Very slowly her perceptions cleared, and she realised that Irene was gripping her on one side, and the little hunch-backed girl holding a futile hand beneath her elbow on the other.
With an effort, Elsie raised her head.
“Look here, old girl, are you better?” said Irene, low and urgently. “I want to get out of here as quickly as possible. D’you think you can get downstairs?”
Elsie, without clearly knowing why, was conscious that she, too, wanted to get away.
She pulled herself to her feet, shuddering, and staggered down the stairs, leaning heavily on Irene.
“What happened?”
“Oh, you just turned queer. Don’t think about it. Look here, we’d better have a taxi, hadn’t we?”
“Yes. I couldn’t walk a step, that’s certain. Why, my knees are shaking under me.”
“Go and get a taxi,” Irene commanded the hunch-backed child, who went obediently away.
Elsie sat down on the lowest stair and wiped her wet, cold face with her handkerchief.