Laissez-moi passer, messieurs." A great body hurled itself frantically past Beverley and the guard, going out through the gateway against the wall of the crowd, bearing everything before it and shouting: "Back, fools! you'll all be killed--the powder is on fire! Ziff! run!" Wild as a March hare, he bristled with terror and foamed at the mouth.
He stampeded the entire mass.

There was a wild howl; a rush in the other direction followed, and soon enough the esplanade and all the space back to the barricades and beyond were quite deserted.
Alice was not aware that a serious accident had happened.

Naturally she thought the great, rattling, crashing noise of the explosion a mere part of the spectacular show.

When the rush followed, separating her and Beverley, it was a great relief to her in some way; for a sudden recognition of the boldness of her action in the little scene just ended, came over her and bewildered her.

An impulse sent her running away from the spot where, it seemed to her, she had invited public derision.