She looked at the stately wind of the stairs up to the second floor, as if she were minded to ascend without bidding to Dorothy's chamber.
"She is ill in her chamber," the Parson said again, with a kind of forbidding helplessness.
"I would see her only for a minute.

I beg you to let me, sir.

It is life and death, I tell you--it is life and death!" Whether Parson Fair motioned her to ascend, or whether he simply stood aside to allow her to pass, he never knew, but Madelon was up the winding stairs with a swirl of her cloak, as if the wind had caught it.

Parson Fair followed her, and motioned her to the south front chamber, and was about to rap on the door when it was flung open violently, and the great black princess stood there, scowling at them.
"I have a guest here for your mistress," said Parson Fair; but the black woman blocked his way, speaking fast in her wrathful gibberish.
However, at a stately gesture from her master she stood aside, and he held the door open, and Madelon entered.

"You had better not remain long, to tire her," said the parson, and closed the door.