AsPierrepassedthroughthefencegate, hewasenvelopedbyhotairandinvoluntarilystopped.
"Whichisit? Whichisyourhouse?" heasked.
"Ooh!" wailedthegirl, pointingtothewing."That'sit, 'veburnedtodeath, ourtreasure, Katie, mypreciouslittlemissy! Ooh!" lamentedAniska, whoatthesightofthefirefeltthatshetoomustgiveexpressiontoherfeelings.
Pierrerushedtothewing, buttheheatwassogreatthatheinvoluntarilypassedroundinacurveandcameuponthelargehousethatwasasyetburningonlyatoneend, justbelowtheroof, , whoweredraggingsomethingout, wereabout; butseeingbeforehimaFrenchmanhittingapeasantwithabluntsaberandtryingtotakefromhimafox-furcoat, hevaguelyunderstoodthatlootingwasgoingonthere, buthehadnotimetodwellonthatidea.
Thesoundsofcracklingandthedinoffallingwallsandceilings, thewhistleandhissoftheflames, theexcitedshoutsofthepeople, andthesightoftheswayingsmoke, nowgatheringintothickblackcloudsandnowsoaringupwithglitteringsparks, withhereandtheredensesheavesofflame (nowredandnowlikegoldenfishscalescreepingalongthewalls), andtheheatandsmokeandrapidityofmotion, , bright, adroit, , whenjustabovehisheadheheardseveralvoicesshoutingandthenacrackingsoundandtheringofsomethingheavyfallingclosebesidehim.
PierrelookedupandsawatawindowofthelargehousesomeFrenchmenwhohadjustthrownoutthedrawerofachest, .
"Whatdoesthisfellowwant?" shoutedoneofthemreferringtoPierre.
"There''tyouseenachild?" criedPierre.
