he　could　frame　his　words；　they　passed　into　the　shadows。　　Horrocks
  pointed　to　the　canal　close　before　them　now：　a　weird…looking　place
  it　seemed；　in　the　blood…red　reflections　of　the　furnaces。　　The　hot
  water　that　cooled　the　tuyeres　came　into　it；　some　fifty　yards　up
  a　tumultuous；　almost　boiling　affluent；　and　the　steam　rose　up　from
  the　water　in　silent　white　wisps　and　streaks；　wrapping　damply　about
  them；　an　incessant　succession　of　ghosts　coming　up　from　the　black
  and　red　eddies；　a　white　uprising　that　made　the　head　swim。　　The
  shining　black　tower　of　the　larger　blast…furnace　rose　overhead　out
  of　the　mist；　and　its　tumultuous　riot　filled　their　ears。　　Raut　kept
  away　from　the　edge　of　the　water；　and　watched　Horrocks。
  〃Here　it　is　red；〃　said　Horrocks；　〃blood…red　vapour　as　red　and
  hot　as　sin；　but　yonder　there；　where　the　moonlight　falls　on　it；　and
  it　drives　across　the　clinker…heaps；　it　is　as　white　as　death。〃
  Raut　turned　his　head　for　a　moment；　and　then　came　back　hastily
  to　his　watch　on　Horrocks。　　〃Come　along　to　the　rolling…mills；〃　said
  Horrocks。　　The　threatening　hold　was　not　so　evident　that　time；　and
  Raut　felt　a　little　reassured。　　But　all　the　same；　what　on　earth　did
  Horrocks　mean　about　〃white　as　death〃　and　〃red　as　sin？〃
  Coincidence；　perhaps？
  They　went　and　stood　behind　the　puddlers　for　a　little　while；
  and　then　through　the　rolling…mills；　where　amidst　an　incessant　din
  the　deliberate　steam…hammer　beat　the　juice　out　of　the　succulent
  iron；　and　black；　half…naked　Titans　rushed　the　plastic　bars；　like
  hot　sealing…wax；　between　the　wheels。　　〃Come　on；〃　said　Horrocks　in
  Raut's　ear；　and　they　went　and　peeped　through　the　little　glass　hole
  behind　the　tuyeres；　and　saw　the　tumbled　fire　writhing　in　the　pit　of
  the　blast…furnace。　　It　left　one　eye　blinded　for　a　while。　　Then；
  with　green　and　blue　patches　dancing　across　the　dark；　they　went　to
  the　lift　by　which　the　trucks　of　ore　and　fuel　and　lime　were　raised
  to　the　top　of　the　big　cylinder。
  And　out　upon　the　narrow　rail　that　overhung　the　furnace；　Raut's
  doubts　came　upon　him　again。　　Was　it　wise　to　be　here？　　If　Horrocks
  did　knoweverything！　　Do　what　he　would；　he　could　not　resist　a
  violent　trembling。　　Right　under　foot　was　a　sheer　depth　of　seventy
  feet。　　It　was　a　dangerous　place。　　They　pushed　by　a　truck　of　fuel　to
  get　to　the　railing　that　crowned　the　place。　　The　reek　of　the
  furnace；　a　sulphurous　vapor　streaked　with　pungent　bitterness；
  seemed　to　make　the　distant　hillside　of　Hanley　quiver。　　The　moon　was
  riding　out　now　from　among　a　drift　of　clouds；　halfway　up　the　sky
  above　the　undulating　wooded　outlines　of　Newcastle。　　The　steaming
  canal　ran　away　from　below　them　under　an　indistinct　bridge；　and
  vanished　into　the　dim　haze　of　the　flat　fields　towards　Burslem。
  〃That's　the　cone　I've　been　telling　you　of；〃　shouted　Horrocks；
  〃and；　below　that；　sixty　feet　of　fire　and　molten　metal；　with　the　air
  of　the　blast　frothing　through　it　like　gas　in　soda…water。〃
  Raut　gripped　the　hand…rail　tightly；　and　stared　down　at　the
  cone。　　The　heat　was　intense。　　The　boiling　of　the　iron　and　the
  tumult　of　the　blast　made　a　thunderous　accompaniment　to　Horrocks'
  voice。　　But　the　thing　had　to　be　gone　through　now。　　Perhaps；　after
  all　。　。　。
  〃In　the　middle；〃　bawled　Horrocks；　〃temperature　near　a　thousand
  degrees。　　If　YOU　were　dropped　into　it　。　。　。　。　flash　into
  flame　like　a　pinch　of　gunpowder　in　a　candle。　　Put　your　hand　out　and
  feel　the　heat　of　his　breath。　　Why；　even　up　here　I've　seen　the
