id not belong to him. Now, episcopal authority admits of being
stretched or contracted according to the character of the bishop who
uses it. It is not always easy for a bishop himself to know what he
may do, and what he may not do. He may certainly give advice to any
clergyman in his diocese, and he may give it in such form that it
will have in it something of authority. Such advice coming from a
dominant bishop to a clergyman with a submissive mind, has in it very
much of authority. But Bishop Proudie knew that Mr. Crawley was not a
clergyman with a submissive mind, and he feared that he himself, as
regarded from Mr. Crawley's point of view, was not a dominant bishop.
And yet he could only act by advice. "I will write to him," said
the bishop, "and will explain to him that as he is circumstanced he
should not appear in the reading-desk."

"Of course he must not appear in the reading-desk. That scandal must
at any rate be inhibited." Now the bishop did not at all like the use
of the word inhibited, understanding well that Mrs. Proudie intended
it to be understood as implying some episcopal command against which
there should be no appeal;--but he let it pass.

"I will write to him, my dear, to-night."

"And Mr. Thumble can go over with the letter the first thing in the
morning."

"Will not the post be better?"

"No, bishop; certainly not."

"He would get it sooner, if I write to-night, my dear."

"In either case he will get it to-morrow morning. An hour or two will
not signify, and if Mr. Thumble takes it himself we shall know how it
is received. It will be well that Thumble should be there in person
as he will want to look for lodgings in the parish."

"But, my dear--"

"Well, bishop?"

"About lodgings? I hardly think that Mr. Thumble, if we decide that Mr
Thumble shall undertake the duty--"

"We have decided that Mr. Thumble should undertake the duty. That is
decided."

"But I do not think he should trouble himself to look for lodgings at
Hogglestock. He can go over on the Sundays."

"And who is to do the parish work? Would you have that man, a
convicted thief, to look after the schools, and visit the sick, and
perhaps attend the dying?"

"There will be a great difficulty; there will indeed," said the
bishop, becoming very unhappy, and feeling that he was driven by
circumstances either to assert his own knowledge or teach his wife
something of the law with reference to his position as a bishop. "Who