CHORUS. Take it away, Mr. Smug, he'll kill it if you don't.

OFFICER. Stuff and nonsense! Quite contrary to law! Why, man,
you're bound to support your child. You can't throw it off in
that way;--nor on the parish neither. Give me your name. I must
get a magistrate's order. The act of parliament is as clear as
daylight. I had a man up under it last week. "Whosoever shall
unlawfully abandon or expose any child, being under the age of
two years whereby the life of such child shall be endangered or
the health of such child shall have been or shall be likely to be
permanently injured (drowning comes under that I think) shall be
GUILTY OF a MISDEMEANOR and being convicted thereof shall be
liable at the discretion of the court to be KEPT IN PENAL
SERVITUDE for the term of three years or to be imprisoned for any
term not exceeding two years with or without hard labor."

Mr. Smug, the officer, rolled out this section in a sonorous
monotone, without stops, like a clerk of the court. It was his
pride to know by heart all the acts relating to his department,
and to bring them down upon any obstinate head that he wished to
crush. Ginx's head, however, was impervious to an act of
parliament. In his then temper, the Commination Service or St.
Ernulphus's curse would have been feathers to him. The only
feeling aroused in his mind by the words of the legislature was
one of resentment. To him they seemed unjust, because they were
hard and fast, and made no allowance for circumstances. So he
said:

GINX. D---- the act of parliament! What's the use of saying I
shan't abandon the child, when I can't keep it alive?