太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > royalty restored >

第39节

royalty restored-第39节

小说: royalty restored 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



ges; 〃out of greediness to plunder the dead; would strangle their patients; and charge it to the distemper in their throats。  Others would secretly convey the pestilential taint from sores of the infected to those who were well; and nothing indeed deterred these abandoned miscreants from prosecuting their avaricious purposes by all methods their wickedness could invent; who; although they were without witnesses to accuse them; yet it is not doubted but divine vengeance will overtake such wicked barbarities with due punishment。  Nay; some were remarkably struck from heaven in the perpetration of their crimes; and one particularly amongst many; as she was leaving the house of a family; all dead; loaded with her robberies; fell down lifeless under her burden in the street。 And the case of a worthy citizen was very remarkable; who; being suspected dying by his nurse; was beforehand stripped by her; but recovering again; he came a second time into the world naked。〃

But notwithstanding all precautions and care taken by the Duke of Albemarle and the worthy lord mayor; the dreadful pestilence spread with alarming rapidity; as may be judged from the fact that the number who died in the first week of June amounted to forty…three; whilst during the last week of that month two hundred and sixty…seven persons were carried to their graves。 From the 4th of July to the 11th; seven hundred and fifty…five deaths were chronicled; the following eight days the death rate rose to one thousand and eighty…two; whilst the ensuing week this high figure was increased by over eight hundred。  For the month of August; the mortality bill recorded seventeen thousand and thirty…six deaths; and during September; twenty…six thousand two hundred and thirty persons perished in the city。

The whole British nation was stricken with consternation at the fate of the capital。  〃In some houses;〃 says Dr。 Hodges; speaking from personal experience; 〃carcases lay waiting for burial; and in others were persons in their last agonies。  In one room might be heard dying groans; in an other the ravings of delirium; and not far off relations and friends bewailing both their loss and the dismal prospect of their own sudden departure。  Death was the sure midwife to all children; and infants passed immediately from the womb to the grave。  Some of the infected run about staggering like drunken men; and fall and expire in the streets; whilst others lie half dead and comatose; but never to be waked but by the last trumpet。〃  The plague had indeed encompassed the walls of the city; and poured in upon it without mercy。  A heavy stifling atmosphere; vapours by day and blotting out all traces of stars and sky by night; hovered like a palpable shape of dire vengeance above the doomed city。  During many weeks 〃there was a general calm and serenity; as if both wind and rain had been expelled the kingdom; so that there was not so much as to move a flame。〃  The oppressive silence of brooding death; unbroken now even by the passing bell; weighed stupor…like upon the wretched survivors。 The thoroughfares were deserted; grass sprang green upon side…paths and steps of dwellings; and the broad street in Whitechapel became like unto a field。  Most houses bore upon their doors the dread sign of the red cross; with the supplication for mercy written above。  Some of the streets were barricaded at both ends; the inhabitants either having fled into the country or been carried to their graves; and it was estimated in all that over seven thousand dwellings were deserted。  All commerce; save that dealing with the necessaries of life; was abandoned; the parks forsaken and locked; the Inns of Court closed; and the public marts abandoned。  A few of the church doors were opened; and some gathered within that they might humbly beseech pardon for the past; and ask mercy in the present。 But as the violence of the distemper increased; even the houses of God were forsaken; and those who ventured abroad walked in the centre of the street; avoiding contact or conversation with friend or neighbour; each man dreading and avoiding his fellow; lest he should be to him the harbinger of death。  And all carried rue and wormwood in their hands; and myrrh and zedoary in their mouths; as protection against infection。  Now were the faces of all pale with apprehension; none knowing when the fatal malady might carry them hence; and moreover sad; as became those who stand in the presence of death。

And such sights were to be witnessed day after day as made the heart sick。  〃It would be endless;〃 says the Rev。 Thomas Vincent; 〃to speak what we have seen and heard; of some; in their frenzy; rising out of their beds and leaping about their rooms; others crying and roaring at their windows; some coming forth almost naked and running into the streets; strange things have others spoken and done when the disease was upon them:  but it was very sad to hear of one; who being sick alone; and it is like frantic; burnt himself in his bed。  And amongst other sad spectacles methought two were very affecting:  one of a woman coming alone and weeping by the door where I lived; with a little coffin under her arm; carrying it to the new churchyard。  I did judge that it was the mother of the child; and that all the family besides was dead; and she was forced to coffin up and bury with her own hands this her last dead child。  Another was of a man at the corner of the Artillery Wall; that as I judge; through the dizziness of his head with the disease; which seized upon him there; had dashed his face against the wall; and when I came by he lay hanging with his bloody face over the rails; and bleeding upon the ground; within half an hour he died in that place。〃

And as the pestilence increased; it was found impossible to provide coffins or even separate graves for those who perished。 And therefore; in order to bury the deceased; great carts passed through the streets after sunset; attended by linkmen and preceded by a bellman crying in weird and solemn tones; 〃Bring out your dead。〃  At the intimation of the watchmen stationed before houses bearing red crosses upon their doors; the sad procession would tarry; When coffinless; and oftentimes shroudless; rigid; loathsome; and malodorous bodies were hustled into the carts with all possible speed。  Then once more the melancholy cortege took its way adown the dark; deserted street; the yellow glare of links falling on the ghastly burden they accompanied; the dirge…like call of the bellman sounding on the ears of the living like a summons from the dead。  And so; receiving additional freight upon its way; the cart proceeded to one of the great pits dug in the parish churchyards of Aldgate and Whitechapel; or in Finsbury Fields close by the Artillery Ground。  These; measuring about forty feet in length; eighteen in breadth; and twenty in depth; were destined to receive scores of bodies irrespective of creed or class。  The carts being brought to these dark and weirdsome gulphs; looking all the blacker from the flickering lights of candles and garish gleams of lanterns placed beside them; the bodies; without rite or ceremony; were shot into them; and speedily covered with clay。  For the accomplishment of this sad work night was found too brief。  And what lent additional horror to the circumstances of these burials was; that those engaged in this duty would occasionally drop lifeless during their labour。  So that it sometimes happened the dead…carts were found without driver; linkman; or bell…man。  And it was estimated that the parish of Stepney alone lost one hundred and sixteen gravediggers and sextons within that year。

During the month of September; the pestilence raged with increased fury; and it now seemed as if the merciless distemper would never cease whilst a single inhabitant remained in the city。  The lord mayor; having found all remedies to stay its progress utterly fail; by advice of the medical faculty; ordered that great fires should be kindled in certain districts; by way of purifying the air; Accordingly; two hundred chaldrons of coal; at four pounds a chaldron; were devoted to this purpose。  At first the fires were with great difficulty made to burn; through the scarcity; it was believed; of oxygen in the atmosphere; but once kindled; they continued blazing for three days and three nights; when a heavy downpour of rain falling they were extinguished。  The following night death carried off four thousand souls; and the experiment of these cleansing fires was discontinued。  All through this month fear and tribulation continued; the death rate; from the 5th of September to the 3rd of October; amounting to twenty…four thousand one hundred and seventy…one。

During October; the weather being cool and dry; the pestilence gave promise of rapid decrease。  Hope came to the people; and was received with eager greeting。  Once more windows were unshuttered; doors were opened; and the more venturous walked abroad。  The great crisis had passed。  In the middle of the month Mr。 Pepys travelled on foot to the Tower; and records his impressions。  〃Lord;〃 he says; 〃how empty the streets are and melancholy; so many poor sick people in the streets full of sores; and so many sad stories overheard as I walk; everybody tal

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的