thefireside
.
He
was
beaten
.
Soon
to
be
a
useless
old
man
,
a
burden
and
annoyance
to
whosoever
had
pity
on
him
.
It
was
a
curious
effect
of
the
imagination
that
since
coming
into
the
open
air
again
his
eyesight
seemed
to
be
far
worse
than
before
.
He
irritated
his
nerves
of
vision
by
incessant
tests
,
closing
first
one
eye
then
the
other
,
comparing
his
view
of
nearer
objects
with
the
appearance
of
others
more
remote
,
fancying
an
occasional
pain
—
which
could
have
had
no
connection
with
his
disease
.
The
literary
projects
which
had
stirred
so
actively
in
his
mind
twelve
hours
ago
were
become
an
insubstantial
memory
;
to
the
one
crushing
blow
had
succeeded
a
second
,
which
was
fatal
.
He
could
hardly
recall
what
special
piece
of
work
he
had
been
engaged
upon
last
night
.
His
thoughts
were
such
as
if
actual
blindness
had
really
fallen
upon
him
.
At
half-past
eight
he
entered
the
house
.
Mrs.
Yule
was
standing
at
the
foot
of
the
stairs
;
she
looked
at
him
,
then
turned
away
towards
the
kitchen
.
He
went
upstairs
.
On
coming
down
again
he
found
breakfast
ready
as
usual
,
and
seated
himself
at
the
table
.
Two
letters
waited
for
him
there
;
he
opened
them
.
When
Mrs.
Yule
came
into
the
room
a
few
moments
later
she
was
astonished
by
a
burst
of
loud
,
mocking
laughter
from
her
husband
,
excited
,
as
it
appeared
,
by
something
he
was
reading
.
'
Is
Marian
up
?
'
he
asked
,
turning
to
her
.
'
Yes
.
'
'
She
is
not
coming
to
breakfast
?
'
'
No
.
'
'
Then
just
take
that
letter
to
her
,
and
ask
her
to
read
it
.
'
Mrs.
Yule
ascended
to
her
daughter
's
bed-room
.
She
knocked
,
was
bidden
enter
,
and
found
Marian
packing
clothes
in
a
trunk
.
The
girl
looked
as
if
she
had
been
up
all
night
;
her
eyes
bore
the
traces
of
much
weeping
.
'
He
has
come
back
,
dear
,
'
said
Mrs.
Yule
,
in
the
low
voice
of
apprehension
,
'
and
he
says
you
are
to
read
this
letter
.
'
Marian
took
the
sheet
,
unfolded
it
,
and
read
.
As
soon
as
she
had
reached
the
end
she
looked
wildly
at
her
mother
,
seemed
to
endeavour
vainly
to
speak
,
then
fell
to
the
floor
in
unconsciousness
.
The
mother
was
only
just
able
to
break
the
violence
of
her
fall
.
Having
snatched
a
pillow
and
placed
it
beneath
Marian
's
head
,
she
rushed
to
the
door
and
called
loudly
for
her
husband
,
who
in
a
moment
appeared
.
'
What
is
it
?
'
she
cried
to
him
.
'
Look
,
she
has
fallen
down
in
a
faint
.
Why
are
you
treating
her
like
this
?
'
'
Attend
to
her
,
'
Yule
replied
roughly
.
'
I
suppose
you
know
better
than
I
do
what
to
do
when
a
person
faints
.
'
The
swoon
lasted
for
several
minutes
.
'
What
's
in
the
letter
?
'
asked
Mrs.
Yule
whilst
chafing
the
lifeless
hands
.
'
Her
money
's
lost
.
The
people
who
were
to
pay
it
have
just
failed
.
'
'
She
wo
n't
get
anything
?
'
'
Most
likely
nothing
at
all
.
'
The
letter
was
a
private
communication
from
one
of
John
Yule
's
executors
.
It
seemed
likely
that
the
demand
upon
Turberville
+
Co.
for
an
account
of
the
deceased
partner
's
share
in
their
business
had
helped
to
bring
about
a
crisis
in
affairs
that
were
already
unstable
.
Something
might
be
recovered
in
the
legal
proceedings
that
would
result
,
but
there
were
circumstances
which
made
the
outlook
very
doubtful
.
As
Marian
came
to
herself
her
father
left
the
room
.
An
hour
afterwards
Mrs.
Yule
summoned
him
again
to
the
girl
's
chamber
;
he
went
,
and
found
Marian
lying
on
the
bed
,
looking
like
one
who
had
been
long
ill.
'
I
wish
to
ask
you
a
few
questions
,
'
she
said
,
without
raising
herself
.
'
Must
my
legacy
necessarily
be
paid
out
of
that
investment
?
'
'
It
must
.
Those
are
the
terms
of
the
will
.
'
'
If
nothing
can
be
recovered
from
those
people
,
I
have
no
remedy
?
'
'
None
whatever
that
I
can
see
.
'
'
But
when
a
firm
is
bankrupt
they
generally
pay
some
portion
of
their
debts
?
'
'
Sometimes
.
I
know
nothing
of
the
case
.
'
'
This
of
course
happens
to
me
,
'
Marian
said
,
with
intense
bitterness
.
'
None
of
the
other
legatees
will
suffer
,
I
suppose
?
'
'
Someone
must
,
but
to
a
very
small
extent
.
'
'
Of
course
.
When
shall
I
have
direct
information
?
'
'
You
can
write
to
Mr.
Holden
;
you
have
his
address
.
'
'
Thank
you
.
That
's
all
.
'
He
was
dismissed
,
and
went
quietly
away
.
CHAPTER
XXX
WAITING
ON
DESTINY
Throughout
the
day
Marian
kept
her
room
.
Her
intention
to
leave
the
house
was
,
of
course
,
abandoned
;
she
was
the
prisoner
of
fate
.
Mrs.
Yule
would
have
tended
her
with
unremitting
devotion
,
but
the
girl
desired
to
be
alone
.
At
times
she
lay
in
silent
anguish
;
frequently
her
tears
broke
forth
,
and
she
sobbed
until
weariness
overcame
her
.
In
the
afternoon
she
wrote
a
letter
to
Mr.
Holden
,
begging
that
she
might
be
kept
constantly
acquainted
with
the
progress
of
things
.
At
five
her
mother
brought
tea
.
'
Would
n't
it
be
better
if
you
went
to
bed
now
,
Marian
?
'
she
suggested
.
'
To
bed
?
But
I
am
going
out
in
an
hour
or
two
.
'
'
Oh
,
you
ca
n't
,
dear
!
It
's
so
bitterly
cold
.
It
would
n't
be
good
for
you
.
'
'
I
have
to
go
out
,
mother
,
so
we
wo
n't
speak
of
it
.
'
It
was
not
safe
to
reply
.
Mrs.
Yule
sat
down
,
and
watched
the
girl
raise
the
cup
to
her
mouth
with
trembling
hand
.
'
This
wo
n't
make
any
difference
to
you
—
in
the
end
,
my
darling
,
'
the
mother
ventured
to
say
at
length
,
alluding
for
the
first
time
to
the
effect
of
the
catastrophe
on
Marian
's
immediate
prospects
.
'
Of
course
not
,
'
was
the
reply
,
in
a
tone
of
self-persuasion
.
'
Mr
.
Milvain
is
sure
to
have
plenty
of
money
before
long
.
'
'
Yes
.
'
'
You
feel
much
better
now
,
do
n't
you
?
'
'
Much
.
I
am
quite
well
again
.
'
At
seven
,
Marian
went
out
.
Finding
herself
weaker
than
she
had
thought
,
she
stopped
an
empty
cab
that
presently
passed
her
,
and
so
drove
to
the
Milvains
'
lodgings
.
