Explore "The Last Chronicle of Barset" by Anthony Trollope on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
It was now known throughout Barchester that a commission was to be held by the bishop's orders, at which inquiry would be made -- that is, ecclesiastical inquiry -- as to the guilt imputed to Mr. Crawley in the matter of Mr. Soames's cheque. Sundry rumours had gone abroad as to quarrels which had taken place on the subject among certain clergymen high in office; but these were simply rumours, and nothing was in truth known. There was no more discreet clergyman in all the diocese than Dr. Tempest, and not a word had escaped from him as to the stormy nature of that meeting in the bishop's palace, at which he had attended with the bishop -- and at which Mrs. Proudie had attended also.
When it is said that the fact of this coming commission was known to all Barsetshire, allusion is of course made to that portion of the inhabitants of Barsetshire to which clerical matters were dear; -- and as such matters were specially dear to the inhabitants of the parish of Framley, the commission was discussed very eagerly in that parish, and was specially discussed by the Dowager Lady Lufton.