the notch on the ax and on being found out-第42节

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powerful　but　prostrated　intellect。　　It　contained　some　insane　lines；
ascribed　to　Lee　the　dramatic　poet；　commencing；


　　　　　〃O　that　my　lungs　could　bleat　like　buttered　pease；〃　&c。


There　is　no　proof　whatever　that　these　miserable　lines　were　really
written　by　Lee；　except　that　the　measure　is　the　fashionable　quatrain
of　the　period。　　It　is　singular　that　Stanton　read　on　without
suspicion　of　his　own　danger；　quite　absorbed　in　the　album　of　a
madhouse；　without　ever　reflecting　on　the　place　where　he　was；　and
which　such　compositions　too　manifestly　designated。

It　was　after　a　long　interval　that　he　looked　round；　and　perceived
that　his　companion　was　gone。　　Bells　were　unusual　then。　　He
proceeded　to　the　door；it　was　fastened。　　He　called　aloud；his
voice　was　echoed　in　a　moment　by　many　others；　but　in　tones　so　wild
and　discordant；　that　he　desisted　in　involuntary　terror。　　As　the　day
advanced；　and　no　one　approached；　he　tried　the　window；　and　then
perceived　for　the　first　time　it　was　grated。　　It　looked　out　on　the
narrow　flagged　yard；　in　which　no　human　being　was；　and　if　there　had；
from　such　a　being　no　human　feeling　could　have　been　extracted。

Sickening　with　unspeakable　horror；　he　sunk　rather　than　sat　down
beside　the　miserable　window；　and　〃wished　for　day。〃

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

At　midnight　he　started　from　a　doze；　half　a　swoon；　half　a　sleep；
which　probably　the　hardness　of　his　seat；　and　of　the　deal　table　on
which　he　leaned；　had　not　contributed　to　prolong。

He　was　in　complete　darkness；　the　horror　of　his　situation　struck　him
at　once；　and　for　a　moment　he　was　indeed　almost　qualified　for　an
inmate　of　that　dreadful　mansion。　　He　felt　his　way　to　the　door；
shook　it　with　desperate　strength；　and　uttered　the　most　frightful
cries；　mixed　with　expostulations　and　commands。　　His　cries　were　in　a
moment　echoed　by　a　hundred　voices。　　In　maniacs　there　is　a　peculiar
malignity；　accompanied　by　an　extraordinary　acuteness　of　some　of　the
senses；　particularly　in　distinguishing　the　voice　of　a　stranger。
The　cries　that　he　heard　on　every　side　seemed　like　a　wild　and
infernal　yell　of　joy；　that　their　mansion　of　misery　had　obtained
another　tenant。

He　paused；　exhausted；a　quick　and　thundering　step　was　heard　in　the
passage。　　The　door　was　opened；　and　a　man　of　savage　appearance　stood
at　the　entrance；two　more　were　seen　indistinctly　in　the　passage。
〃Release　me；　villain！〃〃Stop；　my　fine　fellow；　what's　all　this
noise　for？〃　　〃Where　am　I？〃　　〃Where　you　ought　to　be。〃　　〃Will　you
dare　to　detain　me？〃〃Yes；　and　a　little　more　than　that；〃　answered
the　ruffian；　applying　a　loaded　horsewhip　to　his　back　and　shoulders；
till　the　patient　soon　fell　to　the　ground　convulsed　with　rage　and
pain。　　〃Now　you　see　you　are　where　you　ought　to　be；〃　repeated　the
ruffian；　brandishing　the　horsewhip　over　him；　〃and　now　take　the
advice　of　a　friend；　and　make　no　more　noise。　　The　lads　are　ready　for
you　with　the　darbies；　and　they'll　clink　them　on　in　the　crack　of
this　whip；　unless　you　prefer　another　touch　of　it　first。〃　　They　then
were　advancing　into　the　room　as　he　spoke；　with　fetters　in　their
hands　（strait　waistcoats　being　then　little　known　or　used）；　and
showed；　by　their　frightful　countenances　and　gestures；　no
unwillingness　to　apply　them。　　Their　harsh　rattle　on　the　stone
pavement　made　Stanton's　blood　run　cold；　the　effect；　however；　was
useful。　　He　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　acknowledge　his　（supposed）
miserable　condition；　to　supplicate　the　forbearance　of　the　ruthless
keeper；　and　promise　complete　submission　to　his　orders。　　This
pacified　the　ruffian；　and　he　retired。

Stanton　collected　all　his　resolution　to　encounter　the　horrible
night；　he　saw　all　that　was　before　him；　and　summoned　himself　to　meet
it。　　After　much　agitated　deliberation；　he　conceived　it　best　to
continue　the　same　appearance　of　submission　and　tranquillity；　hoping
that　thus　he　might　in　time　either　propitiate　the　wretches　in　whose
hands　he　was；　or；　by　his　apparent　inoffensiveness；　procure　such
opportunities　of　indulgence；　as　might　perhaps　ultimately　facilitate
his　escape。　　He　therefore　determined　to　conduct　himself　with　the
utmost　tranquillity；　and　never　to　let　his　voice　be　heard　in　the
house；　and　he　laid　down　several　other　resolutions　with　a　degree　of
prudence　which　he　already　shuddered　to　think　might　be　the　cunning
of　incipient　madness；　or　the　beginning　result　of　the　horrid　habits
of　the　place。

