put yourself in his place-第106部分

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Then　no　more　was　heard　but　the　whimpering　of　the　women；　and；　every　now　and　then；　the　voice　of　Little；　he　hung　over　the　parapet；　and　reported　every　half…minute　the　decline　of　the　water；　it　subsided　with　strange　rapidity；　as　he　had　foreseen。

In　three　minutes　after　he　had　noticed　the　first　decline；　he　took　Grace　down　through　the　roof；　on　the　second　floor。

When　Grace　and　Henry　got　there；　they　started　with　dismay：　the　danger　was　not　over：　the　front　wall　was　blown　clean　out　by　the　water；　all　but　a　jagged　piece　shaped　like　a　crescent；　and　it　seemed　a　miracle　that　the　roof；　thus　weakened　and　crowded　with　human　beings；　had　not　fallen　in。

〃We　must　get　out　of　this；〃　said　Little。　　〃It　all　hangs　together　by　a　thread。〃

He　called　the　others　down　from　the　roof；　and　tried　to　get　down　by　the　staircase；　but　it　was　broken　into　sections　and　floating　about。　Then　he　cut　into　the　floor　near　the　wall；　and；　to　his　infinite　surprise；　found　the　first　floor　within　four　feet　of　him。　　The　flood　had　lifted　it　bodily　more　than　six　feet。

He　dropped　on　to　it；　and　made　Grace　let　herself　down　to　him；　he　holding　her　round　the　waist；　and　landing　her　light　as　a　feather。

Henry　then　hacked　through　the　door；　which　was　jammed　tight；　and；　the　water　subsiding；　presently　the　wrecks　of　the　staircase　left　off　floating；　and　stuck　in　the　mud　and　water：　by　this　means　they　managed　to　get　down；　and　found　themselves　in　a　layer　of　mud；　and　stones；　and　debris；　alive　and　dead；　such　as　no　imagination　had　hitherto　conceived。

Dreading；　however；　to　remain　in　a　house　so　disemboweled　within；　and　so　shattered　without；　that　it　seemed　to　survive　by　mere　cohesion　of　mortar；　he　begged　Grace　to　put　her　arm　round　his　neck；　and　then　lifted　her　and　carried　her　out　into　the　night。

〃Take　me　home　to　papa；　my　angel；〃　said　she。

He　said　he　would；　and　tried　to　find　his　way　to　the　road　which　he　knew　led　up　the　hill　to　Woodbine　Villa。　　But　all　landmarks　were　gone；　houses；　trees；　hedges；　all　swept　away；　roads　covered　three　feet　thick　with　rocks；　and　stones；　and　bricks；　and　carcasses。　　The　pleasant　valley　was　one　horrid　quagmire；　in　which　he　could　take　few　steps；　burdened　as　he　was；　without　sticking；　or　stumbling　against　some　sure　sign　of　destruction　and　death：　within　the　compass　of　fifty　yards　he　found　a　steam…boiler　and　its　appurtenances　（they　must　have　weighed　some　tons；　yet　they　had　been　driven　more　than　a　mile）；　and　a　dead　cow；　and　the　body　of　a　wagon　turned　upside　down：　＇the　wheels　of　this　same　wagon　were　afterward　found　fifteen　miles　from　the　body＇。

He　began　to　stagger　and　pant。

〃Let　me　walk；　my　angel；〃　said　Grace。　　〃I'm　not　a　baby。〃

She　held　his　hand　tight；　and　tried　to　walk　with　him　step　by　step。　Her　white　feet　shone　in　the　pale　moonlight。

They　made　for　rising　ground；　and　were　rewarded　by　finding　the　debris　less　massive。

〃The　flood　must　have　been　narrow　hereabouts；〃　said　Henry。　　〃We　shall　soon　be　clear　of　it；　I　hope。〃

Soon　after　this；　they　came　under　a　short　but　sturdy　oak　that　had　survived；　and；　entangled　in　its　close　and　crooked　branches；　was　something　white。　　They　came　nearer；　it　was　a　dead　body：　some　poor　man　or　woman　hurried　from　sleep　to　Eternity。

They　shuddered　and　crawled　on；　still　making　for　higher　ground；　but　sore　perplexed。

Presently　they　heard　a　sort　of　sigh。　　They　went　toward　it；　and　found　a　poor　horse　stuck　at　an　angle；　his　efforts　to　escape　being　marred　by　a　heavy　stone　to　which　he　was　haltered。

