Full of reflections which none other than a son in such circumstances
can conceive, he was lost amidst the obscure alleys of Tottenham
Court Yard, when loud and frequent cries recalled his attention. A
quantity of smoke, with flashes of light, led him to suppose that
they were occasioned by a fire; and a few steps further the awful
spectacle burst upon his sight.
It was a house from the windows of which the flames were breaking out
in every direction, whilst a gathering concourse of people were
either standing in stupefied astonishment or uselessly shouting for
engines and assistance.
At the moment in which he arrived, two or three naked wretches just
escaped from their beds, were flying from side to side, making the
air echo with their shrieks.
"Will nobody save my children?" cried one of them, approaching
Thaddeus, and wringing her hands in agony; "will nobody take them
from the fire?"
"Where shall I seek them?" replied he.
"Oh! in that room," exclaimed she, pointing; "the flames are already
there; they will be burnt! they will be burnt!"
The poor woman was hurrying madly forward, when the count stopped
her, and giving her in charge of a bystander, cried: "Take care of
this woman, if possible, I will save her children." Darting through
the open door, in defiance of the smoke and danger, he made his way
to the children's room, where, almost suffocated by the sulphurous
cloud that surrounded him, he at last found the bed; but it contained
one child only.
Pages:
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354