DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62134#0173
A GREAT FIRE AT NIGHT.
165
and goods hastily collected together, in awful alarm, and
snatched from the fury of the devouring tyrant. A stream
of bewildered folk hurried along through the middle of the
street; they heeded nothing as they blindly pressed forward
between the rows of stationary spectators. Here came a
man in his dressing-gown, his cap drawn over his face, a
hunting-pouch crammed with the most heterogeneous
articles slung round his shoulders, and in either hand a
terrified little girl. Here a husband bore along in his arms
his sick wife, her fainting form wrapt round with a large
cloak. Now a young girl ran along, wringing her hands
and crying aloud. Beds and bedding, tables, chairs, ward-
robes, pictures, baskets of books, clothes, papers, um-
brellas, are borne past. Here comes a cart of cheese ; here
come again beds and bedding, ad injinitum. Here comes
a little lad carrying with care a canary, which flutters
wildly in its pretty cage; here come two students with
their music books, a violin, a mass of manuscript, learned-
looking books and swords, laid upon a little sledge. Here
comes an easel, here a huge canvas, here a baby in its
cradle, here an old blind woman led by a little child; here
again comes bedding, bedding, bedding ! Now huge, splen-
did mirrors, now kitchen utensils, and now a wagon loaded
with sofas, chairs, boxes, heaped up madly ! All is confu-
sion, bewilderment. There are heaps of furniture piled up
in the streets; there are carts and there are drays with
huge tuns rolling, thundering along; there are shouts,
murmurs. “ The whole quarter will be burnt down I” cries
a man in a hollow voice. The heavens flush and glow;
sparks fly around in thick showers. We try to approach yet
nearer to the burning houses, but again are driven back by
the soldiers. Again we enter the court-yard which I have
already mentioned. The Staats Geldude (Government
building) is untouched, but the roof of the brewery has
165
and goods hastily collected together, in awful alarm, and
snatched from the fury of the devouring tyrant. A stream
of bewildered folk hurried along through the middle of the
street; they heeded nothing as they blindly pressed forward
between the rows of stationary spectators. Here came a
man in his dressing-gown, his cap drawn over his face, a
hunting-pouch crammed with the most heterogeneous
articles slung round his shoulders, and in either hand a
terrified little girl. Here a husband bore along in his arms
his sick wife, her fainting form wrapt round with a large
cloak. Now a young girl ran along, wringing her hands
and crying aloud. Beds and bedding, tables, chairs, ward-
robes, pictures, baskets of books, clothes, papers, um-
brellas, are borne past. Here comes a cart of cheese ; here
come again beds and bedding, ad injinitum. Here comes
a little lad carrying with care a canary, which flutters
wildly in its pretty cage; here come two students with
their music books, a violin, a mass of manuscript, learned-
looking books and swords, laid upon a little sledge. Here
comes an easel, here a huge canvas, here a baby in its
cradle, here an old blind woman led by a little child; here
again comes bedding, bedding, bedding ! Now huge, splen-
did mirrors, now kitchen utensils, and now a wagon loaded
with sofas, chairs, boxes, heaped up madly ! All is confu-
sion, bewilderment. There are heaps of furniture piled up
in the streets; there are carts and there are drays with
huge tuns rolling, thundering along; there are shouts,
murmurs. “ The whole quarter will be burnt down I” cries
a man in a hollow voice. The heavens flush and glow;
sparks fly around in thick showers. We try to approach yet
nearer to the burning houses, but again are driven back by
the soldiers. Again we enter the court-yard which I have
already mentioned. The Staats Geldude (Government
building) is untouched, but the roof of the brewery has