e turns out every Sunday like a
lord, poor fool--as your poor dear father used to say, 'with a shining
back and empty belly.'"

"But that's no reason why honest people should be kept out of their own,
to feed his pride," interposed her neighbor, a skinny old widow, who had
never had chick nor child, and was always behind-hand with her own rent;
but whose effects were not worth distraining upon. "I'd get hold of some
of his fine crincum-crancums and gimcracks, for security like, if I was
you. I would, indeed."

"Why--no, poor soul--I don't hardly like: he's a vain creature, and puts
everything he can on his back, to be sure; but he a'n't quite a _rogue_,
neither."

"Ah, ha, Mrs. Squallop--you're such a simple soul!--Won't my fine
gentleman make off with his finery after to-night?"

"Well, I shouldn't have thought it! To be sure he may! Really, there
_can't_ be much harm in asking him (in a proper kind of way) to deposit
one of his fine things with me, by way of security--that ring of his,
you know--eh?--Well, I'll _try_ it anyhow," said Mrs. Squallop, as she
set off up-stairs.

"I know what _I_ should do, if so be he was a lodger of _mine_, that's
all," said her visitor, significantly, (as Mrs. Squallop quitted the
room,) vexed to find her supper so considerably and unexpectedly
diminished, especially as to the pot of porter, which she strongly
suspected would not be replenished.

"There," said Mrs. Squallop, setting down on the table what she had
brought for Titmouse, "there's a bit of supper for you; and you're
welcome to it, I'm sure, Mr. Titmouse."

"Thank you, thank you--I can't eat," said he, casting, however, upon the
victuals a hungry eye, which belied what he said, while in his heart he
longed to be left alone with them for about three minutes.

"Come, don't be ashamed--fall to work--it's good wholesome victuals,"
said she, lifting the table near to the edge of the bed, on the side of
which he was sitting, and taking up the two shillings lying on the
table--"and capital good beer, I warrant me; you'll sleep like a top
after it."

"You're uncommon kind, Mrs. Squallop; but I sha'n't get a wink of sleep
to-night for thinking"----

"Oh, bother your thinking! Let me begin to see you eat a bit. Well, I
suppose you don't like to eat and drink before me, so I'll go." [Here
arose a sudden conflict in the good woman's mind, whether or not she
would act on the suggestion which had been put into her head
down-