Michael's position on the police-court.

"I cannot help wondering when I see a young man who has had every
opportunity ..." the magistrate went on in a voice that worked on the
stale air of the court like a rusty file.

"I'm not a defaulting bank clerk," Michael interrupted. "Is it
impossible for you to understand----"

"Don't speak to me like that. Keep quiet. I've never been spoken to like
that in all my experience as a magistrate. Keep quiet."

Michael sighed in compassion for his age and stupidity.

"Are there any previous convictions against Wearne and Palmer?" the
magistrate inquired. He was told that the woman Palmer had not hitherto
appeared, but that Wearne had been previously fined for disorderly
conduct in Shaftesbury Avenue. "Ah!" said the magistrate. "Ah!" he
repeated, looking over the rim of his glasses. "And the case against the
male defendant? I will take the evidence of Constable C11254."

"Your worship, I was on duty yesterday evening at 12.25 in Leicester
Square. Hearing a noise in the direction of the Caffy Dorringe and
observing a crowd collect, I moved across the road to disperse it. The
defendant Wearne was using obscene language to an unknown man; and
wishing to get her to move on I took hold of her arm. The male
defendant, also using very obscene language, attempted to rescue her and
struck me on the chest. I blew my whistle...."

The ponderous constable with his thick red neck continued a sing-song
narrative.

When Michael's turn came to refute some of the evidence against him, he
merely shrugged his shoulders.

"It's really useless, you know, for me to say anything. If 'damn you' is
obscene, then I was obscene. If a girl is knocked down by a bully and on
rising to her feet is instantly arrested by a dunderhead in a blue
uniform, and if an onlooker punches this functionary, then I did assault
the constable."

"This sort of insolence won't do," said the magistrate trembling with a
curious rarefied passion. "I have a very good mind to send you to prison
without the option of a fine, but in consideration...."

Somehow or other it was made to appear a piece of extraordinary
magnanimity on the part of the magistrate that Michael was only fined
three guineas and costs.

"I wish to pay the fines of Miss Palmer and Miss Wearne," he announced.

Later in the morning Michael, with the two girls, emerged into the
garish summer day. Not even yet was the illusion of a nightmare
dissipated, f