None of them heeded, and the head was for a moment silently withdrawn.

Then it was again cautiously protruded, and the next minute there descended on the head of Frederick a black hot mass of tar and bitumen.

It scalded his face, it blinded his eyes.

It choked and almost poisoned him by its vaporous pungency.

It matted itself in his voluminous periwig, and plastered it down to his shoulders; it clotted his lace frills, and ran in filthy rivulets down his smart clothes.