weeks, were now turned to minutes:
scarcely had I swallowed my breakfast before I was in my justice-room;
and before I had mittimused half a dozen paupers for beggary, I was
called away to luncheon; this barely over, in comes a deputation or a
dispatch, and so on till dinner, which was barely ended before supper
was announced. We all became enchanted with the Mansion House; my girls
grew graceful by the confidence their high station gave them; Maria
refused a good offer because her lover chanced to have an ill sounding
name; we had all got settled in our rooms, the establishment had begun
to know and appreciate us; we had just become in fact easy in our
dignity and happy in our position, when lo and behold! the ninth of
November came again--the anniversary of my exaltation, the consummation
of my downfall.

Again did we go in state to Guildhall, again were we toasted and
addressed, again were we handed in, and led out, again flirted with
cabinet ministers and danced with ambassadors, and at two o'clock in the
morning drove home from the scene of gaiety to our old residence in
Budge Row.--Never in this world did pickled herrings and turpentine
smell so powerfully as on that night when we entered the house; and
although my wife and the young ones stuck to the drinkables at
Guildhall, their natural feelings would have way, and a sort of
shuddering disgust seemed to fill their minds on their return home--the
passage looked so narrow--the drawing-rooms looked so small--the
staircase seemed so dark--our apartments appeared so low--however, being
tired, we all slept well, at least I did, for I was in no humour to talk
to Sally, and the only topic I could think upon before I dropped into my
slumber, was a calculation of the amount of expense which I had incurred
during the just expired year of my greatness.

In the morning we assembled at breakfast--a note lay on the table,
addressed--"Mrs. Scropps, Budge Row." The girls, one after the other,
took it up, read the superscription, and laid it down again. A visiter
was announced--a neighbour and kind friend, a man of wealth and
importance--what were his first words?--they were the first I had heard
from a stranger since my job,--"How are you, Scropps, done up, eh?"

Scropps! no obsequiousness, no deference, no respect;--no "my lord, I
hope your lordship passed an agreeable night--and how is her ladyship
and your lordship's amiable daughters?"--not a bit of it--"How's Mrs. S.
a