I thought. Althea bade Will knock boldly at the door; 'We will not be
too humble,' says she; and he knocked loudly enough, once, twice,
thrice; but no one came to open to us, and our knocking seemed to echo
and re-echo strangely through the house.

'Sure,' says Althea, 'all the folks cannot be asleep; 'tis past ten
o'clock,' and she knocked once more.

There was a gentleman come out of a neighbouring house, who had looked
curiously at us; he now drew near, and, standing a little way off,
called out, 'It is little use to knock at that door, ladies--the master
is dead a week since, and the house stands empty;' at which Althea
turned a deadly pale face to him, saying,--

'Do not mock us--sure, it cannot be so.'

The man, looking compassionately at her, now came up to us and said,
'Nay, my words are too true, madam. Have you any interest in this Mr.
Dacre?'

'I am his cousin,' said Althea, 'and I am come up from the North on
great occasion, to see my kinsman and claim his help.'

'Alas!' said the gentleman; 'he is past rendering help to any. It was
mightily suspected,' said he whisperingly, 'that he died of the Plague;
but your great rich folks can smother these matters up. This is certain,
that he had secret and hasty burial, and all his family are fled and
gone, without so much as locking the door behind them, as it is said;
but I think none have been so bold as to try that; men love their lives
too well to venture within; nor would I advise you to do it.'