CHAPTER XV 187
Fairfax ; I thought no more of Grace Poole , or the laugh : in an instant , I was within the chamber . Tongues of flame darted round the bed : the curtains were on fire . In the midst of blaze and vapour , Mr . Rochester lay stretched motionless , in deep sleep .
" Wake ! wake !" I cried . I shook him , but he only murmured and turned : the smoke had stupefied him . Not a moment could be lost : the very sheets were kindling , I rushed to his basin and ewer ; fortunately , one was wide and the other deep , and both were filled with water . I heaved them up , deluged the bed and its occupant , flew back to my own room , brought my own water-jug , baptized the couch afresh , and , by God ' s aid , succeeded in extinguishing the flames which were devouring it .
The hiss of the quenched element , the breakage of a pitcher which I flung from my hand when I had emptied it , and , above all , the splash of the shower-bath I had liberally bestowed , roused Mr . Rochester at last . Though it was now dark , I knew he was awake ; because I heard him fulminating strange anathemas at finding himself lying in a pool of water .
" Is there a flood ?" he cried .
" No , sir ," I answered ; " but there has been a fire : get up , do ; you are quenched now ; I will fetch you a candle ."
" In the name of all the elves in Christendom , is that Jane Eyre ?" he demanded . " What have you done with me , witch , sorceress ? Who is in the room besides you ? Have you plotted to drown me ?"
" I will fetch you a candle , sir ; and , in Heaven ' s name , get up . Somebody has plotted something : you cannot too soon find out who and what it is ."
" There ! I am up now ; but at your peril you fetch a candle yet : wait two minutes till I get into some dry garments , if any dry there be -- yes , here is my dressing-gown . Now run !"