There was soon a third policeman on the spot, and a dozen other persons,--cab-drivers, haunters of the street by night, and houseless wanderers, casuals who at this season of the year preferred the pavements to the poor-house wards. They all took part against John Crumb. Why had the big man interfered between the young woman and her young man? Two or three of them wiped Sir Felix's face, and dabbed his eyes, and proposed this and the other remedy. Some thought that he had better be taken straight to an hospital. One lady remarked that he was "so mashed and mauled" that she was sure he would never "come to" again. A precocious youth remarked that he was "all one as a dead 'un." A cabman observed that he had "'ad it awful 'eavy." To all these criticisms on his condition Sir Felix himself made no direct reply, but he intimated his desire to be carried away somewhere, though he did not much care whither.

There was soon a third policeman on the spot, and a dozen other persons, who all took part against John Crumb. Two or three of them wiped Sir Felix's face, and thought that he had better be taken straight to hospital. One lady remarked that he was "so mashed and mauled" that she was sure he would never "come to" again. Sir Felix himself asked to be carried away somewhere, though he did not care whither.
