d my dear wife." And the apothecary cried, "Ah,
coquin! vere is my shild?" "The lady," said I, "is above stairs, unhurt
by me, and will, a few months hence, I believe reward your concern."
Hero she called to them, and desired they would let the wretch go, and
trouble themselves no further about him. To which request her father
consented, observing, nevertheless, that my conversation was 'very
mysterious.'

Finding it impossible to vindicate my innocence, I left the house
immediately, and went to the schoolmaster, with an intention of clearing
myself to him, and asking his advice with regard to my future conduct;
but, to my inexpressible vexation, he was gone to the country, where
he would stay two or three days. I returned with a design of consulting
some acquaintance I had acquired in the neighbourhood; but my story had
taken air through the officiousness of the servants, and not one of
my friends would vouchsafe me a hearing. Thus I found myself, by the
iniquity of mankind, in a much more deplorable condition than ever: for
though I had been formerly as poor, my reputation was without blemish,
and my health unimpaired till now; but at present my good name was lost,
my money gone, my friends were alienated, my body was infected by an
odious distemper; and my faithful Strap, who alone could yield me pity
and assistance, absent I knew not where.

The first resolution I could take in this melancholy conjuncture, was
to remove my clothes to the house of the person with whom I had formerly
lodged, where I remained two days in hopes of getting another place by
the interest of Mr. Concordance, to whom I made no doubt of being able
to vindicate my character; but in this supposition I reckoned without
my best, for Lavement took care to be beforehand with me; and when I
attempted to explain the whole affair to the schoolmaster, I found him
so prepossessed against me, that he would scarce hear me to an end; but
when I had finished my justification, shook his head, and beginning with
his usual exclamation said, "That won't go down with me. I am very sorry
I should have the misfortune of being concerned in the affair, but,
however, shall be more cautious for the future. I will trust no man from
henceforward--no, not my father who begat me, nor the brother who lay
with me in my mother's womb: should Daniel rise from the dead, I would
think him an impostor; and were the genius of truth to appear, would
question its veracity!" I told