hard cash-第114部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r；　leaped　out　and　ran　into　the　hall；　and　laughed；　and　danced；　and　cursed　in　the　lurid　reflection　of　the　fires　above。　Hell　seemed　discharging　demons。　Men　recoiled　from　them。　And　well　they　did；　for　now　the　skylight　exploded；　and　the　pieces　fell　tinkling　on　the　marble　hall　fast　as　hail。　The　crowd　recoiled　and　ran；　but　those　awful　figures　continued　their　gambols。　One　picked　up　the　burning　glass　and　ground　it　in　his　hands　that　bled　directly：　but　he　felt　neither　burn　nor　cut。　The　keepers　rushed　in　to　withdraw　them　from　so　dangerous　a　place：　all　but　one　obeyed　with　sudden　tameness：　that　one　struggled　and　yelled　like　a　demon。　In　the　midst。　of　which　fearful　contest　came　a　sudden　thundering　at　a　door　on　the　third　floor。

〃What　is　that？〃　cried　Rooke。

〃It　is　Mr。　Hardie；〃　screamed　the　Robin。　〃You　have　left　him　locked　in。〃

〃I　told　Hayes　to　let　him　out　long　ago。〃

〃But　Hayes　hasn't　got　the　key。　You've　got　it。〃

〃No；　no。　I　tell　you　Hayes　has　got　it。〃

〃No；　no！　Murder！　murder！　They　are　dead　men。　Run　for　Mrs。　Archbold；　somebody。　Run！　Here；　hammers；　hammers！　for　God's　sake；　come　and　help　me；　break　the　door。　Oh；　Rooke；　Rooke！〃

〃As　I'm　a　man　Hayes　has　got　the　key；〃　cried　Rooke；　stamping　on　the　ground；　and　white　with　terror。

By　this　time　Garrett　had　got　a　hammer；　and　he　and　Wales　rushed　wildly　up　the　stairs　to　batter　in　the　strong　door　if　they　could。　They　got　to　the　third　floor；　but　with　difficulty；　the　smoke　began　to　blind　them　and　choke　them；　and　fiery　showers　fell　on　them；　and　drove　them　back　smarting　and　choking。　Garrett　sank　down　gasping　at　the　stair…foot。　Wales　ran　into　the　yard　uttering　pitiful　cries；　and　pointing　wildly　upwards；　but　before　he　got　there；　a　hand　had　broken　through　the　glass　of　a　window　up　in　the　third　floor；　the　poor　white　hand　of　a　perishing　prisoner；　and　clutched　the　framework　and　tore　at　it。

At　this　hand　a　thousand　white　faces　were　now　upturned　amid　groans　of　pity　and　terror；　such　as　only　multitudes　can　utter。　Suddenly　those　anxious　faces　and　glistening　eyes　turned　like　one；　for　an　attempt；　wild　and　unintelligible；　but　still　an　attempt；　was　about　to　be　made　to　save　that　hand　and　its　owner　out　of　the　very　jaws　of　death。

Now　amongst　the　spectators　was　one　whose　life　and　reason　were　at　stake　on　that　attempt。


Mrs。　Dodd　was　hurrying　homeward　from　this　very　neighbourhood　when　the　fire　broke　out。　Her　son　Edward　was　coming　at　nine　o'clock　to　tea；　and；　better　still；　to　sleep。　He　was　leaving　the　fire　brigade。　It　had　disappointed　him；　he　found　the　fire…escape　men　saved　the　lives；　the　firemen　only　the　property。　He　had　gone　into　the　business　earnestly　too；　he　had　invented　a　thing　like　a　treble　pouch　hook；　which　could　he　fastened　in　a　moment　to　the　end　of　a　rope；　and　thrown　into　the　window；　and　would　cling　to　the　bare　wall；　if　there　was　nothing　better；　and　enable　him　to　go　up　and　bring　life　down。　But　he　had　never　got　a　chance　to　try　it；　and；　_per　contra；_　he　was　on　the　engine　when　they　went　tearing　over　a　woman　and　broke　her　arm　and　collar…bone　in　the　Blackfriars　Road；　and　also　when　they　went　tearing　over　their　own　fire…dog；　and　crippled　him。　All　this　seemed　out　of　character；　and　shocked　Edward；　and　then　his　mother　could　not　get　over　the　jacket。

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he　was　to　take　off　the　obnoxious　jacket　for　ever；　and　was　now　lounging　at　the　station　smoking　a　short　pipe；　when　a　man　galloped　up　crying　〃Fire！〃

