rdly pay much for the renewal of his
furniture!

Mrs. Crawley could not answer her husband's question before her
daughter, and was therefore obliged to make another excuse for again
sending her out of the room. "Jane, dear," she said, "bring my things
down to the kitchen and I will change them by the fire. I will be
there in two minutes, when I have had a word with your papa." The
girl went immediately and then Mrs. Crawley answered her husband's
question. "No, my dear; there is no question of your going to
prison."

"But there will be."

"I have undertaken that you shall attend before the magistrates at
Silverbridge on Thursday next, at twelve o'clock. You will do that?"

"Do it! You mean, I suppose, to say that I must go there. Is anybody
to come and fetch me?"

"Nobody will come. Only you must promise that you will be there. I
have promised for you. You will go; will you not?" She stood leaning
over him, half embracing him, waiting for an answer; but for a
while he gave none. "You will tell me that you will do what I have
undertaken for you, Josiah?"

"I think I would rather that they fetched me. I think that I will not
go myself."

"And have policemen come for you into the parish! Mr. Walker has
promised that he will send over his phaeton. He sent me home in it
to-day."

"I want nobody's phaeton. If I go I will walk. If it were ten times
the distance, and though I had not a shoe left to my feet I would
walk. If I go there at all, of my own accord, I will walk there."

"But you will go?"

"What do I care for the parish? What matters who sees me now? I
cannot be degraded worse than I am. Everybody knows it."

"There is no disgrace without guilt," said his wife.

"Everybody thinks me guilty. I see it in their eyes. The children
know of it, and I hear whispers in the school. 'Mr. Crawley has taken
some money.' I heard the girl say it myself."

"What matters what the girl says?"

"And yet you would have me go in a fine carriage to Silverbridge, as
though to a wedding. If I am wanted let them take me as they would
another. I shall be here for them,--unless I am dead."

At this moment Jane appeared, pressing her mother to take off her wet
clothes, and Mrs. Crawley went with her daughter to the kitchen. The
one red-armed young girl who was their only servant was sent away,
and then the mother and the child discussed how best they might
prevail with the head of the family. "But, mamma, it must come right