFriday——hetookhisleaveofMrsBaxter。HisnextvisitwastoMrSoames，wholivedthreemilesoutinthecountry。
HefounditverydifficulttoconvinceMrSoames。MrSoameswasmorestaunchinhisbeliefofMrCrawley’sguiltthananyonewhomToogoodhadyetencountered。’Inevertookthechequeoutofhishouse，’saidMrSoames。’Butyouhavenotstatedthatonoath，’saidMrToogood。’No，’
rejoinedtheother；’andIneverwill。Ican’tsweartoit；butyetI’msureofit。’HeacknowledgedthathehadbeendrivenbyamannamedScuttle，andthatScuttlemighthavepickedupthecheque，ifithadbeendroppedinthegig。Butthechequehadnotbeendroppedinthegig。
ThechequehadbeendroppedinMrCrawley’shouse。’WhydidhesaythenthatIpaidittohim？’saidMrSoames，whenMrToogoodspokeconfidentlyofMrCrawley’sinnocence。’Ah，whyindeed？’answeredToogood。’Ifhehadnotbeenfoolenoughtodothat，weshouldhavebeensavedallthistrouble。Allthesame，hedidnotstealyourmoney，MrSoames；andJemScuttledidstealit。Unfortunately，JemScuttleisinNewZealandbythistime。’’Ofcourse，itispossible，’saidMrSoames，ashebowedMrToogoodout。MrSoamesdidnotlikeMrToogood。
ThateveningagentlemanwitharednoseaskedattheBarchesterstationforasecond—classtic...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：