ll the
bishop." In these days Mr. Thumble was very angry with the bishop, for
the bishop had not yet seen him since the death of Mrs. Proudie.

Mr. Snapper had no alternative but to go to the bishop. The bishop
in these days was very mild to those whom he saw, given but to few
words, and a little astray,--as though he had had one of his limbs
cut off,--as Mr. Snapper expressed it to Mrs. Snapper. "I shouldn't
wonder if he felt as though all his limbs were cut off," said Mrs
Snapper; "you must give him time, and he'll come round by-and-by."
I am inclined to think that Mrs. Snapper's opinion of the bishop's
feelings and condition was correct. In his difficulty respecting
Hogglestock and Mr. Thumble, Mr. Snapper went to the bishop, and spoke
perhaps a little too harshly of Mr. Thumble.

"I think, upon the whole, Snapper, that you had better go yourself,"
said the bishop.

"Do you think so, my lord?" said Snapper. "It will be inconvenient."

"Everything is inconvenient; but you'd better go. And look here,
Snapper, if I were you, I wouldn't say anything out at Hogglestock
about the cheque. We don't know what it may come to yet." Mr. Snapper,
with a heavy heart, left his patron, not at all liking the task that
was before him. But his wife encouraged him to be obedient. He was
the owner of a one-horse carriage, and the work was not, therefore,
so hard on him as it would have been and had been to poor Mr. Thumble.
And, moreover, his wife promised to go with him. Mr. Snapper and
Mrs. Snapper did go over to Hogglestock, and the duty was done. Mrs
Snapper spoke a word or two to Mrs. Crawley, and Mr. Snapper spoke a
word or two to Mr. Crawley; but not a word was said about the news as
to Mr. Soames's cheque, which were now almost current in Barchester.
Indeed, no whisper about it had as yet reached Hogglestock.

"One word with you, reverend sir," said Mr. Crawley to the chaplain,
as the latter was coming out of the church, "as to the parish work,
sir, during the week;--I should be glad if you would favour me with
your opinion."

"About what, Mr. Crawley?"

"Whether you think that I may be allowed, without scandal, to visit
the sick,--and to give instruction in the school."

"Surely;--surely, Mr. Crawley. Why not?"

"Mr. Thumble gave me to understand that the bishop was very
urgent that I should interfere in no way in the ministrations
of the parish. Twice did he enjoin on me that I should not
interfere,--unnecessarily,