Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 376: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

with feverish haste, of one of the half-dressed and well nigh frenzied footmen. “Her room?” he said, with a wild vacant stare, “ Yes—her room—dolt, idiot, coward that you are!” I ejaculated vehemently. “The second landing—first door on the left hand,” was the man’s response, mechanically given; and he was even too much bewildered to notice or resent the abusive appellations I levelled at him. “Tt is certain death!” cried a well-dressed in- dividual, seizing me forcibly by the arm as I was rushing into the burning mansion. _ “He is mad!” I heard a dozen voices cry out at the same time: but bursting away from the hand that had clasped my arm, I darted up the steps and plunged into the entrance-hall. Fora moment cries of horror from the erowd, mingled with a few shouts of admiration, reached my ear; and then I thought of nothing more than the task which I had undertaken. The hall was filled with smoke, which almost blinded me, and made the water pour from my eyes. I felt nevertheless armed with as much courage as if it were exercised in utter desperation on my own special account. I reached the stair- case, and sprang up it. Thus I gained the first landing; and from the drawing-rooms the flames gushed forth with a power and intensity that made me retreat as if from the brink of a fiery furnace. The heat, too, was scorching—almost intolerable: I was about to rush back, when piercing cries from the floor above reached my ears. I was goaded thereby to desperation once more: I rushed through a perfect wall of flame; and, well nigh suffocated, reached the second ascent of stairs. Thus a single moment placed me beyond the reach of those lammbent flames which streamed forth, like huge serpent-tongues, from the drawing-room doorways. A few instants more—and I reached the second landing, which was completely enveloped in fire. Again for a moment I stood irresolute: but in the twinkling of an eye a part of the ceiling fell down, just missing the spot on which I stood. I closed my eyes against the otherwise blinding dust; and opening them again the next instant, found to my joy that the falling of the masonry had extin- guished the fire on the landing to a very con- siderable extent. Without another moment’s hesitation, I plunged into the chamber which had been indicated; and there I found Lady Eccle- ston lying senseless on the floor, She had nothing on but her night-dress, A glance, swept around, showed me a morning-wrapper: I hastily enveloped her form in it; and bearing the inanimate lady in my arms, began the descent of the stairs. Under no other circumstances could I have so easily carried such a weight; but I was now in- spired with the energy and strength of a thousand: all my moral and physical capacities seemed to have expanded to a preternatural degree :—it, was a, feather that 1 was carrying! Fortunately some circumstance— whether it were a sudden change in the wind, or the giving way of some portion of the back part of the premises, I know not—had almost completely extinguished the rage of the element on the staircase; and I got down with my burthen in safety. The hall too was still clear of the fire; JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 003 it was only through the almost stifling smoke and the blinding dust, as well as the fearful heat, that I had to make my way. But in a few moments lL emerged into the fresh air ; and thena tremendous shout of the most enthusiastic applause greeted me as I appeared with my still inanimate burthen, —whose blue eyes were closed, and the rich masses of whose dark brown hair floated in wild disorder over my shoulder and arm, as well as over her own bosom. I remember that I saw nothing clearly as I emerged from the mansion—only a confused mass of people thronging in front of me. “ Admirable young man !—this way! this way!” said some masculine voice: and a hand, placed on my arm, guided me with my burthen to a house five or six doors off. I recollect that the crowd kept sending forth tumultuous shouts of applause: but a front door speedily closing behind me, shut out the din. I was hurried into a parlour; and as I deposited Lady Eccleston upon a sofa, such a dizziness came over me that I felt as if I were about to faint. I suppose that I must have staggered; for I was caught in the arms of the gentleman who had con- ducted me thither. He placed me on achair: a glass of wine was offered me; and when I had swallowed the contents, I became suddenly re- freshed. “Water! water!” I cried, pointing to the in- animate form of Lady Eccleston. The gentleman rushed from the room; and at that very imstant her ladyship began to revive. This revival was unusually rapid—indeed almost startlingly so: for as if wakened up from some horrible dream, Lady LKccleston raised herself on the sofa—flunge her terrified looks around—and seemed as if her brain were once more abruptly. filled with all the horrors from the midst of which. she had been rescued. Her looks settled upon me : she recognised me with a sudden start and a wild scream: she sprang towards me—her arms were thrown round my neck—and straming me to her bosom, she eried in a frantic voice, “Good God! is it possible? You—yow my deliverer !” Then, as if overpowered by the terrible excite- ment which had seized upon her brain, she fell back upon the sofa, and swooned again. At that moment the door opened; and the gentleman, ac- companied by his wife and a couple of female servants, made his appearance. Lady Eccleston was immediately borne by those females away from the parlour; and I remained alone with the master of the mansion,—who, as I subsequently learnt, was a Mr. Edwards, a wealthy City mer- chant. He was a middle-aged man, of benevolent manners and kind nature; and-he loaded me with praises for what he was pleased to term “the incomparable chivairy of my conduct.” He took me up to his own dressing-rooni that IL might perform ablutions which were necessary indeed after having passed through the smoke and dust of the burning mansion. He was also most solicitous to ascertain that I had escaped without injury—which I had fortunately: done, save and except a little singeing of my hair. He pressed me to pass the remainder of the night at his house: but this I declined—for fear it should be thought that I was anxious to throw myself in the way of the Hcclestons in the morniyy, for the es Glyoo S co AA