BRUNO 95 



awakened by an alarm of fire. The room was 

 full of light, and when we looked out of the 

 window we found that it was close by only 

 about two squares away. It was a big blaze 

 and, as it was on the opposite side of the street, 

 we had a fine view of it. I was terribly fright- 

 ened. My uneasiness earlier in the evening had 

 unnerved me, and this terrible fire so near us 

 upset me completely. A fire fills me with hor- 

 ror, especially if it breaks out in the night: it 

 always reminds me of the burning of a big 

 steamer that happened one awful night in my 

 tenth year. 



I watched the flames, fascinated by their lurid 

 splendor ; - imagining that the three white 

 pigeons which had been awakened by the light 

 and were circling around the tower of smoke 

 now hidden by it, and now silhouetted against 

 it- -were the souls of those who had perished 

 in the flames. Overcome by horror, I finally 

 exclaimed : - 



" Suppose it had been this big building that 

 had caught fire ! ' 



" But it was n't," said Julius. 



" No : but it might have been. I don't like 

 this at all. I Avaut to be in a little house by 

 ourselves, close to the ground." 



