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第4节

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the next day by the woman being taken ill with whom I had intended

to entrust my house and all my affairs。  But I had a further obligation

laid on me on the same side; for the next day I found myself very

much out of order also; so that if I would have gone away; I could

not;〃 and I continued ill three or four days; and this entirely

determined my stay; so I took my leave of my brother; who went away

to Dorking; in Surrey; and afterwards fetched a round farther into

Buckinghamshire or Bedfordshire; to a retreat he had found out there

for his family。



It was a very ill time to be sick in; for if any one complained; it was

immediately said he had the plague; and though I had indeed no

symptom of that distemper; yet being very ill; both in my head and in

my stomach; I was not without apprehension that I really was

infected; but in about three days I grew better; the third night I rested

well; sweated a little; and was much refreshed。  The apprehensions of

its being the infection went also quite away with my illness; and I

went about my business as usual。



These things; however; put off all my thoughts of going into the

country; and my brother also being gone; I had no more debate either

with him or with myself on that subject。



It was now mid…July; and the plague; which had chiefly raged at the

other end of the town; and; as I said before; in the parishes of St Giles;

St Andrew's; Holborn; and towards Westminster; began to now come

eastward towards the part where I lived。  It was to be observed;

indeed; that it did not come straight on towards us; for the city; that is

to say; within the walls; was indifferently healthy still; nor was it got

then very much over the water into Southwark; for though there died

that week 1268 of all distempers; whereof it might be supposed above

600 died of the plague; yet there was but twenty…eight in the whole

city; within the walls; and but nineteen in Southwark; Lambeth parish

included; whereas in the parishes of St Giles and St Martin…in…the…

Fields alone there died 421。



But we perceived the infection kept chiefly in the out…parishes;

which being very populous; and fuller also of poor; the distemper

found more to prey upon than in the city; as I shall observe afterwards。

We perceived; I say; the distemper to draw our way; viz。; by the

parishes of Clarkenwell; Cripplegate; Shoreditch; and Bishopsgate;

which last two parishes joining to Aldgate; Whitechappel; and Stepney;

the infection came at length to spread its utmost rage and violence in

those parts; even when it abated at the western parishes where it began。



It was very strange to observe that in this particular week; from the

4th to the 11th of July; when; as I have observed; there died near 400

of the plague in the two parishes of St Martin and St Giles…in…the…

Fields only; there died in the parish of Aldgate but four; in the parish

of Whitechappel three; in the parish of Stepney but one。



Likewise in the next week; from the 11th of July to the 18th; when

the week's bill was 1761; yet there died no more of the plague; on the

whole Southwark side of the water; than sixteen。

But this face of things soon changed; and it began to thicken in

Cripplegate parish especially; and in Clarkenwell; so that by the

second week in August; Cripplegate parish alone buried 886; and

Clarkenwell 155。  Of the first; 850 might well be reckoned to die of

the plague; and of the last; the bill itself said 145 were of the plague。



During the month of July; and while; as I have observed; our part of

the town seemed to be spared in comparison of the west part; I went

ordinarily about the streets; as my business required; and particularly

went generally once in a day; or in two days; into the city; to my

brother's house; which he had given me charge of; and to see if it was

safe; and having the key in my pocket; I used to go into the house; and

over most of the rooms; to see that all was well; for though it be

something wonderful to tell; that any should have hearts so hardened

in the midst of such a calamity as to rob and steal; yet certain it is that

all sorts of villainies; and even levities and debaucheries; were then

practised in the town as openly as ever … I will not say quite as

frequently; because the numbers of people were many ways lessened。



But the city itself began now to be visited too; I mean within the

walls; but the number of people there were indeed extremely lessened

by so great a multitude having been gone into the country; and even

all this month of July they continued to flee; though not in such

multitudes as formerly。  In August; indeed; they fled in such a manner

that I began to think there would be really none but magistrates and

servants left in the city。



As they fled now out of the city; so I should observe that the Court

removed early; viz。; in the month of June; and went to Oxford; where

it pleased God to preserve them; and the distemper did not; as I heard

of; so much as touch them; for which I cannot say that I ever saw they

showed any great token of thankfulness; and hardly anything of

reformation; though they did not want being told that their crying

vices might without breach of charity be said to have gone far in

bringing that terrible judgement upon the whole nation。



The face of London was …now indeed strangely altered: I mean the

whole mass of buildings; city; liberties; suburbs; Westminster;

Southwark; and altogether; for as to the particular part called the city;

or within the walls; that was not yet much infected。  But in the whole

the face of things; I say; was much altered; sorrow and sadness sat

upon every face; and though some parts were not yet overwhelmed;

yet all looked deeply concerned; and; as we saw it apparently coming

on; so every one looked on himself and his family as in the utmost

danger。  Were it possible to represent those times exactly to those that

did not see them; and give the reader due ideas of the horror 'that

everywhere presented itself; it must make just impressions upon their

minds and fill them with surprise。  London might well be said to be all

in tears; the mourners did not go about the streets indeed; for nobody

put on black or made a formal dress of mourning for their nearest

friends; but the voice of mourners was truly heard in the streets。  The

shrieks of women and children at the windows and doors of their

houses; where their dearest relations were perhaps dying; or just dead;

were so frequent to be heard as we passed the streets; that it was

enough to pierce the stoutest heart in the world to hear them。  Tears

and lamentations were seen almost in every house; especially in the

first part of the visitation; for towards the latter end men's hearts were

hardened; and death was so always before their eyes; that they did not

so much concern themselves for the loss of their friends; expecting

that themselves should be summoned the next hour。



Business led me out sometimes to the other end of the town; even

when the sickness was chiefly there; and as the thing was new to me;

as well as to everybody else; it was a most surprising thing to see

those streets which were usually so thronged now grown desolate; and

so few people to be seen in them; that if I had been a stranger and at a

loss for my way; I might sometimes have gone the length of a whole

street (I mean of the by…streets); and seen nobody to direct me except

watchmen set at the doors of such houses as were shut up; of which I

shall speak presently。



One day; being at that part of the town on some special business;

curiosity led me to observe things more than usually; and indeed I

walked a great way where I had no business。  I went up Holborn; and

there the street was full of people; but they walked in the middle of

the great street; neither on one side or other; because; as I suppose;

they would not mingle with anybody that came out of houses; or meet

with smells and scent from houses that might be infected。



The Inns of Court were all shut up; nor were very many of the

lawyers in the Temple; or Lincoln's Inn; or Gray's Inn; to be seen

there。  Everybody was at peace; there was no occasion for lawyers;

besides; it being in the time of the vacation too; they were generally

gone into the country。  Whole rows of houses in some places were

shut close up; the inhabitants all fled; and only a watchman or two left。



When I speak of rows of houses being shut up; I do not mean shut

up by the magistrates; but that great numbers of persons followed the

Court; by the necessity of their employments and other dependences;

and as others retired; really frighted with the distemper; it was a mere

desolating of some of the streets。  But the fright was not yet near so

great in the city; abstractly so called; and particularly because; though

they were at first in a most inexpressible consternation; yet as I have

observed that the diste

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