Is immediately referred to innumerable people who can tell nothing whatever.

Is made more imbecile by being constantly informed that Mrs.Green's son "was a law-writer his-self and knowed him better than anybody," which son of Mrs.Green's appears, on inquiry, to be at the present time aboard a vessel bound for China, three months out, but considered accessible by telegraph on application to the Lords of the Admiralty.

Beadle goes into various shops and parlours, examining the inhabitants, always shutting the door first, and by exclusion, delay, and general idiotcy exasperating the public.
Policeman seen to smile to potboy.

Public loses interest and undergoes reaction.

Taunts the beadle in shrill youthful voices with having boiled a boy, choruses fragments of a popular song to that effect and importing that the boy was made into soup for the workhouse.