The coroner rubbed his chin. He seemed to be weighing his words with particular circumspection.
"Then you went into the house to try to get him out."
"Yes."
"In what condition was the house when you entered it? I mean, how far had the fire progressed?"
"The whole place was blazing," Simon answered. "It was worst in the part which I now gather was called the west wing. There was fire in the hall, and the stairs had begun to burn. Part of the passage I had to go down to reach Kennet's room was also alight."
"I take it that with all that fire there would be a great deal of smoke and fumes."
"There was quite a bit."
"I understand that you were quite — er — groggy when you came out."
"Only for a moment. It passed off very quickly."
"But I take it that if you had stayed in the house any longer than you did, you would inevitably have been overcome by the smoke and fumes and lost consciousness."