not venture to ask such a question, Dr. Tempest," he said,
"unless I had the strongest possible reason to justify my anxiety."

"I don't know that I can tell you anything, Major Grantly," said the
doctor. "We did not even see Mr. Crawley to-day. But the real truth is
that he must stand or fall as the jury shall find him guilty or not
guilty. It would be the same in any profession. Could a captain in
the army hold up his head in his regiment after he had been tried and
found guilty of stealing twenty pounds?"

"I don't think he could," said the major.

"Neither can a clergyman," said the doctor. "The bishop can neither
make him nor mar him. It is the jury that must do it."

CHAPTER LV

Framley Parsonage

At this time Grace Crawley was at Framley Parsonage. Old Lady
Lufton's strategy had been quite intelligible, but some people said
that in point of etiquette and judgment and moral conduct, it was
indefensible. Her vicar, Mr. Robarts, had been selected to be one
of the clergymen who was to sit in ecclesiastical judgment upon
Mr. Crawley, and while he was so sitting Mr. Crawley's daughter was
staying in Mr. Robarts's house as a visitor with his wife. It might
be that there was no harm in this. Lady Lufton, when the apparent
impropriety was pointed out to her by no less a person than
Archdeacon Grantly, ridiculed the idea. "My dear archdeacon," Lady
Lufton had said, "we all know the bishop to be such a fool and the
bishop's wife to be such a knave, that we cannot allow ourselves
to be governed in this matter by ordinary rules. Do you not think
that it is expedient to show how utterly we disregard his judgment
and her malice?" The archdeacon had hesitated much before he spoke
to Lady Lufton, whether he should address himself to her or to Mr
Robarts,--or indeed to Mrs. Robarts. But he had become aware that the
proposition as to the visit had originated with Lady Lufton, and he
had therefore decided on speaking to her. He had not condescended
to say a word as to his son, nor would he so condescend. Nor could
he go from Lady Lufton to Mr. Robarts, having once failed with her
ladyship. Indeed, in giving him his due, we must acknowledge that
his disapprobation of Lady Lufton's strategy arose rather from his
true conviction as to its impropriety, than from any fear lest
this attention paid to Miss Crawley should tend to bring about
her marriage with his son. By this time he hated the very name of
Crawley. He hated