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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 587
Yes: something had happened. Mrs. Brandon's maid, who
ushered us into her mistress's little room, told us that in the early
morning that horrible man who had come over night, and been so
tipsy, and behaved so ill,—the very same man who had come there
tipsy afore once, and whom Mr. Philip had flung into the street—
had come battering at the knocker, and pulling at the bell, and
swearing and cursing most dreadful, and calling for " Mrs. Brandon !
Mrs. Brandon ! Mrs. Brandon !" and frightening the whole street.
After he had rung, he knocked and battered ever so long. Mary
looked out at him from her upper window, and told him to go along
home, or she would call the police. On this the man roared out
that he would call the police himself if Mary did not let him in ;
and as he went on calling " Police !" and yelling from the door,
Mary came downstairs, and opened the hall-door, keeping the chain
fastened, and asked him what he wanted.
Hunt, from the steps without, began to swear and rage more
loudly, and to demand to be let in. He must and would see Mrs.
Brandon.
Mary, from behind her chain barricade, said that her mistress
was not at home, but that she had been called out that night to a
patient of Dr. Goodenough's.
Hunt, with more shrieks and curses, said it was a lie : and that
she was at home ; and that he would see her ; and that he must go
into her room ; and that he had left something there; that he had
lost something ; and that he would have it.
" Lost something here ?" cried Mary. " Why here ? when you
reeled out of this house, you couldn't scarce walk, and you almost
fell into the gutter, which I have seen you there before. Get away,
and go home! You are not sober yet, you horrible man!"
On this, clinging on to the area-railings, and demeaning himself
like a madman, Hunt continued to call out, " Police, police ! I
have been robbed, I've been robbed! Police!" until astonished
heads appeared at various windows in the quiet street, and a policeman
actually came up.
When the policeman appeared, Hunt began to sway and pull
at the door, confined by its chain : and he frantically reiterated his
charge, that he had been robbed and hocussed in that house, that
night, by Mrs. Brandon.
The policeman, by a familiar expression, conveyed his utter
disbelief of the statement, and told the dirty disreputable man to
move on, and go to bed. Mrs. Brandon was known and respected
all round the neighbourhood. She had befriended numerous poor
round about; and was known for a hundred charities. She attended
many respectable families. In that parish there was no