s ring, he could not have twisted it round his finger more easily.

Mr. Meyer found the eminent criminal lawyer in the midst of a heap of
dusty papers. Mr. Bordacsi, for that was his name, had an extraordinary
faculty for so identifying himself with any complicated case he might
take up as to absolutely live and breathe in it. Any attempt at
sophistry or chicanery made him downright venomous, and he only
recovered himself when, by dint of superior acumen, he had enabled the
righteous cause to triumph. He was also far-famed for his
incorruptibility. Whoever approached him with ducats was incontinently
kicked out-of-doors, and if any pretty woman visited him with the
intention of making her charms influence his judgments, he would treat
her so unceremoniously that she was likely to think twice before
visiting him again on a similar errand.

No sooner did Bordacsi perceive Mr. Meyer than he took off his
spectacles and put them on the page of the document before him, so as
not to lose his place; then he exclaimed, in an extraordinarily rough
voice--

"Well, what's the matter, friend Meyer?"

Mr. Meyer was glad to hear the word "friend," but this was a mere form
of expression with his Honour the Judge. He always said "friend" to
lawyers' clerks, lackeys, and even to the parties to a suit whom it was
his duty to tear to ribbons. Meyer, however, set forth his grievance
quite confidently. He even sat down, though he had not been invited to
do so, as he was wont to do in the bygone happy days when they were
official colleagues together. It was Meyer's custom never to look those
whom he was addressing in the face, which bashfulness deprived him, of
course, of the advantage of being able to read from their countenances
what impression he was making upon them. He was therefore greatly
surprised when, on finishing his speech, his Honour Judge Bordacsi
roared at him in the angriest of voices--

"And why do you tell me all this?"

Mr. Meyer's spirit suddenly grew cold within him; he could not answer a
word, only his mouth moved weakly up and down, like the mouth of a
puppet that you pull with a string.

"What!" cried Judge Bordacsi, with a still more violent exertion of his
lungs, rushing upon his unfortunate client and fixing him with
frightfully distended eyes.

In his terror the unfortunate man leaped from the seat in which he had
sat down unasked, and murmured tearfully--

"I humbly beg your pardon. I came here for advi