unced and showed in
Mr. Titmouse, and left him--sufficiently flustered. Three gentlemen were
sitting at a large table, on which he saw, by the strong but
circumscribed light of two shaded candlesticks, were lying a great
number of papers and parchments. The three gentlemen rose when he
entered, Mr. Quirk and Mr. Snap involuntarily starting on first catching
sight of the figure of Titmouse: Mr. Gammon came and shook hands with
him.

"Mr. Titmouse," said he, with a very polite air, "let me introduce you
to Mr. Quirk"--(This was the senior partner, a short, stout elderly
gentleman, dressed in black, with a shining bald crown fringed with
white hair, and sharp black eyes, and who looked very earnestly, nay,
with even a kind of dismay, at him)--"and Mr. Snap"--(This was the
junior partner, having recently been promoted to be such after ten
years' service in the office, as managing clerk: he was about thirty,
particularly well dressed, slight, active, and with a face like a
terrier--_so_ hard, sharp, and wiry!) Of Mr. Gammon himself, I have
already given the reader a slight notion. He appeared altogether a
different style of person from both his partners. He was of most
gentlemanly person and bearing--and at once acute, cautious, and
insinuating--with a certain something about the eye, which had from the
first made Titmouse feel uneasy on looking at him.

"A seat, sir," said Mr. Quirk, rising, and placing a chair for him, on
which he sat down, they resuming theirs.

"You are punctual, Mr. Titmouse!" exclaimed Mr. Gammon, kindly; "more so
than, I fear, you were yesterday, after our long interview, eh? Pray
what did that worthy person, Mr. Rag-bag--or whatever his name is--say
on your return?"

"Say, gents?"--(he tried to clear his throat, for he spoke somewhat more
thickly, and his heart beat more perceptibly than usual)--"Meaning no
offence--I'm ruined by it, and no mistake."

"Ruined! I'm sorry to hear it," interposed Mr. Gammon, with a concerned
air.

"I am, indeed, sir. Such a towering rage as he has been in ever since;
and he's given me warning to go on the 10th of next month." He thought
he observed a faint smile flit over the faces of all three. "He has,
indeed!"

"Dear me, Mr. Titmouse!--Did he allege any reason for dismissing you?"
keenly inquired Mr. Quirk.

"Yes, sir"----

"What might it have been?"

"Stopping out longer than I was allowed, and refusing to tell him what
this gentleman and I had been t