Henry　patted　him；　and　encouraged　him；　and　sawed　through　his　halter；　then　he　struggled　up；　but　Henry　held　him；　and　put　Grace　on　him。　　She　sat　across　him　and　held　on　by　the　mane。

The　horse；　being　left　to　himself；　turned　back　a　little；　and　crossed　the　quagmire　till　he　got　into　a　bridle…road；　and　this　landed　them　high　and　dry　on　the　turnpike。

Here　they　stopped；　and；　by　one　impulse；　embraced　each　other；　and　thanked　God　for　their　wonderful　escape。

But　soon　Henry's　exultation　took　a　turn　that　shocked　Grace's　religious　sentiments；　which　recent　acquaintance　had　strengthened。

〃Yes；〃　he　cried；　〃now　I　believe　that　God　really　does　interpose　in　earthly　things；　I　believe　every　thing；　yesterday　I　believed　nothing。　The　one　villain　is　swept　away；　and　we　two　are　miraculously　saved。　Now　we　can　marry　to…morrowno；　to…day；　for　it　is　past　midnight。　Oh；　how　good　He　is；　especially　for　killing　that　scoundrel　out　of　our　way。　　Without　his　death；　what　was　life　worth　to　me？　　But　nowoh；　Heavens！　is　it　all　a　dream？　　Hurrah！　hurrah！　hurrah！〃

〃Oh；　Henry；　my　love！〃　said　Grace　imploringly；　〃pray；　pray　do　not　offend　Him；　by　rejoicing　at　such　a　moment　over　the　death；　perhaps　the　everlasting　death；　of　a　poor；　sinful　fellow…creature。〃

〃All　right；　dearest。　　Only　don't　let　us　descend　to　hypocrisy。　　I　thank　Heaven　he　is　dead；　and　so　do　you。〃

〃Pray　don't　SAY　so。〃

〃Well；　I　won't：　let　him　go。　　Death　settles　all　accounts。　　Did　you　see　me　stretch　out　my　hand　to　save　him？〃

〃I　did；　my　angel；　and　it　was　like　you：　you　are　the　noblest　and　the　greatest　creature　that　ever　was；　or　ever　will　be。〃

〃The　silliest；　you　mean。　　I　wondered　at　myself　next　minute。　　Fancy　me　being　such　an　idiot　as　to　hold　out　a　hand　to　save　him；　and　so　wither　both　our　livesyours　and　mine；　but　I　suppose　it　is　against　nature　not　to　hold　out　a　hand。　　Well；　no　harm　came　of　it；　thank　Heaven。〃

〃Let　us　talk　of　ourselves；〃　said　Grace；　lovingly。　　〃My　darling；　let　no　harsh　thought　mar　the　joy　of　this　hour。　　You　have　saved　my　life　again。　　Well；　then；　it　is　doubly　yours。　　Here；　looking　on　that　death　we　have　just　escaped；　I　devote　myself　to　you。　　You　don't　know　how　I　love　you；　but　you　shall。　　I　adore　you。〃

〃I　love　you　better　still。〃

〃You　do　not：　you　can't。　　It　is　the　one　thing　I　can　beat　you　at　and　I　will。〃

〃Try。　　When　will　you　be　mine？〃

〃I　am　yours。　　But　if　you　mean　when　will　I　marry　you；　why；　whenever　you　please。　　We　have　suffered　too　cruelly；　and　loved　too　dearly；　for　me　to　put　you　off　a　single　day　for　affectations　and　vanities。　　When　you　please；　my　own。〃

At　this　Henry　kissed　her　little　white　feet　with　rapture；　and　kept　kissing　them；　at　intervals；　all　the　rest　of　the　way：　and　the　horrors　of　the　night　ended；　to　these　two；　in　unutterable　rapture；　as　they　paced　slowly　along　to　Woodbine　Villa　with　hearts　full　of　wonder；　gratitude；　and　joy。

Here　they　found　lights　burning；　and　learned　from　a　servant　that　Mr。　Carden　was　gone　down　to　the　scene　of　the　flood　in　great　agitation。

Henry　told　Grace　not　to　worry　herself；　for　that　he　would　find　him　and　relieve　his　fears。

He　then　made　Grace　promise　to　go　to　bed　at　once；　and　to　lie　within　blankets。　　She　didn't　like　that　idea；　but　consented。　　〃It　is　my　duty　to　obey　you　now　in　every　thing；〃　said　she。