In
her
agitation
she
inquired
for
Mr.
Milvain
,
instead
of
for
Dora
,
as
was
her
habit
;
it
mattered
very
little
,
for
the
landlady
and
her
servants
were
of
course
under
no
misconception
regarding
this
young
lady
's
visits
.
Jasper
was
at
home
,
and
working
.
He
had
but
to
look
at
Marian
to
see
that
something
wretched
had
been
going
on
at
her
home
;
naturally
he
supposed
it
the
result
of
his
letter
to
Mr.
Yule
.
'
Your
father
has
been
behaving
brutally
,
'
he
said
,
holding
her
hands
and
gazing
anxiously
at
her
.
'
There
is
something
far
worse
than
that
,
Jasper
.
'
'
Worse
?
'
She
threw
off
her
outdoor
things
,
then
took
the
fatal
letter
from
her
pocket
and
handed
it
to
him
.
Jasper
gave
a
whistle
of
consternation
,
and
looked
vacantly
from
the
paper
to
Marian
's
countenance
.
'
How
the
deuce
comes
this
about
?
'
he
exclaimed
.
'
Why
,
was
n't
your
uncle
aware
of
the
state
of
things
?
'
'
Perhaps
he
was
.
He
may
have
known
that
the
legacy
was
a
mere
form
.
'
'
You
are
the
only
one
affected
?
'
'
So
father
says
.
It
's
sure
to
be
the
case
.
'
'
This
has
upset
you
horribly
,
I
can
see
.
Sit
down
,
Marian
.
When
did
the
letter
come
?
'
'
This
morning
.
'
'
And
you
have
been
fretting
over
it
all
day
.
But
come
,
we
must
keep
up
our
courage
;
you
may
get
something
substantial
out
of
the
scoundrels
still
.
'
Even
whilst
he
spoke
his
eyes
wandered
absently
.
On
the
last
word
his
voice
failed
,
and
he
fell
into
abstraction
.
Marian
's
look
was
fixed
upon
him
,
and
he
became
conscious
of
it
.
He
tried
to
smile
.
'
What
were
you
writing
?
'
she
asked
,
making
involuntary
diversion
from
the
calamitous
theme
.
'
Rubbish
for
the
Will-o'-the-Wisp
.
Listen
to
this
paragraph
about
English
concert
audiences
.
'
It
was
as
necessary
to
him
as
to
her
to
have
a
respite
before
the
graver
discussion
began
.
He
seized
gladly
the
opportunity
she
offered
,
and
read
several
pages
of
manuscript
,
slipping
from
one
topic
to
another
.
To
hear
him
one
would
have
supposed
that
he
was
in
his
ordinary
mood
;
he
laughed
at
his
own
jokes
and
points
.
'
They
'll
have
to
pay
me
more
,
'
was
the
remark
with
which
he
closed
.
'
I
only
wanted
to
make
myself
indispensable
to
them
,
and
at
the
end
of
this
year
I
shall
feel
pretty
sure
of
that
.
They
'll
have
to
give
me
two
guineas
a
column
;
by
Jove
!
they
will
.
'
'
And
you
may
hope
for
much
more
than
that
,
may
n't
you
,
before
long
?
'
'
Oh
,
I
shall
transfer
myself
to
a
better
paper
presently
.
It
seems
to
me
I
must
be
stirring
to
some
purpose
.
'
He
gave
her
a
significant
look
.
'
What
shall
we
do
,
Jasper
?
'
'
Work
and
wait
,
I
suppose
.
'
'
There
's
something
I
must
tell
you
.
Father
said
I
had
better
sign
that
Harrington
article
myself
.
If
I
do
that
,
I
shall
have
a
right
to
the
money
,
I
think
.
It
will
at
least
be
eight
guineas
.
And
why
should
n't
I
go
on
writing
for
myself
—
for
us
?
You
can
help
me
to
think
of
subjects
.
'
'
First
of
all
,
what
about
my
letter
to
your
father
?
We
are
forgetting
all
about
it
.
'
'
He
refused
to
answer
.
'
Marian
avoided
closer
description
of
what
had
happened
.
It
was
partly
that
she
felt
ashamed
of
her
father
's
unreasoning
wrath
,
and
feared
lest
Jasper
's
pride
might
receive
an
injury
from
which
she
in
turn
would
suffer
;
partly
that
she
was
unwilling
to
pain
her
lover
by
making
display
of
all
she
had
undergone
.
'
Oh
,
he
refused
to
reply
!
Surely
that
is
extreme
behaviour
.
'
What
she
dreaded
seemed
to
be
coming
to
pass
.
Jasper
stood
rather
stiffly
,
and
threw
his
head
back
.
'
You
know
the
reason
,
dear
.
That
prejudice
has
entered
into
his
very
life
.
It
is
not
you
he
dislikes
;
that
is
impossible
.
He
thinks
of
you
only
as
he
would
of
anyone
connected
with
Mr.
Fadge
.
'
'
Well
,
well
;
it
is
n't
a
matter
of
much
moment
.
But
what
I
have
in
mind
is
this
.
Will
it
be
possible
for
you
,
whilst
living
at
home
,
to
take
a
position
of
independence
,
and
say
that
you
are
going
to
work
for
your
own
profit
?
'
'
At
least
I
might
claim
half
the
money
I
can
earn
.
And
I
was
thinking
more
of
—
'
'
Of
what
?
'
'
When
I
am
your
wife
,
I
may
be
able
to
help
.
I
could
earn
thirty
or
forty
pounds
a
year
,
I
think
.
That
would
pay
the
rent
of
a
small
house
.
'
She
spoke
with
shaken
voice
,
her
eyes
fixed
upon
his
face
.
'
But
,
my
dear
Marian
,
we
surely
ought
n't
to
think
of
marrying
so
long
as
expenses
are
so
nicely
fitted
as
all
that
?
'
'
No
.
I
only
meant
—
'
She
faltered
,
and
her
tongue
became
silent
as
her
heart
sank
.
'
It
simply
means
,
'
pursued
Jasper
,
seating
himself
and
crossing
his
legs
,
'
that
I
must
move
heaven
and
earth
to
improve
my
position
.
You
know
that
my
faith
in
myself
is
not
small
;
there
's
no
knowing
what
I
might
do
if
I
used
every
effort
.
But
,
upon
my
word
,
I
do
n't
see
much
hope
of
our
being
able
to
marry
for
a
year
or
two
under
the
most
favourable
circumstances
.
'
'
No
;
I
quite
understand
that
.
'
'
Can
you
promise
to
keep
a
little
love
for
me
all
that
time
?
'
he
asked
with
a
constrained
smile
.
'
You
know
me
too
well
to
fear
.
'
'
I
thought
you
seemed
a
little
doubtful
.
'
His
tone
was
not
altogether
that
which
makes
banter
pleasant
between
lovers
.
Marian
looked
at
him
fearfully
.
Was
it
possible
for
him
in
truth
so
to
misunderstand
her
?
He
had
never
satisfied
her
heart
's
desire
of
infinite
love
;
she
never
spoke
with
him
but
she
was
oppressed
with
the
suspicion
that
his
love
was
not
as
great
as
hers
,
and
,
worse
still
,
that
he
did
not
wholly
comprehend
the
self-surrender
which
she
strove
to
make
plain
in
every
word
.
'
You
do
n't
say
that
seriously
,
Jasper
?
'
'
But
answer
seriously
.
'
'
How
can
you
doubt
that
I
would
wait
faithfully
for
you
for
years
if
it
were
necessary
?
'
'
It
must
n't
be
years
,
that
's
very
certain
.
I
think
it
preposterous
for
a
man
to
hold
a
woman
bound
in
that
hopeless
way
.