〃All　right！〃　said　Edward；　giving　a　whiff。　〃Where？〃

〃Lunatic　Asylum。　Drayton　House。〃

Guess　how　long　before　the　horses　were　to；　and　the　engine　tearing　at　a　gallop　down　the　road；　and　the　firemen　shouting　〃Fire！　fire！〃　to　clear　the　way；　and　Edward's　voice　the　loudest。

When　the　report　of　fire　swept　townward　past　Mrs。　Dodd；　she　turned；　and　saw　the　glow。

〃Oh　dear；〃　said　she；　〃that　must　be　somewhere　near　Drayton　House。〃　And　full　of　the　tender　fears　that　fill　such　bosoms　as　hers　for　those　they　love；　she　could　not　go　home　till　she　had　ascertained　that　it　was　not　Drayton　House。　Moreover；　Edward's　was　the　nearest　station；　she　had　little　hope　now　of　seeing　him　to　tea。　She　sighed；　and　retraced　her　steps；　and　made　timid　inquiries；　but　could　gain　no　clear　information。　Presently　she　heard　galloping　behind　her；　and　the　fireman's　wild　sharp　cry　of　fire。　An　engine　drawn　by　two　powerful　brown　horses　came　furiously；　all　on　fire　itself　with　red　paint　and　polished　steel　gleaming　in　the　lights；　helmeted　men　clustered　on　it；　and　out　of　one　of　these　helmets　looked　a　face　like　a　fighting　lion's；　the　eyes　so　dilated；　the　countenance　in　such　towering　excitement；　the　figure　half　rising　from　his　seat　as　though　galloping　was　too　slow　and　he　wanted　to　fly。　It　was　Edward。　Mother　and　son　caught　sight　of　one　another　as　the　engine　thundered　by；　and　he　gave　her　a　solemn　ardent　look；　and　pointed　towards　the　fire；　by　that　burning　look　and　eloquent　gesture　she　knew　it　was　something　more　than　a　common　fire。　She　trembled　and　could　not　move。　But　this　temporary　weakness　was　followed　by　an　influx　of　wild　vigour；　she　forgot　her　forty…two　years；　and　flew　to　hover　round　the　fire　as　the　hen　round　water。　Unfortunately　she　was　too　late　to　get　any　nearer　than　the　road　outside　the　gates；　the　crowd　was　so　dense。　And；　while　her　pale　face　and　anxious　eyes；　the　eyes　of　a　wife　and　a　mother；　were　bent　on　that　awful　fire；　the　human　tide　flowed　swiftly　up　behind　her；　and　there　she　was　wedged　in。　She　was　allowed　her　foot　of　ground　to　stand　and　look　like　the　restno　more。　Mere　unit　in　that　mass　of　panting　humanity；　hers　was　one　of　the　thousands　of　upturned　faces　lurid　in　the　light　of　the　now　blazing　roof。　She　saw　with　thousands　the　hand　break　the　window　and　clutch　the　frame；　she　gasped　with　the　crowd　at　that　terrible　and　piteous　sight；　and　her　bosom　panted　for　her　fellow…creature　in　sore　peril。　But　what　is　this？　The　mob　inside　utter　a　great　roar　of　hope；　the　crowd　outside　strain　every　eye。

A　gleaming　helmet　overtops　the　outer　wall。　It　is　a　fireman　mounting　the　great　elm…tree　in　the　madhouse　yard。　The　crowd　inside　burst　in　a　cheer。　He　had　a　rope　round　his　loins；　his　face　was　to　the　tree。　He　mounted　and　mounted　like　a　cat；　higher；　and　higher；　and　higher；　till　he　reached　a　branch　about　twelve　feet　above　the　window　and　as　many　distant　from　it　laterally；　the　crowd　cheered　him　lustily。　But　Mrs。　Dodd；　half　distracted　with　terror；　implored　them　not　to　encourage　him。　〃It　is　my　child！〃　she　cried　despairingly；　〃my　poor　reckless　darling！　Come　down；　Edward；　for　your　poor　mother's　sake；　come　down。〃

