fore
it was as yet daylight, for the poor woman was thinking day and
night of her husband's troubles, and it had this good effect, that
immediately after breakfast he seated himself at his desk, and worked
at his task as though he had forgotten all else in the world.

And on the Sunday morning he went into his school before the hour of
the church service, as had been his wont, and taught there as though
everything with him was as usual. Some of the children were absent,
having heard of their teacher's tribulation, and having been told
probably that he would remit his work; and for these absent ones he
sent in great anger. The poor bairns came creeping in, for he was a
man who by his manners had been able to secure their obedience in
spite of his poverty. And he preached to the people of his parish on
that Sunday, as he had always preached; eagerly, clearly, and with
an eloquence fitted for the hearts of such an audience. No one would
have guessed from his tones and gestures and appearance on that
occasion, that there was aught wrong with him,--unless there had been
some observer keen enough to perceive that the greater care which he
used, and the special eagerness of his words, denoted a special frame
of mind.

After that, after those church services were over, he sank again and
never roused himself till the dreaded day had come.

CHAPTER V

What the World Thought About It

Opinion in Silverbridge, at Barchester, and throughout the county,
was very much divided as to the guilt or innocence of Mr. Crawley. Up
to the time of Mrs. Crawley's visit to Silverbridge, the affair had
not been much discussed. To give Mr. Soames his due, he had been by no
means anxious to press the matter against the clergyman; but he had
been forced to go on with it. While the first cheque was missing,
Lord Lufton had sent him a second cheque for the money, and the loss
had thus fallen upon his lordship. The cheque had of course been
traced, and inquiry had of course been made as to Mr. Crawley's
possession of it. When that gentleman declared that he had received
it from Mr. Soames, Mr. Soames had been forced to contradict and to
resent such an assertion. When Mr. Crawley had afterwards said that
the money had come to him from the dean, and when the dean had shown
that this also was untrue, Mr. Soames, confident as he was that he had
dropped the pocket-book at Mr. Crawley's house, could not but continue
the investigation. He had do