think worse."

"They don't think at all badly of you at Allington, papa."

"But they must think badly of me if the magistrates were right."

"They suppose that there has been a mistake;--as we all think."

"They do not try men at the assizes for mistakes."

"That you have been mistaken, I mean;--and the magistrates mistaken."

"Both cannot have been mistaken, Grace."

"I don't know how to explain myself, papa; but we all know that it is
very sad, and are quite sure that you have never meant for one moment
to do anything that was wrong."

"But people when they are,--you know what I mean, Grace; when they
are not themselves,--do things that are wrong without meaning it."
Then he paused, while she remained standing by him with her hand on
the back of his. She was looking at his face, which had been turned
towards her while they were reading together, but which now was so
far moved that she knew that his eyes could not be fixed upon hers.
"Of course if the bishop orders it, it shall be so," he said. "It is
quite enough for me that he is the bishop."

"What has the bishop ordered, papa?"

"Nothing at all. It is she who does it. He has given no opinion about
it. Of course not. He has none to give. It is the woman. You go and
tell her from me that in such a matter I will not obey the word of
any woman living. Go at once, when I tell you."

Then she knew that her father's mind was wandering, and she knelt
down by the bedside, still holding his hand.

"Grace," he said.

"Yes, papa, I am here."

"Why do you not do what I tell you?" And he sat upright in his bed.
"I suppose you are afraid of the woman?"

"I should be afraid of her, dear papa."

"I was not afraid of her. When she spoke to me, I would have nothing
to say to her;--not a word;--not a word;--not a word." As he said
this, he waved his hands about. "But as for him,--if it must be, it
must. I know I'm not fit for it. Of course I am not. Who is? But what
has he ever done that he should be a dean? I beat him at everything;
almost everything. He got the Newdigate, and that was about all. Upon
my word I think that was all."

"But Dr. Arabin loves you truly, dear papa."

"Love me! psha! Does he ever come here to tea, as he used to do? No!
I remember buttering toast for him down on my knees before the fire,
because he liked it,--and keeping all the cream for him. He should
have had my heart's blood if he wanted it. But now;--look at his
books, Grace. It's