“A penny cannot feed me, and I have no strength to go farther. Don’t shut the door:⁠—oh, don’t, for God’s sake!”

“I must; the rain is driving in⁠—”

“Tell the young ladies. Let me see them⁠—”

“Indeed, I will not. You are not what you ought to be, or you wouldn’t make such a noise. Move off.”

“But I must die if I am turned away.”

“Not you. I’m fear’d you have some ill plans agate, that bring you about folk’s houses at this time o’ night. If you’ve any followers⁠—housebreakers or suchlike⁠—anywhere near, you may tell them we are not by ourselves in the house; we have a gentleman, and dogs, and guns.” Here the honest but inflexible servant clapped the door to and bolted it within.