These　resolutions　were　put　to　desperate　trial　that　very　night。
Just　next　to　Stanton's　apartment　were　lodged　two　most　uncongenial
neighbors。　　One　of　them　was　a　puritanical　weaver；　who　had　been
driven　mad　by　a　single　sermon　from　the　celebrated　Hugh　Peters；　and
was　sent　to　the　madhouse　as　full　of　election　and　reprobation　as　he
could　hold；and　fuller。　　He　regularly　repeated　over　the　five
points　while　daylight　lasted；　and　imagined　himself　preaching　in　a
conventicle　with　distinguished　success；　toward　twilight　his　visions
were　more　gloomy；　and　at　midnight　his　blasphemies　became　horrible。
In　the　opposite　cell　was　lodged　a　loyalist　tailor；　who　had　been
ruined　by　giving　credit　to　the　cavaliers　and　their　ladies；（for　at
this　time；　and　much　later；　down　to　the　reign　of　Anne；　tailors　were
employed　by　females　even　to　make　and　fit　on　their　stays）；who　had
run　mad　with　drink　and　loyalty　on　the　burning　of　the　Rump；　and　ever
since　had　made　the　cells　of　the　madhouse　echo　with　fragments　of　the
ill…fated　Colonel　Lovelace's　song；　scraps　from　Cowley's　〃Cutter　of
Coleman　street；〃　and　some　curious　specimens　from　Mrs。　Aphra　Behn's
plays；　where　the　cavaliers　are　denominated　the　heroicks；　and　Lady
Lambert　and　Lady　Desborough　represented　as　going　to　meeting；　their
large　Bibles　carried　before　them　by　their　pages；　and　falling　in
love　with　two　banished　cavaliers　by　the　way。　　The　voice　in　which　he
shrieked　out　such　words　was　powerfully　horrible；　but　it　was　like
the　moan　of　an　infant　compared　to　the　voice　which　took　up　and
reechoed　the　cry；　in　a　tone　that　made　the　building　shake。　　It　was
the　voice　of　a　maniac；　who　had　lost　her　husband；　children；
subsistence；　and　finally　her　reason；　in　the　dreadful　fire　of
London。　　The　cry　of　fire　never　failed　to　operate　with　terrible
punctuality　on　her　associations。　　She　had　been　in　a　disturbed
sleep；　and　now　started　from　it　as　suddenly　as　on　that　dreadful
night。　　It　was　Saturday　night　too；　and　she　was　always　observed　to
be　particularly　violent　on　that　night；it　was　the　terrible　weekly
festival　of　insanity　with　her。　　She　was　awake；　and　busy　in　a　moment
escaping　from　the　flames；　and　she　dramatized　the　whole　scene　with
such　hideous　fidelity；　that　Stanton's　resolution　was　far　more　in
danger　from　her　than　from　the　battle　between　his　neighbors
Testimony　and　Hothead。　　She　began　exclaiming　she　was　suffocated　by
the　smoke；　then　she　sprung　from　her　bed；　calling　for　a　light；　and
appeared　to　be　struck　by　the　sudden　glare　that　burst　through　her
casement。〃The　last　day；〃　she　shrieked；　〃The　last　day！　　The　very
heavens　are　on　fire！〃〃That　will　not　come　till　the　Man　of　Sin　be
first　destroyed；〃　cried　the　weaver；　〃thou　ravest　of　light　and　fire；
and　yet　thou　art　in　utter　darkness。I　pity　thee；　poor　mad　soul；　I
pity　thee！〃　　The　maniac　never　heeded　him；　she　appeared　to　be
scrambling　up　a　staircase　to　her　children's　room。　　She　exclaimed
she　was　scorched；　singed；　suffocated；　her　courage　appeared　to　fail；
and　she　retreated。　　〃But　my　children　are　there！〃　she　cried　in　a
voice　of　unspeakable　agony；　as　she　seemed　to　make　another　effort；
〃here　I　amhere　I　am　come　to　save　you。Oh　God！　　They　are　all
blazing！Take　this　armno；　not　that；　it　is　scorched　and　disabled
well；　any　armtake　hold　of　my　clothesno；　they　are　blazing　too！
Well；　take　me　all　on　fire　as　I　am！And　their　hair；　how　it
hisses！Water；　one　drop　of　water　for　my　youngesthe　is　but　an
infantfor　my　youngest；　and　let　me　burn！〃　　She　paused　in　horrid
silence；　to　watch　the　fall　of　a　blazing　rafter　that　was　about　to
shatter　the　staircase　on　which　she　stood。〃The　roof　has　fallen　on
my　head！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃The　earth　is　weak；　and　all　the
inhabitants　thereof；〃　chanted　the　weaver；　〃I　bear　up　the　pillars　of
it。〃

The　maniac　marked　the　destruction　of　the　spot　where　she　thought　she
stood　by　one　desperate　bound；　accompanied　by　a　wild　shriek；　and
then　calmly　gazed　on　her　infants　as　they　rolled　over　the　scorching
fragments；　and　sunk　into　the　abyss　of　fire　below。　　〃There　they　go；
onetwothreeall！〃　and　her　voice　sunk　into　low　mutterings；　and
her　convulsions　into　faint；　cold　shudderings；　like　the　sobbings　of
a　spent　storm；　as　she　imagined　herself　to　〃stand　in　safety　and
despair；〃　amid　the　thousand　houseless　wretches　assembled　in　the
suburbs　of　London　on　the　dreadful　nights　after　the　fire；　without
food；　roof；　or　raiment；　all　gazing　on　the　burning　ruins　of　their
dwellings　and　their　property。　　She　seemed　to　listen　to　their
complaints；　and　even　repeated　some　of　them　very　affectingly；　but
invariably　answered　them　with　the　same　words；　〃But　I　have　lost　all
my　childrenall！〃　　It　was　remarkable；　that　when　this　sufferer
began　to　rave；　all　the　others　became　silent。　　The　cry　of　nature
hushed　every　other　cry；she　was　the　only　patient　in　the　house　who
was　not　mad　from　politics；　religion；　ebriety；　or　some　perverted
passion；　and　terrifying　as　the　outbre