'
'
But
what
question
is
there
of
holding
me
bound
?
Is
love
dependent
on
fixed
engagements
?
Do
you
feel
that
,
if
we
agreed
to
part
,
your
love
would
be
at
once
a
thing
of
the
past
?
'
'
Why
no
,
of
course
not
.
'
'
Oh
,
but
how
coldly
you
speak
,
Jasper
!
'
She
could
not
breathe
a
word
which
might
be
interpreted
as
fear
lest
the
change
of
her
circumstances
should
make
a
change
in
his
feeling
.
Yet
that
was
in
her
mind
.
The
existence
of
such
a
fear
meant
,
of
course
,
that
she
did
not
entirely
trust
him
,
and
viewed
his
character
as
something
less
than
noble
.
Very
seldom
indeed
is
a
woman
free
from
such
doubts
,
however
absolute
her
love
;
and
perhaps
it
is
just
as
rare
for
a
man
to
credit
in
his
heart
all
the
praises
he
speaks
of
his
beloved
.
Passion
is
compatible
with
a
great
many
of
these
imperfections
of
intellectual
esteem
.
To
see
more
clearly
into
Jasper
's
personality
was
,
for
Marian
,
to
suffer
the
more
intolerable
dread
lest
she
should
lose
him
.
She
went
to
his
side
.
Her
heart
ached
because
,
in
her
great
misery
,
he
had
not
fondled
her
and
intoxicated
her
senses
with
loving
words
.
'
How
can
I
make
you
feel
how
much
I
love
you
?
'
she
murmured
.
'
You
must
n't
be
so
literal
,
dearest
.
Women
are
so
desperately
matter-of-fact
;
it
comes
out
even
in
their
love-talk
.
'
Marian
was
not
without
perception
of
the
irony
of
such
an
opinion
on
Jasper
's
lips
.
'
I
am
content
for
you
to
think
so
,
'
she
said
.
'
There
is
only
one
fact
in
my
life
of
any
importance
,
and
I
can
never
lose
sight
of
it
.
'
'
Well
now
,
we
are
quite
sure
of
each
other
.
Tell
me
plainly
,
do
you
think
me
capable
of
forsaking
you
because
you
have
perhaps
lost
your
money
?
'
The
question
made
her
wince
.
If
delicacy
had
held
her
tongue
,
it
had
no
control
of
his
.
'
How
can
I
answer
that
better
,
'
she
said
,
'
than
by
saying
I
love
you
?
'
It
was
no
answer
,
and
Jasper
,
though
obtuse
compared
with
her
,
understood
that
it
was
none
.
But
the
emotion
which
had
prompted
his
words
was
genuine
enough
.
Her
touch
,
the
perfume
of
her
passion
,
had
their
exalting
effect
upon
him
.
He
felt
in
all
sincerity
that
to
forsake
her
would
be
a
baseness
,
revenged
by
the
loss
of
such
a
wife
.
'
There
's
an
uphill
fight
before
me
,
that
's
all
,
'
he
said
,
'
instead
of
the
pretty
smooth
course
I
have
been
looking
forward
to
.
But
I
do
n't
fear
it
,
Marian
.
I
'm
not
the
fellow
to
be
beaten
.
You
shall
be
my
wife
,
and
you
shall
have
as
many
luxuries
as
if
you
had
brought
me
a
fortune
.
'
'
Luxuries
!
Oh
,
how
childish
you
seem
to
think
me
!
'
'
Not
a
bit
of
it
.
Luxuries
are
a
most
important
part
of
life
.
I
had
rather
not
live
at
all
than
never
possess
them
.
Let
me
give
you
a
useful
hint
;
if
ever
I
seem
to
you
to
flag
,
just
remind
me
of
the
difference
between
these
lodgings
and
a
richly
furnished
house
.
Just
hint
to
me
that
So-and-so
,
the
journalist
,
goes
about
in
his
carriage
,
and
can
give
his
wife
a
box
at
the
theatre
.
Just
ask
me
,
casually
,
how
I
should
like
to
run
over
to
the
Riviera
when
London
fogs
are
thickest
.
You
understand
?
That
's
the
way
to
keep
me
at
it
like
a
steam-engine
.
'
'
You
are
right
.
All
those
things
enable
one
to
live
a
better
and
fuller
life
.
Oh
,
how
cruel
that
I
—
that
we
are
robbed
in
this
way
!
You
can
have
no
idea
how
terrible
a
blow
it
was
to
me
when
I
read
that
letter
this
morning
.
'
She
was
on
the
point
of
confessing
that
she
had
swooned
,
but
something
restrained
her
.
'
Your
father
can
hardly
be
sorry
,
'
said
Jasper
.
'
I
think
he
speaks
more
harshly
than
he
feels
.
The
worst
was
,
that
until
he
got
your
letter
he
had
kept
hoping
that
I
would
let
him
have
the
money
for
a
new
review
.
'
'
Well
,
for
the
present
I
prefer
to
believe
that
the
money
is
n't
all
lost
.
If
the
blackguards
pay
ten
shillings
in
the
pound
you
will
get
two
thousand
five
hundred
out
of
them
,
and
that
's
something
.
But
how
do
you
stand
?
Will
your
position
be
that
of
an
ordinary
creditor
?
'
'
I
am
so
ignorant
.
I
know
nothing
of
such
things
.
'
'
But
of
course
your
interests
will
be
properly
looked
after
.
Put
yourself
in
communication
with
this
Mr.
Holden
.
I
'll
have
a
look
into
the
law
on
the
subject
.
Let
us
hope
as
long
as
we
can
.
By
Jove
!
There
's
no
other
way
of
facing
it
.
'
'
No
,
indeed
.
'
'
Mrs
.
Reardon
and
the
rest
of
them
are
safe
enough
,
I
suppose
?
'
'
Oh
,
no
doubt
.
'
'
Confound
them
!
—
It
grows
upon
one
.
One
does
n't
take
in
the
whole
of
such
a
misfortune
at
once
.
We
must
hold
on
to
the
last
rag
of
hope
,
and
in
the
meantime
I
'll
half
work
myself
to
death
.
Are
you
going
to
see
the
girls
?
'
'
Not
to-night
.
You
must
tell
them
.
'
'
Dora
will
cry
her
eyes
out
.
Upon
my
word
,
Maud
'
ll
have
to
draw
in
her
horns
.
I
must
frighten
her
into
economy
and
hard
work
.
'
He
again
lost
himself
in
anxious
reverie
.
'
Marian
,
could
n't
you
try
your
hand
at
fiction
?
'
She
started
,
remembering
that
her
father
had
put
the
same
question
so
recently
.
'
I
'm
afraid
I
could
do
nothing
worth
doing
.
'
'
That
is
n't
exactly
the
question
.
Could
you
do
anything
that
would
sell
?
With
very
moderate
success
in
fiction
you
might
make
three
times
as
much
as
you
ever
will
by
magazine
potboilers
.
A
girl
like
you
.
Oh
,
you
might
manage
,
I
should
think
.
'
'
A
girl
like
me
?
'
'
Well
,
I
mean
that
love-scenes
,
and
that
kind
of
thing
,
would
be
very
much
in
your
line
.
'
Marian
was
not
given
to
blushing
;
very
few
girls
are
,
even
on
strong
provocation
.
For
the
first
time
Jasper
saw
her
cheeks
colour
deeply
,
and
it
was
with
anything
but
pleasure
.
His
words
were
coarsely
inconsiderate
,
and
wounded
her
.
'
I
think
that
is
not
my
work
,
'
she
said
coldly
,
looking
away
.
'
But
surely
there
's
no
harm
in
my
saying
—
'
he
paused
in
astonishment
.
