MR CRAWLEY SPEAKS OF HIS COAT

At this time Grace had returned from Framley.  As long as the terrible tragedy of the forthcoming trial was dragging itself on she had been content to stay away, at her mother’s bidding.  It has not been possible in these pages to tell of all the advice that had been given to the ladies of the Crawley family in their great difficulty, and of all the assistance that had been offered.  The elder Lady Lufton and the younger, and Mrs Robarts had continually been in consultation on the subject; Mrs Grantly’s opinion had been asked and given; and even the Miss Prettymans and Mrs Walker had found means of expressing themselves.  The communications to Mrs Crawley had been very frequent—­though they had not of course been allowed to reach the ears of Mr Crawley.  What was to be done when the living should be gone and Mr Crawley should be in prison?  Some said that he might be there for six weeks, and some for two years.  Old Lady Lufton made anxious inquiries about Judge Medlicote, before whom it was said that the trial would be taken.  Judge Medlicote was a Dissenter, and old Lady Lufton was in despair.  When she was assured by some liberally-disposed friend that this would certainly make no difference, she shook her head woefully.  ’I don’t know why we are to have Dissenteres at all,’ she said, ’to try people who belong to the Established Church.’  When she heard that Judge Medlicote would certainly be the judge, she made up her mind that two years would be the least of it.  She would not have minded, she said, if he had been a Roman Catholic.  And whether the punishment might be for six weeks or for two years, what should be done with the family?  Where should they be housed?  How should they be fed?  What should be done with the poor man when he came out of prison?  It was a case in which the generous, soft-hearted old Lady Lufton was almost beside herself.  ‘As for Grace,’ said young Lady Lufton, ’it will be a great deal better that we should keep her amongst us.  Of course she will become Mrs Grantly, and it will be nicer for her that it should be so.’  In those days the posters had been seen, and the flitting to Pau had been talked of, and the Framley opinion was that Grace had better remain at Framley till she should be carried off to Pau.  There were schemes, too, about Jane, but what was to be done for the wife?  And what was to be done for Mr Crawley?  Then came the news from Mrs Arabin, and all interest in Judge Medlicote was at an end.

But even now, after this great escape, what was to be done?  As to Grace, she had felt the absolute necessity of being obedient to her friends—­with the consent of course of her mother—­during the great tribulation of her family.  Things were so bad that she had not the heart to make them worse by giving any unnecessary trouble as to herself.  Having resolved—­and having made her mother so understand—­that on one point she would guide herself by her own feelings, she was contented