CHAPTER XIX. JUST IN TIME.
Lady Desborough sat up in bed propped up with pillows, dressed insuch flowing garments as Dinah had been able to array her in, hereyes shining in anxious expectation, her panting breath showing theoppression caused by the murkiness of the atmosphere. But in spiteof the peril of the situation, to which she had now awakened withfull comprehension; in spite of the fatigue of being partiallydressed, with a view to sudden flight; in spite of the horror ofknowing herself to be alone with Dinah in this flame-encircledhouse, her spirit rose to the occasion, triumphing over theweakness of the flesh. Dinah had feared that the knowledge of theperil would extinguish the faint flame of life; but it seemedrather to cause it to burn more strongly. The fragile creaturelooked full of courage, and the fears she experienced at thismoment were less for herself than for others.
"My dear lord! my dear lord!" she kept repeating. "Dinah, if hewere living nothing would keep him from me. Where is he gone? Dostthou think he will return in time?"
"I think so, my dear lady," answered Dinah in her full, quietvoice; "I pray he may come soon!"
"Yes, pray for him, pray for him!" cried the lady clasping herhands, "I have not prayed for him enough. Pray that his preciouslife may be preserved!"
Dinah clasped her hands and bent her head. Her whole facultiesseemed merged in one great stress of urgent prayer. The lady lookedat her and touched her hand gently.
"You are a good woman, Dinah Morse. I am glad to have you with me;but if my good lord come not soon, you must save yourself and fly.I will not have you lose your life for me. You have not strength tobear me hence, and I cannot walk. You must fly and save yourself.For me, if my dear lord be dead, life has nothing for me to desireit."
"Madam," answered Dinah, in her calm, resolute way, "your goodlord, my master, entrusted you to my care, and that charge I cannotand will not quit whatever may betide. God is with us in the midstof the fire as truly as He was in the raging of the plague. Hebrought me safe through the one peril, and I can trust Him for thissecond one. Our lives we may not recklessly cast away, neither maywe fly from our post of duty lightly, and without due warrant."
Lady Desborough's thin white fingers closed over Dinah's steadyhand with a grateful pressure.
"Thou art a good woman, Dinah," she said. "Thy presence beside megives me strength and hope. Truly I should dread to be left alone,and yet I would not have thee stay if the peril becomes great."
"We will trust that help may reach us shortly," answered Dinah, whorealized the magnitude of the peril far more clearly than did thesick lady, who had no idea of the awful extent of the fire.
That it was a bad one she was well aware, and in perilous proximityto their dwelling; but Dinah had not told her, nor had she for amoment guessed, that half the city of London was already destroyed.
"Go and look from the windows," she said a few minutes later, whenthe two had sat in silent prayer and meditation for that briefinterval. "Go see what is happening in the street below. I marvelthat I hear so little stir of voices. But the walls are thick, andwe are high up. Go and see what is passing below, and bring me wordagain."
Dinah was not loth to obey this behest, being terribly anxious toknow what was happening around them. Neither by word nor by signwould she add to the anxieties of Lady Desborough, knowing how muchmight depend upon her calmness if the chance of rescue offereditself; but she herself began to entertain grave fears for thesafety of this house, wedged in, as it appeared to her to be,between masses of blazing buildings.
Running up to the top attics of the house, which commanded viewsalmost every way, the sight which greeted her eyes was indeedappalling. The whole mass of St. Paul's grand edifice was alight,and the flames were rushing up the walls like fiery serpents whilstthe dull roar of the conflagration was like the booming of thebreakers on an iron-bound coast. Grand and terrible was the sightpresented by that vast sea of flame, which extended eastward as faras the eyes could see. It was more brilliantly light now, in themiddle of the night, than in the brightest summer noontide,although the blood-red glare was terrible in its intensity, andbrought to Dinah's spirit, with a shudder of horror, a vision ofthe bottomless pit with its eternal fires.
But without pausing to linger to watch the awful grandeur of theburning cathedral, she hastily passed from attic to attic to seehow matters were going in other quarters, and she soon discovered,to her dismay and anxiety, that the flames had crept around thelittle wedge-like block of buildings in which this mansion stood,and that they were literally ringed round by fire. By some caprice,or perhaps owing to its solidity of structure, this smallthree-cornered block, containing about three good houses, had notyet ignited; but the hungry flames were creeping on apace, and, asit seemed to Dinah, from all sides. As she took in this fact, itseemed to her that help could never reach them now, and that allthey could do was to strive to meet death with as calm and bold aspirit as they could, commending their souls to God, and trustingthat He would raise up their bodies at the last day, even thoughthey might be consumed to ashes in the midst of this burning fire.
