第108章

Ashout-Afireball-Seetothehorses-Passingaway-Gapinthehedge-Onthreewheels-Whydoyoustop？-Nocravenheart-

Thecordial-Acrossthecountry-Smallbags。

ILISTENEDattentively，butIcouldhearnothingbuttheloudclashingofbranches，thepatteringofrain，andthemutteredgrowlofthunder。IwasabouttotellBellethatshemusthavebeenmistaken，whenIheardashout-indistinct，itistrue，owingtothenoisesaforesaid-fromsomepartofthefieldabovethedingle。’Iwillsoonseewhat’sthematter，’saidItoBelle，startingup。’Iwillgotoo；’saidthegirl。’Staywhereyouare，’saidI；’ifIneedyou，Iwillcall’；and，withoutwaitingforanyanswer，Ihurriedtothemouthofthedingle。Iwasaboutafewyardsonlyfromthetopoftheascent，whenIbeheldablazeoflight，fromwhenceIknewnot；thenextmomenttherewasaloudcrash，andIappearedinvolvedinacloudofsulphuroussmoke。

’Lordhavemercyuponus!’Iheardavoicesay，andmethoughtI

heardtheplungingandstrugglingofhorses。Ihadstoppedshortonhearingthecrash，forIwashalfstunned；butInowhurriedforward，andinamomentstoodupontheplain。HereIwasinstantlyawareofthecauseofthecrashandthesmoke。Oneofthoseballs，generallycalledfireballs，hadfallenfromtheclouds，andwasburningontheplainatashortdistance；andthevoicewhichIhadheard，andtheplunging，wereaseasilyaccountedfor。Neartheleft-handcornerofthegrovewhichsurroundedthedingle，andabouttenyardsfromthefireball，Iperceivedachaise，withapostiliononthebox，whowasmakingefforts，apparentlyuseless，tocontrolhishorses，whichwerekickingandplunginginthehighestdegreeofexcitement。Iinstantlyrantowardsthechaise，inordertoofferwhathelpwasinmypower。

’Helpme，’saidthepoorfellow，asIdrewnigh；butbeforeIcouldreachthehorses，theyhadturnedrapidlyround，oneofthefore-

wheelsflewfromitsaxle-tree，thechaisewasoverset，andthepostilionflungviolentlyfromhisseatuponthefield。Thehorsesnowbecamemorefuriousthanbefore，kickingdesperately，andendeavouringtodisengagethemselvesfromthefallenchaise。AsI

washesitatingwhethertoruntotheassistanceofthepostilionorendeavourtodisengagetheanimals，IheardthevoiceofBelleexclaiming，’Seetothehorses，Iwilllookaftertheman。’Shehad，itseems，beenalarmedbythecrashwhichaccompaniedthefirebolt，andhadhurrieduptolearnthecause。Iforthwithseizedthehorsesbytheheads，andusedallthemeansIpossessedtosootheandpacifythem，employingeverygentlemodulationofwhichmyvoicewascapable。Belle，inthemeantime，hadraiseduptheman，whowasmuchstunnedbyhisfall；but，presentlyrecoveringhisrecollectiontoacertaindegree，hecamelimpingtome，holdinghishandtohisrightthigh。’Thefirstthingthatmustnowbedone，’saidI，’istofreethesehorsesfromthetraces；canyouundertaketodoso？’’IthinkIcan，’saidtheman，lookingatmesomewhatstupidly。’Iwillhelp，’saidBelle，andwithoutlossoftimelaidholdofoneofthetraces。Theman，afterashortpause，alsosettowork，andinafewminutesthehorseswereextricated。’Now，’saidItotheman，’whatisnexttobedone？’’Idon’tknow，’saidhe；’indeed，Iscarcelyknowanything；Ihavebeensofrightenedbythishorriblestorm，andsoshakenbymyfall。’’Ithink，’saidI，’thatthestormispassingaway，socastyourfearsawaytoo；andasforyourfall，youmustbearitaslightlyasyoucan。Iwilltiethehorsesamongstthosetrees，andthenwewillallbetakeustothehollowbelow。’’Andwhat’stobecomeofmychaise？’saidthepostilion，lookingruefullyonthefallenvehicle。’Letusleavethechaiseforthepresent，’saidI；’wecanbeofnousetoit。’’Idon’tliketoleavemychaiselyingonthegroundinthisweather，’saidtheman；

’Ilovemychaise，andhimwhomitbelongsto。’’Youarequiterighttobefondofyourself，’saidI，’onwhichaccountIadviseyoutoseekshelterfromtherainassoonaspossible。’’Iwasnottalkingofmyself，’saidtheman，’butmymaster，towhomthechaisebelongs。’’Ithoughtyoucalledthechaiseyours，’saidI。

’That’smywayofspeaking，’saidtheman；’butthechaiseismymaster’s，andabettermasterdoesnotli