e had not himself found a clue to this. The smallest clue, he said,
would have made him master of the case, and what a case it would have
been to have got to the bottom of!

Physician had engaged to break the intelligence in Harley Street. Bar
could not at once return to his inveiglements of the most enlightened
and remarkable jury he had ever seen in that box, with whom, he could
tell his learned friend, no shallow sophistry would go down, and no
unhappily abused professional tact and skill prevail (this was the way
he meant to begin with them); so he said he would go too, and would
loiter to and fro near the house while his friend was inside. They
walked there, the better to recover self-possession in the air; and the
wings of day were fluttering the night when Physician knocked at the
door.

A footman of rainbow hues, in the public eye, was sitting up for his
master--that is to say, was fast asleep in the kitchen over a couple
of candles and a newspaper, demonstrating the great accumulation of
mathematical odds against the probabilities of a house being set on fire
by accident When this serving man was roused, Physician had still to
await the rousing of the Chief Butler. At last that noble creature came
into the dining-room in a flannel gown and list shoes; but with his
cravat on, and a Chief Butler all over. It was morning now. Physician
had opened the shutters of one window while waiting, that he might see
the light. 'Mrs Merdle's maid must be called, and told to get Mrs Merdle
up, and prepare her as gently as she can to see me. I have dreadful news
to break to her.'

Thus Physician to the Chief Butler. The latter, who had a candle in his
hand, called his man to take it away. Then he approached the window with
dignity; looking on at Physician's news exactly as he had looked on at
the dinners in that very room.

'Mr Merdle is dead.'

'I should wish,' said the Chief Butler, 'to give a month's notice.'

'Mr Merdle has destroyed himself.'

'Sir,' said the Chief Butler, 'that is very unpleasant to the feelings
of one in my position, as calculated to awaken prejudice; and I should
wish to leave immediately.'

'If you are not shocked, are you not surprised, man?' demanded the
Physician, warmly.

The Chief Butler, erect and calm, replied in these memorable words.

'Sir, Mr Merdle never was the gentleman, and no ungentlemanly act on
Mr Merdle's part would surprise me. Is there anybody else I can send to
you, or