The central drama of the book is that of Mr.Crawley, the curate of Hogglestock who, falsely accused of theft, suffers bitterly with his family. This deceptively simple plot, though, is given a twist, and the character of Mr. Crawley is more ambigious than would at first appear. It is he himself who seems to bring about the most of his suffering, and the portrait of his man--gloomy brooding, and proud, moving relentlessly from one humiliation to another--achieves tragic dimensions.