was generally known by all the world both of Silverbridge and
Hogglestock. To a great many it was known that Dean Arabin had paid
money for him, very much contrary to his own consent, and that he had
quarrelled, or attempted to quarrel, with the dean in consequence--had
so attempted, although the money had in part passed through his own
hands. There had been one creditor, Fletcher, the butcher at
Silverbridge, who had of late been specially hard upon poor Crawley.
This man, who had not been without good nature in his dealings, had
heard stories of the dean's good-will and such like, and had loudly
expressed his opinion that the perpetual curate of Hogglestock would
show a higher pride in allowing himself to be indebted to a rich brother
clergyman, than in remaining under the thrall of a butcher. And thus a
rumour had grown up. And then the butcher had written repeated letters to
the bishop--to bishop Proudie of Barchester, who had first caused his
chaplain to answer them, and had told Mr Crawley somewhat roundly what
was his opinion of a clergyman who ate meat and did not pay for it. But
nothing that bishop could say or do enabled Mr Crawley to pay the
butcher. It was very grievous to such a man as Mr Crawley to receive
these letters from such a man as Bishop Proudie; but the letters came,
and made festering wounds, but then there was an end of them. And at
last there had come forth from the butcher's shop a threat that if the
money were not paid by a certain date, printed bills would be posted
about the country. All who heard of this in Silverbridge were very angry
with Mr Fletcher, for no one there had ever known a tradesman to take
such a step before; but Fletcher swore that he would persevere, and
defended himself by showing that six or seven months since, in the
spring of the year, Mr Crawley had been paying money in Silverbridge,
but had paid none to him--to him who had been not only his earliest, but
his most enduring creditor. 'He got money from the dean in March,' said
Mr Fletcher to Mr Walker 'and he paid twelve pounds ten to Green, and