But my standing possessed of only
three-halfpence in the world (and I am sure I wonder how they came to be left
in my pocket on a Saturday night!) troubled me none the less because I went on.
I began to picture to myself, as a scrap of newspaper intelligence, my being
found dead in a day or two, under some hedge; and I trudged on miserably,
though as fast as I could, until I happened to pass a little shop, where it was
written up that ladies' and gentlemen's wardrobes were bought, and that the
best price was given for rags, bones, and kitchen-stuff. The master of this
shop was sitting at the door in his shirt-sleeves, smoking; and as there were a
great many coats and pairs of trousers dangling from the low ceiling, and only
two feeble candles burning inside to show what they were, I fancied that he
looked like a man of a revengeful disposition, who had hung all his enemies,
and was enjoying himself.
My late experiences with Mr. and Mrs. Micawber suggested to me that here might
be a means of keeping off the wolf for a little while. I went up the next
by-street, took off my waistcoat, rolled it neatly under my arm, and came back
to the shop door.