What was that noise? Surely a shout from below. Dinah started, andfled hastily down the staircase. In another moment she heard moreplainly.
"Sweet heart, sweet heart, where art thou--oh where art thou?"
It was Lord Desborough's voice; she recognized it with a thrill ofgladness. But there was another voice mingling with it which shealso knew, and she heard her own name called with equal urgency.
"Dinah! Mistress Dinah! Ah, pray God we have not come too late!Dinah, we are here to save you both! Show yourself, if you be stillthere. Pray Heaven they have not rushed forth in their fears andperished in the flames!"
In another instant Dinah had rushed to a window, which seemed to beon the same side of the house as the voices--namely, at the back;and, in the narrow court below, she saw Lord Desborough, the MasterBuilder, her brother, and Reuben, all clustered together, withladders and ropes, and all calling aloud to those within to showthemselves.
"We are here! we are safe! but the fire is well nigh upon us,"answered Dinah, who had just been convinced by the rolling of thesmoke up the staircase that the lower part of the house was inflames.
"Thank God! thank God! they are still there!" cried Lord Desboroughat sight of her; whilst the Master Builder, who was getting aladder into position in order to run it up to the window where shestood, spoke rapidly and commandingly:
"There is no time to lose. The house is ringed by fire. It will beall we can do to make good our escape. The front of the place is inflames already; we cannot approach that way, and the street is fullof waves of fire. Can you make shift to bring out the sick lady tothis window? or--"
Dinah vanished the moment she understood what was to be done; butquick as were her movements, Lord Desborough was in the room almostas soon as she was. He must have darted up the ladder almost ere itwas in position, and the next moment he had his wife in his arms,straining her passionately to his breast, as she cried in joyfulaccents:
"O my love, my dear, dear love! methought thou hadst perished inyon fearful fire!"
"It is more fearful than thou dost know, sweet heart, but withHeaven's help we will bear thee safe through it. Shut thine eyes,dear heart, and trust to me. We have won our way thus far in theteeth of many a peril. Pray Heaven we make good our escape in likefashion. We have taken every measure of precaution."
In her great delight at having her husband back safe and sound, andin her state of exceeding weakness, Lady Desborough understoodlittle of the terrible nature of what was happening. She felt herhusband's arms round her; she knew he had come to save her fromdanger; and her trust was so perfect and implicit that it left noroom in her heart for anxious fears. She closed her eyes like atired child, and laid her head upon his shoulder.
He was a strong man, and she had wasted in the fever to a mereshadow, and was always small and slight. He carried her as easilyas though she had been an infant; and making straight for the openwindow, he climbed
out upon the ladder and went slowly and steadilydown it, whilst those below held it for him.
Dinah watched the descent with eager eyes, unheeding all else. Shenever thought to look behind her. She had no idea that a mass offlames had suddenly come rushing up the stairway behind her. Shewas conscious of an overpowering heat and a rush of blinding smokethat caused her to stagger back gasping for breath; but it was onlyas she actually felt the hot breath of the flames upon her cheek,and saw that the whole house had suddenly become involved in theuniversal destruction, that she knew what had befallen her, andthat death was striving hard to clutch her and make her its prey.
With a short, sharp cry, she staggered towards the open window, butthe heat and the smoke made her dizzy. She fell against the frame,and uttered a faint cry for help; and then it seemed to her thatthe body of flame behind leaped upon her like a live thing. She wasconscious for a moment of making a fierce and desperate struggle,and then she knew no more, for black darkness swallowed her up, andher last moment of consciousness was spent in a prayer that theLord would be with her in death and receive her spirit into Hishands.
When next Dinah opened her eyes it was to find a cool wind blowingon her face, and to feel an unwonted motion of the bed (as shesupposed it for a moment) on which she was lying. Everything wasbright as day about her, but everything seemed to be dyed the hueof blood. The next moment sense and memory returned. She realizedthat she was lying in the bottom of a boat, which men were rowingwith steady strokes. She saw Lord Desborough sitting in the stern,only a few feet away, still clasping his wife in his arms. She knewthat her head was lying in somebody's lap, and the next moment sheheard a familiar voice saying:
"Ah! she is better now. She has opened her eyes!"
