Bar’sknowledgeofthatagglomerationofjurymenwhichiscalledhumanitywasassharpasarazor；yetarazorisnotagenerallyconvenientinstrument，andPhysician’splainbrightscalpel，thoughfarlesskeen，wasadaptabletofarwiderpurposes。Barknewallaboutthegullibilityandknaveryofpeople；butPhysiciancouldhavegivenhimabetterinsightintotheirtendernessesandaffections，inoneweekofhisrounds，thanWestminsterHallandallthecircuitsputtogether，inthreescoreyearsandten。Baralwayshadasuspicionofthis，andperhapswasgladtoencourageitfor，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，’returnedMrsMerdlenotdispleased。
　　’Oh，cruellyunjust!’saidBar。’But，thebird。’
　　’Iamthelastpersonintheworldtohearnews，’observedMrsMerdle，carelesslyarrangingherstronghold。’Whoisit？’
　　’Whatanadmirablewitnessyouwouldmake!’saidBar。’Nojuryunlesswecouldempaneloneofblindmencouldresistyou，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？Youwouldknowbetter，ifIdid!’
　　’Justso，’saidPhysician。
　　’Butwhetheritisalltrue，orpartlytrue，orentirelyfalse，I
　　amwhollyunabletosay。Itisamostprovokingsituation，amostabsurdsituation；butyouknowMrMerdle，andarenotsurprised。’
　　Physicianwasnotsurprised，handedherintohercarriage，andbadeherGoodNight。Hestoodforamomentathisownhalldoor，lookingsedatelyattheelegantequipageasitrattledaway。Onhisreturnup-stairs，therestoftheguestssoondispersed，andhewasleftalone。Beingagreatreaderofallkindsofliteratureandneveratallapologeticforthatweakness，hesatdowncomfortablytoread。
　　Theclockuponhisstudytablepointedtoafewminutesshortoftwelve，whenhisattentionwascalledtoitbyaringingatthedoorbell。Amanofplainhabits，hehadsenthisservantstobedandmustneedsgodowntoopenthedoor。Hewentdown，andtherefoundamanwithouthatorcoat，whoseshirtsleeveswererolleduptighttohisshoulders。Foramoment，hethoughtthemanhadbeenfighting：therather，ashewasmuchagitatedandoutofbreath。
　　Asecondlook，however，showedhimthatthemanwasparticularlyclean，andnototherwisediscomposedastohisdressthanasitansweredthisdescription。
　　’Icomefromthewarm-baths，sir，roundintheneighbouringstreet。’
　　’Andwhatisthematteratthewarm-baths？’
　　’Wouldyoupleasetocomedirectly，sir。Wefoundthat，lyingonthetable。’
　　Heputintothephysician’shandascrapofpaper。Physicianlookedatit，andreadhisownnameandaddresswritteninpencil；
　　nothingmore。Helookedcloseratthewriting，lookedattheman，tookhishatfromitspeg，putthekeyofhisdoorinhispocket，andtheyhurriedawaytogether。
　　Whentheycametothewarm-baths，alltheotherpeoplebelongingtothatestablishmentwerelookingoutforthematthedoor，andrunningupanddownthepassages。’Requesteverybodyelsetokeepback，ifyouplease，’saidthephysicianaloudtothemaster；’anddoyoutakemestraighttotheplace，myfriend，’tothemessenger。
　　Themessengerhurriedbeforehim，alongagroveoflittlerooms，andturningintooneattheendofthegrove，lookedroundthedoor。Physicianwascloseuponhim，andlookedroundthedoortoo。
　　Therewasabathinthatcorner，fromwhichthewaterhadbeenhastilydrainedoff。Lyinginit，asinagraveorsarcophagus，withahurrieddraperyofsheetandblanketthrownacrossit，wasthebodyofaheavily-mademan，withanobtusehead，andcoarse，mean，commonfeatures。Asky-lighthadbeenopenedtoreleasethesteamwithwhichtheroomhadbeenfilled；butithung，condensedintowater-drops，heavilyuponthewalls，andheavilyuponthefaceandfigureinthebath。Theroomwasstillhot，andthemarbleofthebathstillwarm；butthefaceandfigurewereclammytothetouch。Thewhitemarbleatthebottomofthebathwasveinedwithadreadfulred。Ontheledgeattheside，wereanemptylaudanum-
　　bottleandatortoise-shellhandledpenknife——soiled，butnotwithink。
