the chairman and then down the long table of the room, "I am sure I
may truly say that we have all of us heard the statement made by the
enterprising and worthy Goose with sentiments of regret and pain; but
I am equally sure that we have none of us heard it with any idea that
either dishonour or disgrace can attach itself in the matter to the
name of--" (Order, order, order.) "Worthy Geese are a little too
quick," continued the veteran debater with a smile--"to the name
of--one whom we all so highly value." (Hear, hear, hear.) And then
old Pancabinet moved that the enterprising and worthy Goose was
entitled to the full confidence of the chamber. Crowdy magnanimously
seconded the motion, and the resolution, when carried, was
communicated to Robinson by the worthy Grand. Having thanked them in
a few words, which were almost inaudible from his emotion, he left
the chamber, and immediately afterwards the meeting was adjourned.

CHAPTER XXII.

WASTEFUL AND IMPETUOUS SALE.

There is no position in life in which a man receives so much
distinguished attention as when he is a bankrupt,--a bankrupt,
that is, of celebrity. It seems as though he had then realized the
legitimate ends of trade, and was brought forth in order that those
men might do him honour with whom he had been good enough to have
dealings on a large scale. Robinson was at first cowed when he
was called upon to see men who were now becoming aware that they
would not receive more than 2_s._ 9_d._ in the pound out of all the
hundreds that were owed to them. But this feeling very soon wore off,
and he found himself laughing and talking with Giles the stationer,
and Burrows the printer, and Sloman the official assignee, as though
a bankruptcy were an excellent joke; and as though he, as one of the
bankrupts, had by far the best of it. These men were about to lose,
or rather had lost, large sums of money; but, nevertheless, they took
it all as a matter of course, and were perfectly good-humoured. No
word of reproach fell from their lips, and when they asked George
Robinson to give them the advantage of his recognized talents in
drawing up the bills for the sale, they put it to him quite as a
favour; and Sloman, the assignee, went so far as to suggest that he
should be remunerated for his work.

"If I can only be of any service to you," said Robinson, modestly.

"Of the greatest service," said Mr. Giles. "A tremendous sacrifice,
you know,--enormous liabili