It was the general opinion at Silverbridge that the news from Venice ought to be communicated to the Crawleys by Major Grantly. Mary Walker had expressed this opinion very strongly, and her mother had agreed with her. Miss Prettyman also felt that poetical justice, or, at least, the romance of justice, demanded this; and, as she told her sister Anne after Mary Walker left her, she was of the opinion that such an arrangement might tend to make things safe. 'I do think he is an honest man and a fine fellow,' said Miss Prettyman; 'but, my dear, you know what the proverb says, "There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip".' Miss Prettyman thought than anything which might be done to prevent a slip ought to be done. The idea that the pleasant task of taking the news out to Hogglestock ought to be confided to Major Grantly was very general;but then Mr Walker was of the opinion that the news ought not to be taken to Hogglestock at all till something more certain than the telegram had reached them. Early on the following morning the two lawyers should go over at once to Barchester, and that the Silverbridge lawyer should see Major Grantly. Mr Toogood was still of the opinion that with due diligence something might yet be learned as to the cheque by inquiry among the denizens of 'The Dragon of Wantly'; and his opinion to this effect was stronger than ever when he learned from Mr Walker that the 'Dragon of Wantly' belonged to Mrs Arabin.
Mr Walker, after breakfast, had himself driven up in his open carriage to Cosby Lodge, and, as he entered the gates, observed that the auctioneer's bills as to the sale had been pulled down. The Mr Walkers of the world know everything, and our Mr Walker had quite understood that the major was leaving Cosby Lodge because of some misunderstanding with his father. The exact nature of the misunderstanding he did not know, even though he was Mr Walker, but had little doubt that it referred in some to Grace Crawley. It the archdeacon's objection to Grace arose from the imputation against the father, that objection would now be removed, but the abolition of the posters could not as yet have been owing to any such cause as that. Mr Walker found the major at the gate of the farmyard attached to Cosby Lodge, and perceived that at that very moment he was engaged in superintending the abolition of sundry other auctioneer's bills from sundry posts. 'What is all this about?' said Mr Walker, greeting the major. 'Is there to be no sale after all?'
'It has been postponed,' said the major.
'Postponed for good, I hope? Bill to be read again this day six months!' said Mr Walker.
'I rather think not. But circumstances have induced me to have to put it off.'
Mr Walker had got out of the carriage, and had taken Major Grantly aside. 'Just come a little further,' he said; 'I've something special to tell you. News reached me last night which will clear Mr Crawley altogether. We know now where he got the cheque.'
'You don't tell me so!'
'Yes, I do. And though the news had reached us in such a way that we cannot act upon it till it's confirmed, I do not in the least doubt it.'
'And how did he get it?'
'You cannot guess?'
'Not in the least,' said the major; 'unless, after all, Soames gave it to him.'
'Soames did not give it to him, but Mrs Arabin did.'
'Mrs Arabin?'
'Yes, Mrs Arabin.'
'Not the dean?'
'No, not the dean. What we know is this, that your aunt has telegraphed to Crawley's cousin, Toogood, to say that she gave Crawley the cheque, and that she has written to your father about it at length. We do not like to tell Crawley till that letter has been received. It is so easy, you know, to misunderstand a telegram, and the wrong copying of a word may make such a mistake!'
'When was it received?'
'Toogood received it in London only yesterday morning. Your father will not get his letter, as I calculate, till the day after tomorrow. But, perhaps, you had better go over to see him, and prepare him for it.
Toogood has gone to Barchester this morning.' To this proposition Grantly made no immediate answer. He could not but remember the terms on which he had left his father; and though he had, most unwillingly, pulled down the auctioneer's bills, in compliance with his mother's last prayer to him--and, indeed, had angrily told the auctioneer to send him his bill when the auctioneer had demurred to these proceedings--nevertheless he was hardly prepared to discuss the matter of Mr Crawley with his father in pleasant words--in words which should be full of rejoicing. It was a great thing for him, Henry Grantly, that Mr Crawley should be innocent, and he did rejoice; but he had intended his father to understand that he meant to persevere, whether Mr Crawley were innocent or guilty, and thus he would now lose an opportunity for establishing his obstinacy--an opportunity which had not been without a charm for him. He must console himself as best he might with the returning prospect of assured prosperity, and with his renewed hopes as to the Plumstead foxes! 'We think, major, that when the time comes you ought to be the bearer of the news to Hogglestock,' said Mr Walker. Then the major did undertake to convey the news to Hogglestock, but he made no promise as to going over to Plumstead.
