But it was no time to repel an overture of help, and he sullenly forced himself to accept Reuben's good offices.

The great clotted periwig was with some difficulty got off, and then it was possible to remove the worst of the tar from face and eyes.
Frederick at last could see clearly and breathe freely, but presented so lamentable an object that he only longed to get safe home to the shelter of his father's house.
The costly periwig of curls had perforce to be left in the gutter, hopelessly ruined, and Frederick, who had given more money for it than he could well afford, shook his fist at the house which contained the redoubtable old woman who had thus fooled and bested him.
"You Scourers will find that you can play your meddlesome games too often," remarked Reuben sternly, his eyes upon the red cross and the half-completed words above.

"I would that all the city were of the same spirit as Lady Scrope.

She always keeps a quantity of hot pitch or tar beside her bed, with a lamp burning beneath it, in case of attacks from robbers.

You may thank your stars that it descended not boiling hot upon your head.