Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 129.djvu/345

Rh should be, all was dark and still: the burning house was on their left — it was Olivia's.

While the others jumping from their seats began to set about getting the engine ready to work, Yorke ran forward a few paces through the gate into the little garden.

The house was now all on fire, flames rushing out of the roof and windows. Before it on the lawn stood a few onlookers, gazing idly at the spectacle which lighted up their faces.

"You've a-come along with that there engine, I suppose, sir? " said one of the little group to Yorke, a stout elderly man, whom he at once recognized to be the landlord of the River Belle. "'Taint a bit of good pouring water on that there fire; you might pour the whole river on it now, and nothing come of it."

"And the family?" said Yorke, almost breathless with excitement, — "the lady and children?"

"Oh, they was got out all right, and the nuss too; but the gentleman ——"

"What gentleman?"

"Him as was staying at my place, over at the Belle yonder," said the man, pointing in the direction of the inn; "he saved the lady first and then the children; 'twas wonderful to see how he went up the ladder, and him with only one arm too. 'Twas an uncommon close thing, sure, for the house is that frail it didn't want much lighting; it was all in a blaze afore a soul heerd of it."

Yorke stood silent, and the man went on.

"Yes, 'twas a wonderful sight to see: there was the lady a-wringing of her hands at the winder, and the nuss a-screaming like a railway whistle; and we puts the ladder up agen' the winder, and the gentleman he runs up it, and helps the nuss down — hands her to our Joe — that's our pot-boy — who was close behind of him, and then he wants the lady to follow; I seed it all myself, for I was a-helping to keep the ladder steady; but the lady she calls out that the children are inside, and so the gentleman he goes in at the winder, and brings out the two children, fust one and then the other — for you see he couldn't carry but one at a time because of him only having one arm — brings them right out of the fire, as one may say — for it were burning very fierce even then, almost as fierce as you see it a-burning now — and hands them out to our Joe; and the poor little things, though they was in their night-shifts they wasn't even singed, for he covered them in his big cloak — only frightened a bit; and then the gentleman he wants the lady to step over the window-sill and on to the ladder, but she seemed all dazed like with fear; I could see her a-standing before the window looking as it might be at a ghost. Then the gentleman he calls out to Joe; 'Can you pass me up a bit of rope?' says he. So we soon gets a bit of rope and hands it to Joe, and he hands it to the gentleman, and the gentleman he tried for to tie the lady up with it, but couldn't manage it on account of his having only one hand, you see. So then Joe he goes up, and the two together they passes the rope and a sheet round the lady (who seemed all in a faint like), and lifts her out, and then they all come down, — fust the lady, and then Joe holding one end of the line, and the gentleman a-holding of the other, and every one a-shouting like mad — for there was quite a crowd round here — to see him so gallant and dextrous. And our Joe, he behaved uncommon well too — I must say that for our Joe. Well, sir, we all thought they was quite safe out of it, and a good job too, when just as they had got to the bottom, and the lady was on the ground, a great piece of the eaveboard — that there great piece as you see lying there — came down and struck the gentleman on the head, and he fell off the ladder, stunned like, as well he might be, for it must be a matter of half a hundred-weight if it's a pound. Oh, it were a pity! — it were indeed, and him having acted so gallant and noble."

Yorke had stood still, fascinated by the tale, listening to the man's recital. The words came with difficulty as he asked, "Was the gentleman much hurt?"

"Stunned complete, and his poor face was an awful objec'. The lady, she knelt down by him on the wet ground, and took hold of his hand in hers and began a-rubbing of it; but that wouldn't do no good, of course. We carried him in to the Belle, and my missis is a-looking after him, and Joe has run for the doctor; he ought to be back soon. His face is that ghastly — well, 'tis a sad thing, surelie, to save four lives and maybe lose of his own, and him having acted so gallant and noble."

 

little inn was crowded with people, for the fire had aroused the whole neighbourhood; and the lookers-on, now that the interest was transferred here from the blazing house, had for the most part 