'
I
meant
nothing
that
could
offend
you
.
'
'
I
know
you
did
n't
,
Jasper
.
But
you
make
me
think
that
—
'
'
Do
n't
be
so
literal
again
,
my
dear
girl
.
Come
here
and
forgive
me
.
'
She
did
not
approach
,
but
only
because
the
painful
thought
he
had
excited
kept
her
to
that
spot
.
'
Come
,
Marian
!
Then
I
must
come
to
you
.
'
He
did
so
and
held
her
in
his
arms
.
'
Try
your
hand
at
a
novel
,
dear
,
if
you
can
possibly
make
time
.
Put
me
in
it
,
if
you
like
,
and
make
me
an
insensible
masculine
.
The
experiment
is
worth
a
try
I
'm
certain
.
At
all
events
do
a
few
chapters
,
and
let
me
see
them
.
A
chapter
need
n't
take
you
more
than
a
couple
of
hours
I
should
think
.
'
Marian
refrained
from
giving
any
promise
.
She
seemed
irresponsive
to
his
caresses
.
That
thought
which
at
times
gives
trouble
to
all
women
of
strong
emotions
was
working
in
her
:
had
she
been
too
demonstrative
,
and
made
her
love
too
cheap
?
Now
that
Jasper
's
love
might
be
endangered
,
it
behoved
her
to
use
any
arts
which
nature
prompted
.
And
so
,
for
once
,
he
was
not
wholly
satisfied
with
her
,
and
at
their
parting
he
wondered
what
subtle
change
had
affected
her
manner
to
him
.
'
Why
did
n't
Marian
come
to
speak
a
word
?
'
said
Dora
,
when
her
brother
entered
the
girls
'
sitting-room
about
ten
o'clock
.
'
You
knew
she
was
with
me
,
then
?
'
'
We
heard
her
voice
as
she
was
going
away
.
'
'
She
brought
me
some
enspiriting
news
,
and
thought
it
better
I
should
have
the
reporting
of
it
to
you
.
'
With
brevity
he
made
known
what
had
befallen
.
'
Cheerful
,
is
n't
it
?
The
kind
of
thing
that
strengthens
one
's
trust
in
Providence
.
'
The
girls
were
appalled
.
Maud
,
who
was
reading
by
the
fireside
,
let
her
book
fall
to
her
lap
,
and
knit
her
brows
darkly
.
'
Then
your
marriage
must
be
put
off
,
of
course
?
'
said
Dora
.
'
Well
,
I
should
n't
be
surprised
if
that
were
found
necessary
,
'
replied
her
brother
caustically
.
He
was
able
now
to
give
vent
to
the
feeling
which
in
Marian
's
presence
was
suppressed
,
partly
out
of
consideration
for
her
,
and
partly
owing
to
her
influence
.
'
And
shall
we
have
to
go
back
to
our
old
lodgings
again
?
'
inquired
Maud
.
Jasper
gave
no
answer
,
but
kicked
a
footstool
savagely
out
of
his
way
and
paced
the
room
.
'
Oh
,
do
you
think
we
need
?
"
said
Dora
,
with
unusual
protest
against
economy
.
'
Remember
that
it
's
a
matter
for
your
own
consideration
,
'
Jasper
replied
at
length
.
'
You
are
living
on
your
own
resources
,
you
know
.
'
Maud
glanced
at
her
sister
,
but
Dora
was
preoccupied
.
'
Why
do
you
prefer
to
stay
here
?
'
Jasper
asked
abruptly
of
the
younger
girl
.
'
It
is
so
very
much
nicer
,
'
she
replied
with
some
embarrassment
.
He
bit
the
ends
of
his
moustache
,
and
his
eyes
glared
at
the
impalpable
thwarting
force
that
to
imagination
seemed
to
fill
the
air
about
him
.
'
A
lesson
against
being
over-hasty
,
'
he
muttered
,
again
kicking
the
footstool
.
'
Did
you
make
that
considerate
remark
to
Marian
?
'
asked
Maud
.
'
There
would
have
been
no
harm
if
I
had
done
.
She
knows
that
I
should
n't
have
been
such
an
ass
as
to
talk
of
marriage
without
the
prospect
of
something
to
live
upon
.
'
'
I
suppose
she
's
wretched
?
'
said
Dora
.
'
What
else
can
you
expect
?
'
'
And
did
you
propose
to
release
her
from
the
burden
of
her
engagement
?
'
Maud
inquired
.
'
It
's
a
confounded
pity
that
you
're
not
rich
,
Maud
,
'
replied
her
brother
with
an
involuntary
laugh
.
'
You
would
have
a
brilliant
reputation
for
wit
.
'
He
walked
about
and
ejaculated
splenetic
phrases
on
the
subject
of
his
ill-luck
.
'
We
are
here
,
and
here
we
must
stay
,
'
was
the
final
expression
of
his
mood
.
'
I
have
only
one
superstition
that
I
know
of
,
and
that
forbids
me
to
take
a
step
backward
.
If
I
went
into
poorer
lodgings
again
I
should
feel
it
was
inviting
defeat
.
I
shall
stay
as
long
as
the
position
is
tenable
.
Let
us
get
on
to
Christmas
,
and
then
see
how
things
look
.
Heavens
!
Suppose
we
had
married
,
and
after
that
lost
the
money
!
'
'
You
would
have
been
no
worse
off
than
plenty
of
literary
men
,
'
said
Dora
.
'
Perhaps
not
.
But
as
I
have
made
up
my
mind
to
be
considerably
better
off
than
most
literary
men
that
reflection
would
n't
console
me
much
.
Things
are
in
statu
quo
,
that
's
all
.
I
have
to
rely
upon
my
own
efforts
.
What
's
the
time
?
Half-past
ten
;
I
can
get
two
hours
'
work
before
going
to
bed
.
'
And
nodding
a
good-night
he
left
them
.
When
Marian
entered
the
house
and
went
upstairs
,
she
was
followed
by
her
mother
.
On
Mrs.
Yule
's
countenance
there
was
a
new
distress
,
she
had
been
crying
recently
.
'
Have
you
seen
him
?
'
the
mother
asked
.
'
Yes
.
We
have
talked
about
it
.
'
'
What
does
he
wish
you
to
do
,
dear
?
'
'
There
's
nothing
to
be
done
except
wait
.
'
'
Father
has
been
telling
me
something
,
Marian
,
'
said
Mrs.
Yule
after
a
long
silence
.
'
He
says
he
is
going
to
be
blind
.
There
's
something
the
matter
with
his
eyes
,
and
he
went
to
see
someone
about
it
this
afternoon
.
He
'll
get
worse
and
worse
,
until
there
has
been
an
operation
;
and
perhaps
he
'll
never
be
able
to
use
his
eyes
properly
again
.
'
The
girl
listened
in
an
attitude
of
despair
.
'
He
has
seen
an
oculist
?
—
a
really
good
doctor
?
'
'
He
says
he
went
to
one
of
the
best
.
'
'
And
how
did
he
speak
to
you
?
'
'
He
does
n't
seem
to
care
much
what
happens
.
He
talked
of
going
to
the
workhouse
,
and
things
like
that
.
But
it
could
n't
ever
come
to
that
,
could
it
,
Marian
?
Would
n't
somebody
help
him
?
'
'
There
's
not
much
help
to
be
expected
in
this
world
,
'
answered
the
girl
.
Physical
weariness
brought
her
a
few
hours
of
oblivion
as
soon
as
she
had
lain
down
,
but
her
sleep
came
to
an
end
in
the
early
morning
,
when
the
pressure
of
evil
dreams
forced
her
back
to
consciousness
of
real
sorrows
and
cares
.
