when in India, I had been confined to bed for a
week with what I believed one of the doctors who
then attended me had called rheumatism. This
discovery appeared to make the medical adviser
of the "MUTUAL GENERAL BENEVOLENT AND
PRUDENT" quite happy. Of this rheumatic
admission on my part, he never lost sight of
throughout our interview. He talked about my
spleen, asked questions about my liver, remarked
that men with florid complexions had often a
tendency to apoplexy, and that people who had
resided long in India often died suddenly when
they came back to England. But he never
entirely abandoned the rheumatism, every
now and again returning to the subject, and
making little pencil notes all the time on
the margin of the printed form he had before
him.

Happy at last to be done with this medical
tormentor, I rushed from the office, and went to
see whether my sureties had been written to
respecting the proposed loan. I found one of
them, my Indian friend, looking over the printed
paper which he had received from the "MUTUAL
GENERAL" office. These papers contained a
series of questions which each surety had to
answer, and which, taken together, formed a
complete private history of the individual who
replied to them. "I would almost lend you the
money myself," said my friend, "rather than
answer all these impertinent queries."
However, as he had promised to "see me through
it," he kept his word, and in due time the papers
of my three friends were returned properly
signed and attested to the Loan and Insurance
Office.

Five days later I received a formal answer to
my application. It was to the effect that the
insurance upon my life could be effected, but
that, owing to previous sickness the rheumatism,
I presume, had been made the most of I
must be charged a higher rate of premium than
what was marked in the tariff of the "MUTUAL
AND GENERAL" for men of my age. Further,
that the loan I proposed would be carried out,
provided I obtained another surety in the place
of Mr. Blank—one of the gentlemen whose name
I had given in as agreeing to sign the bond with
me—who could not be accepted by the office,
because he was already surety for another loan
in another insurance office.

Here, then, was all my labour and anxiety
thrown away. I had tried hard to get three
friends to be joint sureties for me, and had,
after a vast deal of trouble, succeeded. I had
paid two guineas inquiry fees, and one guinea
medical fee, at the "MUTUAL GENERAL" (besides
ten pounds to stave off further proceedings in
the matter of the bill on which I was sued). Of
this week but one day was left me, and I was as
far as ever from obtaining what I wanted. In
utter despair I went as a last and desperate
resource to a loan office of the commonest
description. I paid half a sovereign that was
asked of me as an inquiry fee, and which was
received by the seedy clerk, to whom I paid the
money, with a grin of satisfaction, as if at the
prospect of his next Saturday night's wages
being higher than usual. I never expected to
obtain a loan from this office, and therefore can
hardly say that I was disappointed when
informed that the directors were "not prepared
to entertain my proposition." If they had said
that the office had no money to lend, it would
have been nearer the truth, for I verily believe
that this establishment lived entirely upon the
inquiry fees, and that directors, trustees,
shareholders, manager, secretary, actuary, accountant,
auditor, and cashier, were one and all
represented by the seedy clerk who had been so
pleased to receive my ten shillings inquiry
fee.

Men in trouble often do last what they ought
to have done first, and this was my case. To
borrow the money with which to pay off the
debt I found utterly impossible, except upon
terms which would be but adding greatly to my
embarrassments at a not very remote period. In
backing my friend's bill I had acted foolishly,
imprudently, and even wickedly; for no one has
any right to promise what he cannot fulfil.
There was but one remedy left me if I wished
to save being locked up in Whitecross-street
prison, and that was to take out my protection
as a bankrupt. I did so, and went through the
court, greatly regretting the money and time I
had wasted in endeavouring to procure a loan,
and firmly resolving never again, on any
consideration whatever, to write my name upon
stamped paper.

               NEW WORK BY MR. DICKENS,
In Monthly Parts, uniform with the Original Editions of
                  "Pickwick," "Copperfleld," &c.
             Now publishing, PART XI., price 1s., of
                       OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.
                       BY CHARLES DICKENS.
                  IN TWENTY MONTHLY PARTS.
             With Illustrations by MARCUS STONE.
        London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.

           Just published, bound in cloth, price 5s. 6d.,
                        THE TWELFTH VOLUME.