a pickling walnut. The landlord said that
this was nothing; and that he expected, in two days at the utmost,
a very fresh young Irishman, for whom they would all forsake me.
Nevertheless, I declined to wait, unless he could find me a hayrick to
sleep in; for the insects of grass only tickle. He assured me that no
hayrick could now be found in London; upon which I was forced to leave
him, and with mutual esteem we parted.

The next night I had better luck, being introduced to a decent widow, of
very high Scotch origin. That house was swept and garnished so, that
not a bit was left to eat, for either man or insect. The change of air
having made me hungry, I wanted something after supper; being quite
ready to pay for it, and showing my purse as a symptom. But the face of
Widow MacAlister, when I proposed to have some more food, was a thing to
be drawn (if it could be drawn further) by our new caricaturist.

Therefore I left her also; for liefer would I be eaten myself than have
nothing to eat; and so I came back to my old furrier; the which was
a thoroughly hearty man, and welcomed me to my room again, with two
shillings added to the rent, in the joy of his heart at seeing me. Being
under parole to Master Stickles, I only went out betwixt certain hours;
because I was accounted as liable to be called upon; for what purpose
I knew not, but hoped it might be a good one. I felt it a loss, and
a hindrance to me, that I was so bound to remain at home during the
session of the courts of law; for thereby the chance of ever beholding
Lorna was very greatly contracted, if not altogether annihilated. For
these were the very hours in which the people of fashion, and the high
world, were wont to appear to the rest of mankind, so as to encourage
them. And of course by this time, the Lady Lorna was high among people
of fashion, and was not likely to be seen out of fashionable hours. It
is true that there were some places of expensive entertainment, at which
the better sort of mankind might be seen and studied, in their hours of
relaxation, by those of the lower order, who could pay sufficiently. But
alas, my money was getting low; and the privilege of seeing my betters
was more and more denied to me, as my cash drew shorter. For a man must
have a good coat at least, and the pockets not wholly empty, before he
can look at those whom God has created for his ensample.

Hence, and from many other causes--part of which was my own pride--it