ndred other
benefits that he had received from the family. Mrs. Brough clothed half
the children; master gave them blankets and coats in winter, and soup and
meat all the year round. There never was such a generous family, sure,
since the world began.

"Well, sir," said I to the Captain, "does that satisfy you? Mr. Brough
gives to these people fifty times as much as he gains from them; and yet
he makes Mr. Gates take shares in our Company."

"Mr. Titmarsh," says the Captain, "you are an honest fellow; and I
confess your argument sounds well. Now tell me, do you know anything
about Miss Brough and her fortune?"

"Brough will leave her everything--or says so." But I suppose the
Captain saw some particular expression in my countenance, for he laughed
and said--

"I suppose, my dear fellow, you think she's dear at the price. Well, I
don't know that you are far wrong."

"Why, then, if I may make so bold, Captain Fizgig, are you always at her
heels?"

"Mr. Titmarsh," says the Captain, "I owe twenty thousand pounds;" and he
went back to the house directly, and proposed for her.

I thought this rather cruel and unprincipled conduct on the gentleman's
part; for he had been introduced to the family by Mr. Tidd, with whom he
had been at school, and had supplanted Tidd entirely in the great
heiress's affections. Brough stormed, and actually swore at his daughter
(as the Captain told me afterwards) when he heard that the latter had
accepted Mr. Fizgig; and at last, seeing the Captain, made him give his
word that the engagement should be kept secret for a few months. And
Captain F. only made a confidant of me, and the mess, as he said: but
this was after Tidd had paid his twenty thousand pounds over to our
governor, which he did punctually when he came of age. The same day,
too, he proposed for the young lady, and I need not say was rejected.
Presently the Captain's engagement began to be whispered about: all his
great relations, the Duke of Doncaster, the Earl of Cinqbars, the Earl of
Crabs, &c. came and visited the Brough family; the Hon. Henry Ringwood
became a shareholder in our Company, and the Earl of Crabs offered to be.
Our shares rose to a premium; our Director, his lady, and daughter were
presented at Court; and the great West Diddlesex Association bid fair to
be the first Assurance Office in the kingdom.

A very short time after my visit to Fulham, my dear aunt wrote to me to
say that she had consulted w