When everything I possessed had been sold for the benefit of my creditors, I was reprimanded and let out.

It is pleasant to think that, even then, my faith in myself and in human nature was still not shaken.
About ten days before my liberation, I was thunderstruck at receiving a visit from my sister's mahogany-colored husband, Mr.Batterbury.

When I was respectably settled at home, this gentleman would not so much as look at me without a frown; and now, when I was a scamp, in prison, he mercifully and fraternally came to condole with me on my misfortunes.
A little dexterous questioning disclosed the secret of this prodigious change in our relations toward each other, and informed me of a family event which altered my position toward my sister in the most whimsical manner.
While I was being removed to the bankruptcy court, my uncle in the soap and candle trade was being removed to the other world.

His will took no notice of my father or my mother; but he left to my sister (always supposed to be his favorite in the family) a most extraordinary legacy of possible pin-money, in the shape of a contingent reversion to the sum of three thousand pounds, payable on the death of Lady Malkinshaw, provided I survived her.
Whether this document sprang into existence out of any of his involved money transactions with his mother was more than Mr.Batterbury could tell.

I could ascertain nothing in relation to it, except that the bequest was accompanied by some cynical remarks, to the effect that the testator would feel happy if his legacy were instrumental in reviving the dormant interest of only one member of Doctor Softly's family in the fortunes of the hopeful young gentleman who had run away from home.