ucceeded, by the aid of an iron hook fixed in a chimney, in climbing to
the next house, when his wife, Aimee, raising her head, noticed that he
was no longer with us. She screamed:

"Where is he? I don't want him to leave me! We are together, we shall
die together!"

When she saw him on the top of the house she ran over the tiles, still
holding her children. And she called out:

"Cyprien, wait for me! I am going with you. I am going to die with you."

She persisted. He leaned over, pleading with her, promising to come
back, telling her that he was going for the rescue of all of us. But,
with a wild air, she shook her head, repeating "I am going with you! I
am going with you!"

He had to take the children. Then he helped her up. We could follow
them along the crest of the house. They walked slowly. She had taken the
children again, and at every step he turned and supported her.

"Get her to a safe place, and return!" I shouted.

I saw him wave his hand, but the roaring of the water prevented my
hearing his answer. Soon we could not see them. They had descended to
the roof of the next house. At the end of five minutes they appeared
upon the third roof, which must have been very steep, for they went on
hands and knees along the summit. A sudden terror seized me. I put my
hands to my mouth and shouted:

"Come back! Come back!"

Then all of us shouted together. Our voices stopped them for a moment,
but they continued on their way. They reached the angle formed by the
street upon which faced the Raimbeau house, a high structure, with a
roof at least ten feet above those of the neighboring houses. For a
moment they hesitated. Then Cyprien climbed up a chimney pipe, with the
agility of a cat. Aimee, who must have consented to wait for him, stood
on the tiles. We saw her plainly, black and enlarged against the pale
sky, straining her children to her bosom. And it was then that the
horrifying trouble began.

The Raimbeau house, originally intended for a factory, was very flimsily
built. Besides, the facade was exposed to the current in the street. I
thought I could see it tremble from the attacks of the water; and, with
a contraction of the throat, I watched Cyprien cross the roof. Suddenly
a rumbling was heard. The moon rose, a round moon, whose yellow face
lighted up the immense lake. Not a detail of the catastrophe was lost
to us. The Raimbeau house collapsed. We gave a cry of terror as we saw
Cyprien disappear. As