Bold could not say that the articles in that paper had been written at his own instigation.

He did not even know, as a fact, that they had been written by his friend.

Tom Towers had never said that such a view of the case, or such a side in the dispute, would be taken by the paper with which he was connected.

Very discreet in such matters was Tom Towers, and altogether indisposed to talk loosely of the concerns of that mighty engine of which it was his high privilege to move in secret some portion.

Nevertheless Bold believed that to him were owing those dreadful words which had caused such panic at Barchester,--and he conceived himself bound to prevent their repetition.