Then from her and the child arose a most terrific uproar of
commination; both together yelled such foulness and blasphemy as can
only be conceived by those who have made a special study of this
vocabulary, and the vituperation of the child was, if anything,
richer in quality than the mother's. The former, moreover, did not
confine herself to words, but all at once sent her clenched fist
through every pain of glass in the window, heedless of the fearful
cuts she inflicted upon herself, and uttering a wild yell of triumph
at each fracture. Mr. Woodstock was too late to save his property,
but he caught up the creature like a doll, and flung her out also on
to the landing, then coolly locked the door behind him, put the key
in his pocket, and, letting Waymark pass on first, descended the
stairs. The yelling and screeching behind them continued as long as
they were in the Court, but it drew no attention from the
neighbours, who were far too accustomed to this kind of thing to
heed it.
In the last house they had to enter they came upon a man asleep on a
bare bedstead. It was difficult to wake him. When at length he was
aroused, he glared at them for a moment with one blood-shot eye (the
other was sightless), looking much like a wild beast which doubts
whether to spring or to shrink back.
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