now was that the consequences of his crime were about to come home to him, in a manner which required the exhibition of all the moral courage he possessed.  It is unnecessary to inform our readers, that he had assumed the cloak of hypocrisy for the purpose of merely advancing his own interests among a certain section of the religious world.  No sooner, however, did the history of his expulsion and its cause become general, than all those religious clients, who felt themselves scandalized by his conduct, immediately withdrew their business out of his hands, and transferred it to those of others; and not only persons of a decidedly religious character, but also almost every one who detested hypocrisy, and loved to see it exposed and punished.  In truth, short as the period was since that exposure, Solomon was both surprised and mortified at the number of clients and friends who deserted him.

He was meditating over these things then that morning, when Widow Lenehan, of whom, mention has already been made, a religious woman, and notwithstanding her name, a member of the congregation to which he belonged, entered his office, accompanied by her brother.

“Ah, Mrs. Lenehan, how do you do? and my friend Palmer, I hope I see you well!”

“Pretty well, Mr. M’Slime; as well as these hard times will let us.”

“Hard times! true, my friend, hard times they are indeed; very hard—­yea, even as a crushing rock to those who are severely tried.  But affliction is good, my friends, and if it be for our soul’s health, then, indeed, it is good to be afflicted.”

To this, neither Mrs. Lenehan nor her brother made any reply; and Solomon was left to console himself with a holy groan or two—­given in that peculiar style which hypocrisy only can accomplish, but which is altogether out of the sphere, and beyond the capacity of true repentance.

“Mr. M’Slime,” said Palmer, “my sister has at present”—­which was the fact—­although Solomon did not believe it—­“a more advantageous opportunity of investing those eight hundred pounds which the poor woman has scraped together, and she wishes to draw them out of the funds without any delay; she wishes to sell out.”

“Of course,” said Solomon; “and, indeed, Mrs. Lenehan, I am delighted to hear it.  How are you about to have the money invested, ma’am?  Only give me the names of the parties, with the nature of the securities, and I shall have the whole matter safely managed with as little delay as may be.”

“She wishes first, Mr. M’Slime, to get the money into her own hands,” said Palmer, “and, I believe, I may as well state that, as a conscientious Christian woman, she does not feel justified in availing herself any longer of your professional services, Mr. M’Slime.”

“Indeed,” observed the widow, “I don’t see how I could, Mr. M’Slime; I trust I am a Christian woman, as he says, and for a Christian woman to continue you, as her attorney, would be, I fear, to encourage hypocrisy and sin; and I feel that it would not be permitted to me to do so, unless I abuse my privileges.”