text:  The guard of the provost or the lieutenant of police would keep off the noisy throng below and the goodwives would discuss among themselves the enormities of the coin-clipper the cut-purse the incendiary or the unjust dealer who were exposed on those occasions for their delinquencies; while the offenders themselves would--a few of them--hang down their heads and close their eyes in the unsufferable agony of shame; but by far the greater number would shout forth words of bold defiance or indecent ribaldry would protrude the mocking tongue or spit forth curses with dire volubility