l would be taken. Judge Medlicote was a Dissenter,
and old Lady Lufton was in despair. When she was assured by some
liberally-disposed friend that this would certainly make no
difference, she shook her head woefully. "I don't know why we are
to have Dissenters at all," she said, "to try people who belong to
the Established Church." When she heard that Judge Medlicote would
certainly be the judge, she made up her mind that two years would be
the least of it. She would not have minded it, she said, if he had
been a Roman Catholic. And whether the punishment might be for six
weeks or for two years, what should be done with the family? Where
should they be housed? How should they be fed? What should be done
with the poor man when he came out of prison? It was a case in which
the generous, soft-hearted old Lady Lufton was almost beside herself.
"As for Grace," said young Lady Lufton, "it will be a great deal
better that we should keep her amongst us. Of course she will become
Mrs. Grantly, and it will be nicer for her that it should be so." In
those days the posters had been seen, and the flitting to Pau had
been talked of, and the Framley opinion was that Grace had better
remain at Framley till she should be carried off to Pau. There were
schemes, too, about Jane. But what was to be done for the wife? And
what was to be done for Mr. Crawley? Then came the news from Mrs
Arabin, and all interest in Judge Medlicote was at an end.

But even now, after this great escape, what was to be done? As to
Grace, she had felt the absolute necessity of being obedient to her
friends,--with the consent of course of her mother,--during the
great tribulation of her family. Things were so bad that she had
not the heart to make them worse by giving any unnecessary trouble
as to herself. Having resolved,--and having made her mother so
understand,--that on one point she would guide herself by her own
feelings, she was contented to go hither and thither as she was
told, and to do as she was bid. Her hope was that Miss Prettyman
would allow her to go back to her teaching, but it had come to be
understood among them all that nothing was to be said on that subject
till the trial should be over. Till that time she would be passive.
But then, as I have said, had come the news from Mrs. Arabin, and
Grace, with all the others, understood that there would be no trial.
When this was known and acknowledged, she declared her purpose of
going back to Hoggles