The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 208: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

182 THE COURT OF LONDON else that came to the tip of his tongue. Then, in the midst of the fracas, Ann Jones— the fair, but frail Ann Jones herself — emerged, shrieking and screaming, from the back parlour. The whole neighbourhood was alarmed, the con- stables were sent for, and the upshot was that Mr. Jones, his daughter, and the two influential leaders of the New Lights, together with the umbrella, were all ignominiously bundled into a hackney-coach which was passing at the time, and in this manner duly conveyed to Bow Street. Immediately upon their arrival at the police office, Mr. Jones despatched a messenger to Jermyn Street, to inform Mrs. Piggleberry of what had occurred and obtain her attendance at the forthcoming examination; and the case was accordingly kept back until the worthy woman’s arrival. The parties were then introduced to the notice of the magis- trate; and a very singular appearance they made. In the first place the Reverend Mr. Sneaksby put on his longest, demurest, and most puritanically miserable look, screwing up his mouth, and yet drawing down his chin at the same time, an operation which only gentlemen of his class can ever hope to succeed in accomplishing. Secondly, that excellent creature Brother Paxwax assumed a demeanour so resigned and so expressive of injured innocence, that had it not seemed most sublimely ridiculous in connection with _ his rubicund countenance and brandy-loving looks, it doubt- less would have produced the desired effect. Thirdly, there was Mr. Jones, with a fierce aspect and a stern demeanour, ready to pitch into anybody or everybody at the slightest provocation, and bestowing irate glances upon the pious vessels and his frail daughter by turns. Fourthly, there was the young female herself, — abashed, trembling, and looking as if she entertained a vague apprehension of speedily becom- ing better acquainted with Bridewell than she as yet was. Lastly, we must observe that poor Mrs. Piggleberry, standing apart from the rest, appeared the very picture of woe and seemed intent on the process of inflaming her right eye with the corner of her apron. The two leaders of the New Lights, Mr. Jones, and his daughter, were all placed at the bar, charged with fighting, creating a disturbance, and alarming the neighbourhood in which the occurrence took place; but the magistrate had not entered very far into an investigation of the affair before Gomichboo “S