第141章

Bar’sknowledgeofthatagglomerationofjurymenwhichiscalledhumanitywasassharpasarazor；yetarazorisnotagenerallyconvenientinstrument，andPhysician’splainbrightscalpel，thoughfarlesskeen，wasadaptabletofarwiderpurposes。Barknewallaboutthegullibilityandknaveryofpeople；butPhysiciancouldhavegivenhimabetterinsightintotheirtendernessesandaffections，inoneweekofhisrounds，thanWestminsterHallandallthecircuitsputtogether，inthreescoreyearsandten。Baralwayshadasuspicionofthis，andperhapswasgladtoencourageit(for，iftheworldwerereallyagreatLawCourt，onewouldthinkthatthelastdayofTermcouldnottoosoonarrive)；andsohelikedandrespectedPhysicianquiteasmuchasanyotherkindofmandid。

MrMerdle’sdefaultleftaBanquo’schairatthetable；but，ifhehadbeenthere，hewouldhavemerelymadethedifferenceofBanquoinit，andconsequentlyhewasnoloss。Bar，whopickedupallsortsofoddsandendsaboutWestminsterHall，muchasaravenwouldhavedoneifhehadpassedasmuchofhistimethere，hadbeenpickingupagreatmanystrawslatelyandtossingthemabout，totrywhichwaytheMerdlewindblew。HenowhadalittletalkonthesubjectwithMrsMerdleherself；sidlinguptothatlady，ofcourse，withhisdoubleeye-glassandhisjurydroop。

’Acertainbird，’saidBar；andhelookedasifitcouldhavebeennootherbirdthanamagpie；’hasbeenwhisperingamonguslawyerslately，thatthereistobeanadditiontothetitledpersonagesofthisrealm。’

’Really？’saidMrsMerdle。

’Yes，’saidBar。’Hasnotthebirdbeenwhisperinginverydifferentearsfromours——inlovelyears？’HelookedexpressivelyatMrsMerdle’snearestear-ring。

’Doyoumeanmine？’askedMrsMerdle。

’WhenIsaylovely，’saidBar，’Ialwaysmeanyou。’

’Younevermeananything，Ithink，’returnedMrsMerdle(notdispleased)。

’Oh，cruellyunjust!’saidBar。’But，thebird。’

’Iamthelastpersonintheworldtohearnews，’observedMrsMerdle，carelesslyarrangingherstronghold。’Whoisit？’

’Whatanadmirablewitnessyouwouldmake!’saidBar。’Nojury(unlesswecouldempaneloneofblindmen)couldresistyou，ifyouwereeversobadaone；butyouwouldbesuchagoodone!’

’Why，youridiculousman？’askedMrsMerdle，laughing。

Barwavedhisdoubleeye-glassthreeorfourtimesbetweenhimselfandtheBosom，asarallyinganswer，andinquiredinhismostinsinuatingaccents：

’WhatamItocallthemostelegant，accomplishedandcharmingofwomen，afewweeks，oritmaybeafewdays，hence？’

’Didn’tyourbirdtellyouwhattocallher？’answeredMrsMerdle。

’Doaskitto-morrow，andtellmethenexttimeyouseemewhatitsays。’

Thisledtofurtherpassagesofsimilarpleasantrybetweenthetwo；

butBar，withallhissharpness，gotnothingoutofthem。

Physician，ontheotherhand，takingMrsMerdledowntohercarriageandattendingonherassheputonhercloak，inquiredintothesymptomswithhisusualcalmdirectness。

’MayIask，’hesaid，’isthistrueaboutMerdle？’

’Mydeardoctor，’shereturned，’youaskmetheveryquestionthatIwashalfdisposedtoaskyou。’

’Toaskme!Whyme？’

’Uponmyhonour，IthinkMrMerdlereposesgreaterconfidenceinyouthaninanyone。’

’Onthecontrary，hetellsmeabsolutelynothing，evenprofessionally。Youhaveheardthetalk，ofcourse？’

’OfcourseIhave。ButyouknowwhatMrMerdleis；youknowhowtaciturnandreservedheis。IassureyouIhavenoideawhatfoundationforittheremaybe。Ishouldlikeittobetrue；whyshouldIdenythattoyou？Youwouldknowbette