A
fog-veiled
sky
added
its
weight
to
crush
her
spirit
;
at
the
hour
when
she
usually
rose
it
was
still
all
but
as
dark
as
midnight
.
Her
mother
's
voice
at
the
door
begged
her
to
lie
and
rest
until
it
grew
lighter
,
and
she
willingly
complied
,
feeling
indeed
scarcely
capable
of
leaving
her
bed
.
The
thick
black
fog
penetrated
every
corner
of
the
house
.
It
could
be
smelt
and
tasted
.
Such
an
atmosphere
produces
low-spirited
languor
even
in
the
vigorous
and
hopeful
;
to
those
wasted
by
suffering
it
is
the
very
reek
of
the
bottomless
pit
,
poisoning
the
soul
.
Her
face
colourless
as
the
pillow
,
Marian
lay
neither
sleeping
nor
awake
,
in
blank
extremity
of
woe
;
tears
now
and
then
ran
down
her
cheeks
,
and
at
times
her
body
was
shaken
with
a
throe
such
as
might
result
from
anguish
of
the
torture-chamber
.
Midway
in
the
morning
,
when
it
was
still
necessary
to
use
artificial
light
,
she
went
down
to
the
sitting-room
.
The
course
of
household
life
had
been
thrown
into
confusion
by
the
disasters
of
the
last
day
or
two
;
Mrs.
Yule
,
who
occupied
herself
almost
exclusively
with
questions
of
economy
,
cleanliness
,
and
routine
,
had
not
the
heart
to
pursue
her
round
of
duties
,
and
this
morning
,
though
under
normal
circumstances
she
would
have
been
busy
in
'
turning
out
'
the
dining-room
,
she
moved
aimlessly
and
despondently
about
the
house
,
giving
the
servant
contradictory
orders
and
then
blaming
herself
for
her
absent-mindedness
.
In
the
troubles
of
her
husband
and
her
daughter
she
had
scarcely
greater
share
—
so
far
as
active
participation
went
—
than
if
she
had
been
only
a
faithful
old
housekeeper
;
she
could
only
grieve
and
lament
that
such
discord
had
come
between
the
two
whom
she
loved
,
and
that
in
herself
was
no
power
even
to
solace
their
distresses
.
Marian
found
her
standing
in
the
passage
,
with
a
duster
in
one
hand
and
a
hearth-brush
in
the
other
.
'
Your
father
has
asked
to
see
you
when
you
come
down
,
'
Mrs.
Yule
whispered
.
'
I
'll
go
to
him
.
'
Marian
entered
the
study
.
Her
father
was
not
in
his
place
at
the
writing-table
,
nor
yet
seated
in
the
chair
which
he
used
when
he
had
leisure
to
draw
up
to
the
fireside
;
he
sat
in
front
of
one
of
the
bookcases
,
bent
forward
as
if
seeking
a
volume
,
but
his
chin
was
propped
upon
his
hand
,
and
he
had
maintained
this
position
for
a
long
time
.
He
did
not
immediately
move
.
When
he
raised
his
head
Marian
saw
that
he
looked
older
,
and
she
noticed
—
or
fancied
she
did
—
that
there
was
some
unfamiliar
peculiarity
about
his
eyes
.
'
I
am
obliged
to
you
for
coming
,
'
he
began
with
distant
formality
.
'
Since
I
saw
you
last
I
have
learnt
something
which
makes
a
change
in
my
position
and
prospects
,
and
it
is
necessary
to
speak
on
the
subject
.
I
wo
n't
detain
you
more
than
a
few
minutes
.
'
He
coughed
,
and
seemed
to
consider
his
next
words
.
'
Perhaps
I
need
n't
repeat
what
I
have
told
your
mother
.
You
have
learnt
it
from
her
,
I
dare
say
?
'
'
Yes
,
with
much
grief
.
'
'
Thank
you
,
but
we
will
leave
aside
that
aspect
of
the
matter
.
For
a
few
more
months
I
may
be
able
to
pursue
my
ordinary
work
,
but
before
long
I
shall
certainly
be
disabled
from
earning
my
livelihood
by
literature
.
Whether
this
will
in
any
way
affect
your
own
position
I
do
n't
know
.
Will
you
have
the
goodness
to
tell
me
whether
you
still
purpose
leaving
this
house
?
'
'
I
have
no
means
of
doing
so
.
'
'
Is
there
any
likelihood
of
your
marriage
taking
place
,
let
us
say
,
within
four
months
?
'
'
Only
if
the
executors
recover
my
money
,
or
a
large
portion
of
it
.
'
'
I
understand
.
My
reason
for
asking
is
this
.
My
lease
of
this
house
terminates
at
the
end
of
next
March
,
and
I
shall
certainly
not
be
justified
in
renewing
it
.
If
you
are
able
to
provide
for
yourself
in
any
way
it
will
be
sufficient
for
me
to
rent
two
rooms
after
that
.
This
disease
which
affects
my
eyes
may
be
only
temporary
;
in
due
time
an
operation
may
render
it
possible
for
me
to
work
again
.
In
hope
of
that
I
shall
probably
have
to
borrow
a
sum
of
money
on
the
security
of
my
life
insurance
,
though
in
the
first
instance
I
shall
make
the
most
of
what
I
can
get
for
the
furniture
of
the
house
and
a
large
part
of
my
library
;
your
mother
and
I
could
live
at
very
slight
expense
in
lodgings
.
If
the
disease
prove
irremediable
,
I
must
prepare
myself
for
the
worst
.
What
I
wish
to
say
is
,
that
it
will
be
better
if
from
to-day
you
consider
yourself
as
working
for
your
own
subsistence
.
So
long
as
I
remain
here
this
house
is
of
course
your
home
;
there
can
be
no
question
between
us
of
trivial
expenses
.
But
it
is
right
that
you
should
understand
what
my
prospects
are
.
I
shall
soon
have
no
home
to
offer
you
;
you
must
look
to
your
own
efforts
for
support
.
'
'
I
am
prepared
to
do
that
,
father
.
'
'
I
think
you
will
have
no
great
difficulty
in
earning
enough
for
yourself
.
I
have
done
my
best
to
train
you
in
writing
for
the
periodicals
,
and
your
natural
abilities
are
considerable
.
If
you
marry
,
I
wish
you
a
happy
life
.
The
end
of
mine
,
of
many
long
years
of
unremitting
toil
,
is
failure
and
destitution
.
'
Marian
sobbed
.
'
That
's
all
I
had
to
say
,
'
concluded
her
father
,
his
voice
tremulous
with
self-compassion
.
'
I
will
only
beg
that
there
may
be
no
further
profitless
discussion
between
us
.
This
room
is
open
to
you
,
as
always
,
and
I
see
no
reason
why
we
should
not
converse
on
subjects
disconnected
with
our
personal
differences
.
'
'
Is
there
no
remedy
for
cataract
in
its
early
stages
?
'
asked
Marian
.
'
None
.
You
can
read
up
the
subject
for
yourself
at
the
British
Museum
.
I
prefer
not
to
speak
of
it
.
'
'
Will
you
let
me
be
what
help
to
you
I
can
?
'
'
For
the
present
the
best
you
can
do
is
to
establish
a
connection
for
yourself
with
editors
.
Your
name
will
be
an
assistance
to
you
.
My
advice
is
,
that
you
send
your
"
Harrington
"
article
forthwith
to
Trenchard
,
writing
him
a
note
.
If
you
desire
my
help
in
the
suggestion
of
new
subjects
,
I
will
do
my
best
to
be
of
use
.
'
Marian
withdrew
.
She
went
to
the
sittingroom
,
where
an
ochreous
daylight
was
beginning
to
diffuse
itself
and
to
render
the
lamp
superfluous
.
