im, and found two iron half-rings in the
chimney, one above the other; he was in semi-darkness here, but far above
there was a patch of pale smoky light; and all the chimney seemed full of
a murmurous sound. He tugged at the rings and found them secure, and drew
himself up steadily by the higher one, until his knee struck the lower;
then with a great effort he got his knee upon it, then his left foot, and
again straightened himself. Then, as he felt in the darkness once more,
he found a system of rings, one above the other, up the side of the
chimney, by which it was not hard to climb. As he went up he began to
perceive a sharp acrid smell, his eyes smarted and he closed them, but
his throat burned; he climbed fiercely; and then suddenly saw immediately
below him another hearth; he was looking over the fireplate of some other
room. In a moment more he thrust his head over, and drew a long breath of
clear air; then he listened intently. From below still came a murmur of
confusion; but in this room all was quiet. He began to think frantically.
He could not remain in the chimney, it was hopeless; they would soon
light fires, he knew, in all the chimneys, and bring him down. What room
was this? He was bewildered and could not remember. But at least he would
climb into it and try to escape. In a moment more he had lifted himself
over the fireplate and dropped safely on to the hearth of his own
bedroom.

The fresh air and the familiarity of the room, as he looked round, swept
the confusion out of his brain like a breeze. The thundering and shouting
continued below. Then he went on tip-toe to the door and opened it. Round
to the right was the head of the stairs which led straight into the
little passage where the struggle was going on. He could hear Robert's
voice in the din; plainly there was no way down the stairs. To the left
was the passage that ended in a window, with the chapel door at the left
and the false shelves on the right. He hesitated a moment between the two
hiding-places, and then decided for the cupboard; there was a clean
doublet there; his own was one black smear of soot, and as he thought of
it, he drew off his sooty shoes. His hose were fortunately dark. He
stepped straight out of the door, leaving it just ajar. Even as he left
it there was a thunder of footsteps on the stairs, and he was at the
shelves in a moment, catching a glimpse through the window on his left of
the front court crowded with men and ho