"Rachel!" exclaimed Dinah sitting suddenly up, in spite of asensation of giddiness which made everything swim before her eyesfor a few moments; and Rachel Harmer looked down into her face andsmiled.
"Dear Dinah, thank Heaven thou art safe! I hear that thou wert infearful peril in this burning city; but our good neighbour broughtthee forth from the blazing house just as the boards on which thouwert standing gave way beneath thy feet. Oh, how thankful must webe that our home and our dear ones have all been preserved to us,when half the city is lying in ruins!"
Dinah raised herself up still more at these words, and turned hereyes in the direction of the raging flames on the north side of theriver; and only then was she able to realize something of theterrible magnitude of that great conflagration.
The boat was hugging the Southwark shore, for indeed it was scarcesafe to approach the other, save from motives of dire necessity,and so thickly did sparks and fragments of blazing matter fallhissing into the river for quite half its width, that boats werechary of adventuring themselves much beyond the Southwark bank,save those conveying persons or goods from some of the many wharfs;and these made straight across with their cargoes as soon as theycould quit the shore.
"It is terrible! terrible!" gasped Dinah. "It is like the mouth ofa volcano! And to think that but a short hour since I was in themidst of it. O sister, tell me how thou comest to be here. Tell mehow I was snatched from the flames, for, verily, I thought I wastheir prey."
Rachel put a trembling arm about her sister's shoulders as she madereply.
"Truly there were those standing by who thought the same. But forthe brave expedition of our neighbour there, methinks thou wouldsthave perished; but let me tell the tale from the beginning.
"It was some time after dark--I scarce know how the hours have spedthrough these two strange nights and days, when the day seemsalmost dimmer than the night. But suddenly there was Janet withus--Janet and my Lord Desborough, come with news that the fire hadthreatened even St. Paul's, and that he desired help to save hissick wife and thee, Dinah, ere the flames should have reached hisabode. Janet told us much of the poor lady's state, and we made allfitting preparation to receive her. But none were at home save theboys, and they had to go forth and find their father and brother,to return with Lord Desborough to help him in his work of rescue.He would fain have got others and not have tarried so long. But allmen seem distraught by fear, and would not listen to his promisesof reward, nor face the perils either of the journey by water or ofan approach to the flaming city."
"Indeed it hath a fearful aspect!" said Dinah thoughtfully, as sheturned her eyes upon the blazing mass that had been teeming withlife but a few short hours ago. "Hast heard, sister, whether manypoor creatures have perished in the flames? Oh, my heart has beensad for them, thinking of all the homeless and all the dead!"
"They say that wondrous few have fallen victims to the fire," saidRachel, "and those that have perished are, for the most part, poor,distraught creatures, whom terror caused to fling away their lives,or like my Lady Scrope, who would not leave her home and preferredto perish with it. It is sad enough to think of the thousands whohave lost home and goods in the fire. But had it come before theplague had ravaged the city so fearfully, it must have been tenfoldworse. Methinks if the lanes and courts of the city had beencrowded as they were then, the loss of life must needs have beenfar greater."
"But to proceed with thy tale," said Dinah after a pause. "How wasit that thou didst adventure thyself with the rescuing party in theboat?"
"Methought that, as there were helpless women to be saved, a womanmight find work to do suited more to her than to the men folks.Moreover, I may not deny that I felt a great and mighty desire tosee this wonderful fire more nigh. Custom has used us to so muchsince it commenced that the terror of it has somewhat faded. Theywere saying that St. Paul's was blazing or like to blaze. I desiredto see that awful sight; and see it I did right well, as we pushedthe boat into mid-water after landing Lord Desborough and hisassistants at Baynard's Castle. They were some half hour gone, andwe sat and watched the fire, in some fear truly for them, for theflames seemed devouring everything, but with confidence that theywould act with all prudence, and in the full belief that the firehad not yet attacked my lord's house."
"Ah, but it had!" said Dinah with a little shiver. "I would nothave believed that flames could sweep on at such a fearful pace.One minute we seemed safe, the next it was seething round us!"
