Come, you shall hear my story.

My father was well-born, but married a maid-servant when he was at college; his family disowned him, and left him to starve.

He died in the struggle against a poverty he was not brought up to, and my dam went into service again; became housekeeper to an old bachelor--sent me to school--but mother had a family by the old bachelor, and I was taken from school and put to trade.

All hated me--for I was ugly; damn them! Mother cut me--I wanted money--robbed the old bachelor--was sent to gaol, and learned there a lesson or two how to rob better in future.

Mother died,--I was adrift on the world.