nd hould your hand, I
say--and don't dare to bring the vengeance of God upon you, for the plot
of hell you are about to work out this day. I know that plot. Be warned.
Look about you here, and think of what you're going to do. Have you
no feeling for ould and helpless age--for the weakness of women, the
innocence of children? Are you not afraid on such a day to come near
the bed of sickness, or the bed of death, with such an intention? Here's
widows and orphans, the sick and the dyin', ould age half dead, Mid
infancy half starved; and is it upon these, that you and blasphemin'
Deaker's bloody Dashers are goin' to work your will? Hould your hand, I
say, or if you don't, although I needn't curse you myself, for I am
too wicked for that--yet in the name of all these harmless and helpless
creatures before you, I call their curses on your head. In the name
of all the care, and pain, and sorrow, and starvation, and affliction,
that's now before your eyes, be you cursed in soul and body--in all you
touch--in all you love--cursed here, and cursed hereafter forever, if
you proceed in your wicked intentions this woeful day!"

"Who is that mad-woman?" said M'Clutchy. "Let her be removed. All I can
say is, that she has taken a very unsuccessful method of staying the
proceedings."

"Who am I?" said she; "I will tell you that. Look at this," she replied,
exposing her bosom; "these are the breasts that suckled you--between
them did you lie, you ungrateful viper! Yes, you may stare--it's many a
long year since the name of Kate Clank reached your ears, and now that
you have heard it, it is not to bless you. Well, you remember when you
heard it last--on the day you hunted your dogs at me, and threatened to
have me horse-whipped--ay, to horse-whip me with your own hands, should
I ever come near your cursed house. Now, you know who I am, and now I
have kept my word, which was never to die till I gave you a shamed face.
Kate Clank, your mother, is before you!"

M'Clutchy took the matter very coolly certainly--laughed at her, and, in
a voice of thunder, desired the ejectments to proceed.

But how shall we dwell upon this miserable work? The wailings and
screams, the solicitations for mercy, their prayers, their imprecations
and promises, were all sternly disregarded; and on went the justice of
law, accompanied by the tumult of misery. The old were dragged out--the
bedriden grand-mother had her couch of straw taken from under her. From
th