244 PROMISES. 



been the most indiscreet man alive ; for 

 all the exertions I ever made, all I ever 

 undertook or did, to extricate myself 

 from the slough into which unto- 

 ward circumstances had driven me, only 

 served to plunge me further in the 

 mire. 



The person who had succeeded my 

 father in the large establishment I have 

 before spoken of, and who became a 

 very wealthy man partly, if not chiefly, 

 from my father's ruin, which he had 

 been the principal means of accomplish- 

 ing had promised to assist me in my 

 endeavours to regain my position ; and 

 I was simple enough to believe him, and 

 put faith in his promises. This was a 

 folly on my part, and showed want 

 of knowledge of the world, which may 

 well rank as an indiscretion. Never- 

 theless, it was this promise that first 

 induced me to commit a greater in- 



