90 JUNE 



tottering down when it rains ? If we don't go 

 back into the house, where can we go ? Every 

 other house must be in the same condition." 



" There are the servants' go-downs. We shall 

 have to sleep in the coach-house." 



Being of one storey only, these buildings seemed 

 to have escaped damage. Fortunately, nothing fell 

 on the horses, though they were frightened. 



"Well," I said, "at any rate we can't sleep 

 upstairs, for that must be where the greatest 

 shaking occurred. To see the house waving like a 

 flag, quite 3 feet from the perpendicular, must mean 

 that the whole of the walls have become loose, in 

 such an old house as this. Perhaps we can stay 

 safely downstairs. I will go and get blankets and 

 pillows, and wraps, in case we have to run out into 

 the garden in the night." 



Just then the master drove in, and was greatly 

 astonished to see the portico partly down, prevent- 

 ing him from driving up to the door. He knew 

 actually nothing of the earthquake ; having started 

 for home just five minutes before it occurred. He 

 drove leisurely along by the river-side, wrapped in 

 his thoughts, and noticed nothing of the earth 



