h hour he intended to make his appearance in Hyde Park, "to see the
swells and the fashions," which was his favorite Sunday occupation.

His condition was, indeed, forlorn in the extreme. To say nothing of his
_prospects_ in life--what was his present condition? A shopman with
thirty-five pounds a-year, out of which he had to find his clothing,
washing, lodging, and all other incidental expenses--the chief item of
his board--such as it was--being found him by his employers! He was five
weeks in arrear to his landlady--a corpulent old termagant, whom nothing
could have induced him to risk offending, but his overmastering love of
finery; for I grieve to say, that this deficiency had been occasioned by
his purchase of the ring he then wore with so much pride! How he had
contrived to pacify her--lie upon lie he must have had recourse to--I
know not. He was indebted also to his poor washerwoman in five or six
shillings for at least a quarter's washing; and owed five times that
amount to a little old tailor, who, with huge spectacles on his nose,
turned up to him, out of a little cupboard which he occupied in Closet
Court, and which Titmouse had to pass whenever he went to or from his
lodgings, a lean, sallow, wrinkled face, imploring him to "settle his
small account." All the cash in hand which he had to meet contingencies
between that day and quarter-day, which was six weeks off, was about
twenty-six shillings, of which he had taken one for the present day's
expenses!

Revolving these somewhat disheartening matters in his mind, he passed
easily and leisurely along the whole length of Oxford Street. No one
could have judged from his dressy appearance, the constant smirk on his
face, and his confident air, how very miserable that poor little dandy
was; but three-fourths of his misery were really occasioned by the
impossibility he felt of his ever being able to indulge in his
propensities for finery and display. Nothing better had he to occupy his
few thoughts. He had had only a plain mercantile education, as it is
called, _i. e._ reading, writing, and arithmetic; beyond an exceedingly
moderate acquaintance with these, he knew nothing whatever; not having
read anything except a few inferior novels, and plays, and sporting
newspapers. Deplorable, however, as were his circumstances--

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast."

And probably, in common with most who are miserable from straitened
circumstances, he often co