MR. TOOGOOD AT SILVERBRIDGE.
We will now go back to Mr. Toogood as he started for Silverbridge, on
the receipt of Mrs. Arabin's telegram from Venice. "I gave cheque to
Mr. Crawley. It was part of a sum of money. Will write to Archdeacon
Grantly to-day, and return home at once." That was the telegram
which Mr. Toogood received at his office, and on receiving which he
resolved that he must start to Barchester immediately. "It isn't
certainly what you may call a paying business," he said to his
partner, who continued to grumble; "but it must be done all the same.
If it don't get into the ledger in one way it will in another." So
Mr. Toogood started for Silverbridge, having sent to his house in
Tavistock Square for a small bag, a clean shirt, and a toothbrush.
And as he went down in the railway-carriage, before he went to sleep,
he turned it all over in his mind. "Poor devil! I wonder whether any
man ever suffered so much before. And as for that woman,--it's ten
thousand pities that she should have died before she heard it. Talk
of heart-complaint; she'd have had a touch of heart-complaint if she
had known this!" Then, as he was speculating how Mrs. Arabin could
have become possessed of the cheque, he went to sleep.
He made up his mind that the first person to be seen was Mr. Walker,
and after that he would, if possible, go to Archdeacon Grantly. He
was at first minded to go at once out to Hogglestock; but when he
remembered how very strange Mr. Crawley was in all his ways, and
told himself professionally that telegrams were but bad sources of
evidence on which to depend for details, he thought that it would be
safer if he were first to see Mr. Walker. There would be very little
delay. In a day or two the archdeacon would receive his letter, and
in a day or two after that Mrs. Arabin would probably be at home.
It was late in the evening before Mr. Toogood reached the house of
the Silverbridge solicitor, having the telegram carefully folded in
his pocket; and he was shown into the dining-room while the servant
took his name up to Mr. Walker. The clerks were gone, and the office
was closed; and persons coming on business at such times,--as they
often did come to that house,--were always shown into the parlour. "I
don't know whether master can see you to-night," said the girl; "but
if he can, he'll come down."
When the card was brought up to Mr. Walker he was sitting alone with
his wife. "It's Toogood," said he; "poor Crawley's cousin."
"I wonder whether he has found anything out," said Mrs. Walker.
"May he not come up here?" Then Mr. Toogood was summoned into the
drawing-room, to the maid's astonishment; for Mr. Toogood had made no
toilet sacrifices to the goddess or grace who presides over evening
society in provincial towns,--and presented himself with the telegram
in his hand. "We have found out all about poor Crawley's cheque," he
said, before the maid-servant had closed the door. "Look at that,"
and he handed the telegram to Mr. Walker. The poor girl was obliged
to go, though she would have given one of her ears to know the exact
contents of that bit of paper.
"Walker, what is it?" said his wife, before Walker had had time to
make the contents of the document his own.
"He got it from Mrs. Arabin," said Toogood.
"No!" said Mrs. Walker. "I thought that was it all along."
"It's a pity you didn't say so before," said Mr. Walker.
"So I did; but a lawyer thinks that nobody can ever see anything but
himself;--begging your pardon, Mr. Toogood, but I forgot you were one
of us. But, Walker, do read it." Then the telegram was read. "I gave
cheque to Mr. Crawley. It was part of a sum of money,"--with the rest
of it. "I knew it would come out," said Mrs. Walker. "I was quite
sure of it."
"But why the mischief didn't he say so?" said Walker.
"He did say that he got it from the dean," said Toogood.
"But he didn't get it from the dean; and the dean clearly knew
nothing about it."
"I'll tell you what it is," said Mrs. Walker; "it has been some
private transaction between Mr. Crawley and Mrs. Arabin, which the
dean was to know nothing about; and so he wouldn't tell. I must say
I honour him."
"I don't think it has been that," said Walker. "Had he known all
through that it had come from Mrs. Arabin, he would never have said
that Mr. Soames gave it to him, and then that the dean gave it him."
"The truth has been that he has known nothing about it," said
Toogood; "and we shall have to tell him."
At that moment Mary Walker came into the room, and Mrs. Walker could
not constrain herself. "Mary, Mr. Crawley is all right. He didn't
steal the cheque. Mrs. Arabin gave it to him."
"Who says so? How do you know? Oh, dear; I am so happy, if it's
true." Then she saw Mr. Toogood, and curtseyed.