"That is what they all say of this fire. It travels with such anawful rapidity, and will suddenly pounce like a live thing uponsome building hitherto unharmed, and in an incredibly short timewill have licked it up, if one may so speak, leaving nothing but amass of smouldering ashes behind."
"I know how it leaps," spoke Dinah, with a little shiver. "I cannotthink even now how I came to be saved."
"It was our good neighbour, the Master Builder, who saved thee atrisk of his life," answered Rachel with a little sob in her voice."It was a terrible thing to see, Reuben tells me. He and his fatherwere holding the ladder, and Lord Desborough was bringing down hiswife, when all in a moment the house seemed engulfed in one ofthose great flame waves of which all men are speaking, and they sawyou totter and fall, as if it had engulfed thee in its deadlyembrace. Lord Desborough was not yet down the ladder, and knewnothing of thy peril, being engrossed in tender care for his wife.Nobody could pass him, nor would the ladder bear a greater weight;but the next moment they saw that our good neighbour had somehowgot another ladder against the wall and was rushing up it at a pacethat seemed impossible. Reuben ran to steady this ladder, for itwas like to fall with the quaking and shaking. And then, justbefore they heard the fall of the burning floors, he saw the MasterBuilder coming down bearing his burden safely; and once having bothof you safe, there was not a moment to lose in making for the boat.Already the alley was full of blinding flame and choking smoke, andit was all the men could do to carry the pair of you safe toBaynard's Castle, where we took you all on board, but only twominutes before the fire began to blaze there also. See, by lookingback thou canst see how fiercely it is burning!
"God alone knows how and where it will be stayed. They say it isspreading northward as furiously as it flies westward. If the citywalls stay not its co
urse, all London will surely perish."
Dinah was silent a while, looking seriously before her. Then shelifted her face nearer to her sister's and said:
"Prithee, tell me, has our good friend and neighbour suffered hurtin thus adventuring his life for me?"
"He has not spoken of it, if so be that he has," was the answer;"but the haste and peril and confusion were too great for manywords. We shall soon be at home now, and all who need it willreceive tendance. I fear me, dear sister, that thou canst notaltogether have escaped the cruel embrace of the fire. Thy garmentswere singed and charred: but this cloak covers thee well andprotects thee from the night air."
Dinah moved herself, and felt no hurt. She looked anxiously towardsLord Desborough, as though to ask how it went with his lady.Fortunately the night was warm and calm, save for the light breezethat was enough to fan the fierce flames onward and onward. By daythe wind blew hard from the east; but it dropped at night, and thiswas no small boon to the many homeless creatures who had no roofsto shelter their heads.
Once landed at the Southwark wharf, the party was soon within thesheltering doors of the twin houses. Gertrude came forth to meetthem, anxious solicitude written on every line of her face.
The first care was for the poor lady, for whom they had made readya pleasant and airy room. She was carried thither, and Dinahfollowed to see what was her condition; and although she wasexceedingly weak, she was not unconscious, and so long as she hadher husband beside her holding her hand, she seemed to care nothingfor the strangeness of her surroundings, or for the perils throughwhich she had passed.
"Verily, I think she will live," said Dinah, when Janet had fed herwith some of the strong broth which had been made in readiness."She looks not greatly worse than when she started up in bed in herown house with the consciousness that there was fire near. I hadnot thought so tender a frame could go through so much of peril andhardship; but methinks her lord's return was the charm that workedso marvellously for her; for, truly, she had begun to fear himdead."
Satisfied as to her patient, Dinah allowed herself to be taken careof by Gertrude, who insisted on removing her burned garments, andassuring herself that no other hurt had been done. It was wonderfulwhat an escape Dinah's had been, for there was scarcely any mark offire upon her, only a little redness here and there, but nothingapproaching to a severe burn. She declared that she could not go tobed in the midst of so much excitement; and after telling Gertrudeof the wonderful nature of her own escape, she added, with aslightly heightened colour:
"I would fain assure myself of the welfare of thy brave father, forit may be that he may have sustained some hurt; and if that be so,we must minister to his needs right speedily. Much depends in burnsupon the promptness with which they are dressed."
