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.

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    ’ He paused for a single instant, tiien rushed forward into tlie smoke, caught the pulley of the alarm bell, and rang a loud, quick peal. Nearly ojiposite was the door of tlie viscount’s room, and, to Tom Hamilton’s sincere joy, he saw' that it oU'ered no appearance of tire, though from anothei’, some ten yards beyond, tlie llame was flashing forth flercely. “ I tliought that further room was uninhabited,” he said to himself, as he rushed across towards Lord Outrun’s chamber, and threw' the door wide open. But there, as soon as he had done so, the whole burst upon his sight. The fire had spread from that which it had first caught to the cur- tains of tlie bed, thence to th^ cornices, thence to the door leading into the neighbouring room, thence, after smouldering for some time, to the room bej’ond itself, and a window' there having been accidentally left open, the whole was speedily in a blaze, the door leading into the corri- dor con^jumcd, and a thorough drauglit established, adding tenfold intensity to the flames. Thus, the whole of that chamber was on fire in every part, w'hile that of the viscount, though filled with smoke, and with the bedding still smouldering, was comparatively free. Lord Outrun himself still lay exactly where he had fallen: one part of his dressing-gown had been on fire, but had gone ont, and his w'liite hair w'as singed; but these were the only marks of fire upon him; and Tom Hamilton tried to rouse him, and raise him from the floor. To his surprise, he found him stiff and cold. Strong as he was, it was with difficulty he lifted the body of the bulky old man; but at length, scorched w ith the heat, and half smothered with the smoke, he carried it through the blazing corridor to tlie top of the stairs. There, however, he met two footmen running up with buckets full of water, while others were seen in the hall below, rushing hither and thither in all the frantic absurdities of fear. Jerry Tripe was up in a moment after, saying, as soon as he saw Tom Hamilton, “ She is safe, she is safcv-poor girl! But she says she would ratlier die.” Great difficulty was now found in giving order and regularity to the jieople of the house; and much time was lost, in spite of all Tom Hamilton could do, while the fire made head in every direction. Water, too, was not easily iirocured, for the direct way to the tank was cut off, and it could only be reached by a back staircase of stone; and very soon the upper story also caught the flames, and the flooring of some of the rooms fell in. It now became evident that the house could not be saved, and Tom Hamilton, with the servants, applied themselves to carrying out the pic- tures, books, furniture, and ])late. Ifefore this covdd be accomplished, the flames were bursting from every window, the whole })ark around was illuminated, the deer bounded away in terror, and the startled oxen gazed and tossed their heads at the unwonted sight. The village of Outrun was soon alarmed, and down came trooping in multitudes the same busy, idle crowd which had surrounded that house not many hours before, to take part in the festivities of the wed- ding of the heir ; and now they found father and son together, lying dead upon the terrace before the house, with the unhappy bride a
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