"It is quite true, my dear," said Mr. Walker. "Mr. Toogood has had a
message by the wires from Mrs. Arabin at Venice. She is coming home
at once, and no doubt everything will be put right. In the meantime,
it may be a question whether we should not hold our tongues. Mr.
Crawley himself, I suppose, knows nothing of it yet?"
"Not a word," said Toogood.
"Papa, I must tell Miss Prettyman," said Mary.
"I should think that probably all Silverbridge knows it by this
time," said Mrs. Walker, "because Jane was in the room when the
announcement was made. You may be sure that every servant in the
house has been told." Mary Walker, not waiting for any further
command from her father, hurried out of the room to convey the secret
to her special circle of friends.
It was known throughout Silverbridge that night, and indeed it made
so much commotion that it kept many people for an hour out of their
beds. Ladies who were not in the habit of going out late at night
without the fly from the "George and Vulture," tied their heads up in
their handkerchiefs, and hurried up and down the street to tell each
other that the great secret had been discovered, and that in truth
Mr. Crawley had not stolen the cheque. The solution of the mystery
was not known to all,--was known on that night only to the very
select portion of the aristocracy of Silverbridge to whom it was
communicated by Mary Walker or Miss Anne Prettyman. For Mary Walker,
when earnestly entreated by Jane, the parlour-maid, to tell her
something more of the great news, had so far respected her father's
caution as to say not a word about Mrs. Arabin. "Is it true, Miss
Mary, that he didn't steal it?" Jane asked imploringly. "It is true.
He did not steal it." "And who did, Miss Mary? Indeed I won't tell
anybody." "Nobody. But don't ask any more questions, for I won't
answer them. Get me my hat at once, for I want to go up to Miss
Prettyman's." Then Jane got Miss Walker's hat, and immediately
afterwards scampered into the kitchen with the news. "Oh, law, cook,
it's all come out! Mr. Crawley's as innocent as the unborn babe. The
gentleman upstairs what's just come, and was here once before,--for I
know'd him immediate,--I heard him say so. And master said so too."
"Did master say so his own self?" asked the cook.
"Indeed he did; and Miss Mary told me the same this moment."
"If master said so, then there ain't a doubt as they'll find him
innocent. And who took'd it, Jane?"
"Miss Mary says as nobody didn't steal it."
"That's nonsense, Jane. It stands to reason as somebody had it as
hadn't ought to have had it. But I'm as glad as anything as how that
poor reverend gent 'll come off;--I am. They tells me it's weeks
sometimes before a bit of butcher's meat finds its way into his
house." Then the groom and the housemaid and the cook, one after
another, took occasion to slip out of the back-door, and poor Jane,
who had really been the owner of the news, was left alone to answer
the bell.
Miss Walker found the two Miss Prettymans sitting together over their
accounts in the elder Miss Prettyman's private room. And she could
see at once by signs which were not unfamiliar to her that Miss
Anne Prettyman was being scolded. It often happened that Miss Anne
Prettyman was scolded, especially when the accounts were brought out
upon the table. "Sister, they are illegible," Mary Walker heard, as
the servant opened the door for her.
"I don't think it's quite so bad as that," said Miss Anne, unable to
restrain her defence. Then, as Mary entered the room, Miss Prettyman
the elder laid her hands down on certain books and papers as though
to hide them from profane eyes.
"I am glad to see you, Mary," said Miss Prettyman, gravely.
"I've brought such a piece of news," said Mary. "I knew you'd be glad
to hear it, so I ventured to disturb you."
"Is it good news?" said Anne Prettyman.
"Very good news. Mr. Crawley is innocent."
Both the ladies sprung on to their legs. Even Miss Prettyman
herself jumped up on to her legs. "No!" said Anne. "Your father has
discovered it?" said Miss Prettyman.
"Not exactly that. Mr. Toogood has come down from London to tell him.
Mr. Toogood, you know, is Mr. Crawley's cousin; and he is a lawyer,
like papa." It may be observed that ladies belonging to the families
of solicitors always talk about lawyers, and never about attorneys or
barristers.
"And does Mr. Toogood say that Mr. Crawley is innocent?" asked Miss
Prettyman.
"He has heard it by a message from Mrs. Arabin. But you mustn't
mention this. You won't, please, because papa has asked me not. I
told him that I should tell you." Then, for the first time, the frown
passed away entirely from Miss Prettyman's face, and the papers and
account-books were pushed aside, as being of no moment. The news had
been momentous enough to satisfy her. Mary continued her story almost
in a whisper. "It was Mrs. Arabin who sent the cheque to Mr. Crawley.
