an example in
carrying the laws of my happy country into effect. Sally my dear,
forgive me, and catch hold of him on the other side. Mr Richard, sir,
have the goodness to run and fetch a constable. The weakness is past
and over sir, and moral strength returns. A constable, sir, if you
please!'

CHAPTER 60

Kit stood as one entranced, with his eyes opened wide and fixed upon
the ground, regardless alike of the tremulous hold which Mr Brass
maintained on one side of his cravat, and of the firmer grasp of Miss
Sally upon the other; although this latter detention was in itself no
small inconvenience, as that fascinating woman, besides screwing her
knuckles inconveniently into his throat from time to time, had fastened
upon him in the first instance with so tight a grip that even in the
disorder and distraction of his thoughts he could not divest himself of
an uneasy sense of choking. Between the brother and sister he remained
in this posture, quite unresisting and passive, until Mr Swiveller
returned, with a police constable at his heels.

This functionary, being, of course, well used to such scenes; looking
upon all kinds of robbery, from petty larceny up to housebreaking or
ventures on the highway, as matters in the regular course of business;
and regarding the perpetrators in the light of so many customers coming
to be served at the wholesale and retail shop of criminal law where he
stood behind the counter; received Mr Brass's statement of facts with
about as much interest and surprise, as an undertaker might evince if
required to listen to a circumstantial account of the last illness of a
person whom he was called in to wait upon professionally; and took Kit
into custody with a decent indifference.

'We had better,' said this subordinate minister of justice, 'get to the
office while there's a magistrate sitting. I shall want you to come
along with us, Mr Brass, and the--' he looked at Miss Sally as if in
some doubt whether she might not be a griffin or other fabulous monster.

'The lady, eh?' said Sampson.

'Ah!' replied the constable. 'Yes--the lady. Likewise the young man
that found the property.'

'Mr Richard, Sir,' said Brass in a mournful voice. 'A sad necessity.
But the altar of our country sir--'

'You'll have a hackney-coach, I suppose?' interrupted the constable,
holding Kit (whom his other captors had released) carelessly by the
arm, a little above the elbow. 'Be so good as send for