He had scarcely reached the middle of the courtyard, when one side of his house came thundering down.

He retained presence of mind to remember that, if he once got on the top of that part which had already fallen, he would be safe.

Not being able from the motion of the ground to stand, he crawled up on his hands and knees; and no sooner had he ascended this little eminence, than the other side of the house fell in, the great beams sweeping close in front of his head.

With his eyes blinded and his mouth choked with the cloud of dust which darkened the sky, at last he gained the street.

As shock succeeded shock, at the interval of a few minutes, no one dared approach the shattered ruins, and no one knew whether his dearest friends and relations were not perishing from the want of help.