which she
had already placed her hand: the alarm rang like an echo in a cavern;
below--around--far--near--from wall to wall--from chamber to chamber,
the sound seemed multiplied and repeated! and in the same breathing
point of time, she sprang from her bed, and seized me, just as I had
reached the door.

"On, on, on," cried Jonson's voice to Dawson, as they had already gained
the passage, and left the whole room, and the staircase beyond, in utter
darkness.

With a firm, muscular, nervous gripe, which almost shewed a masculine
strength, the hag clung to my throat and breast; behind, among some of
the numerous rooms in the passage we had left, I heard sounds, which
told too plainly how rapidly the alarm had spread. A door opened--steps
approached--my fate seemed fixed; but despair gave me energy: it was
no time for the ceremonials due to the beau sexe. I dashed Bess to the
ground, tore myself from her relaxing grasp, and fled down the steps
with all the precipitation the darkness would allow. I gained the
passage, at the far end of which hung the lamp, now weak and waning in
its socket; which, it will be remembered, burnt close by the sick man's
chamber that I had so unintentionally entered. A thought flashed upon my
mind, and lent me new nerves and fresh speed; I flew along the passage,
guided by the dying light. The staircase I had left, shook with the
footsteps of my pursuers. I was at the door of the sick thief--I burst
it open--seized the sword as it lay within reach on the chair, where
Jonson had placed it, and feeling, at the touch of the familiar weapon,
as if the might of ten men had been transferred to my single arm, I
bounded down the stairs before me--passed the door at the bottom, which
Dawson had fortunately left open--flung it back almost upon the face of
my advancing enemies, and found myself in the long passage which led
to the street-door, in safety, but in the thickest darkness. A light
flashed from a door to the left; the door was that of the "Common Room"
which we had first entered; it opened, and Spider-shanks, with one of
his comrades, looked forth; the former holding a light. I darted by
them, and, guided by their lamp, fled along the passage, and reached the
door. Imagine my dismay! when, either through accident, or by the desire
of my fugitive companions to impede pursuit, I found it unexpectedly
closed.

The two villains had now come up to me, close at their heels were two
more, probably m