‘Oh, Conway, what am I to do? What am
I to do?’ said Mrs Dobbs Broughton. Dalrymple
stood perplexed for a few minutes, and could not tell
her what she was to do. She was in such a position
that it was very hard to tell her what she was to
do. ’Do you believe, Conway, that he is
really ruined?’
‘What am I to say? How am I to know?’
‘I see that you believe it,’ said the
wretched woman.
’I cannot but believe that there is something
of truth in what this woman says. Why else should
she come here with such a story?’ Then there
was a pause, during which Mrs Broughton was burying
her face on the arm of the sofa. ‘I’ll
tell you what I’ll do,’ continued he.
’I’ll go into the City and make inquiry.
It can hardly be but what I shall learn the truth
there.’
Then there was another pause, at the end of which
Mrs Broughton got up from the sofa.
‘Tell me,’ said she:—’what
do you mean about that girl?’
‘You heard me ask her to be my wife?’
‘I did! I did!’
‘Is it not what you intended?’
’Do not ask me. My mind is bewildered.
My brain is on fire! Oh, Conway!’
‘Shall I go into the City as I proposed?’
said Dalrymple, who felt that he might at any rate
improve the position of circumstances by leaving the
house.
’Yes;—yes; go into the City!
Go anywhere. Go. But stay! Oh,
Conway!’ There was a sudden change in her voice
as she spoke. ‘Hark—there he
is, as sure as life.’ Then Conway listened,
and heard a footstep on the stairs, as to which he
had then but little doubt that it was the footstep
of Dobbs Broughton. ‘O heavens! He
is tipsy!’ exclaimed Mrs Broughton; ‘and
what shall we do?’ Then Dalrymple took her hand
and pressed it; and left the room, so that he might
meet the husband on the stairs. In the one moment
that he had for reflection he thought it was better
that there should be no concealment.
‘It’s dogged as does
it’
In accordance with the resolution to which the clerical
commission had come on the first day of their sitting,
Dr Tempest wrote the following letter to Mr Crawley:-
’Rectory, Silverbridge, April, 9,
186-
’dear sir,
’I have been given to understand that you have
been informed that the Bishop of Barchester has appointed
a commission of clergymen of the diocese to make inquiry
respecting certain accusations which, to the great
regret of us all, have been made against you, in respect
of a cheque for twenty pounds which was passed by
you to a tradesman of the town. The clergymen
appointed to form this commission are Mr Oriel, the
rector of Greshamsbury, Mr Robarts, the vicar of Framley,
Mr Quiverful, the warden of Hiram’s Hospital
at Barchester, and Mr Thumble, a clergyman established
in that city, and myself. We held our first meeting
on last Monday, and I now write to you in compliance
with a resolution to which we came. Before taking
any other steps we thought it best to ask you to attend
us here on next Monday, at two o’clock, and
I beg that you will accept this letter as an invitation
to that effect.