With
the
dissipation
of
the
fog
rain
had
set
in
;
its
splashing
upon
the
muddy
pavement
was
audible
.
Mrs.
Yule
,
still
with
a
duster
in
her
hand
,
sat
on
the
sofa
.
Marian
took
a
place
beside
her
.
They
talked
in
low
,
broken
tones
,
and
wept
together
over
their
miseries
.
CHAPTER
XXXI
A
RESCUE
AND
A
SUMMONS
The
chances
are
that
you
have
neither
understanding
nor
sympathy
for
men
such
as
Edwin
Reardon
and
Harold
Biffen
.
They
merely
provoke
you
.
They
seem
to
you
inert
,
flabby
,
weakly
envious
,
foolishly
obstinate
,
impiously
mutinous
,
and
many
other
things
.
You
are
made
angrily
contemptuous
by
their
failure
to
get
on
;
why
do
n't
they
bestir
themselves
,
push
and
bustle
,
welcome
kicks
so
long
as
halfpence
follow
,
make
a
place
in
the
world
's
eye
—
in
short
,
take
a
leaf
from
the
book
of
Mr.
Jasper
Milvain
?
But
try
to
imagine
a
personality
wholly
unfitted
for
the
rough
and
tumble
of
the
world
's
labour-market
.
From
the
familiar
point
of
view
these
men
were
worthless
;
view
them
in
possible
relation
to
a
humane
order
of
society
,
and
they
are
admirable
citizens
.
Nothing
is
easier
than
to
condemn
a
type
of
character
which
is
unequal
to
the
coarse
demands
of
life
as
it
suits
the
average
man
.
These
two
were
richly
endowed
with
the
kindly
and
the
imaginative
virtues
;
if
fate
threw
them
amid
incongruous
circumstances
,
is
their
endowment
of
less
value
?
You
scorn
their
passivity
;
but
it
was
their
nature
and
their
merit
to
be
passive
.
Gifted
with
independent
means
,
each
of
them
would
have
taken
quite
a
different
aspect
in
your
eyes
.
The
sum
of
their
faults
was
their
inability
to
earn
money
;
but
,
indeed
,
that
inability
does
not
call
for
unmingled
disdain
.
It
was
very
weak
of
Harold
Biffen
to
come
so
near
perishing
of
hunger
as
he
did
in
the
days
when
he
was
completing
his
novel
.
But
he
would
have
vastly
preferred
to
eat
and
be
satisfied
had
any
method
of
obtaining
food
presented
itself
to
him
.
He
did
not
starve
for
the
pleasure
of
the
thing
,
I
assure
you
.
Pupils
were
difficult
to
get
just
now
,
and
writing
that
he
had
sent
to
magazines
had
returned
upon
his
hands
.
He
pawned
such
of
his
possessions
as
he
could
spare
,
and
he
reduced
his
meals
to
the
minimum
.
Nor
was
he
uncheerful
in
his
cold
garret
and
with
his
empty
stomach
,
for
'
Mr
.
Bailey
,
Grocer
,
'
drew
steadily
to
an
end
.
He
worked
very
slowly
.
The
book
would
make
perhaps
two
volumes
of
ordinary
novel
size
,
but
he
had
laboured
over
it
for
many
months
,
patiently
,
affectionately
,
scrupulously
.
Each
sentence
was
as
good
as
he
could
make
it
,
harmonious
to
the
ear
,
with
words
of
precious
meaning
skilfully
set
.
Before
sitting
down
to
a
chapter
he
planned
it
minutely
in
his
mind
;
then
he
wrote
a
rough
draft
of
it
;
then
he
elaborated
the
thing
phrase
by
phrase
.
He
had
no
thought
of
whether
such
toil
would
be
recompensed
in
coin
of
the
realm
;
nay
,
it
was
his
conviction
that
,
if
with
difficulty
published
,
it
could
scarcely
bring
him
money
.
The
work
must
be
significant
,
that
was
all
he
cared
for
.
And
he
had
no
society
of
admiring
friends
to
encourage
him
.
Reardon
understood
the
merit
of
the
workmanship
,
but
frankly
owned
that
the
book
was
repulsive
to
him
.
To
the
public
it
would
be
worse
than
repulsive
—
tedious
,
utterly
uninteresting
.
No
matter
;
it
drew
to
its
end
.
The
day
of
its
completion
was
made
memorable
by
an
event
decidedly
more
exciting
,
even
to
the
author
.
At
eight
o'clock
in
the
evening
there
remained
half
a
page
to
be
written
.
Biffen
had
already
worked
about
nine
hours
,
and
on
breaking
off
to
appease
his
hunger
he
doubted
whether
to
finish
to-night
or
to
postpone
the
last
lines
till
to-morrow
.
The
discovery
that
only
a
small
crust
of
bread
lay
in
the
cupboard
decided
him
to
write
no
more
;
he
would
have
to
go
out
to
purchase
a
loaf
,
and
that
was
disturbance
.
But
stay
;
had
he
enough
money
?
He
searched
his
pockets
.
Two
pence
and
two
farthings
;
no
more
.
You
are
probably
not
aware
that
at
bakers
'
shops
in
the
poor
quarters
the
price
of
the
halfquartern
loaf
varies
sometimes
from
week
to
week
.
At
present
,
as
Biffen
knew
,
it
was
two-pence
three-farthings
,
a
common
figure
.
But
Harold
did
not
possess
three
farthings
,
only
two
.
Reflecting
,
he
remembered
to
have
passed
yesterday
a
shop
where
the
bread
was
marked
twopence
halfpenny
;
it
was
a
shop
in
a
very
obscure
little
street
off
Hampstead
Road
,
some
distance
from
Clipstone
Street
.
Thither
he
must
repair
.
He
had
only
his
hat
and
a
muffler
to
put
on
,
for
again
he
was
wearing
his
overcoat
in
default
of
the
under
one
,
and
his
ragged
umbrella
to
take
from
the
corner
;
so
he
went
forth
.
To
his
delight
the
twopence
halfpenny
announcement
was
still
in
the
baker
's
window
.
He
obtained
a
loaf
,
wrapped
it
in
the
piece
of
paper
he
had
brought
—
small
bakers
decline
to
supply
paper
for
this
purpose
—
and
strode
joyously
homeward
again
.
Having
eaten
,
he
looked
longingly
at
his
manuscript
.
But
half
a
page
more
.
Should
he
not
finish
it
to-night
?
The
temptation
was
irresistible
.
He
sat
down
,
wrought
with
unusual
speed
,
and
at
half-past
ten
wrote
with
magnificent
flourish
'
The
End
.
'
His
fire
was
out
and
he
had
neither
coals
nor
wood
.
But
his
feet
were
frozen
into
lifelessness
.
Impossible
to
go
to
bed
like
this
;
he
must
take
another
turn
in
the
streets
.
It
would
suit
his
humour
to
ramble
a
while
.
Had
it
not
been
so
late
he
would
have
gone
to
see
Reardon
,
who
expected
the
communication
of
this
glorious
news
.
So
again
he
locked
his
door
.
Half-way
downstairs
he
stumbled
over
something
or
somebody
in
the
dark
.
'
Who
is
that
?
'
he
cried
.
The
answer
was
a
loud
snore
.
Biffen
went
to
the
bottom
of
the
house
and
called
to
the
landlady
.
'
Mrs
.
Willoughby
!
Who
is
asleep
on
the
stairs
?
'
'
Why
,
I
'
spect
it
's
Mr.
Briggs
,
'
replied
the
woman
,
indulgently
.
'
Do
n't
you
mind
him
,
Mr.
Biffen
.
There
's
no
'
arm
;
he
's
only
had
a
little
too
much
.
