Fire! Fire! Read Online Free PDF Page B

York and his soldiers were obviously working hard to save Cheapside. But I was soon distracted as I had to grab Pip’s collar before he ran off down the stairs in fright.
    I picked him up and went into my room, closing the door securely behind me. I made a comfortable bed for him next to my pillow before reaching up to the small window in the sloping angle of the roof, opening it and looking out.
    The fire was much nearer now, raging and writhing high up into the sky, like snakes of flame and light. The stench of smoke was almost more than I could bear, so I quickly closed the window and lay down on the bed fully dressed.
    I must have fallen asleep immediately, because the next thing I knew I was being woken up by the uproar of the huge wagons arriving to take the household goods to safety. My bed must’ve been one of the few things that hadn’t been packed away.
    I immediately leapt up and hurried downstairs to help. I found the hall in a state of chaos. Some of the stronger servants carried the big crates out to the waiting wagons, and the rest hurried backwards and forwards with baskets full to the brim with cutlery, plates and anything else that could be fitted in.
    Master Pepys must have found time to go to bed himself, because he was directing operations dressed only in his nightshirt, slippers and wig. Mrs Pepys stood at the front door waving the servants through to the waiting wagons and then back again. She too was in her nightgown and her large and complicated hairdo was securely anchored down with a white silk headscarf.
    â€œAh, Tom!” Master Pepys cried when he saw me. “Quick, down to the kitchens and bring up the basket of cheeses.”
    I did as I was told, and as I lugged the heavy basket back to the hall, I found my master waiting for me with a shovel in his hand.
    â€œSplendid! Splendid! This way,” he said, and I hurried after him as he led me through the main door and then round the side of the house to the small orchard we had. I had no idea what was going on.
    â€œThis will do, Tom. You can dig here.”
    â€œDig, sir?”
    â€œYes. These Parmesan cheeses are far too delicate and expensive to carry through the streets. They’ll do very well buried here wrapped in linen and kept safe in these baskets.”
    I didn’t think they’d ‘do very well’ if it rained, but as the weather was still warm and fine, perhaps they’d be safe. Though I couldn’t even guess why my master was wasting time worrying about cheeses when so much was being destroyed by the fire.
    As I dug down into the hard, dry soil, my master disappeared, but he soon returned with several bottles of wine.
    â€œThese can join the cheeses too, my lad. They’re the finest sherry-wine, and easily disturbed by too much heat or fire.”
    By the time I’d dug a hole big enough, packed it with cheese and wine, and then filled the hole back up again, I was very hot and sweaty and coughing heavily as I breathed in the smoke and fumes. But there was no time to rest; Master Pepys led the way back into the house where I was soon busy fetching more baskets of goods from the kitchen and carrying them out to the four huge wagons that stood waiting on Seething Lane.
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    With all of the hard work and the rush and hurry I’d completely forgotten about Pip, until I heard a yap and there he was at my feet. He was shivering with fright, staring at the flames that were drawing ever nearer. “What are you doing here, Master Rat-catcher?” I asked the little dog. “I’ll have to find a basket for you as soon as I get a moment and then get you stowed safely on one of the wagons.”
    It was just at that point that two of the kitchen porters staggered through the gates and out onto Seething Lane. They were carrying a huge wooden crate between them and it was obviously really heavy, judging by the amount of swearing that was going on. Then, as I