CHAPTER IX

ApalldescendedonthePalaceandenvelopeditblacklyforfourawfuldays,duringwhichMrs.Bullivantandherdaughtersandthechaplainandthesecretaryandalltheservantsdidnotsomuchliveasfeeltheirwayaboutwithacarefulsolicitudeforinconspicuousness. ThispallwasthepalloftheBishop'swrathandtherewassomuchofitthatitactuallyreachedoverintothedwellingsoftheDeanandChapterandblackenedthosewhitespots,anditgotintothehithertocalmhomeoftheMayor,whohadthemisfortunetohavebusinesswiththeBishoptheverydayafterIngeborg'sreturn,andanedgeofit—butquiteenoughtochokeanoldman—eveninvadedthecathedral,whereitextinguishedtheheadverger,asunnyoctogenarianprivilegedtohavehislittlejokewiththeBishop,andwhohaditunfortunatelyasusual,andwasinstantlymuffledinmurkinessandneverjokedagain. ThattheBishopshouldhaveallowedhisprivateangerstooverflowbeyondhisgardenwalls,hewhohadneverbeenanythinginpublicbutapatterninhispersonalbeauty,hisloftycalm,andhisbiblicallyflavouredeloquenceofwhattheperfectbishopshouldbe,showstheextremedisturbanceofhismind.Butitwasnotthatheallowedit:itwasthathecouldnothelpit.Hehad,thankstohisdaughter,losthisself-control,andforthatalone,withoutanythingelseshehaddone,hefelthecouldneverforgiveher. Self-controlgone,andwithitself-respect.Heached,hepositivelyachedduringthosefirstfourblackdaysinwhichhisnaturalmanwasuppermost,acreaturehehadforgottensolongwasitsincehehadheardofhim,thoroughlytoshakehisdaughter.Andtheterriblenessofthatinabishop.Theterriblenessofbeingawarethathishandsweretwitchingtoshake—handswhichheacutelyknewshouldbelaidonnooneexceptinblessing,consecratedhands,divinelyappointedtoblessandthendismissinpeace.Thatsmallunimportantthing,thatsmallweakthing,thethinghehadgenerouslyendowedwiththegreatgiftoflifeandalongwiththatgiftthechanceitwouldneverhavehadexceptforhimofre-enteringeternalblessedness,thethinghehadfedandclothed,thathadeatenoutofhishandandbeenallbrighttameness—tobringdisgraceonhim!Disgraceoutsidebeforetheworld,andinsidebeforehisabasedandhumiliatedself.Andshehadbroughtitnotonlyonafather,butonthebest-knownbishoponthebenchthebestknownalsoandmostfrequentlymentioned,hehadsometimessurmisedwithakindofhighhumility,inthe—howcouldoneputitwithsufficientreverence?—holygossipoftheangels.Forinhishighestmoodshehadhumblydaredtobelievehewasnotaltogetheruntalkedaboutinheaven.Andhereatthemomentofmuchthankfulnessandlegitimatepridewhenhisotherdaughterwassobeautifullybetrothedcamethisone,andwithimpishsacrilegiousnessdraggedhim,herfather,intothedustofbaseandfuriousinstincts,theawfuldustinwhichthosesadanimalmensitwhowishtoanddobeattheirwomen-folk. Hecouldnotbringhimselftospeaktoher.Hewouldnotallowhernearhim.Whateverherrepentancemightbeitcouldneverwipeoutthememoryofthesehoursofbeingforcedbyhertorecognisewhat,afteralltheyearsofcarefulclimbingupwardstogoodness,hewasstillreallylikeinside.Terribletobestirrednotonlytounchristianitybuttovulgarity.TerribletobemadetowishnotonlythatyouwerenotaChristianbutnotagentleman.He,aprinceoftheChurch,wasdesiringtobeanavvyforaspaceduringwhichhecouldbeunconditionallyactive.He,aprinceoftheChurch,wasrentanddistortedbyfeelingsthatwouldhavedisgracedacurate.Hecouldneverforgiveher. Butt