第 4 节
作者:
漂亮格子 更新:2021-02-24 22:06 字数:9322
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