And then, without fear, and without the desire or the power to save herself, she stepped into space and fell headlong down the winding staircase that she had always dreaded, rolling and bumping with a horrible noise on the wooden steps down to the shop, where the electric lights had just been switched on.

She rolled sideways, and lay, with a curious slackness in her limbs, in front of the cashier's desk.

One of the shopmen, startled by the noise, turned, and then, with a look of horror on his face, ran to the door.

He bumped into Jonah, who was coming from the ladies' department.
"Wot the devil's this ?" cried Jonah.
The man turned and pointed to the huddled heap at the foot of the stairs.
"It's yer missis.

She fell from the top.