Gertrude's filial anxiety was at once aroused, as well as her warmadmiration for her father's courage and devotion. Together theysought him out and found him in one of the lower rooms, a plate offood before him, which, however, he had hardly touched.
The moment he saw his daughter, who entered a little in advance, herose hastily and exclaimed:
"Tell me how she does. Has she received any hurt?"
"Lady Desborough?" asked Gertrude; "they all say she--"
"Nay, nay, child, not Lady Desborough! What is Lady Desborough tome? I mean Dinah, that noble, devoted woman, who would not leaveher mistress even in the face of deadly peril. Tell me of her! Tellme--"
And here the Master Builder came to a dead stop, and paused for amoment in bashful shamefacedness most unwonted with him, for therewas Dinah entering behind his daughter, and surely she must haveheard every word.
"Dinah is not hurt, father," said Gertrude, covering the awkwardpause with ready tact; "her escape has been truly wonderful. Shewishes to know whether you also have escaped; for she tells me thatyou must have faced a sea of flame in order to get to her."
"Your arm is hurt--is burned!" said Dinah coming forward quickly,her eye detecting that much in a moment. "Gertrude, bring me theoil and the linen. I will bind it up before I do aught else. Whenthe air is kept away the smart is wonderfully allayed."
The burn was rather a severe one, but the Master Builder seemed tofeel no pain under the dexterous manipulation of Dinah's gentle,capable hands. When he would have thanked her she gave him a quicklook, and made a low-toned answer.
"Nay, nay, I can hear no thanks from thee. Do I not owe thee mylife? But for thee I should not be here now. It is I who must thankthee--only I have no words in which to do it."
"Then let us do without words between us for the future, Dinah,"said the Master Builder, possessing himself of one of her hands,which was not withdrawn. "If thou hadst perished in the fire, lifehad had nothing left for me. Does not that show that we belong toeach other? I have not much to give, but all I have is thine; and Ithink thou mightest go the world over and not find a more lovingheart!"
CHAPTER XX. THE FLAMES STAYED.
"Something must be done! The whole city must not perish! It is ashame that so much destruction has already taken place. What arethe city magnates about that they stand idle, wringing their hands,whilst all London burns about their ears?"
Young Lord Desborough was the speaker. He had risen in someexcitement from the table where he had been seated at breakfast,for James Harmer had just come in with the news that the fire wasstill burning with the same fierceness as of old; that it hadspread beyond the city walls, Ludgate and Newgate having both beenreduced to a heap of smoking ruins; that it was spreading northwardand westward as fiercely as ever; whilst even in an easterlydirection it was creeping slowly and insidiously along, so that menbegan to whisper that the Tower itself would eventually fall aprey.
"Nay, now, but that must not, that shall not be!" cried LordDesborough in great excitement. "Shame enough for London that St.Paul's is gone! Are we to lose every ancient building of historicfame? What would his Majesty say were that to perish also? Zounds!methinks my Lord Mayor must surely be sleeping. In good King Henrythe Eighth's reign his head would have been struck off ere now.
"Thou hast seen him, thou sayest, good Master Harmer. What does hepurpose to do? Surely he cannot desire all the city to perish. Yet,methinks, that will be what will happen, if indeed it be notalready accomplished."
"He is like one distraught," answered Harmer. "I went to himyesterday, and I have been again at break of day this morn. I havetold him how we saved the bridge, and have begged powers of him toeffect great breaches at various points to stay the ravages of theflames; but he will do naught but say he must consider, he mustconsider."
"And whilst he considers, London burns to ashes!" cried the youngnobleman in impetuous scorn. "A plague upon his consideration andhis reflections! We want a man who can act in times like these.Beshrew me if I go not to his Majesty myself and tell him the wholetruth. Methinks if he but knew the dire need for bold measures,London might even now be saved--so much of it as yet remains. Ifthe Lord Mayor is worse than a child at such a crisis, let us tohis Majesty and see what he will say!"
"A good thought, in truth," answered Harmer thoughtfully. "Butsurely his Majesty knows?"
"Ay, after a fashion doubtless; but it takes some little time torouse the lion spirit in him. He is wont to laugh and jest somewhattoo much, and dally with news, whilst he throws the dice with hiscourtiers, or passes a compliment to some fair lady. He takes lifesomewhat too lightly does my lord the King, until he be thoroughlyroused. But the blood of kings runs in his veins; and let him butbe awakened to the need for action, then he can act as a sovereign,indeed."
