plan)—­Market Goosebury, coloured blue in the plan, and, as you will see, runs through the—­(inspects plan closely)—­Swashbuckler Estate—­yes, the Swashbuckler Estate—­and comes, as you will see, if you refer to the chart, near Twaddlecomb—­having now sufficiently indicated the locality, I repeat, will you be kind enough to say whether, in your opinion, the necessity of building a bridge over the River Raven—­(is prompted by Junior)—­I should say, over the River Crowe—­could be avoided?

Chairman of Committee (interposing).  I would suggest that, as this question has been answered three times, the witness be excused further examination at the hands of Counsel not present at the examination-in-chief.

First C.-E.  Q.C. (warmly).  I consider this an infringement of the privileges of the Bar.  The Right Hon. Chairman must remember that it is possible that a single reference in the examination-in-chief may only require cross-examination on the part of the Clients whom we represent.  Besides, an expert witness’s examination-in-chief is very seldom shaken, and all we can possibly want is a note taken by a learned friend who has acted as a Junior.  All of us are occasionally wanted elsewhere.

Second C.-E.  Q.C. (indignantly).  Yes; and how can we attend to our Clients’ interests if we are not allowed to be in two places at once?

Third C.-E.  Q.C. (furiously).  You have no right to act upon an old ruling that was never enforced.  Why, such a regulation would ruin us—­and many of us have wives and children!

    [Exeunt defiantly, to return, later on, ready to brave
    imprisonment in the Clock Tower, if necessary, N.B.—­Up to
    date the Tower is untenanted.

* * * * *

“IN THE NAME OF THE LAW—­PHOTOGRAPHS!”—­MR. A. BRIEFLESS, Junr., having received a respectful invitation from some Brook Street Photographers to favour them (without charge) with a sitting, “to enable them to complete their series of portraits of distinguished legal gentlemen,” regrets to say that, as he has already sat for another Firm making the same request (see Papers from Pump-handle Court), he is unable to comply with their courteous request.  However, he is pleased to hear that a similar petition has been forwarded to others of his learned friends, one of whom writes to say, he “possesses a wig, and the right to wear it, but that there his connection with the Law begins and ends.”  Mr. A. BRIEFLESS, Junr., wishes the industrious Firm every success in their public-spirited undertaking.

* * * * *

GOSCHEN CUM DIG.; OR, THE (FAR FROM) DYING SWAN.

(A LONG WAY AFTER LORD TENNYSON.)

[Illustration:  “WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS RECESS IS ITS PERFECT QUIET!”]