WHAT THE BROTHERTON CLERGYMEN SAID ABOUT IT.
Had Jack knocked at the door and asked for Lady George he certainly
would not have seen her. She was enduring at that moment, with almost
silent obstinacy, the fierce anger of her indignant husband. "She was
sure that it would be bad for her to go to Cross Hall at present, or
anywhere among the Germains, while such things were said of her as the
Marquis had said." Could Lord George have declared that the Marquis was
at war with the family as he had been at war some weeks since, this
argument would have fallen to the ground. But he could not do so, and
it seemed to be admitted that by going to Cross Hall she was to take
part against her father, and so far to take part with the Marquis, who
had maligned her. This became her strong point, and as Lord George was
not strong in argument, he allowed her to make the most of it. "Surely
you wouldn't let me go anywhere," she said, "where such names as that
are believed against me?" She had not heard the name, nor had he, and
they were in the dark;--but she pleaded her cause well, and appealed
again and again to her husband's promise to take her to the deanery.
His stronghold was that of marital authority,--authority unbounded,
legitimate, and not to be questioned. "But if you commanded me to
quarrel with papa?" she asked.
"I have commanded nothing of the kind."
"But if you did?"
"Then you must quarrel with him."
"I couldn't,--and I wouldn't," said she, burying her face upon the arm
of the sofa.
At any rate on the next morning she didn't go, nor, indeed, did he come
to fetch her, so convinced had he been of the persistency of her
obstinacy. But he told her as he left her that if she separated herself
from him now, then the separation must be lasting. Her father, however,
foreseeing this threat, had told her just the reverse. "He is an
obstinate man," the Dean had said, "but he is good and conscientious,
and he loves you."
"I hope he loves me."
"I am sure he does. He is not a fickle man. At present he has put
himself into his brother's hands, and we must wait till the tide turns.
He will learn by degrees to know how unjust he has been."
So it came to pass that Lord George went down to Cross Hall in the
morning and that Mary accompanied her father to the deanery the same
afternoon. The Dean had already learned that it would be well that he
should face his clerical enemies as soon as possible. He had already
received a letter worded in friendly terms from the Bishop, asking him
whether he would not wish to make some statement as to the occurrence
at Scumberg's Hotel which might be made known to the clergymen of the
Cathedral. He had replied by saying that he wished to make no such
statement, but that on his return to Brotherton he would be very
willing to tell the Bishop the whole story if the Bishop wished to hear
it. He had been conscious of Mr. Groschut's hand even among the civil
phrases which had come from the Bishop himself. "In such a matter," he
said in his reply, "I am amenable to the laws of the land, and am not,
as I take it, amenable to any other authority." Then he went on to say
that for his own satisfaction he should be very glad to tell the story
to the Bishop.
The story as it reached Brotherton had, no doubt, given rise to a great
deal of scandal and a great deal of amusement. Pountner and Holdenough
were to some extent ashamed of their bellicose Dean. There is something
ill-mannered, ungentlemanlike, what we now call rowdy, in personal
encounters, even among laymen,--and this is of course aggravated when
the assailant is a clergyman. And these canons, though they kept up
pleasant, social relations with the Dean, were not ill-disposed to
make use of so excellent a weapon against a man, who, though coming
from a lower order than themselves, was never disposed in any way to
yield to them. But the two canons were gentlemen, and as gentlemen were
gracious. Though they liked to have the Dean on the hip, they did not
want to hurt him sorely when they had gotten him there. They would be
contented with certain sly allusions, and only half-expressed triumphs.
But Mr. Groschut was confirmed in his opinion that the Dean was
altogether unfit for his position,--which, for the interests of the
Church, should be filled by some such man as Mr. Groschut himself, by
some God-fearing clergyman, not known as a hard rider across country
and as a bruiser with his fists. There had been an article in the
"Brotherton Church Gazette," in which an anxious hope was expressed
that some explanation would be given of the very incredible tidings
which had unfortunately reached Brotherton. Then Mr. Groschut had
spoken a word in season to the Bishop. Of course he said it could not
be true; but would it not be well that the Dean should be invited to
make his own statement? It was Mr. Groschut who had himself used the
word "incredible" in the article. Mr. Groschut, in speaking to the
Bishop, said that the tidings must be untrue. And yet he believed and
rejoiced in believing every word of them. He was a pious man, and did
not know that he was lying. He was an anxious Christian, and did not
know that he was doing his best to injure an enemy behind his back. He
hated the Dean;--but he thought that he loved him. He was sure that the
Dean would go to some unpleasant place, and gloried in the certainty;
but he thought that he was most anxious for the salvation of the Dean's
soul. "I think your Lordship owes it to him to offer him the
opportunity," said Mr. Groschut.
