as the cab drew up before the address indicated , the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street , a gin palace , a low french eating house , a shop for the retail of penny numbers and twopenny salads , many ragged children huddled in the doorways , and many women of many different nationalities passing out , key in hand , to have a morning glass ; and the next moment the fog settled down again upon that part , as brown as umber , and cut him off from his blackguardly surroundings .