crilege to part with them. Without allowing himself time to think, he put a gold pencil-case, and a pair of brilliant sleevebuttons, into his waistcoat-pocket.

He descended the stairs with a soft step, and passing the kitchen-door unperceived by his landlady, crossed through a little court; and then anxiously looking from right to left, to find any place in which he might probably dispose of the trinkets, he took his way up Castle-street, and along Leicester-square.

When he turned up the first street to his right, he was impeded by two persons who stood in his path, the one selling, the other buying, a hat. The thought immediately struck Thaddeus, of asking one of these men (who appeared to be a Jew and a vender of clothes) to purchase his pelise. By parting with a thing to which he annexed no more value than the warmth it afforded him, he should possibly spare himself the pain, for this time.

VOL. II.

C

at

at least, of sacrificing those gifts of his mother, which had been bestowed upon him in happier days, and hallowed by her caresses.

He did not permit himself to hesitate, but desired the Jew to follow him, into a neighbouring court. The man cbcyed; and having no ideas independent of his trade, asked the count what he wanted to buy?

66

Nothing I want to sell this pelise," returned he, opening it. The Jew, without any ceremony, inspected the covering and the fur.

66

Aye, I see it is black, lined with sable; who would buy it of me? It is embroidered, and nobody wears such things here."

"Then I am answered," replied Thaddeus.

"Stop, sir," cried the Jew, pursuing him; "what will you take for it ?” "What would you give me?"

"Let

"Let me sec. It is very long and wide. At the utmost I cannot offer you mʊre than five guineas.

A few months ago, it had cost the count twelve times as much; but glad to get any money, however small, he readily closed with the man's price; and, taking off the cloak, he gave it to him, and put the guineas into his pocket.

He had not walked much farther, before the piercing cold of the evening, and a shower of snow, which began to fall, made him feel the effects of his loss; however that did not annoy him; he had been too heavily assailed by the pitiless rigours of misfortune, to regard the pelting of the elements. Whilst the wind blew in his face, and the slect falling on his dress, lodged in its embroidered lappels, he went forward, calculating whether it were likely that this money, with the few shillings he yet possessed, would be sufficient to discharge what he owed. Unused as he had been to all kinds of

expenditure which required attention, he supposed, from what he had already seen of a commerce with the world, that the sum he had received from the Jew, was not above half what he wanted; and, with a beating heart, he walked towards one of those shops, which Mrs. Robson described, when she spoke of the irregularities of her son, who had nearly reduced her to beggary.

The candles were lit. And, as he hovered about the door, he distinctly saw the master through the glass, assorting some parcels on the counter. He was a gentleman-like man; and the count's feelings took quite a different turn from those with which he had accosted the Jew; who, being a low sordid wretch, that looked upon the people with whom he trafficked as pieces of wood, Thaddeus felt little repugnance at bargaining with him but the sight of a respectable person, before whom he was to present himself as a man in poverty, as one who in a

manner

manner appealed to charity, all at once overcame the resolution of Sobieski, and he debated whether or not he should return. Mrs. Robson, and her probable distresses, rose before him; and, fearful of trusting his pride any farther, he pulled his cap over his face, and entered the shop.

The man bowed very civilly on his entrance, and requested to be honoured with his commands. Thaddeus felt his face glow; but, indignant at his own weakness, he walked up to the counter, and laying down the gold case, said, in a voice which, notwithstanding his emotion, he compelled to be without appearance of confusion, "I want to part with this."

The man, astonished at the dignity of his air, and the nobility of his dress, (for the star did not escape his eye,) looked at him for a moment, holding the case in his hand. The count, hurt by the steadiness of his gaze, rather haughtily repeated what he had said. The man hesitated no