If they had had any doubt as to which road they should take it would have been speedily decided by the long string of wigs which were streaming away in the direction of Divorce Court No.1.Thicker and thicker grew the wigs; it was obvious that the _cause celebre_ of Meeson v.

Addison and Another would not want for hearers.

Indeed, Augusta and her friends soon realised the intensity of the public interest in a way that was as impressive as it was disagreeable, for just past the Admiralty Court the passage was entirely blocked by an enormous mass of barristers; there might have been five hundred or more of them.

There they were, choked up together in their white-wigged ranks, waiting for the door of the court to be opened.

At present it was guarded by six or eight attendants, who, with the help of a wooden barrier, attempted to keep the surging multitude at bay--while those behind cried, "Forward!" and those in front cried "Back!" "How on earth are we going to get through ?" asked Augusta, and at that moment Mr.John Short caught hold of an attendant who was struggling about in the skirts of the crowd like a fly in a cup of tea, and asked him the same question, explaining that their presence was necessary to the show.
"I'm bothered if I know, Sir; you can't come this way.