She says so herself. So that makes Mr. Crawley quite innocent. I am
so glad."
"But isn't it odd he didn't say so?" said Miss Prettyman.
"Nevertheless, it's true," said Mary.
"Perhaps he forgot," said Anne Prettyman.
"Men don't forget such things as that," said the elder sister.
"I really do think Mr. Crawley could forget anything," said the
younger sister.
"You may be sure it's true," said Mary Walker, "because papa said
so."
"If he said so, it must be true," said Miss Prettyman; "and I am
rejoiced. I really am rejoiced. Poor man! Poor ill-used man! And
nobody has ever believed that he has really been guilty, even though
they may have thought that he spent the money without any proper
right to it. And now he will get off. But dear me, Mary, Mr. Smithe
told me yesterday that he had already given up his living, and that
Mr. Spooner, the minor canon, was trying to get it from the dean. But
that was because Mr. Spooner and Mrs. Proudie had quarrelled; and
as Mrs. Proudie is gone, Mr. Spooner very likely won't want to move
now."
"They'll never go and put anybody into Hogglestock, Annabella, over
Mr. Crawley's head," said Anne.
"I didn't say that they would. Surely I may be allowed to repeat what
I hear, like another person, without being snapped up."
"I didn't mean to snap you up, Annabella."
"You're always snapping me up. But if this is true, I cannot say
how glad I am. My poor Grace! Now, I suppose, there will be no
difficulty, and Grace will become a great lady." Then they discussed
very minutely the chances of Grace Crawley's promotion.
John Walker, Mr. Winthrop, and several others of the chosen spirits
of Silverbridge, were playing whist at a provincial club, which had
established itself in the town, when the news was brought to them.
Though Mr. Winthrop was the partner of the great Walker, and though
John Walker was the great man's son, I fear that the news reached
their ears in but an underhand sort of way. As for the great man
himself, he never went near the club, preferring his slippers and
tea at home. The Walkerian groom, rushing up the street to the
"George and Vulture," paused a moment to tell his tidings to the club
porter; from the club porter it was whispered respectfully to the
Silverbridge apothecary, who, by special grace, was a member of the
club;--and was by him repeated with much cautious solemnity over the
card-table. "Who told you that, Balsam?" said John Walker, throwing
down his cards.
"I've just heard it," said Balsam.
"I don't believe it," said John.
"I shouldn't wonder if it's true," said Winthrop. "I always said that
something would turn up."
"Will you bet three to one he is not found guilty?" said John Walker.
"Done," said Winthrop; "in pounds." That morning the odds in the club
against the event had been only two to one. But as the matter was
discussed, the men in the club began to believe the tidings, and
before he went home, John Walker would have been glad to hedge his
bet on any terms. After he had spoken to his father, he gave his
money up for lost.
But Mr. Walker,--the great Walker,--had more to do that night before
his son came home from the club. He and Mr. Toogood agreed that it
would be right that they should see Dr. Tempest at once, and they
went over together to the rectory. It was past ten at this time, and
they found the doctor almost in the act of putting out the candles
for the night. "I could not but come to you, doctor," said Mr.
Walker, "with the news my friend has brought. Mrs. Arabin gave the
cheque to Crawley. Here is a telegram from her saying so." And the
telegram was handed to the doctor.
He stood perfectly silent for a few minutes, reading it over and over
again. "I see it all," he said, when he spoke at last. "I see it all
now; and I must own I was never before so much puzzled in my life."
"I own I can't see why she should have given him Mr. Soames's
cheque," said Mr. Walker.
"I can't say where she got it, and I own I don't much care," said Dr.
Tempest. "But I don't doubt but what she gave it him without telling
the dean, and that Crawley thought it came from the dean. I'm very
glad. I am, indeed, very glad. I do not know that I ever pitied a man
so much in my life as I have pitied Mr. Crawley."
"It must have been a hard case when it has moved him," said Mr.
Walker to Mr. Toogood as they left the clergyman's house; and then
the Silverbridge attorney saw the attorney from London home to his
inn.
