Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/324

 282 0KIG1N OF THE WAR OF 1853 at the Lead of the column, which consisted of about 3000 men. In a few moments it spread ; and, after hanging a little, came down the Boule- vavd in a waving sheet of flame. So regular, however, was the fire that at first I thought it was a feu tie joie for some barricade taken in advance, or to signal their position to some other division ; and it was not till it came within fifty yards of me that I recognised the sharp ringing report of ball-cartridge; but even then I could scarcely believe the evidence of my ears, for, as to my eyes, I could not discover any enemy to fire at ; and I continued looking at the men until the company below me were actually rais- ing their firelocks, and one vagabond sharper than the rest — a mere lad without whisker or moustache— had covered me. In an instant I dashed my wife, who had just stepped back, against the pier between the windows, when a shot struck the ceiling immediately over our heads, and covered us with dust and broken plaster. In a second after, I placed her upon the floor ; and in another, a volley came against the whole front of the house, the balcony, and windows ; one shot broke the mirror over the chimney-piece, another the shade of the clock ; every pane of glass but one was smashed ; the curtains and window-frames cut ; the room, in short, was riddled. The iron balcony, though rather low, was a great protection ; still fireballs entered the room, and in the pause for reloading I drew my wife to the door, and took refuge in