nothing to do in London when
the judges are in the country,--of course." Mr. Toogood looked into Mr
Crawley's eyes as he said this, to see if his iniquity were detected,
but the perpetual curate was altogether innocent in these matters.
"Yes; I'll just run down for a mouthful of fresh air. Of course I
shan't open my mouth in court. But I might say one word to the dean,
if he's there;--and one word to Mr. Soames. Who is conducting the
prosecution?" Mr. Crawley said that Mr. Walker was doing so. "Walker,
Walker, Walker? oh,--yes; Walker and Winthrop, isn't it? A decent
sort of man, I suppose?"

"I have heard nothing to his discredit, Mr. Toogood."

"And that's saying a great deal for a lawyer. Well, Mr. Crawley, if
nothing else comes out between this and that,--nothing, that is, that
shall clear your memory about that unfortunate bit of paper, you must
simply tell your story to the jury as you've told it to me. I don't
think any twelve men in England would convict you;--I don't indeed."

"You think they would not?"

"Of course I've only heard one side, Mr. Crawley."

"No,--no,--no, that is true."

"But judging as well as I can judge from one side, I don't think a
jury can convict you. At any rate I'll see you at Barchester, and
I'll write a line or two before the trial, just to find out anything
that can be found out. And you're sure you won't come and take a bit
of mutton with us in the Square? The girls would be delighted to see
you, and so would Maria." Mr. Crawley said that he was quite sure
he could not do that, and then having tendered reiterated thanks
to his new friend in words which were touching in spite of their
old-fashioned gravity, he took his leave, and walked back again to
the public-house at Paddington.

He returned home to Hogglestock on the same afternoon, reaching that
place at nine in the evening. During the whole of the day after
leaving Raymond's Buildings he was thinking of the lawyer, and of the
words which the lawyer had spoken. Although he had been disposed to
quarrel with Mr. Toogood on many points, although he had been more
than once disgusted at the attorney's bad taste, shocked by his low
morality, and almost insulted by his easy familiarity, still, when
the interview was over, he liked the attorney. When first Mr. Toogood
had begun to talk, he regretted very much that he had subjected
himself to the necessity of discussing his private affairs with
such a windbag of a man; but when