　　’Separationofjugularvein——deathrapid——beendeadatleasthalfanhour。’Thisechoofthephysician’swordsranthroughthepassagesandlittlerooms，andthroughthehousewhilehewasyetstraighteninghimselffromhavingbentdowntoreachtothebottomofthebath，andwhilehewasyetdabblinghishandsinwater；
　　redlyveiningitasthemarblewasveined，beforeitmingledintoonetint。
　　Heturnedhiseyestothedressuponthesofa，andtothewatch，money，andpocket-bookonthetable。Afoldednotehalfbuckledupinthepocket-book，andhalfprotrudingfromit，caughthisobservantglance。Helookedatit，touchedit，pulleditalittlefurtheroutfromamongtheleaves，saidquietly，’Thisisaddressedtome，’andopenedandreadit。
　　Therewerenodirectionsforhimtogive。Thepeopleofthehouseknewwhattodo；theproperauthoritiesweresoonbrought；andtheytookanequablebusiness-likepossessionofthedeceased，andofwhathadbeenhisproperty，withnogreaterdisturbanceofmannerorcountenancethanusuallyattendsthewinding-upofaclock。
　　Physicianwasgladtowalkoutintothenightair——wasevenglad，inspiteofhisgreatexperience，tositdownuponadoor-stepforalittlewhile：feelingsickandfaint。
　　Barwasanearneighbourofhis，and，whenhecametothehouse，hesawalightintheroomwhereheknewhisfriendoftensatlategettinguphiswork。AsthelightwasnevertherewhenBarwasnot，itgavehimassurancethatBarwasnotyetinbed。Infact，thisbusybeehadaverdicttogetto-morrow，againstevidence，andwasimprovingtheshininghoursinsettingsnaresforthegentlemenofthejury。
　　Physician’sknockastonishedBar；but，asheimmediatelysuspectedthatsomebodyhadcometotellhimthatsomebodyelsewasrobbinghim，orotherwisetryingtogetthebetterofhim，hecamedownpromptlyandsoftly。Hehadbeenclearinghisheadwithalotionofcoldwater，asagoodpreparativetoprovidinghotwaterfortheheadsofthejury，andhadbeenreadingwiththeneckofhisshirtthrownwideopenthathemightthemorefreelychoketheoppositewitnesses。Inconsequence，hecamedown，lookingratherwild。
　　SeeingPhysician，theleastexpectedofmen，helookedwilderandsaid，’What’sthematter？’
　　’YouaskedmeoncewhatMerdle’scomplaintwas。’
　　’Extraordinaryanswer!IknowIdid。’
　　’ItoldyouIhadnotfoundout。’
　　’Yes。Iknowyoudid。’
　　’Ihavefounditout。’
　　’MyGod!’saidBar，startingback，andclappinghishandupontheother’sbreast。’AndsohaveI!Iseeitinyourface。’
　　Theywentintothenearestroom，wherePhysiciangavehimthelettertoread。Hereaditthroughhalf-a-dozentimes。Therewasnotmuchinitastoquantity；butitmadeagreatdemandonhiscloseandcontinuousattention。Hecouldnotsufficientlygiveutterancetohisregretthathehadnothimselffoundacluetothis。Thesmallestclue，hesaid，wouldhavemadehimmasterofthecase，andwhatacaseitwouldhavebeentohavegottothebottomof!
　　PhysicianhadengagedtobreaktheintelligenceinHarleyStreet。
　　Barcouldnotatoncereturntohisinveiglementsofthemostenlightenedandremarkablejuryhehadeverseeninthatbox，withwhom，hecouldtellhislearnedfriend，noshallowsophistrywouldgodown，andnounhappilyabusedprofessionaltactandskillprevailthiswasthewayhemeanttobeginwiththem；sohesaidhewouldgotoo，andwouldloitertoandfronearthehousewhilehisfriendwasinside。Theywalkedthere，thebettertorecoverself-possessionintheair；andthewingsofdaywereflutteringthenightwhenPhysicianknockedatthedoor。
　　Afootmanofrainbowhues，inthepubliceye，wassittingupforhismaster——thatistosay，wasfastasleepinthekitchenoveracoupleofcandlesandanewspaper，demonstratingthegreataccumulationofmathematicaloddsagainsttheprobabilitiesofahousebeingsetonfirebyaccidentWhenthisservingmanwasroused，PhysicianhadstilltoawaittherousingoftheChiefButler。Atlastthatnoblecreaturecameintothedining-roominaflannelgownandlistshoes；butwithhiscravaton，andaChiefButlerallover。Itwasmorningnow。Physicianhadopenedtheshuttersofonewindowwhilewaiting，thathemightseethelight。