〃Dear　heart；〃　said　a　woman；　〃it　is　the　lady's　son。　Poor　thing！〃

〃Stand　on　my　knee；　ma'am；〃　said　a　coal…heaver。

〃Oh　no；　sir；　no。　I　could　not　look　at　him　for　the　world。　I　can　only　pray　for　him。　Good　people；　pray　for　us！〃　And　she　covered　her　face；　and　prayed　and　trembled　and　sobbed　hysterically。　A　few　yards　behind　was　another　woman；　who　had　arrived　later；　yet　like　her　was　wedged　immovable。　This　woman　was　more　terror…stricken　than　Mrs。　Dodd；　and　well　she　might；　for　_she_　knew　who　was　behind　that　fatal　window：　the　woman's　name　was　Edith　Archbold。　The　flames　were　now　leaping　through　the　roof；　and　surging　up　towards　heaven　in　waves　of　fire　six　feet　high。　Edward；　scorched　and　half　blinded；　managed　to　fasten　his　rope　to　the　bough；　and；　calculating　the　distances　vertical　and　lateral　he　had　to　deal　with；　took　up　rope　accordingly；　and　launched　himself　into　the　air。

The　crowd　drew　their　breath　so　hard　it　sounded　like　a　murmur。　To　their　horror　he　missed　the　window；　and　went　swinging　back。

There　was　a　cry　of　dismay。　But　Edward　had　never　hoped　to　leap　into　the　window；　he　went　swinging　by　the　rope　back　to　the　main　stem　of　the　tree；　gave　it　a　fierce　spang　with　his　feet；　and　by　this　means　and　a　powerful　gesture　of　his　herculean　loins　got　an　inch　nearer　the　window：　back　again；　and　then　the　　same　game；　and　so　he　went　swinging　to　and　fro　over　a　wider　and　wider　space；　and；　by　letting　out　an　inch　of　cord　each　swing；　his　flying　feet　came　above　the　window…ledge；　then　a　little　higher；　then　higher　still；　and　now；　oh　sight　strange　and　gloriousas　this　helmeted　hero；　with　lips　clenched　and　great　eyes　that　stared　unflinchingly　at　the　surging　flames；　and　gleamed　supernaturally　with　inward　and　outward　fire；　swang　to　and　fro　on　his　frail　support　still　making　for　the　window　the　heads　of　all　the　hoping；　fearing；　admiring；　panting　crowd　went　surging　and　waving　to　and　fro　beneath；　so　did　not　their　hearts　only　but　their　agitated　bodies　follow　the　course　of　his　body；　as　it　rushed　to　and　fro　faster　and　faster　through　the　hot　air　starred　with　snow…flakes；　and　hail；　of　fire。　And　those　his　fellow…men　for　whom　the　brave　fireman　made　this　supernatural　effort；　did　they　know　their　desperate　condition？　Were　they　still　alive？　One　little　hour　ago　Alfred　sat　on　the　bed；　full　of　hope。　Every　minute　he　expected　to　hear　the　Robin　put　a　key　into　the　door。　He　was　all　ready；　and　his　money　in　his　pocket。　Alas！　his　liberator　came　not；　some　screw　loose　again。　Presently　he　was　conscious　of　a　great　commotion　in　the　house。　Feet　ran　up　and　down。　Then　came　a　smell　of　burning。　The　elm…tree　outside　was　illuminated。　He　was　glad　at　first；　he　had　a　spite　against　the　place。　But　soon　he　became　alarmed；　and　hammered　at　the　door　and　tried　to　force　it。　Impossible。　〃Fire！〃　rang　from　men's　voices。　Fire　crackled　above　his　head；　he　ran　about　the　room　like　a　wild　creature；　he　sprang　up　at　the　window　and　dashed　his　hand　through；　but　fell　back。　He　sprang　again　and　got　his　hand　on　some　of　the　lighter　woodwork；　he　drew　himself　up　nearly　to　the　window；　and　then　the　wood　gave　way　and　he　fell　to　the　ground；　and　striking　the　back　of　his　head；　nearly　stunned　himself；　the　flames　roared　fearfully　now；　and　at　this　David；　who　had　hitherto　sat　unconcerned；　started　up；　and　in　a　stentorian　voice　issued　order　upon　order　to　furl　every　rag　of　sail　and　bring　the　ship　to　the　wind。　He　thought　it　was　a　tempest。　〃Oh　hush！　hush！〃　cried　Alfred　in　vain。。　A　beam　fell　from　the　roof　to　the　floor；　precursor　of　the　rest。　On　this　David　thought　the　ship　was　ashore；　and　shouted　a　fresh　set　of　orders　proper　to　the　occasion；　so　terribly　alike　are　the　angry　voices　of　the　sister…elements。　But　Alfred　implored　him；　and　got　him　to　kneel　down　with　him；　and　held　his　hand；　and　prayed。

And；　even　while　they　kneeled　and　Alfred　prayed；　Death　and　Life　met　and　fought　for　them。　Under　the　door