  rain…water　boiling　off　the　trucks。　　And　that　cone　there。　　It's　a
  damned　sight　too　hot　for　roasting　cakes。　　The　top　side　of　it's
  three　hundred　degrees。〃
  〃Three　hundred　degrees！〃　said　Raut。
  〃Three　hundred　centigrade；　mind！〃　said　Horrocks。　　〃It　will
  boil　the　blood　out　of　you　in　no　time。〃
  〃Eigh？〃　said　Raut；　and　turned。
  〃Boil　the　blood　out　of　you　in　。　。　。　No；　you　don't！〃
  〃Let　me　go！〃　screamed　Raut。　　〃Let　go　my　arm！〃
  With　one　hand　he　clutched　at　the　hand…rail；　then　with　both。
  For　a　moment　the　two　men　stood　swaying。　　Then　suddenly；　with　a
  violent　jerk；　Horrocks　had　twisted　him　from　his　hold。　　He　clutched
  at　Horrocks　and　missed；　his　foot　went　back　into　empty　air；　in
  mid…air　he　twisted　himself；　and　then　cheek　and　shoulder　and　knee
  struck　the　hot　cone　together。
  He　clutched　the　chain　by　which　the　cone　hung；　and　the　thing
  sank　an　infinitesimal　amount　as　he　struck　it。　　A　circle　of　glowing
  red　appeared　about　him；　and　a　tongue　of　flame；　released　from　the
  chaos　within；　flickered　up　towards　him。　　An　intense　pain　assailed
  him　at　the　knees；　and　he　could　smell　the　singeing　of　his　hands。　　He
  raised　himself　to　his　feet；　and　tried　to　climb　up　the　chain；　and
  then　something　struck　his　head。　　Black　and　shining　with　the
  moonlight；　the　throat　of　the　furnace　rose　about　him。
  Horrocks；　he　saw；　stood　above　him　by　one　of　the　trucks　of　fuel
  on　the　rail。　　The　gesticulating　figure　was　bright　and　white　in　the
  moonlight；　and　shouting；　〃Fizzle；　you　fool！　　Fizzle；　you　hunter　of
  women！　　You　hot…blooded　hound！　　Boil！　boil！　boil！〃
  Suddenly　he　caught　up　a　handful　of　coal　out　of　the　truck；　and
  flung　it　deliberately；　lump　after　lump；　at　Raut。
  〃Horrocks！〃　cried　Raut。　　〃Horrocks！〃
  He　clung　crying　to　the　chain；　pulling　himself　up　from　the
  burning　of　the　cone。　　Each　missile　Horrocks　flung　hit　him。　　His
  clothes　charred　and　glowed；　and　as　he　struggled　the　cone　dropped；
  and　a　rush　of　hot　suffocating　gas　whooped　out　and　burned　round　him
  in　a　swift　breath　of　flame。
  His　human　likeness　departed　from　him。　　When　the　momentary　red
  had　passed；　Horrocks　saw　a　charred；　blackened　figure；　its　head
  streaked　with　blood；　still　clutching　and　fumbling　with　the　chain；
  and　writhing　in　agonya　cindery　animal；　an　inhuman；　monstrous
  creature　that　began　a　sobbing　intermittent　shriek。
  Abruptly；　at　the　sight；　the　ironmaster's　anger　passed。　　A
  deadly　sickness　came　upon　him。　　The　heavy　odour　of　burning　flesh
  came　drifting　up　to　his　nostrils。　　His　sanity　returned　to　him。
  〃God　have　mercy　upon　me！〃　he　cried。　　〃O　God！　what　have　I
  done？〃
  He　knew　the　thing　below　him；　save　that　it　still　moved　and
  felt；　was　already　a　dead　manthat　the　blood　of　the　poor　wretch
  must　be　boiling　in　his　veins。　　An　intense　realisation　of　that　agony
  came　to　his　mind；　and　overcame　every　other　feeling。　　For　a　moment
  he　stood　irresolute；　and　then；　turning　to　the　truck；　he　hastily
  tilted　its　contents　upon　the　struggling　thing　that　had　once　been　a
  man。　　The　mass　fell　with　a　thud；　and　went　radiating　over　the　cone。
  With　the　thud　the　shriek　ended；　and　a　boiling　confusion　of　smoke；
  dust；　and　flame　came　rushing　up　towards　him。　　As　it　passed；　he　saw
  the　cone　clear　again。
  Then　he　staggered　back；　and　stood　trembling；　clinging　to　the
  rail　with　both　hands。　　His　lips　moved；　but　no　words　came　to　them。
  Down　below　was　the　sound　of　voices　and　running　steps。　　The
  clangour　of　rolling　in　the　shed　ceased　abruptly。