Do you hear ?" she added, her voice rising to a more imperious note.
He nodded.
She turned on the lowest step.

"She is bed-ridden," she muttered, as if she felt the need of explanation.

"She is not to be disturbed with house matters, or who comes or goes.

You understand that, do you ?" He nodded, with a mental reservation, and followed her up the confined staircase.

Turning sharply at the head of the first flight he saw before him a long narrow passage, lighted by a window that looked to the back.
On the left of the passage which led to a second set of stairs, were two doors, one near the head of the lower flight, the other at the foot of the second.