Dicken's works . ll, a number of men laboredlike giants. Others, reposing upon heaps of coalsor ashes, with their faces turned to the black vaultabove, slept or rested from their toil. Others,again, opening the white-hot furnace doors, castfuel on the flames, which came rushing and roaringforth to meet it, and licked it up like oil. Othersdrew forth, with clashing noise, upon the ground,great sheets of glowing steel, emitting an insup-portable heat, and a dull deep light like that whichreddens in the eyes of savage beasts. Through these bewildering sights and deafeningsounds their conductor le
Dicken's works . ll, a number of men laboredlike giants. Others, reposing upon heaps of coalsor ashes, with their faces turned to the black vaultabove, slept or rested from their toil. Others,again, opening the white-hot furnace doors, castfuel on the flames, which came rushing and roaringforth to meet it, and licked it up like oil. Othersdrew forth, with clashing noise, upon the ground,great sheets of glowing steel, emitting an insup-portable heat, and a dull deep light like that whichreddens in the eyes of savage beasts. Through these bewildering sights and deafeningsounds their conductor led them to where, in a darkportion of the building, one furnace burnt by nightand day — so, at least, they gathered from themotion of his lips, for as yet they could only seehim speak: not hear him. The man who had beenwatching this fire, and whose task was ended forthe present, gladly withdrew, and left them withtheir friend, who, spreading Nells little cloak upona heap of ashes, and showing her where she could. THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP. 85 hang her outer clothes to dry, signed to her and theold man to lie down and sleep. For himself, hetook his station on a rugged mat before the furnacedoor, and resting his chin upon his hands watchedthe flame as it shone through the iron chinks, andthe white ashes as they fell into their bright hotgrave below. The warmth of her bed, hard and humble as itwas, combined with the great fatigue she hadundergone, soon caused the tumult of the place tofall with a gentler sound upon the childs tired ears,and was not long in lulling her to sleep. The oldman was stretched beside her, and with her handupon his neck she lay and dreamed. It was yet night when she awoke, nor did sheknow how long, or for how short a time, she hadslept. But she found herself protected, both fromany cold air that might find its way into the build-ing, and from the scorching heat, by some of theworkmens clothes ; and glancing at their friend,saw that he sat in exactly the same
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherbosto, bookyear1890
