44  There  are,"  said  he,  "  so  many  defendants  in  the  cause,
and  so  many  counsel  engaged  against  us,  that  we  must  have  four
on  our  side,  although  two  of  them  will  be  almost  useless.  I  gave
one  of  them  (Mr.  Trifle)  the  other  day  a  brief  in  a  nisi  prius
case,  on  the  condition  that  as  soon  as  he  opened  the  pleadings
he  should  leave  the  court,  lest  the  examination  of  an


BOB  NORBERRY.  175

important  witness  should  fall  to  him  ;  but  he  is  highly  connected
—he  is  son  of  the  Chancellor's  nephew,  and  we  must  have  him.
Well,  then,  there  is  Mr.  Thrust,  a  complete  fire-eater,  who  will
keep  down  the  bullying  and  Billingsgate  of  Slappenvhang  on  the
other  side  ;  then  our  leaders,  who  understand  the  case,  and  are
good  lawyers,  must  be  both  engaged,  so  that  there  are  four  of
them  to  fee."

"  There  are  Trumbo,  Trifle,  and  Thrust,"  said  Mrs.  Nor-
berry  ;  "  who  the  fourth  is  I  really  forget  just  now."

"  I  am  sure  you  do  not  forget  our  sleek  and  oily-tongued  lit-
tle friend,  Counsellor  Glendelough."

"  You  are  right,"  said  Mrs.  Norberry,  "  and  if  I  mistake  not
he  is  the  best  hearted  of  the  whole  party."

"And  not  the  worst  lawyer,"  added  Fisher.
Mrs.  Norberry  proceeded  first  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Trifle,  who
heard  her  story  with  apparent  indifference,  and  counting  over  the
fee,  attempted  to  perpetrate  a  pun,  by  observing  that  she  brought
him  a  sum  to  correspond  with  his  name.
Mrs.  Norberry  was  going  to  add,  "  and  with  his  ability,"  but
prudence  restrained  her.
