‘Oh, no,’ said Mrs Crawley, ’how can you have been at fault when your only object was to do us good?’ But, nevertheless, the dean took the blame upon his own shoulders, or, rather, upon those of his wife, and declared himself to be responsible for all the trouble about the cheque.

‘Let it go,’ said Crawley, after sitting awhile in silence; ’let it pass.’

‘You cannot wonder, Crawley,’ said the dean, ’that I should have felt myself obliged to speak of it.’

‘For the future it will be well that it should be forgotten,’ said Crawley; ’or, if not forgotten, treated as though forgotten.  And now, dean, what must I do about the living?’

‘Just resume it, as though nothing happened.’

’But that may hardly be done without the bishop’s authority.  I speak, of course, with deference to your higher and better information on such subjects.  My experience in the taking up and laying down of livings has not been extended.  But it seemeth to me that though it may certainly be in your power to nominate me again to the perpetual curacy of the parish—­presuming your patronage to be unlimited and not to reach you in rotation only—­yet the bishop may demand to institute again, and must so demand, unless he pleases to permit that my letter to him shall be revoked and cancelled.’

’Of course he will do anything of that kind.  He must know the circumstances as well as you and I do.’

’At present they tell me he is much afflicted by the death of his wife, and, therefore, can hardly be expected to take immediate action.  There came on the last Sunday one Mr Snapper, his chaplain.’

‘We all know Snapper,’ said the dean.  ’Snapper is not a bad little fellow.’

’I say nothing of his being bad, my friend, but merely mention the fact that on Sunday morning last he performed the service in our church.  On the Sunday previous Mr Thumble was here.’

‘We all know Thumble, too,’ said the dean; ’or, at least, we know something about him.’

‘He has been a thorn in our sides,’ said Mrs Crawley, unable to restrain the expression of her dislike when Mr Thumble’s name was mentioned.

’Nay, my dear, nay;—­do not allow yourself the use of language so strong against a brother.  Our flesh at that time was somewhat prone to fester, and little thorns made us very sore.’

‘He is a horrible man,’ said Jane, almost in a whisper; but the words were distinctly audible to the dean.

‘They need not come any more,’ said Arabin.

’That is where I fear we differ.  I think they must come—­or some others in their place—­till the bishop shall have expressed his pleasure to the contrary.  I have submitted myself to his lordship, and, having done so, I feel that I cannot again go up into my pulpit till he shall have authorised me to do so.  For a time, Arabin, I combatted the bishop, believing—­then as now—­that he put forth his hand against me after a fashion which the law had not sanctioned.  And I made bold to stand in his presence and tell him that I would not obey him, except in things legal.  But afterwards, when he proceeded formally, through the action of a commission, I submitted myself.  And I regard myself still as being under his submission.’