ecame aware that Mrs. Hopper spoke to him. She
had just laid breakfast, and, as usual when she wished to begin a
conversation, had drawn back to the door, where she paused.

"That Boxon, the grocer, has had a bad accident, sir."

"Boxon?--grocer?"

"In the Fulham Road, sir; him as Allchin was with."

"Ah!"

Heedless of her master's gloomy abstraction, Mrs. Hopper continued. She
related that Boxon had been at certain races where he had lost money
and got drunk; driving away in a trap, he had run into something, and
been thrown out, with serious injuries, which might prove fatal.

"So much the worse for him," muttered Warburton. "I've no pity to spare
for fools and blackguards."

"I should think not, indeed sir. I just mentioned it, sir, because
Allchin was telling us about it last night. He and his wife looked in
to see my sister, Liza, and they both said they never see such a change
in anybody. And they said how grateful we ought to be to you, sir, and
that I'm sure we are, for Liza'd never have been able to go away
without your kindness."

Listening as if this talk sounded from a vague distance, Warburton was
suddenly reminded of what had befallen himself; for as yet he had
thought only of his mother and sister. He was ruined. Some two or three
hundred pounds, his private bank account, represented all he had in the
world, and all prospect of making money had been taken away from him.
Henceforth, small must be his charities. If he gained his own living,
he must count himself lucky; nothing more difficult than for a man of
his age and position, unexpectedly cut adrift, to find work and
payment. By good fortune, his lease of this flat came to an end at
Michaelmas, and already he had given notice that he did not mean to
renew. Mrs. Hopper knew that he was on the point of leaving London, and
mot a little lamented it, for to her the loss would be serious indeed.
Warburton's habitual generosity led her to hope for some signal
benefaction ere his departure; perhaps on that account she was
specially emphatic in gratitude for her sister's restoration to health.

"We was wondering, sir," she added, now having wedged herself between
door and jamb, "whether you'd be so kind as to let my sister Liza see
you just for a minute or two, to thank you herself as I'm sure she
ought? She could come any time as wouldn't be ill-convenient to you."

"I'm extremely busy, Mrs. Hopper," Will replied. "Please tell your
sister I'm delig