d a liking for the Dean. Whenever there were any
tiffs the Dean could take a blow and give a blow, and then think no
more about it. This, which was a virtue in the eyes of the Bishop, was
no virtue at all to Mr. Groschut, who hated to be hit himself and
wished to think that his own blows were fatal. In urging the matter
with the bishop, Mr. Groschut expressed an opinion that, if this story
were unfortunately true, the Dean should cease to be Dean. He thought
that the Dean must see this himself. "I am given to understand that he
was absolutely in custody of the police," said Mr. Groschut. The Bishop
was annoyed by his chaplain; but still he wrote the letter.

On the very morning of his arrival in Brotherton the Dean went to the
palace. "Well, my lord," said the Dean, "you have heard this cock and
bull story."

"I have heard a story," said the Bishop. He was an old man, very tall
and very thin, looking as though he had crushed out of himself all
taste for the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, but singularly
urbane in his manner, with an old-fashioned politeness. He smiled as he
invited the Dean to a seat, and then expressed a hope that nobody had
been much hurt. "Very serious injuries have been spoken of here, but I
know well how rumour magnifies these things."

"Had I killed him, my lord, I should have been neither more nor less to
blame than I am now, for I certainly endeavoured to do my worst to
him." The Bishop's face assumed a look of pain and wonder. "When I had
the miscreant in my hands I did not pause to measure the weight of my
indignation. He told me, me a father, that my child was ----." He had
risen from his chair, and as he pronounced the word, stood looking into
the Bishop's eyes. "If there be purity on earth, sweet feminine
modesty, playfulness devoid of guile, absolute freedom from any stain
of leprosy, they are to be found with my girl."

"Yes! yes; I am sure of that."

"She is my worldly treasure. I have none other. I desire none other. I
had wounded this man by certain steps which I have taken in reference
to his family;--and then, that he might wound me in return, he did not
scruple, to use that word to his own sister-in-law, to my daughter. Was
that a time to consider whether a clergyman may be justified in putting
out his strength? No; my lord. Old as you are you would have attempted
it yourself. I took him up and smote him, and it is not my fault if he
is not a cripple for life." The Bis