It might be well for the bishop to demand his presence in the palace, but it could be no part of the bishop's duty to inquire how he got there.

"That, my lord, is a matter of no moment," said he.

"I am glad at any rate that I have been enabled to obey your lordship's order in coming hither on this morning." Hitherto Mrs.Proudie had not said a word.

She stood back in the room, near the fire,--more backward a good deal than she was accustomed to do when clergymen made their ordinary visits.

On such occasions she would come forward and shake hands with them graciously,--graciously even, if proudly; but she had felt that she must do nothing of that kind now; there must be no shaking hands with a man who had stolen a cheque for twenty pounds! It might probably be necessary to keep Mr.Crawley at a distance, and therefore she had remained in the background.