"MANY A MAN WOULD GIVE A HANDFUL OF GUINEAS FOR A KISS FROM SALLY SALISBURY" The fugitive found himself in a narrow ill-smelling, vilely paved alley to the east of the Borough.

Tall, ugly, dirty houses bordered it on each side, a thick greasy mud covered the uneven stones.

Dimly he was conscious of the sound of a window being opened here and there, of hoarse shouts and shrill screams, of shadowy beings who doubtless were men and women but who were more like ghosts than creatures of flesh and blood.
But no one molested him.

This might be explained by the fact that those who saw him running took him to be some criminal fleeing from justice to take sanctuary in the Southwark slums, an impression quite sufficient to ensure their sympathy.

At least, this was what at first happened.
Afterwards the mob took it into their heads to pursue him and for no particular reason save devilry.
The seething crowd poured into the narrow alley.