ckened, and did not come out
of doors again for a long time.

The year of education had extended to fourteen months, and the house was
in order for Edmond's return to take up his abode there with Barbara,
when, instead of the accustomed letter for her, came one to Sir John
Grebe in the handwriting of the said tutor, informing him of a terrible
catastrophe that had occurred to them at Venice. Mr Willowes and himself
had attended the theatre one night during the Carnival of the preceding
week, to witness the Italian comedy, when, owing to the carelessness of
one of the candle-snuffers, the theatre had caught fire, and been burnt
to the ground. Few persons had lost their lives, owing to the superhuman
exertions of some of the audience in getting out the senseless sufferers;
and, among them all, he who had risked his own life the most heroically
was Mr. Willowes. In re-entering for the fifth time to save his fellow-
creatures some fiery beams had fallen upon him, and he had been given up
for lost. He was, however, by the blessing of Providence, recovered,
with the life still in him, though he was fearfully burnt; and by almost
a miracle he seemed likely to survive, his constitution being wondrously
sound. He was, of course, unable to write, but he was receiving the
attention of several skilful surgeons. Further report would be made by
the next mail or by private hand.

The tutor said nothing in detail of poor Willowes's sufferings, but as
soon as the news was broken to Barbara she realized how intense they must
have been, and her immediate instinct was to rush to his side, though, on
consideration, the journey seemed impossible to her. Her health was by
no means what it had been, and to post across Europe at that season of
the year, or to traverse the Bay of Biscay in a sailing-craft, was an
undertaking that would hardly be justified by the result. But she was
anxious to go till, on reading to the end of the letter, her husband's
tutor was found to hint very strongly against such a step if it should be
contemplated, this being also the opinion of the surgeons. And though
Willowes's comrade refrained from giving his reasons, they disclosed
themselves plainly enough in the sequel.

The truth was that the worst of the wounds resulting from the fire had
occurred to his head and face--that handsome face which had won her heart
from her,--and both the tutor and the surgeons knew that for a sensitive
young woman to see