ItisamercyIhavenotaredandgreenlampandanight-bellatmydoor，forinmyveryyoungdaysIwastakentosomanylyings-inthatIwonderIescapedbecomingaprofessionalmartyrtotheminafter-life。IsupposeIhadaverysympatheticnurse，withalargecircleofmarriedacquaintance。Howeverthatwas，asIcontinuedmywalkthroughDullborough，Ifoundmanyhousestobesolelyassociatedinmymindwiththisparticularinterest。Atonelittlegreengrocer’sshop，downcertainstepsfromthestreet，IremembertohavewaitedonaladywhohadhadfourchildrenIamafraidtowritefive，thoughIfullybelieveitwasfiveatabirth。ThismeritoriouswomanheldquiteareceptioninherroomonthemorningwhenIwasintroducedthere，andthesightofthehousebroughtvividlytomymindhowthefourfivedeceasedyoungpeoplelay，sidebyside，onacleanclothonachestofdrawers；remindingmebyahomelyassociation，whichIsuspecttheircomplexiontohaveassisted，ofpigs’feetastheyareusuallydisplayedataneattripe-shop。Hotcandlewashandedroundontheoccasion，andI
furtherrememberedasIstoodcontemplatingthegreengrocer’s，thatasubscriptionwasenteredintoamongthecompany，whichbecameextremelyalarmingtomyconsciousnessofhavingpocket-moneyonmyperson。Thisfactbeingknowntomyconductress，whoevershewas，Iwasearnestlyexhortedtocontribute，butresolutelydeclined:
thereindisgustingthecompany，whogavemetounderstandthatI
mustdismissallexpectationsofgoingtoHeaven。
Howdoesithappenthatwhenallelseischangewhereveronegoes，thereyetseem，ineveryplace，tobesomefewpeoplewhoneveralter？Asthesightofthegreengrocer’shouserecalledthesetrivialincidentsoflongago，theidenticalgreengrocerappearedonthesteps，withhishandsinhispockets，andleaninghisshoulderagainstthedoor-post，asmychildisheyeshadseenhimmanyatime；indeed，therewashisoldmarkonthedoor-postyet，asifhisshadowhadbecomeafixturethere。Itwashehimself；hemightformerlyhavebeenanold-lookingyoungman，orhemightnowbeayoung-lookingoldman，buttherehewas。Inwalkingalongthestreet，Ihadasyetlookedinvainforafamiliarface，orevenatransmittedface；herewastheverygreengrocerwhohadbeenweighingandhandlingbasketsonthemorningofthereception。Ashebroughtwithhimadawningremembrancethathehadhadnoproprietaryinterestinthosebabies，Icrossedtheroad，andaccostedhimonthesubject。Hewasnotintheleastexcitedorgratified，orinanywayroused，bytheaccuracyofmyrecollection，butsaid，Yes，summutoutofthecommon-hedidn’trememberhowmanyitwasasifhalf-a-dozenbabeseitherwaymadenodifference-hadhappenedtoaMrs。What’s-her-name，asoncelodgedthere-buthedidn’tcallittomind，particular。Nettledbythisphlegmaticconduct，IinformedhimthatIhadleftthetownwhenIwasachild。Heslowlyreturned，quiteunsoftened，andnotwithoutasarcastickindofcomplacency，HADI？Ah！AnddidI