"Then, good my lord, in the name of all those poor townsfolk whosehouses are standing yet, let the King be roused to a full sense ofthe dire peril!" cried Harmer, in almost passionate tones; "for ifsome one come not to their help, I trow there will not be a housewithin or without the city that will not be reduced to ashes eretwo more days have passed."
"It is terrible to think of," said the Master Builder, who wastaking his meal with the young lord, by his spec
ial desire, bothhaving slept late into the morning after the exertions of theprevious night. "If you, my lord, can get speech of the King, andshow him the things you have seen and suffered, methinks that thatshould be enough to rouse him. And doubtless you could get speechof his Majesty without trouble, whereas a humble citizen might suefor hours in vain."
"Yes, I trow that I could obtain an audience without much ado,"answered Lord Desborough, though he gave rather a doubtful glanceat his soiled and fire-blackened garments, which were all he had inthe world since the burning of his house. "But I would have you gowith me also, good Masters Harmer and Mason; for it was your promptmethods that saved the bridge, and perchance all Southwark too. Iwould have you with me to add your testimony to mine.
"Master Harmer, your name was spoken often in the time of theraging of the plague, as that of a brave and loyal citizen. It islikely his Majesty may bear it still in mind, and it will giveweight to any testimony you have to offer."
Harmer and the Master Builder exchanged glances. They had notthought to appear before royalty, but they were willing to doanything that might be for the good of the town; and whilst the onehurried away to procure a wherry to take them as near as might beto Whitehall, the other supplied, from the stores in the shop, anew court suit to young Lord Desborough befitting his rank andstation.
Lady Desborough was going on better than any had dared to hope. Herhusband stole in to look at her before his departure, and wasrewarded by a sweet and tranquil smile. He stole towards thebedside and kissed her, telling her he was going to see the King;and she, knowing that his duties called him often to Court, askedno question, and seemed to remember nothing of the fire, but onlybade him return anon to her when he could.
Reuben was going also in the boat, and some of the men as rowers.Gertrude had donned her best cloak and holiday gown, and askedwistfully of her husband:
"Prithee take me also; I will not be in your way. But I would fainsee something of this great sight of which all men talk, and theysay it may best be seen from the river."
"Come then, sweet heart, so as thou dost not ask to run intoperil," said Reuben; and by noon the party were well on their way,their progress being somewhat slow, as the tide was running out,and there was a considerable press of craft on the river, which wasthe only safe roadway now from one part of the burned city to theother.
As boats passed each other, items of news were exchanged betweenthe occupants, and every tale added some detail of horror to thelast. Bridewell was in flames now, and many said Newgate also. Someaverred that the prisoners had been left locked up in their cellsto perish miserably, others that they had all been released, andthat London would be swarming with felons and criminals, who wouldlead the van in the many acts of plunder which were already beingperpetrated. What might be the truth of all these rumours nonecould say; but one thing could at least be gathered, which was thatthe fire was still raging unchecked, and that nothing had as yetbeen done to stay its progress.
When the boat had reached its destination, Lord Desboroughcourteously invited Gertrude and her husband to accompany thedeputation. They had not anticipated any such thing; but curiosityovercame every other feeling, and before another half hour hadpassed they found themselves absolutely within the precincts ofWhitehall, passing along corridors where fine-feathered gallantsand royal lackeys and pages walked hither and thither, and wheretheir appearance excited some mirthful curiosity, although nobodyspoke openly to them.
Lord Desborough was challenged on all hands, but gave only briefreplies. He would tell no word of his mission; and presently he ledhis companions into a small anteroom, which was quite empty, andcharged the servant, who had accompanied them thus far, not topermit any one to enter so long as they were there. Then he hurriedaway to seek audience of the King, but promised to join hiscompanions again in as brief a time as possible.
"Belike it will be long enough ere we see him again," said Harmer,who almost regretted having come when there might be work to doelsewhere. "The ear of royalty is often besieged in vain, or atleast it is a case of hours before an audience can be obtained. Yonpleasure-loving monarch will care but little if all London burn, soas he has his ladies and his courtiers about him to make merry byday and by night!"
