"I will come."

The manners of this blunt, but unselfish and clever man were familiar to
Maria who, without waiting for a reply, brought her shawl, and led the
way downstairs. As they passed by the kitchen, Bontius called to
Barbara:

"Tell Meister Peter, I have taken his wife to see Fraulein Van
Hoogstraten in Nobelstrasse."

Maria could scarcely keep up with the doctor's rapid strides and had some
difficulty in understanding him, as in broken sentences he told her that
all the Glipper friends of the Hoogstraten family had left the city, the
old Fraulein was dead, the servants had run away from fear of the plague,
which had no existence, and Henrica was now deserted. She had been very
ill with a severe fever, but was much better during the past few days.
"Misfortune has taken up its abode in the Glipper nest," he added.
"The scythe-man did the old lady a favor when he took her. The French
maid, a feeble nonentity, held out bravely, but after watching a few
nights broke down entirely and was to have been carried to St.
Catharine's hospital, but the Italian steward, who is not a bad fellow,
objected and had her taken to a Catholic laundress. He has followed to
nurse her. No one is left in the deserted house to attend to the young
lady, except Sister Gonzaga, a good little nun, one of the three who were
allowed to remain in the old convent near you, but early this morning,
to cap the climax of misfortune, the kind old woman scalded her fingers
while heating a bath. The Catholic priest has faithfully remained at his
post, but what can we men do in nursing the sick girl! You doubtless now
suspect why I brought you with me. You ought not and cannot become the