which his office was held,
and the constant demand for his services; when he bethought himself, how the
Statute Book regarded him as a kind of Universal Medicine applicable to men,
women, and children, of every age and variety of criminal constitution; and how
high he stood, in his official capacity, in the favour of the Crown, and both
Houses of Parliament, the Mint, the Bank of England and the Judges of the land;
when he recollected that whatever Ministry was in or out, he remained their
peculiar pet and panacea, and that for his sake England stood single and
conspicuous among the civilised nations of the earth: when he called these
things to mind and dwelt upon them, he felt certain that the national gratitude
must relieve him from the consequences of his late proceedings, and would
certainly restore him to his old place in the happy social system.
    With these crumbs, or as one may say, with these whole loaves of comfort to
regale upon, Mr. Dennis took his place among the escort that awaited him, and
repaired to jail with a manly indifference. Arriving at Newgate, where some of
the ruined cells had been hastily fitted up for the safe keeping of rioters, he
was warmly received by the turnkeys, as an unusual and interesting case, which
agreeably relieved their monotonous duties. In this spirit, he was fettered with
great care, and conveyed into the interior of the prison.
    »Brother,« cried the hangman, as, following an officer, he traversed under
these novel circumstances the remains of passages with which he was well
acquainted, »am I going to be along with anybody?«
    »If you'd have left more walls standing, you'd have been alone,« was the
reply. »As it is, we're cramped for room, and you'll have company.«
    »Well,« returned Dennis, »I don't object to company, brother. I rather like
company. I was formed for society, I was.«
    »That's rather a pity, an't it?« said the man.
    »No,« answered Dennis, »I'm not aware that it is. Why should it be a pity,
brother?«
    »Oh! I don't know,« said the man carelessly. »I thought that was what you
meant. Being formed for society, and being cut off in your flower, you know -«
    »I say,« interposed the other quickly, »what are you talking of? Don't.