though she performed all the work of day-nurse and night-nurse to
a sick household;--for there were soon three of them dying.

At this time there came from some quarter an offer to me of a
commission in an Austrian cavalry regiment; and so it was apparently
my destiny to be a soldier. But I must first learn German and
French, of which languages I knew almost nothing. For this a year
was allowed me, and in order that it might be accomplished without
expense, I undertook the duties of a classical usher to a school
then kept by William Drury at Brussels. Mr. Drury had been one of
the masters at Harrow when I went there at seven years old, and is
now, after an interval of fifty-three years, even yet officiating
as clergyman at that place. [Footnote: He died two years after
these words were written.] To Brussels I went, and my heart still
sinks within me as I reflect that any one should have intrusted to
me the tuition of thirty boys. I can only hope that those boys went
there to learn French, and that their parents were not particular
as to their classical acquirements. I remember that on two occasions
I was sent to take the school out for a walk; but that after the
second attempt Mrs. Drury declared that the boys' clothes would not
stand any further experiments of that kind. I cannot call to mind
any learning by me of other languages; but as I only remained in
that position for six weeks, perhaps the return lessons had not
been as yet commenced. At the end of the six weeks a letter reached
me, offering me a clerkship in the General Post Office, and I
accepted it. Among my mother's dearest friends she reckoned Mrs.
Freeling, the wife of Clayton Freeling, whose father, Sir Francis
Freeling, then ruled the Post Office. She had heard of my desolate
position, and had begged from her father-in-law the offer of a
berth in his own office.