his
approach. I now remembered the warnings of Wortley, and his assertions
that Mervyn had withdrawn himself forever from our view. The event had
hitherto unwelcomely coincided with these predictions, and a thousand
doubts and misgivings were awakened.

One evening, while preparing to shake off gloomy thoughts by a visit to
a friend, some one knocked at my door, and left a billet containing
these words:--

"_Dr. Stevens is requested to come immediately to the Debtors'
Apartments in Prune Street._"

This billet was without signature. The handwriting was unknown, and the
precipitate departure of the bearer left me wholly at a loss with
respect to the person of the writer, or the end for which my presence
was required. This uncertainty only hastened my compliance with the
summons.

The evening was approaching,--a time when the prison-doors are
accustomed to be shut and strangers to be excluded. This furnished an
additional reason for despatch. As I walked swiftly along, I revolved
the possible motives that might have prompted this message. A conjecture
was soon formed, which led to apprehension and inquietude.

One of my friends, by name Carlton, was embarrassed with debts which he
was unable to discharge. He had lately been menaced with arrest by a
creditor not accustomed to remit any of his claims. I dreaded that this
catastrophe had now happened, and called to mind the anguish with which
this untoward incident would overwhelm his family. I knew his incapacity
to take away the claim of his creditor by payment, or to soothe him into
clemency by supplication.

So prone is the human mind to create for itself distress, that I was not
aware of the uncertainty of this evil till I arrived at the prison. I
checked myself at the moment when I opened my lips to utter the name of
my friend, and was admitted without particular inquiries. I supposed
that he by whom I had been summoned hither would meet me in the common
room.

The apartment was filled with pale faces and withered forms. The marks
of negligence and poverty were visible in all; but few betrayed, in
their features or gestures, any symptoms of concern on account of their
condition. Ferocious gayety, or stupid indifference, seemed to sit upon
every brow. The vapour from a heated stove, mingled with the fumes of
beer and tallow that were spilled upon it, and with the tainted breath
of so promiscuous a crowd, loaded the stagnant atmosphere. At my first
transition