128 ESCAPE. 



otherwise, was suddenly cut short. My 

 governor having stepped out for a few 

 minutes while the other clerks had gone 

 to their dinner, and leaving me alone 

 in the office, on his return found me in 

 one of the dreadful fits that had so 

 long afflicted me ; and what made it 

 worse, I was attacked so near the fire, 

 that, had he not returned as he did, I 

 must have been burned to death -, as it 

 is, I carry the scars of the wounds 

 about me I received on that occasion to 

 this day. 



This had such an effect on the nerves 

 of the good man, that he requested my 

 father to take me home, as he dreaded 

 the responsibility he had incurred by 

 taking charge of one in so precarious a 

 state of health, and most honourably 

 returned the very considerable premium 

 my father had paid with me. 



I cannot say I felt any regret at leav- 

 ing, for I had no fondness for the pro- 



