the arm towards the sideboard and spoke banteringly, »it
never can be worth your while to come among us and help us.«
    Mr. Merdle felt honoured by the -
    »No, no,« said Treasury, »that is not the light in which one so
distinguished for practical knowledge, and great foresight, can be expected to
regard it. If we should ever be happily enabled, by accidentally possessing the
control over circumstances, to propose to one so eminent to - to come among us,
and give us the weight of his influence, knowledge, and character, we could only
propose it to him as a duty. In fact, as a duty that he owed to Society.«
    Mr. Merdle intimated that Society was the apple of his eye, and that its
claims were paramount to every other consideration. Treasury moved on, and Bar
came up.
    Bar, with his little insinuating Jury droop, and fingering his persuasive
double eye-glass, hoped he might be excused if he mentioned to one of the
greatest converters of the root of all evil into the root of all good, who had
for a long time reflected a shining lustre on the annals even of our commercial
country - if he mentioned, disinterestedly, and as, what we lawyers called in
our pedantic way, amicus curiæ, a fact that had come by accident within his
knowledge. He had been required to look over the title of a very considerable
estate in one of the eastern counties - lying, in fact, for Mr. Merdle knew we
lawyers loved to be particular, on the borders of two of the eastern counties.
Now, the title was perfectly sound, and the estate was to be purchased by one
who had the command of - Money (Jury droop and persuasive eye-glass), on
remarkably advantageous terms. This had come to Bar's knowledge only that day,
and it had occurred to him. »I shall have the honour of dining with my esteemed
friend Mr. Merdle this evening, and, strictly between ourselves, I will mention
the opportunity.« Such a purchase would involve not only great legitimate
political influence, but some half-dozen church presentations of considerable
annual value. Now, that Mr. Merdle was already at no loss to discover means of
occupying even his capital, and of fully employing even his active and vigorous
intellect, Bar well knew: but he would venture to suggest that the question
arose in his mind, whether one who had deservedly gained so high a position and
so European a reputation did not owe it - we would not say to