the
original document lying before me, which was sent by Titmouse the very
next morning to Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap; and here follows a
_verbatim_ copy of it:--

"_No. 9, Closet Court, Oxford Street._

"_To Messrs._ QUERK & CO.

"Gents,--Am Sorry _to_ Trouble You, But Being _Drove quite
desperate_ at my Troubles (which have bro^t me to my Last Penny a
Week ago) and Mrs. Squallop my Landlady w^d distrain on Me only
that There Is nothing to distrain on, Am Determined to Go Abroad in
a Week's Time, and shall Never come Any More back again with Great
Grief w^h Is What I now Write To tell You Of (Hoping you will
please Take No notice of It) So Need give Yourselves No Further
Concern with my Concerns Seeing The Estate is Not To Be Had and Am
Sorry you Sh^d Have Had so Much trouble with My Affairs w^h c^d not
Help. Sh^d have Much liked The Thing, only it Was Not worth
Stopping For, or Would, but Since It Was not God's Will be Done
_which it Will_. Hav^g raised a Trifle On my Future Prospects (w^h
am Certain There is Nothing In) from a _True Friend_" [need it be
guessed at whose instance these words had found their way into the
letter?] "w^h was certainly uncommon inconvenient to That Person
But He w^d do Anything to Do me good As he says Am going to raise A
Little More from a Gent That does _Things of That Nature_ w^h will
help me with Expense in Going Abroad (which place I Never mean to
Return from.) Have fixed for the 10th To Go on w^h Day Shall Take
leave Of Mr. Tag-rag (who on my Return Shall be glad to See Buried
or in the Workhouse.) Have wrote This letter Only to Save Y^r
Respectable Selves trouble w^h Trust You w^d not have Taken.

"And Remain,
"Gents,
"Y^r humble Unworthy servant,
"T. TITMOUSE.

"_P. S._--Hope you will Particularly Remember me to Mr. Gamon. What
is to become of me, know nothing, being so troubled. Am Humbly
Determined not to employ any Gents in This matter except y^r most
Respectable House, and sh^d be most Truly Sorry to Go Abroad wh^h
_am really Often thinking of in Earnest_. Unless something Speedily
Turns Up, favorable, T. T.--Sh^d like (By the way) to know if you
sh^d be so Disposed wh