"_Law_, you see, sir," continued Mac Chizzle, who was particularly fond of hearing himself talk,--"_law_ is omnipotent, and beats _justice_ to such an extreme, that justice would be justified in bringing an action of assault and battery against law. Law even makes religion, sir; and gives the attributes of the Deity; for no one dares assert that God possesses a quality or a characteristic, unless in conformity with the law. And as these laws are always changing, so of course does the nature of the deity, as established by the law, vary too; so that men may be said to go to heaven or to another place by the turnpike-roads laid down by the law." "I like your reasonable powers amazingly," said the butler, somewhat impatiently; "and I will now proceed to unfold the momentary object of my visit." "Give yourself breathing time, my dear sir. As I was observing, _Law_ is more powerful than even _Justice_ and _Religion_; and I could now show that it exercises the same predominating influence over _Morality_ also. For instance, Law, and not Conscience, defines virtues and vices. If I murder you, I commit a crime; but the executioner who puts me to death for the action, does _not_ commit a crime. Neither does the soldier who kills his fellow-creature in battle. Thus, murder is only a crime when it is not legalised by human statutes,--or, in plain terms, when it is not according to law." "I comprehend, sir," said Whittingham; and, seeing that Mr. Mac Chizzle now paused at length, he narrated the particulars of his master's arrest upon an accusation of passing a forged note for five hundred pounds. "This is an ugly case, Mr. Whittingham." "You must go down to him at Bow-Street: his case comes on at eleven o'clock." "Well, there is plenty of time: it is only half-past nine o'clock. I think we had better instruct counsel." "Construct counsel!" ejaculated Whittingham; "I want you to get him liberated at once." "Ah! I dare say you do," said the lawyer, coolly. "That is often more easily said than done. From what you have told me I should not wonder if your master was committed for trial." "But he is innocent, sir--he is innocent--as the young lamb in the meadows which is unborn!" cried Whittingham. "Master Richard would no more pass a fictious note than I should endeavour to pass a race-horse if I was mounted on a donkey." Mr. Mac Chizzle smiled, and summoned his clerk by the euphonious name of "Simcox." Mr. Simcox was somewhat slow in making his appearance; and when he did, a very comical one it was--for his hair was red, his eyes were green, his countenance was studded with freckles, and his eye-lashes were white.