In another instant Dinah had rushed to a window, which seemed to be on the same side of the house as the voices—­namely, at the back; and, in the narrow court below, she saw Lord Desborough, the Master Builder, her brother, and Reuben, all clustered together, with ladders and ropes, and all calling aloud to those within to show themselves.

“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 the smoke up the staircase that the lower part of the house was in flames.

“Thank God! thank God! they are still there!” cried Lord Desborough at sight of her; whilst the Master Builder, who was getting a ladder into position in order to run it up to the window where she stood, spoke rapidly and commandingly: 

“There is no time to lose.  The house is ringed by fire.  It will be all we can do to make good our escape.  The front of the place is in flames already; we cannot approach that way, and the street is full of waves of fire.  Can you make shift to bring out the sick lady to this window? or—­”

Dinah vanished the moment she understood what was to be done; but quick as were her movements, Lord Desborough was in the room almost as soon as she was.  He must have darted up the ladder almost ere it was in position, and the next moment he had his wife in his arms, straining her passionately to his breast, as she cried in joyful accents: 

“O my love, my dear, dear love! methought thou hadst perished in yon fearful fire!”

“It is more fearful than thou dost know, sweet heart, but with Heaven’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 the teeth of many a peril.  Pray Heaven we make good our escape in like fashion.  We have taken every measure of precaution.”

In her great delight at having her husband back safe and sound, and in her state of exceeding weakness, Lady Desborough understood little of the terrible nature of what was happening.  She felt her husband’s arms round her; she knew he had come to save her from danger; and her trust was so perfect and implicit that it left no room in her heart for anxious fears.  She closed her eyes like a tired child, and laid her head upon his shoulder.

He was a strong man, and she had wasted in the fever to a mere shadow, and was always small and slight.  He carried her as easily as though she had been an infant; and making straight for the open window, he climbed out upon the ladder and went slowly and steadily down it, whilst those below held it for him.

Dinah watched the descent with eager eyes, unheeding all else.  She never thought to look behind her.  She had no idea that a mass of flames had suddenly come rushing up the stairway behind her.  She was conscious of an overpowering heat and a rush of blinding smoke that caused her to stagger back gasping for breath; but it was only as she actually felt the hot breath of the flames upon her cheek, and saw that the whole house had suddenly become involved in the universal destruction, that she knew what had befallen her, and that death was striving hard to clutch her and make her its prey.