It was the general opinion at Silverbridge that the news from Venice
ought to be communicated to the Crawleys by Major Grantly. Mary
Walker had expressed this opinion very strongly, and her mother had
agreed with her. Miss Prettyman also felt that poetical justice, or,
at least, the romance of justice, demanded this; and, as she told her
sister Anne after Mary Walker left her, she was of opinion that such
an arrangement might tend to make things safe. "I do think he is an
honest man and a fine fellow," said Miss Prettyman; "but, my dear,
you know what the proverb says, 'There's many a slip 'twixt the cup
and the lip.'" Miss Prettyman thought that anything which might be
done to prevent a slip ought to be done. The idea that the pleasant
task of taking the news out to Hogglestock ought to be confided to
Major Grantly was very general; but then Mr. Walker was of opinion
that the news ought not to be taken to Hogglestock at all till
something more certain than the telegram had reached them. Early on
the following morning the two lawyers again met, and it was arranged
between them that the London lawyer should go over at once to
Barchester, and that the Silverbridge lawyer should see Major
Grantly. Mr. Toogood was still of opinion that with due diligence
something might yet be learned as to the cheque, by inquiry among the
denizens of "The Dragon of Wantly;" and his opinion to this effect
was stronger than ever when he learned from Mr. Walker that "The
Dragon of Wantly" belonged to Mrs. Arabin.
Mr. Walker, after breakfast, had himself driven up in his open
carriage to Cosby Lodge, and, as he entered the gates, observed that
the auctioneer's bills as to the sale had been pulled down. The
Mr. Walkers of the world know everything, and our Mr. Walker had
quite understood that the major was leaving Cosby Lodge because
of some misunderstanding with his father. The exact nature of the
misunderstanding he did not know, even though he was Mr. Walker, but
had little doubt that it referred in some way to Grace Crawley. If
the archdeacon's objection to Grace arose from the imputation against
the father, that objection would now be removed, but the abolition of
the posters could not as yet have been owing to any such cause as
that. Mr. Walker found the major at the gate of the farmyard attached
to Cosby Lodge, and perceived that at that very moment he was engaged
in superintending the abolition of sundry other auctioneer's bills
from sundry other posts. "What is all this about?" said Mr. Walker,
greeting the major. "Is there to be no sale after all?"
[Illustration: "No sale after all?"]
"It has been postponed," said the major.
"Postponed for good, I hope? Bill to be read again this day six
months!" said Mr. Walker.
"I rather think not. But circumstances have induced me to have it put
off."
Mr. Walker had got out of the carriage and had taken Major Grantly
aside. "Just come a little further," he said; "I've something special
to tell you. News reached me last night which will clear Mr. Crawley
altogether. We know now where he got the cheque."
"You don't tell me so!"
"Yes, I do. And though the news has reached us in such a way that we
cannot act upon it till it's confirmed, I do not in the least doubt
it."
"And how did he get it?"
"You cannot guess?"
"Not in the least," said the major; "unless, after all, Soames gave
it to him."
"Soames did not give it to him, but Mrs. Arabin did."
"Mrs. Arabin?"
"Yes, Mrs. Arabin."
"Not the dean?"
"No, not the dean. What we know is this, that your aunt has
telegraphed to Crawley's cousin, Toogood, to say that she gave
Crawley that cheque, and that she has written to your father about it
at length. We do not like to tell Crawley till that letter has been
received. It is so easy, you know, to misunderstand a telegram, and
the wrong copying of a word may make such a mistake!"
"When was it received?"
"Toogood received it in London only yesterday morning. Your father
will not get his letter, as I calculate, till the day after
to-morrow. But, perhaps, you had better go over and see him, and
prepare him for it. Toogood has gone to Barchester this morning."
To this proposition Grantly made no immediate answer. He could not
but remember the terms on which he had left his father; and though
he had, most unwillingly, pulled down the auctioneer's bills, in
compliance with his mother's last prayer to him,--and, indeed,
had angrily told the auctioneer to send him in his bill when the
auctioneer had demurred to these proceedings,--nevertheless he was
hardly prepared to discuss the matter of Mr. Crawley with his father
in pleasant words,--in words which should be full of rejoicing. It
was a great thing for him, Henry Grantly, that Mr. Crawley should
be innocent, and he did rejoice; but he had intended his father to
understand that he meant to persevere, whether Mr. Crawley were
innocent or guilty, and thus he would now lose an opportunity for
exhibiting his obstinacy,--an opportunity which had not been without
a charm for him. He must console himself as best he might with the
returning prospect of assured prosperity, and with his renewed hopes
as to the Plumstead foxes! "We think, major, that when the time
comes you ought to be the bearer of the news to Hogglestock," said
Mr. Walker. Then the major did undertake to convey the news to
Hogglestock, but he made no promise as to going over to Plumstead.