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。