comprehend the reasons of the silence which he so pertinaciously
maintained.

Her uneasiness, however, prompted her to renew her solicitations. On the
day subsequent to the catastrophe related by Mervyn, she sent a
messenger to Welbeck, with a request to see him. Gabriel, the black
servant, informed the messenger that his master had gone into the
country for a week. At the end of the week, a messenger was again
despatched with the same errand. He called and knocked, but no one
answered his signals. He examined the entrance by the kitchen, but
every avenue was closed. It appeared that the house was wholly deserted.

These appearances naturally gave birth to curiosity and suspicion. The
house was repeatedly examined, but the solitude and silence within
continued the same. The creditors of Welbeck were alarmed by these
appearances, and their claims to the property remaining in the house
were precluded by Mrs. Wentworth, who, as owner of the mansion, was
legally entitled to the furniture, in place of the rent which Welbeck
had suffered to accumulate.

On examining the dwelling, all that was valuable and portable,
particularly linen and plate, was removed. The remainder was distrained,
but the tumults of pestilence succeeded and hindered it from being sold.
Things were allowed to continue in their former situation, and the house
was carefully secured. We had no leisure to form conjectures on the
causes of this desertion. An explanation was afforded us by the
narrative of this youth. It is probable that the servants, finding their
master's absence continue, had pillaged the house and fled.

Meanwhile, though our curiosity with regard to Welbeck was appeased, it
was obvious to inquire by what series of inducements and events Mervyn
was reconducted to the city and led to the spot where I first met with
him. We intimated our wishes in this respect, and our young friend
readily consented to take up the thread of his story and bring it down
to the point that was desired. For this purpose, the ensuing evening was
selected. Having, at an early hour, shut ourselves up from all intruders
and visitors, he continued as follows.

* * * * *

I have mentioned that, by sunrise, I had gained the distance of many
miles from the city. My purpose was to stop at the first farm-house, and
seek employment as a day-labourer. The first person whom I observed was
a man of placid mien and plain garb. Habitual benev