into the heart of
the fiery furnace. The stoker shut the great iron door with a clang,
and looked at the policeman solemnly. The policeman returned the look,
thanked him, and retired. In less probably than three minutes
Floppart's body was reduced to its gaseous elements, vomited forth from
the furnace chimney, and finally dissipated by the winds of heaven.

Thus did this, the first recorded and authentic case of cremation in the
United Kingdom, emanate--as many a new, advantageous, and national
measure has emanated before--from the prolific womb of the General
Post-Office.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

TOTTIE AND MRS. BONES IN DIFFICULTY.

The descent of George Aspel became very rapid in course of time. As he
lost self-respect he became reckless and, as a natural consequence, more
dissipated. Remonstrances from his friend Mr Blurt, which were
repelled at first with haughty disdain, came to be received with sullen
indifference. He had nothing to say for himself in reply, because, in
point of fact, there was nothing in his case to justify his taking so
gloomy and despairing a view of life. Many men, he knew, were at his
age out of employment, and many more had been crossed in love. He was
too proud to condescend to false reasoning with his lips, though he
encouraged it in his heart. He knew quite well that drink and bad
companionship were ruining him, and off-hand, open-hearted fellow though
he was said to be, he was mean enough, as we have already said, to
growlingly charge his condition and his sins on Fate.

At last he resolved to give up the business that was so distasteful to
him. Unable to give a satisfactory reason for so doing, or to say what
he meant to attempt next, and unwilling or ashamed to incur the
remonstrances and rebut the arguments of his patron, the bold descendant
of the sea-kings adopted that cowardly method of departure called taking
French leave. Like some little schoolboy, he ran away! In other words,
he disappeared, and left no trace behind him.

Deep was Mr Enoch Blurt's regret, for he loved the youth sincerely, and
made many fruitless efforts to find him--for lost in London means lost
indeed! He even employed a detective, but the grave man in grey--who
looked like no class of man in particular, and seemed to have no
particular business in hand, and who talked with Mr Blurt, at their
first meeting, in a quiet, sensible, easy way, as though he had been one
of his oldest friends--