"Never—as sure as she's a sinful old creetur'!" remarked Banks.
The worthy trio then pursued their way to Golden Lane.
On their arrival at the court, the hag uttered an exclamation of delight when she beheld the filthy place of her abode once more: but her joy was suddenly changed into sadness as a thought struck her; and she exclaimed, "I wonder what has become of the poor dear children that are dependant on me?"
She alluded to the juvenile prostitutes whom she had tutored in the ways of vice.
Heaving a deep sigh at the reflection, she took a key from her pocket, and opened the door of her house.
A little delay occurred in obtaining a light; but at length she found a candle and matches in a cupboard at the end of the passage.
Mr. Banks now officiously opened the door of the old woman's parlour; but this act was followed by a sweeping, rustling noise—and the undertaker started back, uttering a yell of agony.
The hag screamed too, and nearly dropped the light; for her large black cat had flown at Banks as he entered the room.
The fact was that the poor animal had been left in that apartment, when the old woman first set out with the Resurrection Man and the undertaker for Hounslow; and it had gone mad through starvation.
Tidkins rushed forward the moment his friend gave vent to that scream of anguish, and caught the cat by the neck and hind legs with his powerful fingers, as it clung, furious with rage, to the breast of the undertaker, whose dingy shirt frill and front its claws tore to rags.