Once the way was stopped, once we lost
it. That mistake nearly killed me. At last a watchman helped us to the
little by-street where Dr. Penn was lodging, near which a loud sound of
carpenters' work and hurrying groups of people puzzled me exceedingly.
After much knocking, an upper window was opened and a head put out, and
my dear friend's dear voice called to us. I sprang out on to the
pavement and cried--
"Dr. Penn, this is Dorothy."
He came down and took us in, and then (my voice failing) Robert
explained to him the nature of our errand, and showed him the ghastly
proof. Dr. Penn came back to me.
"My love," he said, "you must come up-stairs and rest."
"Rest!" I shrieked, "never! Get your hat, doctor, and come quickly. Let
us go to the king. Let us do something. We have very little time, and he
must be saved."
I believe I was very unreasonable; I fear that I delayed them some
minutes before good Dr. Penn could persuade me that I should only be a
hindrance, that he would do everything that was possible, and could do
so much better with no one but Robert.
"My love," he said, "trust me. To obey is better than sacrifice!"
I went up-stairs into the dingy little sitting-room, and he went to call
his landlady--"a good woman," he said: "I have known her long.
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