im. There was a palace faction in the
diocese, and an anti-palace faction. Mr. Thumble and Mr. Quiverful
belonged to one, and Mr. Oriel and Mr. Robarts to the other. Mr. Thumble
was too weak to stick to his faction against the strength of such
a man as Dr. Tempest. Mr. Quiverful would be too indifferent to do
so,--unless his interest was concerned. Mr. Oriel would be too
conscientious to regard his own side on such an occasion as this.
But Mark Robarts would be sure to support his friends and oppose
his enemies, let the case be what it might. "Now, gentlemen, if
you please, we will go into the other room," said Dr. Tempest. They
went into the other room, and there they found five chairs arranged
for them round the table. Not a word had as yet been said about Mr
Crawley, and no one of the four strangers knew whether Mr. Crawley was
to appear before them on that day or not.

"Gentlemen," said Dr. Tempest, seating himself at once in an arm-chair
placed at the middle of the table, "I think it will be well to
explain to you at first what, as I regard the matter, is the extent
of the work which we are called upon to perform. It is of its nature
very disagreeable. It cannot but be so, let it be ever so limited.
Here is a brother clergyman and a gentleman, living among us, and
doing his duty, as we are told, in a most exemplary manner; and
suddenly we hear that he is accused of theft. The matter is brought
before the magistrates, of whom I myself was one, and he was
committed for trial. There is therefore prima facie evidence of his
guilt. But I do not think that we need go into the question of his
guilt at all." When he said this, the other four all looked up at him
in astonishment. "I thought that we had been summoned here for that
purpose," said Mr. Robarts. "Not at all, as I take it," said the
doctor. "Were we to commence any such inquiry, the jury would have
given their verdict before we could come to any conclusion; and
it would be impossible for us to oppose that verdict, whether it
declares this unfortunate gentleman to be innocent or to be guilty.
If the jury shall say that he is innocent, there is an end of the
matter altogether. He would go back to his parish amidst the sympathy
and congratulations of his friends. That is what we should all wish."

"Of course it is," said Mr. Robarts. They all declared that was their
desire, as a matter of course; and Mr. Thumble said it louder than any
one else.

"But if he be f