Then lifting the unfortunate young man off his feet with a strength that was almost superhuman, he bore him rapidly down the stairs and rushed out with him into the street.
All this happened in so brief a moment of time that Dorcas had not even time to regain her feet, or to utter the scream of terror which came to her lips.

But as she found breath to utter her cry, another door opened and a scared face looked out, whilst a woman's voice asked in lamentable accents: "What do you here, maiden?
What has happened to bring any person into this shut-up house?
Child, child, how didst thou obtain entrance here?
The plague is in this house, and we are straitly shut up!" Before Dorcas could answer for fright and the confusion of her faculties, a pale-faced watchman came hurrying up the stairs.
"Where is the maid ?" he asked, and then seeing Dorcas he grasped her by the wrist and cried, "Unless you wish to be shut up for a month, come away instantly.

This is a stricken house.

What possessed you to seek shelter here?
Better anything than that.
"As for your son, mistress, he is fled forth into the street; I could not hinder him.

We are undone if the constable comes.