code: def gauge(self, name):
          
          with self._lock:
              if name not in self._gauges:
                  if self._registry._ignore_patterns and any(
                      pattern.match(name) for pattern in self._registry._ignore_patterns
                  ):
                      gauge = noop_metric
                  else:
                      gauge = Gauge(name)
                  self._gauges[name] = gauge
              return self._gauges[name]
docs: Returns an existing or creates and returns a new gauge
          :param name: name of the gauge
          :return: the gauge object