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。