Mrs. Stantiloup would know it. That man, of course,
would take care that all Broughton, with its close full of cathedral
clergymen, would know it. When Mrs. Stantiloup should know it there would
not be a boy's parent through all the school who would not know it. If he
kept the man he must keep him resolving that all the world should know
that he kept him, that all the world should know of what nature was the
married life of the assistant in whom he trusted. And he must be prepared
to face all the world, confiding in the uprightness and the humanity of
his purpose.

In such case he must say something of this kind to all the world; "I know
that they are not married. I know that their condition of life is opposed
to the law of God and man. I know that she bears a name that is not, in
truth, her own; but I think that the circumstances in this case are so
strange, so peculiar, that they excuse a disregard even of the law of God
and man." Had he courage enough for this? And if the courage were there,
was he high enough and powerful enough to carry out such a purpose? Could
he beat down the Mrs. Stantiloups? And, indeed, could he beat down the
Bishop and the Bishop's phalanx;--for he knew that the Bishop and the
Bishop's phalanx would be against him? They could not touch him in his
living, because Mr. Peacocke would not be concerned in the services of the
church; but would not his school melt away to nothing in his hands, if he
were to attempt to carry it on after this fashion? And then would he not
have destroyed himself without advantage to the man whom he was anxious to
assist?

To only one point did he make up his mind certainly during that ride.
Before he slept that night he would tell the whole story to his wife. He
had at first thought that he would conceal it from her. It was his rule
of life to act so entirely on his own will, that he rarely consulted her
on matters of any importance. As it was, he could not endure the
responsibility of acting by himself. People would say of him that he had
subjected his wife to contamination, and had done so without giving her
any choice in the matter. So he resolved that he would tell his wife.

"Not married," said Mrs. Wortle, when she heard the story.

"Married; yes. They were married. It was not their fault that the
marriage was nothing. What was he to do when he heard that they had been
deceived in this way?"

"Not married properly! Poor woman!"

"Yes,