I
'll
go
up
an
'
make
him
go
to
bed
as
soon
as
I
've
got
my
'
ands
clean
.
'
'
The
necessity
for
waiting
till
then
is
n't
obvious
,
'
remarked
the
realist
with
a
chuckle
,
and
went
his
way
.
He
walked
at
a
sharp
pace
for
more
than
an
hour
,
and
about
midnight
drew
near
to
his
own
quarter
again
.
He
had
just
turned
up
by
the
Middlesex
Hospital
,
and
was
at
no
great
distance
from
Clipstone
Street
,
when
a
yell
and
scamper
caught
his
attention
;
a
group
of
loafing
blackguards
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
way
had
suddenly
broken
up
,
and
as
they
rushed
off
he
heard
the
word
'
Fire
!
'
This
was
too
common
an
occurrence
to
disturb
his
equanimity
;
he
wondered
absently
in
which
street
the
fire
might
be
,
but
trudged
on
without
a
thought
of
making
investigation
.
Repeated
yells
and
rushes
,
however
,
assailed
his
apathy
.
Two
women
came
tearing
by
him
,
and
he
shouted
to
them
:
'
Where
is
it
?
'
'
In
Clipstone
Street
,
they
say
,
'
one
screamed
back
.
He
could
no
longer
be
unconcerned
.
If
in
his
own
street
the
conflagration
might
be
in
the
very
house
he
inhabited
,
and
in
that
case
—
He
set
off
at
a
run
.
Ahead
of
him
was
a
thickening
throng
,
its
position
indicating
the
entrance
to
Clipstone
Street
.
Soon
he
found
his
progress
retarded
;
he
had
to
dodge
this
way
and
that
,
to
force
progress
,
to
guard
himself
against
overthrows
by
the
torrent
of
ruffiandom
which
always
breaks
forth
at
the
cry
of
fire
.
He
could
now
smell
the
smoke
,
and
all
at
once
a
black
volume
of
it
,
bursting
from
upper
windows
,
alarmed
his
sight
.
At
once
he
was
aware
that
,
if
not
his
own
dwelling
,
it
must
be
one
of
those
on
either
side
that
was
in
flames
.
As
yet
no
engine
had
arrived
,
and
straggling
policemen
were
only
just
beginning
to
make
their
way
to
the
scene
of
uproar
.
By
dint
of
violent
effort
Biffen
moved
forward
yard
by
yard
.
A
tongue
of
flame
which
suddenly
illumined
the
fronts
of
the
houses
put
an
end
to
his
doubt
.
'
Let
me
get
past
!
'
he
shouted
to
the
gaping
and
swaying
mass
of
people
in
front
of
him
.
'
I
live
there
!
I
must
go
upstairs
to
save
something
!
'
His
educated
accent
moved
attention
.
Repeating
the
demand
again
and
again
he
succeeded
in
getting
forward
,
and
at
length
was
near
enough
to
see
that
people
were
dragging
articles
of
furniture
out
on
to
the
pavement
.
'
That
you
,
Mr.
Biffen
?
'
cried
someone
to
him
.
He
recognised
the
face
of
a
fellow-lodger
.
'
Is
it
possible
to
get
up
to
my
room
?
'
broke
frantically
from
his
lips
.
'
You
'll
never
get
up
there
.
It
's
that
—
Briggs
'
—
the
epithet
was
alliterative
—
'
as
upset
his
—
lamp
,
and
I
'
ope
he
'll
—
well
get
roasted
to
death
.
'
Biffen
leaped
on
to
the
threshold
,
and
crashed
against
Mrs.
Willough
by
,
the
landlady
,
who
was
carrying
a
huge
bundle
of
household
linen
.
'
I
told
you
to
look
after
that
drunken
brute
!
'
he
said
to
her
.
'
Can
I
get
upstairs
?
'
'
What
do
I
care
whether
you
can
or
not
!
'
the
woman
shrieked
.
'
My
God
!
And
all
them
new
chairs
as
I
bought
—
!
'
He
heard
no
more
,
but
bounded
over
a
confusion
of
obstacles
and
in
a
moment
was
on
the
landing
of
the
first
storey
.
Here
he
encountered
a
man
who
had
not
lost
his
head
,
a
stalwart
mechanic
engaged
in
slipping
clothes
on
to
two
little
children
.
'
If
somebody
do
n't
drag
that
fellow
Briggs
down
he
'll
be
dead
,
'
observed
the
man
.
'
He
's
layin
'
outside
his
door
.
I
pulled
him
out
,
but
I
ca
n't
do
no
more
for
him
.
'
Smoke
grew
thick
on
the
staircase
.
Burning
was
as
yet
confined
to
that
front
room
on
the
second
floor
tenanted
by
Briggs
the
disastrous
,
but
in
all
likelihood
the
ceiling
was
ablaze
,
and
if
so
it
would
be
all
but
impossible
for
Biffen
to
gain
his
own
chamber
,
which
was
at
the
back
on
the
floor
above
.
No
one
was
making
an
attempt
to
extinguish
the
fire
;
personal
safety
and
the
rescue
of
their
possessions
alone
occupied
the
thoughts
of
such
people
as
were
still
in
the
house
.
Desperate
with
the
dread
of
losing
his
manuscript
,
his
toil
,
his
one
hope
,
the
realist
scarcely
stayed
to
listen
to
a
warning
that
the
fumes
were
impassable
;
with
head
bent
he
rushed
up
to
the
next
landing
.
There
lay
Briggs
,
perchance
already
stifled
,
and
through
the
open
door
Biffen
had
a
horrible
vision
of
furnace
fury
.
To
go
yet
higher
would
have
been
madness
but
for
one
encouragement
:
he
knew
that
on
his
own
storey
was
a
ladder
giving
access
to
a
trap-door
,
by
which
he
might
issue
on
to
the
roof
,
whence
escape
to
the
adjacent
houses
would
be
practicable
.
Again
a
leap
forward
!
In
fact
,
not
two
minutes
elapsed
from
his
commencing
the
ascent
of
the
stairs
to
the
moment
when
,
all
but
fainting
,
he
thrust
the
key
into
his
door
and
fell
forward
into
purer
air
.
Fell
,
for
he
was
on
his
knees
,
and
had
begun
to
suffer
from
a
sense
of
failing
power
,
a
sick
whirling
of
the
brain
,
a
terror
of
hideous
death
.
His
manuscript
was
on
the
table
,
where
he
had
left
it
after
regarding
and
handling
it
with
joyful
self-congratulation
;
though
it
was
pitch
dark
in
the
room
,
he
could
at
once
lay
his
hand
on
the
heap
of
paper
.
Now
he
had
it
;
now
it
was
jammed
tight
under
his
left
arm
;
now
he
was
out
again
on
the
landing
,
in
smoke
more
deadly
than
ever
.
He
said
to
himself
:
'
If
I
cannot
instantly
break
out
by
the
trap-door
it
's
all
over
with
me
.
'
That
the
exit
would
open
to
a
vigorous
thrust
he
knew
,
having
amused
himself
not
long
ago
by
going
on
to
the
roof
.
He
touched
the
ladder
,
sprang
upwards
,
and
felt
the
trap
above
him
.
But
he
could
not
push
it
back
.
'
I
'm
a
dead
man
,
'
flashed
across
his
mind
,
'
and
all
for
the
sake
of
"
Mr.
Bailey
,
Grocer
.
"
'
A
frenzied
effort
,
the
last
of
which
his
muscles
were
capable
,
and
the
door
yielded
.
His
head
was
now
through
the
aperture
,
and
though
the
smoke
swept
up
about
him
,
that
gasp
of
cold
air
gave
him
strength
to
throw
himself
on
the
flat
portion
of
the
roof
that
he
had
reached
.
