that Mr. Fenwick was
in the habit of visiting alone a young woman who had lived in his
parish, but whom he now maintained in lodgings in a low alley in the
suburbs of Salisbury. He had said so much as that. In so saying, had
he spoken truth or falsehood? If he had said anything untrue, he
would be the first to acknowledge his own error.

Then there had come to be very hot words. "My lord," said Mr.
Gilmore, "your insinuation is untrue. Whatever your words may have
been, in the impression which they have made, they are slanderous."

"Who are you, sir," said the Marquis, looking at him from head to
foot, "to talk to me of the impression of my words?"

But Mr. Gilmore's blood was up. "You intended to convey to Sir Thomas
Charleys, my lord, that Mr. Fenwick's visits were of a disgraceful
nature. If your words did not convey that, they conveyed nothing."

"Who are you, sir, that you should interpret my words? I did no more
than my duty in conveying to Sir Thomas Charleys my conviction,--my
well-grounded conviction,--as to the gentleman's conduct. What I said
to him I will say aloud to the whole county. It is notorious that the
Vicar of Bullhampton is in the habit of visiting a profligate young
woman in a low part of the city. That I say is disgraceful to him,
to his cloth, and to the parish, and I shall give my opinion to the
bishop to that effect. Who are you, sir, that you should question
my words?" And again the Marquis eyed the Squire from head to foot,
leaving the room with a majestic strut as Gilmore went on to assert
that the allegation made, with the sense implied by it, contained
a wicked and a malicious slander. Then there were some words, much
quieter than those preceding them, between Mr. Gilmore and Sir
Thomas, in which the Squire pledged himself to,--he hardly knew what,
and Sir Thomas promised to hold his tongue,--for the present. But,
as a matter of course, the quarrel flew all over the little town. It
was out of the question that such a man as the Marquis of Trowbridge
should keep his wrath confined. Before he had left the inn-yard he
had expressed his opinion very plainly to half-a-dozen persons, both
as to the immorality of the Vicar and the impudence of the Squire;
and as he was taken home his hand was itching for pen and paper in
order that he might write to the bishop. Sir Thomas shrugged his
shoulders, and did not tell the story to more than three or four
confidential friends, to all of whom he rem