By which sentiment it may be gathered that a good deal of thePuritan sternness of character and distrust of royalty lingered inthe mind of James Harmer, although in this case he was not destinedto be a true prophet.
Half an hour may have passed, certainly not more, before a sound ofapproaching voices from the inner room, to which this one was butthe antechamber, announced the approach of some persons. Thelisteners within thought they distinguished the tones of LordDesborough's voice; nor were they mistaken, for next moment, whenthe doors were flung wide open, and the party instinctively rose totheir feet, it was to see the young noble approaching in earnesttalk with a very dark, sallow man in an immense black periwig, whomin a moment they knew to be the King himself. He was followed by astill darker man, less richly dressed than himself, but still veryfine and gay, who was so like the King as to be recognizedinstantly for the Duke of York.
The little group made deep obeisance as the royal party cameforward, and received in return a carelessly gracious nod from theKing, who flung himself into a seat, and looked at Lord Desborough.
"His Majesty would know from you, good Masters Harmer and Mason,what you have seen with your own eyes of this fire, and inparticular how the flames were stayed upon the bridge by yourefforts. He has heard so many contradictory stories from those whoare less well informed, that he will have the tale from first tolast by worthy citizens who are to be trusted to speak truth."
There was no mistaking the ring of truth in the narratives whichwere told by the Master Builder and his neighbour.
The King listened almost in silence, but when he did ask a questionit was shrewd and pertinent in its import. The dark face waslacking neither in force nor in power; and if the eyes of royaltydid, from time to time, stray towards the fair face of Gertrude,who followed her father's tale with breathless interest, his talkwas all of the means which must forthwith be taken for the arrestof the fire, and from the sparkle in his eyes it was plain that hewas aroused at last to some purpose.
"Good citizens," he said at length, "since our worthy Mayor hasproved himself a fool and a poltroon, I must needs use such toolsas I have under my hand.
"Bring me pen and paper, knave!" he cried to a servant who was inattendance; and when the man returned, the King hastily scrawled afew lines upon the paper, and gave it into the hands of thecitizens.
"My good fellows," he said, in his easy and familiar way, "takethere your authority under my hand, and go and save the Tower. TheTower must not and shall not perish. Pull down, blow up, sacrificeas you will, but save you the Tower. As for me, I will forthinstantly and see what may be done in this quarter. The peopleshall not say that their King cared no whit whilst the whole citywas burned to ashes. Would I had known more before, but eachmessenger brought news that something was about to be done.
"About to be done, forsooth! that is ever the way. Zounds! I wouldlike to pitch yon cowardly Mayor and his whole corporation into theheart of the flames! And if something be not done to save whatremains of the city, I will make good my word!"
Then, with a complete change of manner, he rose and came forward tothe corner where Gertrude stood shrinking and quivering, halffrightened by this strange man, yet impressed by some indescribablykingly quality in him that fascinated her imagination in spite ofall she had heard of him.
"Fair mistress," he said gallantly, "hast thou nothing to ask?These good citizens have all had their word to say. Am I not tohear the music of thy voice also?"
Gertrude, startled and abashed, dropped her eyes, and knew not whatto say; but something in the King's glance compelled an answer ofsome kind, and a sudden inspiration flashed upon her.
"Sire," she said, in a sweet tremulous voice, her colour coming andgoing in her cheek in a most becoming fashion,
"may I ask a boon ofyour gracious Majesty?"
"A hundred if thou wilt, fair mistress; there is nothing so sweetto me as obeying the behests of beauty."
She shrank a little from his glance, and her grasp tightened uponher husband's arm; but she took courage, and went on bravely:
"I have but one boon to crave, gracious Sire. For myself I have allthat heart of woman could crave; but there is still one smalltrouble in my life. My dear father, who stands before you now, waswell-nigh ruined a year ago in that fearful visitation of theplague. By trade he is a builder, and right well does he know hisbusiness. After this terrible fire there must needs be muchbuilding to do ere the city can be dwelt in. May it please yourgracious Majesty to grant to him a portion of the work, that he mayretrieve his lost fortune, and regain the place which he once heldamongst his fellow citizens!"
"It shall be done, mistress, it shall be done!" answered the King,with a smile at the girl and a friendly look towards the MasterBuilder. "Marry, it is a good thought too; for we shall want honestand skilful men to rebuild us our city.
