lingered as near the Firm as he decently could, watching with an 
austere eye their disposition of the viands, and but once relaxing 
the severe expression of his face.  This was on the occasion of Mr. 
Craggs, whose teeth were not of the best, partially choking, when 
he cried out with great animation, 'I thought he was gone!'

'Now, Alfred,' said the Doctor, 'for a word or two of business, 
while we are yet at breakfast.'

'While we are yet at breakfast,' said Snitchey and Craggs, who 
seemed to have no present idea of leaving off.

Although Alfred had not been breakfasting, and seemed to have quite 
enough business on his hands as it was, he respectfully answered:

'If you please, sir.'

'If anything could be serious,' the Doctor began, 'in such a - '

'Farce as this, sir,' hinted Alfred.

'In such a farce as this,' observed the Doctor, 'it might be this 
recurrence, on the eve of separation, of a double birthday, which 
is connected with many associations pleasant to us four, and with 
the recollection of a long and amicable intercourse.  That's not to 
the purpose.'

'Ah! yes, yes, Dr. Jeddler,' said the young man.  'It is to the 
purpose.  Much to the purpose, as my heart bears witness this 
morning; and as yours does too, I know, if you would let it speak.  
I leave your house to-day; I cease to be your ward to-day; we part 
with tender relations stretching far behind us, that never can be 
exactly renewed, and with others dawning - yet before us,' he 
looked down at Marion beside him, 'fraught with such considerations 
as I must not trust myself to speak of now.  Come, come!' he added, 
rallying his spirits and the Doctor at once, 'there's a serious 
grain in this large foolish dust-heap, Doctor.  Let us allow to-
day, that there is One.'

'To-day!' cried the Doctor.  'Hear him!  Ha, ha, ha!  Of all days 
in the foolish year.  Why, on this day, the great battle was fought 
on this ground.  On this ground where we now sit, where I saw my 
two girls dance this morning, where the fruit has just been 
gathered for our eating from these trees, the roots of which are 
struck in Men, not earth, - so many lives were lost, that within my 
recollection, generations afterwards, a churchyard full of bones, 
and dust of bones, and chips of cloven skulls, has been dug up from 
underneath our feet here.  Yet not a hundred people in that battle 
knew for what they fought, or why; not a hundred of the 
inconsiderate rejoicers in the victory, why they rejoiced.  Not 
half a hundred people were the better for the gain or loss.  Not 
half-a-dozen men agree to this hour on the cause or merits; and 
nobody, in short, ever knew anything distinct about it, but the 
mourners of the slain.  Serious, too!' said the Doctor, laughing.  
'Such a system!'

'But, all this seems to me,' said Alfred, 'to be very serious.'

'Serious!' cried the Doctor.  'If you allowed such things to be 
serious, you must go mad, or die, or climb up to the top of a 
mountain, and turn hermit.'

'Besides - so long ago,' said Alfred.

'Long ago!' returned the Doctor.  'Do you know what the world has 
been doing, ever since?  Do you know what else it has been doing?  
I don't!'

'It has gone to law a little,' observed Mr. Snitchey, stirring his 
tea.

'Although the way out has been always made too easy,' said his 
partner.

'And you'll excuse my saying, Doctor,' pursued Mr. Snitchey, 
'having been already put a thousand times in possession of my 
opinion, in the course of our discussions, that, in its having gone 
to law, and in its legal system altogether, I do observe a serious 
side - now, really, a something tangible, and with a purpose and 
intention in it - '

Clemency Newcome made an angular tumble against the table, 
occasioning a sounding clatter among the cups and saucers.

'Heyday! what's the matter there?' exclaimed the Doctor.

'It's this evil-inclined blue bag,' said Clemency, 'always tripping 
up somebody!'

'With a purpose and intention in it, I was saying,' resumed 
Snitchey, 'that commands respect.  Life a farce, Dr. Jeddler?  With 
law in it?'

The Doctor laughed, and looked at Alfred.

'Granted, if you please, that war is foolish,' said Snitchey.  
'There we agree.  For example.  Here's a smiling country,' pointing 
it out with his fork, 'once overrun by soldiers - trespassers every 
man of 'em - and laid waste by fire and sword.  He, he, he!  The 
idea of any man exposing himself, voluntarily, to fire and sword!