we two-第90章

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。　　Sitting　up　in　a　little　wooden　cot　was　a　child　of　two　or　three　years　old；　his　baby　face　wild　with　fright。

〃Poor　bairn！〃　exclaimed　Raeburn；　taking　him　in　his　strong　arms。　　〃Have　they　forgotten　you？〃

The　child　was　German　and　did　not　understand　a　word；　but　it　knew　in　a　moment　that　this　man；　so　like　a　fairy…tale　giant；　was　a　rescuer。

〃Guter　Riese！〃　it　sobbed；　appealingly。

The　〃good　giant〃　snatched　a　blanket　from　the　cot；　rolled　it　round　the　shivering　little　bit　of　humanity；　and　carried　him　down　into　the　platz。

〃Keep　this　bairnie　till　his　belongings　claim　him；〃　he　said；　putting　his　charge　into　Erica's　arms。　　And　then　he　hurried　back　again；　once　more　ran　the　gantlet　of　the　descending　wardrobes　and　bedsteads；　and　at　last　reached　his　room。　　It　was　bare　of　all　furniture；　the　lighter　things　his　coat　among　them　had　been　thrown　out　of　the　window；　the　more　solid　things　had　been　carried　down　stairs。　　He　stood　there　baffled　and　for　once　in　his　life　bewildered。

Half…choked　with　the　smoke；　he　crossed　the　room　and　looked　out　of　the　window；　the　hot　breath　of　the　flames　from　the　scaffolding　scorching　his　face。　　But　looking　through　that　frame　of　fire；　he　saw　that　a　cordon　had　been　drawn　round　the　indiscriminate　piles　of　rescued　property；　that　the　military　had　been　called　out；　and　that　the　most　perfect　order　prevailed。　　There　was　still　a　chance　that　he　might　recover　the　lost　papers！　　Then；　as　there　was　no　knowing　that　the　roof　would　not　fall　in　and　crush　him；　he　made　the　best　of　his　way　down　again　among　the　still　flowing　stream　of　furniture。

An　immense　crowd　had　gathered　in　the　square　outside；　the　awe…struck　murmurs　and　exclamations　sounded　like　the　roar　of　distant　thunder；　and　the　shouts　of　〃WASSER！　　WASSER！〃　alternated　with　the　winding　of　bugles　as　the　soldiers　moved　now　in　one　direction；　now　in　another；　their　bright　uniforms　and　the　shining　helmets　of　the　fire　brigade　men　flashing　hither　and　thither　among　the　dark　mass　of　spectators。　　Overhead　the　flames　raged　while　the　wind　blew　down　bits　of　burning　tinder　upon　the　crowd。　　Erica；　wedged　in　among　the　friendly　Tyrolese　people；　watched　anxiously　for　her　father；　not　quite　able　to　believe　his　assurance　that　there　was　no　danger。　　When　at　length　she　saw　the　tall　commanding　figure　emerge　from　the　burning　hotel；　the　white　head　towering　over　the　crowd；　her　heart　gave　a　great　bound　of　relief。　　But　she　saw　in　a　moment　that　he　had　been　unsuccessful。

〃It　must　have　been　thrown　out　of　the　window；〃　he　said；　elbowing　his　way　up　to　her。　　〃The　room　was　quite　bare；　carpet　and　all　gone；　nothing　to　be　found　but　these　valuables；〃　and　with　a　smile；　he　held　up　the　last　number　of　the　〃Idol…Breaker；〃　and　a　tooth　brush。

〃They　are　taking　great　care　of　the　things；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Perhaps　we　shall　find　it　by　and　by。〃

〃We　must　find　it；〃　said　Raeburn；　his　lips　forming　into　the　curve　of　resoluteness　which　they　were　wont　to　assume　when　any　difficulty　arose　to　be　grappled　with。　　〃What　has　become　of　the　bairn？〃

〃A　nurse　came　up　and　claimed　it　and　was　overwhelmingly　grateful　to　you　for　your　rescue。　　She　had　put　the　child　to　bed　early　and　had　gone　for　a　walk　in　the　gardens。　　Oh；　look；　how　the　fire　is　spreading！〃

〃The　scaffolding　is　terribly　against　saving　it；　and　the　wind　is　high；　too；〃　said　Raeburn；　scanning　the　place　all　over　with　his　keen　eyes。　　Then；　as　an　idea　seemed　to　strike　him；　he　suddenly　hurried　forward　once　more；　and　Erica　saw　him　speaking　to　two　fire　brigade　men。　　In　another　minute　the　soldiers　motioned　the　crowd　further　back；　Raeburn　rejoined　Erica；　and；　picking　up　her　portmanteau；　took　her　across　the　road　to　the　steps　of　a　neighboring　hotel。　　〃I've　suggested　that　they　should　cut　down　the　scaffolding；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　the　only　chance　of　saving　the　place。〃

The　whole　of　the　woodwork　was　now　on　fire；　to　cut　it　down　was　a　somewhat　dangerous　task；　but　the　men　worked　gallantly；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　huge　blazing　frame；　with　its　poles　and　cross　poles；　ladders　and　platforms；　swayed；　quivered；　then　fell　forward　with　a　crash　into　the　garden　beyond。

