 would make his competitors of more consequence than he wished. He relied on the candour of the public for a tacit refutation of all calumny whatsoever, and, instead of involving himself in more troubles, began seriously to consider how he could get rid of those with which he was already surrounded.
He had about seventy pounds, and the furniture of his house, which was decent and convenient, but no more. The earliest of his notes was within five days of being due, and a fortnight more would bring

the rest upon his back; in consequence of which, all the horrors of a prison, and the merciless severity of bailiffs, who owed him so much ill will, would be inevitable.
To avoid these unpleasant circumstances, he resolved to go to France, which determination however he imparted to nobody but his faithful housekeeper, whose success had been upon a par with his; for Ego had brought her intelligence that there was no knowing what to make of Emma, that the ministry was changed, and Mr. Gloss now filled a high and conspicuous situation, and, in short, that every thing in that quarter menaced our hero's affairs with ruin and total destruction.
Though Mrs. Marlow, when she had fancied things wore a brighter complexion, had determined to put the best face on the matter to Charles, finding them in this desperate way, she saw there was no time for trifling. Besides, Mr. Gloss's situation was a public town talk, and all the rest would be known of course. Indeed the good creature could not dissemble; her very heart spoke in her eyes, and he saw his wretchedness before she uttered a syllable.
Another circumstance greatly perplexed Charles,

and made him wish to seclude himself from all the world. Mr. Figgins had certainly been in town, but had not called upon him. Indeed a mystery had hung over that gentleman's conduct for some time. When Charles conferred on him the annuity, he received a letter thanking him in terms of such enthusiastic warmth, that he thought it a little overstrained, and some suspicious matters had since induced him to believe that his old friend, finding he had got all he could, now turned his back upon him, which the reader, no more than Charles, will think an extraordinary conjecture. But what were now his sensations, when he found, beyond all doubt, that this very friend who had sworn so heartily never to desert his interest, who knew all the secrets of his soul, who, in short, had more power than any man in the world to
