They
knocked at the door, from which ascended a steep pair of stairs
to his chamber. As soon as they bad knocked, the servant-maid
came down without any light; and, opening the door, asked what
they wanted. Pr'ythee, go up again, said the tailor, and tell
your master we have brought him a man that is very sick, and
wants his advice. Here, putting a piece of money into her hand,
give him that beforehand, to convince him that we have no mind to
make him lose his labour. While the servant was gone up to
acquaint her master with the welcome news, the tailor and his
wife nimbly conveyed the hunch-backed corpse to the head of the
stairs; and, leaving it there, ran off.
In the mean time, the maid, having told the doctor that a man and
a woman staid for him at the door, desiring he would come down
and look upon a sick man they had brought with them, and the maid
clapping the money she had received into his hand, the doctor was
transported with joy; being paid beforehand, he thought it was a
good job, and should not be neglected. Light, light! cried he to
the maid; follow me nimbly. However, without staying for the
light, he got to the stair-head in such haste, that stumbling
against the corps, he gave it such a kick, as made it tumble down
quiite to the stair-foot, and with difficulty saved himself. A
light, a light! cried he to the maid, quick, quick! at last the
maid came with a light, and he went down stairs with her; but
when he gav that the stumbling-block he had kicked down was a
dead man, he was so frightened, that he invoked Moses, Aaron,
Joshua, and Esdras, and all the other prophets of his law.
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