“Why, he then attempted to escape; but as I happened to have a stout ladle in my hand, I thought a good basting wouldn’t do him any harm, and while I was layin’ on him two sailors came in, and they took him out of my hands.”

“Out of the frying-pan into the fire, you ought to say, Mrs. Mulroony.”

“So he and they fought, and smashed another lot of glass, and then I set out and charged him on the watch.  Oh, murdher sheery—­to think the way my beautiful beef and greens went!”

Here Mr. Ambrose, approaching Mrs. Mulroony, whispered—­“My dear Mrs. Mulroony, remember one word—­futurity; heir apparent—­heir direct; so be moderate, and a short time will place you in easy circumstances.  The event that’s coming will be a stunner.”

“What’s that he’s sayin’ to you, my dear Mrs. Mulroony?” asked Ned; “don’t listen to him, he’ll only soohdher and palaver you.  I’ll take your charge, and lock him up.”

“Darby,” said Mr. Gray, now approaching that worthy, “a single word with you—­we understand one another—­I intended to bribe old Ned, the villain; but you shall have it.”

“Very good, it’s a bargain,” replied the virtuous Darby; “fork out.”

“Here, then, is ten shillings, and bring me out of it.”

Darby privately pocketed the money, and moving toward Ned, whispered to him—­“Don’t take the charge for a few minutes.  I’ll fleece them both.  Amby has given me half-a-crown; another from her, and then, half and half between us.  Mrs. Mulroony, a word with you.  Listen—­do you wish to succeed in this business?”

“To be sure I do; why not?”

“Well, then, if you do, slip me five shillings, or you’re dished, like one of your own-dinners, and that Amby Gray will slice you to pieces.  Ned’s his friend at heart, I tell you.”

“Well, but you’ll see me rightified?”

“Hand the money, ma’am; do you know who you’re speaking to?  The senior of the office.”

On receiving the money, the honest senior whispers to the honest officer of the night—­“A crown from both, that is, half from each; and now act as you like; but if you take the widow’s charge, we’ll have a free plate, at all events, whenever we call to see her, you know.”

Honest Ned, feeling indignant that he was not himself the direct recipient of the bribes, and also anxious to win favor in the widow’s eyes, took the charge against Mr. Gray, who was very soon locked up, with the “miscellanies,” in the black hole, until bail could be procured.

On finding that matters had gone against him, Gray, who, although unaffected in speech, was yet rather tipsy, assumed a look of singular importance, as if to console himself for the degradation he was about to undergo; he composed his face into an expression that gave a ludicrous travesty of dignity.

“Well,” said he, with a solemn swagger, nodding his head from side to side as he spoke, in order to impress what he uttered with a more mysterious emphasis—­“you are all acting in ignorance, quite so; little you know who the person is that’s before you; but it doesn’t signify—­I am somebody, at all events.”