“That’s no answer to the charge. After violently assaulting a passenger in the street in the manner you have done, it is but a poor satisfaction to the injured party to beg his pardon.” “Well, gentlemen, I’ll tell yer how it happened if so be as ye’ll listen to me.” “I’m all attention. Proceed.” “It happened in this ’ere way. I was a walking down King-street last night when I seed this ’ere man――his fellow prisoner――he says to me, says he, ‘Do yer want any o’ this?’ and with that he up with his fists, and put himself in a boxing attitude. Well, yer honour, saving yer honour’s presence, I warn’t a goin’ to be put upon like that, and so I says to him, ‘You aint the man to give it me.’ ‘Aint I?’ says he. ‘No, ye’re not,’ says I. Well, gentlemen, them words were ’ardly out o’ my mouth, when he gave me a dab in the eye.” “And you retaliated, I suppose.” “I landed him one on the nose. With that he strikes out, and lets me have it on the jaw. Seeing as how he was a little too long in the reach for me, I closed with him, and we were a strugglin’ and a strugglin’ like anything. He forced me down a narrow passage, and tried to bump my head agen the wall of the court, not this court, yer honour, but the court or passage as runs out of King-street. Well, arter that I gets one of my feet agen the railing, and I shoves him out of the court with all my might. Just at that time, yer honour, the gentleman was a passin’, and we both on us run full butt agen him, but it warn’t no fault o’ mine, indeed it warn’t.” The man had told his story in such a naive manner that roars of laughter proceeded from the body of the court, in which the bench joined. “Do you know this man? Your fellow-prisoner, I mean,” inquired the stipendiary. “No, yer worship. I never set eyes upon him afore he sed ‘do you want anything of this?’” “What have you to say to the charge?” said the examining magistrate, addressing the other prisoner. “I’m very sorry, gentlemen,” returned the man. “What he’s sed is all true enough. We were having a mill, and the gentleman ’appened to be coming by, and that’s how it was. I’ve never been in trouble afore, gentlemen.” “What are you? What’s your occupation?” “I’m a groom, yer worship.” “You are a pair of silly troublesome fellows, and ought to be heartily ashamed of your conduct. It seems hardly possible that two men, who are perfect strangers to one another, and who, moreover, had no quarrel or dispute to settle, should break the peace in the foolish and ridiculous manner you have done. You really deserve to be imprisoned. However, as the gentleman whom you have assaulted does not wish to press the charge, we shall discharge you upon the payment of a fine of ten shillings each.” Upon this the men were removed. It appeared afterwards that they were unable to pay the fines, only being able to master up twelve shillings between them. The gentleman, however, generously made up the difference. This case concluded the night charges.