There was a burning beam not three feet from the well mouth, part of the fallen roof that had slipped sideways from it.

The flames that shot up from the building were so hot that I could barely abide them, and I shaded my face with both my hands, crying again to the monks to come quickly.
In a few seconds came the sacristan, white and trembling--I had to help him out of the well mouth.

The prior was close to him; he was calm, and even smiled at me as he saw me clutch my arms eagerly.
"To the rear gate," I said, turning and kicking the ladder into the well, and thinking how cool the splash was compared with this furnace of heat.

"Kilt up your frocks and go swiftly, but run not," for in that smoke, save their long garments betrayed them, a man might be armed or unarmed for all that one could see.
So, walking quickly, we came to the court entrance, and even as we stood under its archway the building nearest the well fell with a crash and rumble, covering the well mouth with a pile of blazing timber.

The smoke and flame seemed to wrap us round, while the burning timber flew, and the Danes from the great courtyard yelled with evil delight; but before that cloud had cleared away we three were outside the monastery gate, and were safe.
"Just in time," I said.
But "Deo gratias" said the monks in a breath.
"Now run," said I, and into the nearest spur of woodland we went, and stayed not till we were beyond reach of the yells of the destroyers, who, as it seemed, had not even seen us.
When we were sure that we were not pursued, the prior took my arm and pressed it.
"Thanks to you, my son, our people are safe, and we have come out of yon furnace unscathed.