Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/28

Rh to our chamber. We soon managed to procure a light. I pulled off my shoes and coat, and threw myself on to the bed, for I felt unwilling to contemplate the deed which we were on the point of committing. I had worked myself up to the task, and feared that my nerves might be unstrung by a survey of the preparatives for our mischief-doing. My brother, however, felt too deep an interest in the progress and result of the plan, to think of repose ; and commissioning me to ' tumble up' his side of the bed, he took his position by the table, with a book before him, which had one advantage over vacancy, that it shut out the view of external objects, and opened the way to reflection. " I soon fell into a disturbed sleep, and dreamed that the whole upper part of the house was in flames, and that my brother, in endeavouring to escape out of the front door with some valuable article about him, was seized by six or eight men, and carried away to prison, in spite of his entreaties. I dreamed also that I was standing in the door, and the whole building suddenly gave way, and was about to fall upon my head. At this I awoke in terror, but soon became sensible of my situation, when I found my brother standing over me, and shaking me by the shoulder. " It was now about a quarter to three. Petro had prepared everything, even to a match, to insure speedy conflagration. "Now then,' said he, ' nerve yourself for the consummation. Take this match, and set fire to the bed-clothes, while I touch this other pile with my candle.' " He did so, and at the same moment my trembling hands applied the torch to the light drapery of the bed. In an instant, curtains, sheets, and all, were in a blaze, while at the other end of the room the fire spread with astonishing rapidity among the dry and flimsy stuffs which had been thrown together in a heap. Seeing all things in such fine progress, we turned our steps toward the door, which was about midway of the room, when I recollected that we had left a small box of jewelry and money at the foot of the bed. 66 6 Stop, one moment, till I get the box,' said I, and directed my steps to the bed. " Make haste !' said my brother, as he stood with his hand on the latch. " I threw up the clothes at the foot of the bed. " Where is it ? I cannot touch it ?' I asked.