"Thy prayer is heard and granted, fair lady. I will not forget thypetition. I will see to it myself. Farewell, sweet heart! thinkalways kindly of your King," and he saluted her upon the cheek,after the fashion of the day.
Then turning briskly to the men he said, in a very different tone,"Now to our respective tasks, good sirs. We have our work cut outbefore us this day. Let it not be our fault if, ere the night fallupon us, the spreading flames, which are devastating this city, arestopped, and further destruction arrested."
With a friendly nod, and with a smile to Gertrude, the King went assuddenly as he came. Lord Desborough lingered only a few moments tosay, in hurried tones:
"Thank Heaven his Majesty is roused at last! Now, indeed, somethingwill be accomplished. I must remain with him. I shall have my work,doubtless, somewhere, as you have yours in the east. Fare you well.We shall meet again at nightfall; and pray Heaven the fire may bythat time be stayed in its ravages!"
Need it be told here how that fire was stayed? how the King and theDuke, his brother, rode in person at the head of a gallant band ofmen-at-arms and soldiers, and directed those measures--long urgedupon the Mayor, but never efficiently carried out--of blowing upand pulling down large blocks of houses in the path of the flames,so that their ravages were stayed? It was the King himself whosaved Temple Bar and a part of Fleet Street, the fire being checkedclose to St. Dunstan's in the west. Lord Desborough superintendedlike operations at Pye corner, hard by Smithfield; whilst the goodcitizens, Harmer and Mason, took boat to the Tower as fast aspossible, and with the assistance of the governor, and by themandate of the King, checked the slowly advancing flames just asthey had reached the very walls of the fortress itself.
The great and terrible fire was stayed ere nightfall. True, theflames smouldered and even raged in the burning area for anotherday and night, but the spread of them was checked. The citizens,recovering from their apathetic despair, and encouraged by theexample of their King, no longer stood trembling by, but joinedtogether to imitate his actions and sacrifice a little property tosave much.
"Thank God, thank God, the peril is at an end! The very flames haveglutted themselves, and are sinking down into the smouldering heapsof the ruins they have wrought!" said Reuben, coming back on theThursday evening from an expedition of inquiry and discovery."Terrible indeed is the sight, but the worst is now known. Fourhundred streets, ninety churches--if what I heard be true--andthirteen thousand houses--fifteen wards destroyed, and eight morehalf burned! Was ever such a fire known before? Yet can we say,Heaven be praised that it has spread no further. Verily, it seemedonce as though nothing would escape!"
Gertrude, too, was full of excitement.
"Father has had a summons from the Lord Mayor. He was urgently sentfor soon after thou hadst gone. O Reuben, dost think the King hasremembered my words to him? dost think he has put in a plea for myfather when the city is rebuilt?"
"It is like enough," answered Reuben; "they say his Majesty doesnot forget when his word is plighted. He will be a rich man if hebe employed by the corporation. And how goes the sick lady?"
"So well that my lord has taken her away by boat to a villa hard byLambeth, where she will be quieter and more at rest than she couldbe here. Janet and Dorcas have gone with her as her maids, her ownservants having fled hither and thither. She would fain have hadDinah, too, but Dinah was not willing."
Husband and wife smiled a little at each other, and then Reubensaid:
"Thou, wilt have a stepmother soon, little wife. How wilt thou likethat?"
"Well enow, so it be Dinah," answered Gertrude, smiling; "but thereis the father coming in. Prithee, let me run to him and hear hisnews!"
Others had seen the approach of the familiar figure, and there wasquite a little group around the door of the two houses to ask newsof the Master Builder as he approached. His face wore a beaminglook, and in reply to the many questions showered upon him heanswered gaily:
"In truth, good friends, if the plague ruined me, it seems asthough the fire was to set me up again. Here is my Lord Mayor,prompted thereto by his gracious Majesty the King, giving into myhands the task of seeing to the rebuilding of Bridge Ward, Within,Billingsgate Ward, Dowgate Ward, and Candlewick Ward. Four wards tobuild! why, my fortune is made!"
He gave one quick look at Dinah, and then took her hand in his, alllooking smilingly on the while.
"Thou didst not repulse me when I was but a poor and broken man,"he said; "but, please Heaven, before many months have passed overmy head it will be no mockery to speak of me as Master Builder onceagain!"
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