ight and wrong, and no consideration of aught
beside. I have been growing to feel, for some weeks past, that
circumstances,--whether through my own fault or not is an outside
question as to which I will not further delay you by offering even an
opinion,--that unfortunate circumstances have made me unfit to remain
here as guardian of the souls of the people of this parish. Then
there came to me the letter from Dr. Tempest,--for which I am greatly
beholden to him,--strengthening me altogether in this view. What
could I do then, Mr. Robarts? Could I allow myself to think of my
wife and my children when such a question as that was before me for
self-discussion?"

"I would,--certainly," said Robarts.

"No sir! Excuse the bluntness of my contradiction, but I feel assured
that in such emergency you would look solely to duty,--as by God's
help I will endeavour to do. Mr. Robarts, there are many of us who in
many things are much worse than we believe ourselves to be. But in
other matters, and perhaps of larger moment, we can rise to ideas of
duty as the need for such ideas comes upon us. I say not this at all
as praising myself. I speak of men as I believe that they will be
found to be;--of yourself, of myself, and of others who strive to
live with clean hands and a clear conscience. I do not for a moment
think that you would retain your benefice at Framley if there had
come upon you, after much thought, an assured conviction that you
could not retain it without grievous injury to the souls of others
and grievous sin to your own. Wife and children, dear as they are to
you and to me,--as dear to me as to you,--fade from the sight when
the time comes for judgment on such a matter as that!" They were
standing quite still now, facing each other, and Crawley, as he spoke
with a low voice, looked straight into his friend's eyes, and kept
his hand firmly fixed on his friend's arm.

"I cannot interfere further," said Robarts.

"No,--you cannot interfere further." Robarts, when he told the story
of the interview to his wife that evening, declared that he had never
heard a voice so plaintively touching as was the voice of Mr. Crawley
when he uttered those last words.

They turned back to the servant and the house almost without a word,
and Robarts mounted without offering to see Mrs. Crawley. Nor did Mr
Crawley ask him to do so. It was better now that Robarts should go.
"May God send you through all your troubles," said Mr. Robarts.