hard cash-第143章

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　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；　tight　as　it　was；　and　through　the　keyhole；　struggled　a　hot　stifling　smoke；　merciful　destroyer　running　before　fire；　and　the　shadow　of　a　gigantic　figure　began　to　flicker　in　from　the　outside；　and　to　come　and　go　upon　the　wall。　Alfred　did　not　know　what　that　was；　but　it　gave　him　a　vague　hope：　he　prayed　aloud　as　men　pray　only　for　their　bodies。　（The　crowd　heard　him　and　hushed　itself　breathless。）

The　smoke　penetrated　faster；　blinding　and　stifling；　the　giant　shadow　came　and　went。　But　now　the　greater　part　of　the　roof　fell　in　with　an　awful　report；　the　blazing　timbers　thundered　down　to　the　basement　with　endless　clatter　of　red…hot　tiles；　the　walls　quivered；　and　the　building　belched　skyward　a　thousand　jets　of　fire　like　a　bouquet　of　rockets：　and　then　a　cloud　of　smoke。　Alfred　gave　up　all　hope；　and　prepared　to　die。　Crash！　as　if　discharged　from　a　cannon；　came　bursting　through　the　window；　with　the　roar　of　an　applauding　multitude　and　a　mother's　unheeded　scream；　a　helmeted　figure；　rope　in　hand；　and　alighted　erect　and　commanding　on　the　floor　amidst　a　shower　of　splinters　and　tinkling　glass。　〃Up；　men；　for　your　lives；〃　roared　this　fire…warrior；　clutching　them　hard；　and　dragged　them　both　up　to　their　feet　by　one　prodigious　gesture：　all　three　faces　came　together　and　shone　in　the　lurid　light；　and　he　knew　his　father　and　〃the　Wretch；〃　and　〃the　Wretch〃　knew　him。　〃Oh！〃　〃Ah！〃　passed　like　pistol　shots；　but　not　a　word：　even　this　strange　meeting　went　for　little；　so　awful　was　the　moment；　so　great　are　Death　and　Fire。　Edward　clawed　his　rope　to　the　bed；　up　to　the　window　by　it；　dropped　his　line　to　fireman　Jackson　planted　express　below；　and　in　another　moment　was　hauling　up　a　rope　ladder：　this　he　attached；　and　getting　on　it　and　holding　his　own　rope　by　way　of　banister；　cried；　〃Now；　men；　quick；　for　your　lives。〃　But　poor　David　called　that　deserting　the　ship；　and　demurred；　till　Alfred　assured　him　the　captain　had　ordered　it。　He　then　submitted　directly；　touched　his　forelock　to　Edward；　whom　he　took　for　that　officer；　and　went　down　the　ladder；　Alfred　followed。

Now　the　moment　those　two　figures　emerged　from　the　burning　pile；　Mrs。　Dodd；　already　half　dead　with　terror　for　her　son；　saw　and　knew　her　husband：　for　all　about　him　it　was　as　light　as　day。

What　terror！　what　joy！　what　gratitude！　what　pride！　what　a　tempest　of　emotions！

But　her　fears　were　not　ended：　Edward；　not　to　overweight　the　ladder；　went　dangling　by　his　hands　along　the　rope　towards　the　tree。　And　his　mother's　eyes　stared　fearfully　from　him　to　the　other；　and　her　heart　hung　trembling　on　her　husband　descending　cautiously；　and　then　on　his　preserver；　her　son；　who　was　dangling　along　by　the　hands　on　that　frail　support。　The　mob　cheered　him　royally；　but　she　screamed　and　hid　her　face　again。　At　last　both　her　darlings　were　safe；　and　then　the　lusty　cheers　made　her　thrill　with　pride　and　joy；　till　all　of　a　sudden　they　seemed　to　die　away；　and　the　terrible　fire　to　go　out；　and　the　sore…tried　wife　and　mother　drooped　her　head　and　swooned　away；　wedged　in　and　kept　from　falling　by　the　crowd。

Inside；　the　mob　parted　and　made　two　rushes；　one　at　the　rescued　men；　one　at　the　gallant　fireman。　Alfred　and　David　were　overpowered　with　curiosity　and　sympathy。　They　had　to　shake　a　hundred　honest　hands；　and　others　still　pressing　on　hurried　them　nearly　off　their　feet。

〃Gently；　good　friends；　don't　part　us；〃　said　Alfred。

〃He　is　the　keeper；〃　said　one　of　the　crowd。

〃Yes；　I'm　his　keeper：　and　I　want　to　get　him　quietly　away。　This　excitement　will　do　him　harm　else；　good　friends；　help　me　out　by　that　door。〃

〃All　right；〃　was　the　cry；　and　they　rushed　with　him　to　the　back　door。　Rooke；　who　was　about　twenty　yards　off　saw　and　suspected　this　movement。　He　fought　his　way　and　struggled　after　Alfred　in　silence。　Presently；　to　his　surprise；　Alfred　unlocked　the　door　and　whipped　out　with　David；　leaving　the　door　open。　Rooke　shouted　and　halloaed：　〃Stop　him！　he　is　escaping；〃　and　struggled　madly　to　the　door。　Now　another　crowd　had　been　waiting　in　the　meadows；　seeing　the　door　open　they　rushed　in　and　the　doorway　was　jammed　directly。　In　the　confusion　Alfred　drew　Da