So
for
a
minute
or
two
he
lay
.
Then
he
was
able
to
stand
,
to
survey
his
position
,
and
to
walk
along
by
the
parapet
.
He
looked
down
upon
the
surging
and
shouting
crowd
in
Clipstone
Street
,
but
could
see
it
only
at
intervals
,
owing
to
the
smoke
that
rolled
from
the
front
windows
below
him
.
What
he
had
now
to
do
he
understood
perfectly
.
This
roof
was
divided
from
those
on
either
hand
by
a
stack
of
chimneys
;
to
get
round
the
end
of
these
stacks
was
impossible
,
or
at
all
events
too
dangerous
a
feat
unless
it
were
the
last
resource
,
but
by
climbing
to
the
apex
of
the
slates
he
would
be
able
to
reach
the
chimney-pots
,
to
drag
himself
up
to
them
,
and
somehow
to
tumble
over
on
to
the
safer
side
.
To
this
undertaking
he
forthwith
addressed
himself
.
Without
difficulty
he
reached
the
ridge
;
standing
on
it
he
found
that
only
by
stretching
his
arm
to
the
utmost
could
he
grip
the
top
of
a
chimney-pot
.
Had
he
the
strength
necessary
to
raise
himself
by
such
a
hold
?
And
suppose
the
pot
broke
?
His
life
was
still
in
danger
;
the
increasing
volumes
of
smoke
warned
him
that
in
a
few
minutes
the
uppermost
storey
might
be
in
flames
.
He
took
off
his
overcoat
to
allow
himself
more
freedom
of
action
;
the
manuscript
,
now
an
encumbrance
,
must
precede
him
over
the
chimney-stack
,
and
there
was
only
one
way
of
effecting
that
.
With
care
he
stowed
the
papers
into
the
pockets
of
the
coat
;
then
he
rolled
the
garment
together
,
tied
it
up
in
its
own
sleeves
,
took
a
deliberate
aim
—
and
the
bundle
was
for
the
present
in
safety
.
Now
for
the
gymnastic
endeavour
.
Standing
on
tiptoe
,
he
clutched
the
rim
of
the
chimneypot
,
and
strove
to
raise
himself
.
The
hold
was
firm
enough
,
but
his
arms
were
far
too
puny
to
perform
such
work
,
even
when
death
would
be
the
penalty
of
failure
.
Too
long
he
had
lived
on
insufficient
food
and
sat
over
the
debilitating
desk
.
He
swung
this
way
and
that
,
trying
to
throw
one
of
his
knees
as
high
as
the
top
of
the
brickwork
,
but
there
was
no
chance
of
his
succeeding
.
Dropping
on
to
the
slates
,
he
sat
there
in
perturbation
.
He
must
cry
for
help
.
In
front
it
was
scarcely
possible
to
stand
by
the
parapet
,
owing
to
the
black
clouds
of
smoke
,
now
mingled
with
sparks
;
perchance
he
might
attract
the
notice
of
some
person
either
in
the
yards
behind
or
at
the
back
windows
of
other
houses
.
The
night
was
so
obscure
that
he
could
not
hope
to
be
seen
;
voice
alone
must
be
depended
upon
,
and
there
was
no
certainty
that
it
would
be
heard
far
enough
.
Though
he
stood
in
his
shirt-sleeves
in
a
bitter
wind
no
sense
of
cold
affected
him
;
his
face
was
beaded
with
perspiration
drawn
forth
by
his
futile
struggle
to
climb
.
He
let
himself
slide
down
the
rear
slope
,
and
,
holding
by
the
end
of
the
chimney
brickwork
,
looked
into
the
yards
.
At
the
same
instant
a
face
appeared
to
him
—
that
of
a
man
who
was
trying
to
obtain
a
glimpse
of
this
roof
from
that
of
the
next
house
by
thrusting
out
his
head
beyond
the
block
of
chimneys
.
'
Hollo
!
'
cried
the
stranger
.
'
What
are
you
doing
there
?
'
'
Trying
to
escape
,
of
course
.
Help
me
to
get
on
to
your
roof
.
'
'
By
God
!
I
expected
to
see
the
fire
coming
through
already
.
Are
you
the
—
as
upset
his
lamp
an
'
fired
the
bloomin
'
'
ouse
?
'
'
Not
I
!
He
's
lying
drunk
on
the
stairs
;
dead
by
this
time
.
'
'
By
God
!
I
would
n't
have
helped
you
if
you
'd
been
him
.
How
are
you
coming
round
?
Blest
if
I
see
!
You
'll
break
your
bloomin
'
neck
if
you
try
this
corner
.
You
'll
have
to
come
over
the
chimneys
;
wait
till
I
get
a
ladder
.
'
'
And
a
rope
,
'
shouted
Biffen
.
The
man
disappeared
for
five
minutes
.
To
Biffen
it
seemed
half
an
hour
;
he
felt
,
or
imagined
he
felt
,
the
slates
getting
hot
beneath
him
,
and
the
smoke
was
again
catching
his
breath
.
But
at
length
there
was
a
shout
from
the
top
of
the
chimney-stack
.
The
rescuer
had
seated
himself
on
one
of
the
pots
,
and
was
about
to
lower
on
Biffen
's
side
a
ladder
which
had
enabled
him
to
ascend
from
the
other
.
Biffen
planted
the
lowest
rung
very
carefully
on
the
ridge
of
the
roof
,
climbed
as
lightly
as
possible
,
got
a
footing
between
two
pots
;
the
ladder
was
then
pulled
over
,
and
both
men
descended
in
safety
.
'
Have
you
seen
a
coat
lying
about
here
?
'
was
Biffen
's
first
question
.
'
I
threw
mine
over
.
'
'
What
did
you
do
that
for
?
'
'
There
are
some
valuable
papers
in
the
pockets
.
'
They
searched
in
vain
;
on
neither
side
of
the
roof
was
the
coat
discoverable
.
'
You
must
have
pitched
it
into
the
street
,
'
said
the
man
.
This
was
a
terrible
blow
;
Biffen
forgot
his
rescue
from
destruction
in
lament
for
the
loss
of
his
manuscript
.
He
would
have
pursued
the
fruitless
search
,
but
his
companion
,
who
feared
that
the
fire
might
spread
to
adjoining
houses
,
insisted
on
his
passing
through
the
trap-door
and
descending
the
stairs
.
'
If
the
coat
fell
into
the
street
,
'
Biffen
said
,
when
they
were
down
on
the
ground
floor
,
'
of
course
it
's
lost
;
it
would
be
stolen
at
once
.
But
may
not
it
have
fallen
into
your
back
yard
?
'
He
was
standing
in
the
midst
of
a
cluster
of
alarmed
people
,
who
stared
at
him
in
astonishment
,
for
the
reek
through
which
he
had
fought
his
way
had
given
him
the
aspect
of
a
sweep
.
His
suggestion
prompted
someone
to
run
into
the
yard
,
with
the
result
that
a
muddy
bundle
was
brought
in
and
exhibited
to
him
.
'
Is
this
your
coat
,
Mister
?
'
'
Heaven
be
thanked
!
That
's
it
!
There
are
valuable
papers
in
the
pockets
.
'
He
unrolled
the
garment
,
felt
to
make
sure
that
'
Mr
.
Bailey
'
was
safe
,
and
finally
put
it
on
.
'
Will
anyone
here
let
me
sit
down
in
a
room
and
give
me
a
drink
of
water
?
'
he
asked
,
feeling
now
as
if
he
must
drop
with
exhaustion
.
The
man
who
had
rescued
him
performed
this
further
kindness
,
and
for
half
an
hour
,
whilst
tumult
indescribable
raged
about
him
,
Biffen