The Bishop, too, was what we call a severe man;--but his severity was
used chiefly against himself. He was severe in his principles; but,
knowing the world better than his chaplain, was aware how much latitude
it was necessary that he should allow in dealing with men. And in his
heart of hearts he had 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 Bishop gazed at him speechlessly, but
felt quite sure that it was not in his power to rebuke his fellow
clergyman. "Now, my lord," continued the Dean, "you have heard the
story. I tell it to you, and I shall tell it to no one else. I tell it
you, not because you are the bishop of this diocese, and I, the Dean of
this Cathedral,--and as such I am in such a matter by no means subject
to your lordship's authority;--but, because of all my neighbours you
are the most respected, and I would wish that the truth should be known
to some one." Then he ceased, neither enjoining secrecy, or expressing
any wish that the story should be correctly told to others.
"He must be a cruel man," said the Bishop.
"No, my lord;--he is no man at all. He is a degraded animal
unfortunately placed almost above penalties by his wealth and rank. I
am glad to think that he has at last encountered some little
punishment, though I could wish that the use of the scourge had fallen
into other hands than mine." Then he took his leave, and as he went the
Bishop was very gracious to him.
"I am almost inclined to think he was justified," said the Bishop to
Mr. Groschut.
"Justified, my lord! The Dean;--in striking the Marquis of Brotherton,
and then falling into the hands of the police!"
"I know nothing about the police."
"May I ask your lordship what was his account of the transaction."
"I cannot give it you. I simply say that I think that he was
justified." Then Mr. Groschut expressed his opinion to Mrs. Groschut
that the Bishop was getting old,--very old indeed. Mr. Groschut was
almost afraid that no good could be done in the diocese till a firmer
and a younger man sat in the seat.
The main facts of the story came to the knowledge of the canons, though
I doubt whether the Bishop ever told all that was told to him. Some few
hard words were said. Canon Pountner made a remark in the Dean's
hearing about the Church militant, which drew forth from the Dean an
allusion to the rites of Bacchus, which the canon only half understood.
And Dr. Holdenough asked the Dean whether there had not been some
little trouble between him and the Marquis. "I am afraid you have been
a little hard upon my noble brother-in-law," said the Doctor. To which
the Dean replied that the Doctor should teach his noble brother-in-law
better manners. But, upon the whole, the Dean held his own well, and
was as carefully waited upon to his seat by the vergers as though there
had been no scene at Scumberg's Hotel.
For a time no doubt there was a hope on the part of Mr. Groschut
and his adherents that there would be some further police
interference;--that the Marquis would bring an action, or that the
magistrates would demand some inquiry. But nothing was done. The
Marquis endured his bruised back at any rate in silence. But there came
tidings to Brotherton that his lordship would not again be seen at
Manor Cross that year. The house had been kept up as though for him,
and he had certainly declared his purpose of returning when he left the
place. He had indeed spoken of living there almost to the end of
autumn. But early in July it became known that when he left Scumberg's
Hotel, he would go abroad;--and before the middle of July it was
intimated to Lady Alice, and through her to all Brotherton, that the
Dowager with her daughters and Lord George were going back to the old
house.
In the meantime Lady George was still at the deanery, and Lord George
at Cross Hall, and to the eyes of the world the husband had been
separated from his wife. His anger was certainly very deep, especially
against his wife's father. The fact that his commands had been
twice,--nay as he said thrice,--disobeyed rankled in his mind. He had
ordered her not to waltz, and she had waltzed with, as Lord George
thought, the most objectionable man in all London. He had ordered her
to leave town with him immediately after Mrs. Jones's ball, and she had
remained in town. He had ordered her now to leave her father and to
cleave to him; but she had cleft to her father and had deserted him.
What husband can do other than repudiate his wife under such
circumstances as these! He was moody, gloomy, silent, never speaking of
her, never going into Brotherton lest by chance he should see her; but
always thinking of her,--and always, always longing for her company.
She talked of him daily to her father, and was constant in her prayer
that they should not be made to quarrel. Having so long doubted whether
she could ever love him, she now could not understand the strength of
her own feeling. "Papa, mightn't I write to him," she said. But her
father thought that she should not herself take the first step at any
rate till the Marquis was gone. It was she who had in fact been
injured, and the overture should come from the other side. Then at
last, in a low whisper, hiding her face, she told her father a great
secret,--adding with a voice a little raised, "Now, papa, I must write
to him."
"My darling, my dearest," said the Dean, leaning over and kissing her
with more than his usual demonstration of love.
"I may write now."
"Yes, dear, you should certainly tell him that." Then the Dean went out
and walked round the deanery garden, and the cathedral cloisters, and
the close, assuring himself that after a very little while the real
Lord Popenjoy would be his own grandson.