‘Very possibly.  I don’t deny it.  Probably,’ said the bishop, whose eloquence was somewhat disturbed by Mr Crawley’s ready acquiescence.

‘Of course they were right,’ said Mrs Proudie.

‘At any rate it is so,’ said the bishop.  ’You are in a position of a man amenable to the criminal laws of the land.’

‘There are no criminal laws, my lord,’ said Mr Crawley; ’but to such laws as there are we are all amenable—­your lordship and I alike.’

’But you are so in a very particular way.  I do not wish to remind you what might be your condition now, but for the interposition of private friends.’

’I should be in the condition of a man not guilty before the law; —­guiltless as far as the law goes—­but kept in durance, nor for the faults of his own, but because otherwise, by reason of laches in the police, his presence at the assizes might not be ensured.  In such a position a man’s reputation is made to hang for a while on the trust which some friends or neighbours may have in it.  I do not say the test is a good one.’

’You would have been put in prison, Mr Crawley, because the magistrates were of the opinion that you had taken Mr Soames’s cheque,’ said Mrs Proudie.  On this occasion he did look at her.  He turned one glance upon her from under his eyebrows, but he did not speak.

‘With all that I have nothing to do,’ said the bishop.

‘Nothing whatever, my lord,’ said Mr Crawley.

‘But, bishop, I think you have,’ said Mrs Proudie.  ’The judgment formed by the magistrates as to the conduct of one of your clergymen makes it imperative upon you to act in the matter.’

’Yes, my dear, yes; I am coming to that.  What Mrs Proudie says is perfectly true.  I have been constrained most unwillingly to take action in the matter.  It is undoubtedly the fact that you must at the next assizes surrender yourself at the court-house yonder, to be tried for this offence against the laws.’

’That is true.  If I be alive, and have strength sufficient, I shall be there.’

‘You must be there,’ said Mrs Proudie.  ’The police will look to that, Mr Crawley.’  She was becoming very angry in that the man would not answer her a word.  On this occasion he did not even look at her.

‘Yes; you will be there,’ said the bishop.  ’Now that is, to say the least of it, an unseemly position for a beneficed clergyman.’

’You said before, my lord, that it was an unfortunate position, and the word, methinks, was better chosen.’

‘It is very unseemly, very unseemly indeed,’ said Mrs Proudie; ’nothing could possibly be more unseemly.  The bishop might very properly have used a much stronger word.’

‘Under these circumstances,’ continued the bishop, ’looking to the welfare of your parish, to the welfare of the diocese, and allow me to say, Mr Crawley, to the welfare of yourself also—­’

‘And especially the souls of the people,’ said Mrs Proudie.