besides, it must be too late for her to take precautions.  Dirkius looked her all over in her pure delicate beauty, muttering what I think was:  ‘Pity! pity!’ and then agreed that so it was.  As we stood by the bed where we had laid Cornelia, we could hear at one end old Hunker’s voice shouting—­almost howling—­for his vrow; and likewise the poor little Emilia thumping wildly against the door, and screaming for her mother to let her out.  Millicent’s face worked, but she said:  ’She must not touch me!  She had best not see me!  Madame, God sent in you an angle of mercy.  Take her; I must go to my husband!’

And at a renewed shout she ran down the corridor to hide her tears.  The doctor and I looked at one another.  I asked if a nurse was coming.  Perchance, he said; he must go and find some old woman, and old Trudje must suffice meantime.  There would as yet be no risk in my taking the child away, if I held her fast, and made her breathe essences all through the house.

It was a strange capture, and a dreadful terror for the poor little girl.  By his advice I sprinkled strong essences all over the poor little girl’s head, snatched her up in my arms, and before she had breath to scream hurried down stairs with her.  She was about three years old, and it was not till I was almost at the outer door that she began to kick and struggle.  My mind was made up to return as soon as she was safe.  It was impossible to leave that poor woman to deal alone with three such cases, and I knew what my brother would feel about it.  And all fell out better than I could have hoped, for under the porte cochere was the coach in which we had come to Lady Newcastle’s.  My sister, learning that I had gone home with Madame van Hunker, had driven thither to fetch me, and Nicolas was vainly trying to find some one to tell me that she was waiting.  I carried the child, now sobbing and calling for her mother, to the carriage, and explained the state of affairs as well as I could while trying to hush her.  Annora was quick to understand, and not slow to approve.  ‘The brutes!’ she said.  ’Have they abandoned them?  Yes, Meg, you are safe, and you cannot help staying.  Give me the poor child!  I will do my best for her.  O yes!  I will take care of Eustace, and I’ll send you your clothes.  I wish it was any one else, but he will be glad.  So adieu, and take care of yourself!  Come, little one, do not be afraid.  We are going to see a kind gentleman.’

But as poor little Emilia knew no English, this must have failed to console her, and they drove away amid her sobs and cries, while I returned to my strange task.  I was not altogether cut off from home, for my faithful Nicolas, though uncertain whether he had been secured from the contagion, declared that where his mistress went he went.  Tryphena would have come too, but like a true old nurse she had no confidence in Mistress Nan’s care of my brother, or of the child, and it was far better as it was,