hard cash-第126节
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was afraid to stoop and inspect it closer： for his drunken instinct told him he would pitch on his head that moment： so he retired grumbling and dangling his key。
At the end of the corridor he met Mrs。 Archbold full dressed； and with a candle in her hand。 She held the candle up and inspected him； and a little conversation followed that sobered Mr。 Hayes for a minute or two。
Mrs。 Archbold was no sooner gone to her little tea…party than all the first…class ladies and gentlemen were sent to bed to get a good sleep for the good of their health； and the keepers and keeperesses took their place and romped； and made such a row； sleep was not easy within hearing of them。 They sat on the piano； they sang songs to a drum accompaniment played on the table； they danced； drank； flirted； and enjoyed themselves like schoolboys。 Hayes alone was gloomy and morose： so the Robin and Garrett consoled him； drank with him； and soothed him with the balm of insensibility： in which condition they removed him under charitable pretences； and searched his pockets in the passage for the key of Alfred's room。
To their infinite surprise and disappointment it was not upon him。
The fact is； Mrs。 Archbold had snatched it from him in her wrath； and put it in her own pocket。 How far her suspicions went； how much her spies had discovered； I really don't know； but somehow or other she was uneasy in her mind； and； seeing Hayes in such a state； she would not trust him during her absence； but took the key away with her。
The Robin and Garrett knew nothing of this； and were all abroad； but they thought Rooke must have the key； so they proceeded to drink with him； and were just about to administer a really effective soporific in his grog； when they and all the merry party were suddenly startled by violent ringing at the bell； and thundering and halloaing at the hall door。 The men jumped to their feet and balanced themselves； and looked half wild； half stupid。 The women sat； and began to scream： for they had heard a word that has terrors for us all： peculiar terrors for them。
This alarm was due to a personage hitherto undervalued in the establishment。
Mr。 Francis Beverley had been THINKING。 So now； finding all the patients boxed up； and their attendants romping in the drawing…room； he lighted seven fires； skilfully on the whole； for practice makes perfect； but； singular oversight； he omitted one essential ingredient in the fire； and that was the grate。
To be plain； Mr。 Francis made seven bonfires of bed…curtains； chairs； and other combustibles in the servants' garrets； lighted them contemporaneously； and retired to the basement； convinced he had taken the surest means to deliver his friend out of Drayton House： and with a certain want of candour that characterises the weak； proceeded to black his other bad master's shoes with singular assiduity。
There was no wind to blow the flame； but it was a clear frost； and soon fiery tongues shot out of three garret…windows into the night； and lurid gleams burnished four more； and the old house was burning merrily overhead； and ringing with hilarity on the first floor。
But the neighbours saw； pointed； wondered； comprehended； shouted； rang； knocked； and surged round the iron gate。 〃Fire！ fire！ fire！〃 and 〃Fire！〃 went down the road； and men on horseback galloped for engines； and the terror…stricken porter opened and the people rushed in and hammered at the hall doors； and when Rooke ran down and opened； 〃Fire！〃 was the word that met him from a score of eager throats and glittering eyes。
〃Fire！ Where？〃 he cried。
〃Where！ Why； _you_ are on fire。 Blazing！〃
He ran out and looked up at the tongues of flame and volleys of smoke。 〃Shut the gate；〃 he roared。 〃Call the police。 Fire！ fire！〃 And he dashed back； and calling to the other keepers to unlock all the doors they had keys of； ran up to the garrets to see what could be done。 He came out awe…stricken at what he saw。 He descended hastily to the third floor。 Now the third floor of that wing was occupied principally by servants。 In fact； the only patients at that time were Dodd and Alfred。 Rooke called to the men below to send Hayes up to No。 75 with his key directly； he then ran down to the next floorof which he had keysand opened all the doors； and said to the inmates with a ghastly attempt at cheerfulness； belied by his shaking voice； 〃Get up； gentlemen； there is a ball and supper going on below。〃 He was afraid to utter the word 〃fire〃 to them。 The other keepers were as rapid； each on his beat； and soon the more rational patients took the alarm and were persuaded or driven out half…dressed into the yard； where they cowered together in extremity of fear； for the fire began to roar overhead like a lion； and lighted up the whole interior red and bright。 All was screaming and confusion； and then came a struggle to get the incurable out from the basement story。 There was no time to handcuff them。 The keepers trusted to the terror of the scene to cow them； and so opened the doors and got them out anyhow。 Wild； weird forms； with glaring eyes and matted hair； 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
