The dean looked round, saw that it was Arthur
Channing, rose from his seat, and awaited his approach.
"Will you pardon my intruding upon you here, Mr. Dean?" he began, in
his gentle, courteous manner; and with the urgency of the occasion, all
his energy seemed to come to him. Timidity and tremor vanished, and he
stood before the dean, a true gentleman and a fearless one. The dean
still wore his surplice, and his trencher lay on the table near him.
Arthur placed his own hat by its side. "Mr. Williams has just informed
me that you cast a doubt as to the propriety of my still taking the
organ," he added.
"True," said the dean. "It is not fitting that one, upon whom so heavy
an imputation lies, should be allowed to continue his duty in this
Cathedral."
"But, sir--if that imputation be a mistaken one?"
"How are we to know that it is a mistaken one?" demanded the dean.
Arthur paused. Sir, will you take my word for it? I am incapable of
telling a lie. I have come to you to defend my own cause; and yet I can
only do it by my bare word of assertion. You are not a stranger to the
circumstances of my family, Mr. Dean; and I honestly avow that if this
post is taken from me, it will be felt as a serious loss. I have lost
what little I had from Mr. Galloway; I trust I shall not lose this."
"You know, Channing, that I should be the last to do an unjust thing;
you also may be aware that I respect your family very much," was the
dean's reply.
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