"Take care!"
"Where are they?"
Mrs. Ledwith heard.
"What is the matter?"—springing up, with a sudden instinct of precognition.
Desire had not seen or heard till now. She dropped her work.
"What is it, mother?"
Mrs. Ledwith was up, upon the floor; in the doorway out in the passage; trembling; seized all over with a horrible dread and vague knowledge.
"Tell me what it is!" she cried, to those down below.
They were all there upon the staircase; Mrs. Prendible furthest up.
"O, Mrs. Ledwith!" she cried. "Don't be frightened! Don't take on! Take it easy,—do!"