The bushes outside were ruffled and
whitened, and the wind pressed upon them so that they seemed to stoop to
the ground. The waiters had to press dishes upon the diners' notice;
and the diners had to draw the attention of waiters, for they were all
absorbed in looking at the storm. As the thunder showed no signs of
withdrawing, but seemed massed right overhead, while the lightning aimed
straight at the garden every time, an uneasy gloom replaced the first
excitement.
Finishing the meal very quickly, people congregated in the hall, where
they felt more secure than in any other place because they could retreat
far from the windows, and although they heard the thunder, they could
not see anything. A little boy was carried away sobbing in the arms of
his mother.
While the storm continued, no one seemed inclined to sit down, but they
collected in little groups under the central skylight, where they stood
in a yellow atmosphere, looking upwards. Now and again their faces
became white, as the lightning flashed, and finally a terrific crash
came, making the panes of the skylight lift at the joints.
"Ah!" several voices exclaimed at the same moment.
"Something struck," said a man's voice.
The rain rushed down. The rain seemed now to extinguish the lightning
and the thunder, and the hall became almost dark.
After a minute or two, when nothing was heard but the rattle of water
upon the glass, there was a perceptible slackening of the sound, and
then the atmosphere became lighter.
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