Henry　left　her；　and　ran　down　to　the　Town　Hall。

He　was　in　that　glorious　state　of　bliss　in　which　noble　minds　long　to　do　good　actions；　and　the　obvious　thing　to　do　was　to　go　and　comfort　the　living　survivors　of　the　terrible　disaster　he　had　so　narrowly　escaped。

He　found　but　one　policeman　there；　the　rest；　and　Ransome　at　their　head；　were　doing　their　best；　all　but　two；　drowned　on　their　beat　in　the　very　town　of　Hillsborough。


CHAPTER　XLVI。


Round　a　great　fire　in　the　Town　Hall　were　huddled　a　number　of　half…　naked　creatures；　who　had　been　driven　out　of　their　dilapidated　homes；　some　of　them　had　seen　children　or　relatives　perish　in　the　flood　they　had　themselves　so　narrowly　escaped；　and　were　bemoaning　them　with　chattering　teeth。

Little　spoke　them　a　word　of　comfort；　promised　them　all　clothes　as　soon　as　the　shops　should　open；　and　hurried　off　to　the　lower　part　of　the　town　in　search　of　Ransome。

He　soon　found　the　line　the　flood　had　taken。　　Between　Poma　Bridge　and　Hillsborough　it　had　wasted　itself　considerably　in　a　broad　valley；　but　still　it　had　gone　clean　through　Hillsborough　twelve　feet　high；　demolishing　and　drowning。　　Its　terrible　progress　was　marked　by　a　layer　of　mud　a　foot　thick；　dotted　with　rocks；　trees；　wrecks　of　houses；　machinery；　furniture；　barrels；　mattresses；　carcasses　of　animals；　and　dead　bodies；　most　of　them　stark　naked；　the　raging　flood　having　torn　their　clothes　off　their　backs。

Four　corpses　and　two　dead　horses　were　lying　in　a　lake　of　mud　about　the　very　door　of　the　railway　station；　three　of　them　were　females　in　absolute　nudity。　　The　fourth　was　a　male；　with　one　stocking　on。　　This　proved　to　be　Hillsbro'　Harry；　warned　in　vain　up　at　Damflask。　　When　he　actually　heard　the　flood　come　hissing；　he　had　decided；　on　the　whole；　to　dress；　and　had　got　the　length　of　that　one　stocking；　when　the　flying　lake　cut　short　his　vegetation。

Not　far　from　this；　Little　found　Ransome；　working　like　a　horse；　with　the　tear　in　his　eyes。

He　uttered　a　shout　of　delight　and　surprise；　and；　taking　Little　by　both　shoulders；　gazed　earnestly　at　him；　and　said；　〃Can　this　be　a　living　man　I　see？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　alive；〃　said　Little；　〃but　I　had　to　work　for　it：　feel　my　clothes。〃

〃Why；　the　are　dryer　than　mine。〃

〃Ay；　yet　have　been　in　water　to　the　throat；　the　heat　of　my　body　and　my　great　exertions　dried　them。　　I'll　tell　you　all　another　day：　now　show　me　how　to　do　a　bit　of　good；　for　it　is　not　one　nor　two　thousand　pounds　I'll　stick　at；　this　night。〃

〃Come　on。〃

Strange　sights　they　saw　that　night。

They　found　a　dead　body　curled　round　the　top　frame　of　a　lamppost；　and；　in　the　suburbs；　another　jammed　between　a　beam　and　the　wall　of　a　house。

They　found　some　houses　with　the　front　wall　carried　clean　away；　and；　on　the　second　floor；　such　of　the　inmates　as　had　survived　huddled　together　in　their　night…clothes；　unable　to　get　down。　　These；　Ransome　and　his　men　speedily　relieved　from　their　situation。

And　now　came　in　word　that　the　whole　village　of　Poma　Bridge　had　been　destroyed。

Little；　with　Ransome　and　his　men；　hurried　on　at　these　sad　tidings　as　fast　as　the　mud　and　ruins　would　allow；　and；　on　the　way；　one　of　the　policemen　trod　on　something　soft。　　It　was　the　body　of　a　woman　imbedded　in　the　mud。

A　little　further　they　saw；　at　some　distance；　two　cottages　in　a　row；　both　gutted　and　emptied。　　An　old　man　was　alone　in　one；　seated　on　the　ground…floor　in　the　deep　mud。

They　went　to　him；　and　asked　what　they　could　do　for　him。

〃Do？　　Why　let　me　die；〃　be　said。

They　tried　to　encourage　him；　but　he　answered　them　in　words　that　showed　how　deeply　old　Shylock's　speech　is　founded　in　nature：

〃Let　the　wate