spapers of that
very evening; nor can I think who gave a report of it, for none of our
gents left the office that day until the evening papers had appeared. But
there was the speech--ay, and at the week's end, although Roundhand was
heard on 'Change that day declaring he would bet five to one that
Alderman Pash's money would never be paid,--at the week's end the money
was paid by me to Mrs. Pash's solicitor across the counter, and no doubt
Roundhand lost his money.

Shall I tell how the money was procured? There can be no harm in
mentioning the matter now after twenty years' lapse of time; and
moreover, it is greatly to the credit of two individuals now dead.

As I was head clerk, I had occasion to be frequently in Brough's room,
and he now seemed once more disposed to take me into his confidence.

"Titmarsh my boy," said he one day to me, after looking me hard in the
face, "did you ever hear of the fate of the great Mr. Silberschmidt of
London?" Of course I had. Mr. Silberschmidt, the Rothschild of his day
(indeed I have heard the latter famous gent was originally a clerk in
Silberschmidt's house)--Silberschmidt, fancying he could not meet his
engagements, committed suicide; and had he lived till four o'clock that
day, would have known that he was worth 400,000_l_. "To tell you frankly
the truth," says Mr. B., "I am in Silberschmidt's case. My late partner,
Hoff, has given bills in the name of the firm to an enormous amount, and
I have been obliged to meet them. I have been cast in fourteen actions,
brought by creditors of that infernal Ginger Beer Company; and all the
debts are put upon my shoulders, on account of my known wealth. Now,
unless I have time, I cannot pay; and the long and short of the matter is
that if I cannot procure 5,000_l_. before Saturday, _our concern is
ruined_!"

"What! the West Diddlesex ruined?" says I, thinking of my poor mother's
annuity. "Impossible! our business is splendid!"

"We must have 5,000_l_. on Saturday, and we are saved; and if you will,
as you can, get it for me, I will give you 10,000_l_. for the money!"

B. then showed me to a fraction the accounts of the concern, and his own
private account; proving beyond the possibility of a doubt, that with the
5,000_l_. our office must be set a-going; and without it, that the
concern must stop. No matter how he proved the thing; but there is, you
know, a dictum of a statesman that, give him but leave to use figures,
and he