e to find out the blind
man (a task that filled him with delight) and bring him to that place;
taking especial care that he was not watched or followed on his way
back. He listened to the directions he must observe, repeated them again
and again, and after twice or thrice returning to surprise his father
with a light-hearted laugh, went forth, at last, upon his errand:
leaving Grip, whom he had carried from the jail in his arms, to his
care.

Fleet of foot, and anxious to return, he sped swiftly on towards the
city, but could not reach it before the fires began, and made the night
angry with their dismal lustre. When he entered the town--it might be
that he was changed by going there without his late companions, and on
no violent errand; or by the beautiful solitude in which he had passed
the day, or by the thoughts that had come upon him,--but it seemed
peopled by a legion of devils. This flight and pursuit, this cruel
burning and destroying, these dreadful cries and stunning noises, were
THEY the good lord's noble cause!

Though almost stupefied by the bewildering scene, still be found the
blind man's house. It was shut up and tenantless.

He waited for a long while, but no one came. At last he withdrew; and as
he knew by this time that the soldiers were firing, and many people must
have been killed, he went down into Holborn, where he heard the great
crowd was, to try if he could find Hugh, and persuade him to avoid the
danger, and return with him.

If he had been stunned and shocked before, his horror was increased a
thousandfold when he got into this vortex of the riot, and not being an
actor in the terrible spectacle, had it all before his eyes. But there,
in the midst, towering above them all, close before the house they were
attacking now, was Hugh on horseback, calling to the rest!

Sickened by the sights surrounding him on every side, and by the heat
and roar, and crash, he forced his way among the crowd (where many
recognised him, and with shouts pressed back to let him pass), and in
time was nearly up with Hugh, who was savagely threatening some one, but
whom or what he said, he could not, in the great confusion, understand.
At that moment the crowd forced their way into the house, and Hugh--it
was impossible to see by what means, in such a concourse--fell headlong
down.

Barnaby was beside him when he staggered to his feet. It was well he
made him hear his voice, or Hugh, with his uplifted axe, would