THE MAJESTY OF THE LAW. 273 



come at last." Will you promise not to give me and 

 these gentlemen here so much trouble again ? ' 



'• Peg's reply was too strong for * ears polite.' 



" ' So, so/ exclaimed the insulted Bumble. ' I see 

 — still owdacious against the mighty majesty of the 

 law! We'll cure her, 111 warrant. Now, lads, another 

 dip ; yeo, ho ! and away ! ' 



" ' Mister Beadle ! ' screamed Peg ; but her re- 

 monstrance was too late. She had refused the 

 proffered amnesty, and the beadle felt his conde- 

 scension misplaced. 



" The ponderous beam revolved, the chair de- 

 scended, and Peg plunged again, ' hissing hot, into the 

 bosom of the Thames.' 



" This time, in obedience to a gesture of the director, 

 a momentary pause took place during the submersion 

 ere the beam again rose, and exhibited the wretched 

 creature to the derision and laughter of the populace. 

 The last prolonged dip had effectually cooled her. 



" ' For the love of mercy, good Mister Beadle, let 

 me out ! ' exclaimed she ; ' oh, pray let me out ! 

 Oh do ! I'll never agen, s'elp me Oh, oh ! ' 



" ' Land her, boys,' cried the beadle ; but to this 

 some of the mischievous assistants in the ceremony 

 demurred. 



'' ' Let's give her another dip, mister ; it'll do her a 

 mort o' good/ remonstrated they. 



" But the dignitary knew that concession to the 

 demands of a mob is fatal to the supremacy of the 

 ruler ; so, to preserve his character of beadle-craft, in 

 imitation of greater potentates, he peremptorily vetoed 

 the popular proposition. The arm was accordingly 

 swung round, and poor Peg, completely conquered, 

 deposited on terra firma ; and the beadle, after exacting 



