satisfactorily; but one
evening, Timothy, who had been sent with the basket of vials for Miss
Judd's assistance, returned in great consternation, informing me that
the house was empty. He had inquired of the neighbours, and from the
accounts given, which were very contradictory, it appeared that the
rival prophetess had marched up at the head of her proselytes the
evening before, had obtained entrance, and that a desperate contention
had been the result. That the police had been called in, and all
parties had been lodged in the watch-house; that the whole affair was
being investigated by the magistrates, and that it was said that Miss
Judd and all her coadjutors would be sent to the Penitentiary. This was
quite enough to frighten two boys like us; for days afterwards we
trembled when people came into the shop, expecting to be summoned and
imprisoned. Gradually, however, our fears were dismissed, but I never
from that time heard anything more of Miss Aramathea Judd.

After this affair, I adhered steadily to my business, and profiting by
the advice given me by that young person, improved rapidly in my
profession, as well as in general knowledge; but my thoughts, as usual,
were upon one subject--my parentage, and the mystery hanging over it.
My eternal reveries became at last so painful, that I had recourse to
reading to drive them away, and subscribing to a good circulating
library, I was seldom without a book in my hand. By this time I had
been nearly two years and a half with Mr Cophagus, when an adventure
occurred which I must attempt to describe with all the dignity with
which it ought to be invested.

This is a world of ambition, competition, and rivalry. Nation rivals
nation, and flies to arms, cutting the throats of a few thousands on
each side till one finds that it has the worst of it. Man rivals man,
and hence detraction, duels, and individual death. Woman rivals woman,
and hence loss of reputation and position in high, and loss of hair, and
fighting with pattens in low life. Are we then to be surprised that
this universal passion, undeterred by the smell of drugs and poisonous
compounds, should enter into apothecaries' shops? But two streets--two
very short streets from our own--was situated the single-fronted shop of
Mr Ebenezer Pleggit. Thank Heaven, it was only single-fronted; there,
at least, we had the ascendency over them. Upon other points, our
advantages were more equally balanced. Mr Ple