tune serve him as he intended they
should. But in all these ambitious dreams there was nothing of religion,
or of conscience, or of self-denial. If ever there was a square peg
which tried to adapt itself to a round hole, Michael Cargrim,
allegorically speaking, was that article.

With all his love for the father, Dr Pendle could never bring himself to
like the son, and determined in his own mind to confer a benefice on him
when possible, if only to get rid of him; but not the rich one of
Heathcroft, which was the delectable land of Cargrim's desire. The
bishop intended to bestow that on Gabriel; and Cargrim, in his sneaky
way, had gained some inkling of this intention. Afraid of losing his
wished-for prize, he was bent upon forcing Dr Pendle into presenting him
with the living of Heathcroft; and to accomplish this amiable purpose
with the more certainty he had conceived the plan of somehow getting the
bishop into his power. Hitherto--so open and stainless was Dr Pendle's
life--he had not succeeded in his aims; but now matters looked more
promising, for the bishop appeared to possess a secret which he guarded
even from the knowledge of his wife. What this secret might be, Cargrim
could not guess, in spite of his anxiety to do so, but he intended in
one way or another to discover it and utilise it for the furtherance and
attainment of his own selfish ends. By gaining such forbidden knowledge
he hoped to get Dr Pendle well under his thumb; and once there the
prelate could be kept in that uncomfortable position until he gratified
Mr Cargrim's ambition. For a humble chaplain to have the whip-hand of a
powerful ecclesiastic was a glorious and easy way for a meritorious
young man to succeed in his profession. Having come to this conclusion,
which did more credit to his head than to his heart, Cargrim sought out
the servant who had summoned the bishop to see the stranger. A full
acquaintance with the circumstances of the visit was necessary to the
development of the Reverend Michael's ingenious little plot.

'This is a sad thing about his lordship's indisposition, said he to the
man in the most casual way, for it would not do to let the servant know
that he was being questioned for a doubtful purpose.

'Yes, sir,' replied the man. ''Tis mos' extraordinary. I never knowed
his lordship took ill before. I suppose that gentleman brought bad news,
sir.'

'Possibly, John, possibly. Was this gentleman a short man with light
hair?