The commissioner: or, de Lunatico inquirendo / With twenty-eight illustrations on steel by Phiz [i.e. H.K. Browne] [Anon].

  • George Payne Rainsford James
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The commissioner: or, de Lunatico inquirendo / With twenty-eight illustrations on steel by Phiz [i.e. H.K. Browne] [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    516/526 (page 436)
    His room was in a different angle of the house from that of tlie peer, turning to the left, by the small corridor, as you went up the great stairs—you recollect it quite well, dear reader, I dare say. However, that corridor ran round and formed a crooked line of com- munication—one side and two half sides of a parallelogram—so there was easy means of walking from one to the other. Smoke, however is not of the same rai)id propensities as steam, and it was about an liour and a half after Tom Hamilton had got into bed before he ])erceived that tlie smell of fire, which liad caught his attention as he went up the stairs, had not only reached his own room, but Avas growing stronger and stronger. Tom at first thought that it was fancy, and he called himself a fool, and accused himself of being nervous. He turned round upon liis side, and tried to fall asleep, but he soon became convinced that although there may occasionally be imaginations of the nose as well as of any other organ, his olfactory nerves were not deceiving him on the present occasion. As soon as he had quite convinced liimself of this fact, as the reader may suppose, he started out of bed in a great burr}', determined to see Avith his OAvn eyes Avhat Avas the matter. As he did so he heard a low, rushing sound, like a strong Avind, and by the time he had throAvn on his dressing-gown, a crackling caught his ear. On opening his door he found the corridor filled Avith suffocating smoke, and more distinctly heard the sounds A\luch had before caught his ear but faintly. “ By Jove the house is on fire !” he cried ; “that is clear. Where can this be coining from ? Hi! holla ! fire ! fire 1” “ Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Hamilton,” shouted a voice from the end of the passage, Avhich he recognised as that of Jerry Tripe, “ the great corridor is full of fire—it’s coming from my lord's room.” “ I tliought so,” cried Tom Hamilton, running forward. “ Quick ! Carry Mrs. Fitzurse out of the house. Get up all the servants, and bring them up the great staircase—Send them up Avitli buckets to tlie fire tank. But first get out Mrs. Fitzurse.” “ But, my lord, my lord 1” cried Jerry Tripe, Avho Avas Avell nigh in 2mris naturabilis. “ I AAoll see after him,” cried Tom Hamilton. “ Be quick ! be quick ! there is no time to be lost.” Away ran Jerry Tripe, aAvay ran Tom Hamilton—the former to call the other servants, most of Avhom Avere still asleep; the latter to Avaken Lord Outrun and save him from the flames. But Avhen Tom Hamilton reached the end of the corridor leading to the peer’s room, a scene presented itself Avhich almost daunted his courage. Volumes of thick smoke, through Avhich it Avas iiujiossible to see any thing at more than a feAv yards’ distance, were rolling down, tinted aa ith a fiery red, Avhile a flash broke across them every uoav and then, as if some sudden flame burst 'forth from time to time from some of the rooms beyond, Avhile through the dense and suflbcating vapour small spots and lines of fire appeared, running along the rich mouldings of the old oak Avainscottings, and catching upon the elaborately carved Avreaths Avhich ornamented the pamielling.