Raeburn　had；　as　usual；　attracted　to　himself　the　persons　most　worth　talking　to　in　the　crowd；　a　shrewd…looking　inhabitant　of　Innsbruck；　spectacled　and　somewhat　sallow；　but　with　a　face　which　was　full　of　intellect。　　He　learned　that；　although　no　one　could　speak　positively　as　to　the　origin　of　the　fire；　it　was　more　than　probable　that　it　had　been　no　mere　accident。　　The　very　Sunday　before；　at　exactly　the　same　hour；　a　large　factory　had　been　entirely　destroyed　by　fire；　and　it　needed　no　very　deep　thinker　to　discover　that　a　Sunday　evening；　when　every　one　would　be　out…of…doors　keeping　holiday；　and　the　fire　brigade　men　scattered　and　hard　to　summon；　was　the　very　time　for　incendiarism。　　They　learned　much　from　the　shrewd　citizen　about　the　general　condition　of　the　place；　which　seemed　outwardly　too　peaceful　and　prosperous　for　such　wild　and　senseless　outbreaks。

〃If；　as　seems　probable；　this　is　the　act　of　some　crazy　socialist；　he　has　unwittingly　done　harm　to　the　cause　of　reform　in　general；〃　said　Raeburn　to　Erica　when　the　informant　had　passed　on。　　〃Those　papers　for　Hasenbalg　were　important　ones；　and；　if　laid　hold　of　by　unfriendly　hands；　might　do　untold　harm。　　Socialism　is　the　most　foolish　system　on　earth。　　Inevitably　it　turns　to　this　sort　of　violence　when　the　uneducated　have　seized　on　its　main　idea。

〃After　all；　I　believe　they　will　save　the　house；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Just　look　at　those　men　on　the　top；　how　splendidly　they　are　working！〃

It　was；　in　truth；　a　grand；　though　a　very　horrible　sight　to　see　the　dark　forms　toiling　away；　hewing　down　the　burning　rafters　with　an　absolute　disregard　to　their　personal　safety。　　These　were　not　firemen；　but　volunteers　chimney…sweeps；　as　one　of　the　crowd　informed　Raeburn　and　it　was　in　the　main　owing　to　their　exertions　that　the　fire　was　at　length　extinguished。

After　the　excitement　was　over；　they　went　into　the　neighboring　hotel；　where　there　was　some　difficulty　in　obtaining　rooms；　as　all　the　burned…out　people　had　taken　refuge　there。　　However；　the　utmost　hospitality　and　friendliness　prevailed；　and　even　hungry　Englishmen；　cheated　of　their　dinner；　were　patient　for　once；　while　the　overtaxed　waiters　hurried　to　and　fro；　preparing　for　the　second　and　quite　unexpected　table　d'hote。　　Everyone　had　something　to　tell　either　of　his　escape　or　his　losses。　　One　lady　had　seen　her　night　gown　thrown　out　of　the　window；　and　had　managed　adroitly　to　catch　it；　some　one　else　on　rushing　up　to　find　his　purse　had　been　deluged　by　the　fire　engine；　and　Raeburn's　story　of　the　little　German　boy　excited　great　interest。　　The　visitors　were　inclined　to　make　a　hero　of　him。　　Once；　when　he　had　left　the　room；　Erica　heard　a　discussion　about　him　with　no　little　amusement。

〃Who　is　the　very　tall；　white…haired　man？〃

〃The　man　who　saved　the　child？　　I　believe　he　must　be　the　Bishop　of　Steneborough；　he　is　traveling　in　the　Tyrol；　I　know；　and　I'm　sure　that　man　is　a　somebody。　　So　much　dignity；　and　such　power　over　everybody！　　Didn't　you　see　the　way　the　captain　of　the　fire　brigade　deferred　to　him？〃

〃Well；　now　I　think　of　it；〃　replied　the　other；　〃he　has　an　earnest；　devotional　sort　of　face；　perhaps　you're　right。　　I'll　speak　to　him　when　he　comes　back。　　Ah！〃　in　a　lower　voice；　〃there　he　is！　　And　Confound　it！　　He's　got　no　gaiters！　　Goodbye　to　my　visions　of　life…long　friendship　and　a　comfortable　living　for　Dick！〃

In　spite　of　his　anxiety　about　the　lost　packet；　Raeburn　laughed　heartily　over　Erica's　account　of　this　conversation。　　He　had　obtained　leave　to　search　the　deserted　hotel；　and　a　little　before　ten　o'clock　they　made　their　way　across　the　square；　over　planks　and　charred　rafters；　broken　glass；　and　pools　of　water；　which　were　hard　to　steer　through　in　the　darkness。　　The　fire　was　now　quite　out；　and　they　were　beginning　to　move　the　furniture　in　again；　but　the　place　had　been　entirely　dismantled；　and　looked　eerie　and　forlorn。　　On　the　staircase　was　a　decapitated　statue；　and　broken　and　crushed　plants　were　strewn　about。　　Erica's　room　was　quite　bare　of　furniture；　nor　could　she　find　any　of　the　things　she　wanted。　　The　pen　with　which　she　had　been　writing　lay　on　the　floor；　and　also　a　Japanese　fan　soaked　with　water；　but　neither　of　these　were　very　serviceable　articles　to　a　person　bereft　of　every　toilet　requisit