bered his fees, and paused. It would
be very pleasant to him to quit Mr. Furnival, but where could he get
such another place? He knew that he himself was invaluable, but then
he was invaluable only to Mr. Furnival. Mr. Furnival would be mad to
part with him, Mr. Crabwitz thought; but then would he not be almost
more mad to part with Mr. Furnival?

"Eh; well?" said Mr. Furnival.

"Oh! of course; if you desire it, Mr. Furnival, I will remain. But I
must say I think it is rather hard."

"Look here, Mr. Crabwitz; if you think my service is too hard upon
you, you had better leave it. But if you take upon yourself to
tell me so again, you must leave it. Remember that." Mr. Furnival
possessed the master mind of the two; and Mr. Crabwitz felt this as
he slunk back to his own room.

So Mr. Round also was at Birmingham, and could be seen there. This
was so far well; and Mr. Furnival, having again with ruthless malice
sent Mr. Crabwitz for a cab, at once started for the Euston Square
Station. He could master Mr. Crabwitz, and felt a certain pleasure
in having done so; but could he master Mrs. F.? That lady had on one
or two late occasions shown her anger at the existing state of her
domestic affairs, and had once previously gone so far as to make
her lord understand that she was jealous of his proceedings with
reference to other goddesses. But she had never before done this in
the presence of other people;--she had never allowed any special
goddess to see that she was the special object of such jealousy.
Now she had not only committed herself in this way, but had also
committed him, making him feel himself to be ridiculous; and it was
highly necessary that some steps should be taken;--if he only knew
what step! All which kept his mind active as he journeyed in the cab.

At the station he found three or four other lawyers, all bound for
Birmingham. Indeed, during this fortnight the whole line had been
alive with learned gentlemen going to and fro, discussing weighty
points as they rattled along the iron road, and shaking their
ponderous heads at the new ideas which were being ventilated.
Mr. Furnival, with many others--indeed, with most of those who
were so far advanced in the world as to be making bread by their
profession--was of opinion that all this palaver that was going on in
the various tongues of Babel would end as it began--in words. "Vox et
praeterea nihil." To practical Englishmen most of these international
congr