" The
Ludovic spoken of was Lord Lufton.

This took place in the morning, but in the evening the affair was
again discussed at Framley Court. Indeed, for some days, there was
hardly any other subject held to be worthy of discussion in the
county. Mr. Robarts, the clergyman of the parish and the brother of
the younger Lady Lufton, was dining at the hall with his wife, and
the three ladies had together expressed their perfect conviction of
the falseness of the accusation. But when Lord Lufton and Mr. Robarts
were together after the ladies had left them, there was much less of
this certainty expressed. "By Jove," said Lord Lufton, "I don't know
what to think of it. I wish with all my heart that Soames had said
nothing about it, and that the cheque had passed without remark."

"That was impossible. When the banker sent to Soames, he was obliged
to take the matter up."

"Of course he was. But I'm sorry that it was so. For the life of me I
can't conceive how the cheque got into Crawley's hands."

"I imagine that it had been lying in the house, and that Crawley had
come to think that it was his own."

"But, my dear Mark," said Lord Lufton, "excuse me if I say that
that's nonsense. What do we do when a poor man has come to think that
another man's property is his own? We send him to prison for making
the mistake."

"I hope they won't send Crawley to prison."

"I hope so too; but what is a jury to do?"

"You think it will go to a jury, then?"

"I do," said Lord Lufton. "I don't see how the magistrates can save
themselves from committing him. It is one of those cases in which
every one concerned would wish to drop it if it were only possible.
But it is not possible. On the evidence, as one sees it at present,
one is bound to say that it is a case for a jury."

"I believe that he is mad," said the brother parson.

"He always was, as far as I could learn," said the lord. "I never
knew him, myself. You do, I think?"

"Oh yes, I know him." and the vicar of Framley became silent and
thoughtful as the memory of a certain interview between himself
and Mr. Crawley came back upon his mind. At that time the waters
had nearly closed over his head and Mr. Crawley had given him some
assistance. When the gentlemen had again found the ladies, they kept
their own doubts to themselves; for at Framley Hall, as at present
tenanted, female voices and female influences predominated over those
which came from the other sex.

At Barch