mes in Mrs Roots's kitchen,
scattering its black remnants with savage thrusts of the poker. Whilst
engaged in packing, he debated with himself whether or not he should
take leave of the few acquaintances to whom he was indebted for
hospitality and other kindness. The question was: Had Buckland
Warricombe already warned these people against him? Probably it had
seemed to Buckland the wiser course to be content with driving the
hypocrite away; and, if this were so, regard for the future dictated a
retirement from Exeter which should in no way resemble secret flight.
Sidwell's influence with her parents would perhaps withhold them from
making his disgrace known, and in a few years he might be glad that he
had behaved with all possible prudence. In the end, he decided to write
to Mr. Lilywhite, saying that he was obliged to go away at a moment's
notice, and that he feared it would be necessary altogether to change
the scheme of life which he had had in view. This was the best way.
From the Lilywhites, other people would hear of him, and perchance
their conjectures would be charitable.

Without much hesitation he had settled his immediate plans. To London
he would not return, for he dreaded the temptations to which the
proximity of Sidwell would expose him, and he had no mind to meet with
Moxey or Earwaker. As it was now imperative that he should find work of
the old kind, he could not do better than go to Bristol, where, from
the safe ground of a cheap and obscure lodging, he might make
inquiries, watch advertisements, and so on. He already knew of
establishments in Bristol where he might possibly obtain employment.
Living with the utmost economy, he need not fall into difficulties for
more than a year, and before then his good repute with the Rotherhithe
firm would ensure him some position or other; if not in Bristol, then
at Newcastle, St. Helen's--any great centre of fuming and malodorous
industry. He was ready to work, would delight in work. Idleness was now
the intolerable thing.

So to Bristol he betook himself, and there made his temporary abode.
After spending a few weeks in fruitless search for an engagement, he at
length paid his oft-postponed visit to Twybridge. In the old home he
felt completely a stranger, and his relatives strengthened the feeling
by declaring him so changed in appearance that they hardly knew his
face. With his mother only could he talk in anything like an intimate
way, and the falsehoods w