IN THE TEST. MR. PEEBLES' STORY. 131 



' Sir/ ' No, no,' said the asthmatic fair one, ; Tve 

 ' as much right ' ' Nay ladies,' answered the sweet 

 voiced lady, ' let no contention arise among the 

 ' votaries of Hymen. Let this gentleman make 

 ' his own choice, and if afterwards he should wish 

 ' to alter that choice, you will no doubt hear from 

 ' him again/ ' Sensible fair one,' said I, (delighted 

 to find a means of escape) ' my choice has already 

 ' fallen upon you.' ' Come, that won't do," said the 

 squeaker. Perjured villain,' said the growler. 

 ( I an't coming all the way from Pimlico for nothing/ 

 said asthma. Wretch ! villain ! beast ! every oppro- 

 bious epithet was showered upon me. In vain I 

 raised my voice in appeal to their sense of justice: 

 in vain the object of my choice essayed to quell the 

 rising fury of the rejected three. A mob collected, 

 and I was on the point of having my clothes torn 

 off my back, when a policeman kindly knocked me 

 down. An alphabet of the same class soon made 

 their appearance, and I, with the four fair ones, was 

 hurried off to the station-house, amidst all sorts of 

 remarks. I submitted to all the indignities that 

 were thrust upon me, as I was sure that on my 

 explaining the circumstances to the inspector of 

 police, I should be released. But what was my 

 indignation and astonishment on hearing the rejected 

 females swear in the most unequivocal terms, that 

 I had made a violent and unprovoked assault upon 

 them, and that the female who now hung upon my 



