CHAPTER VIII

 The Plague

 

S Spring advanced, the Plague came on amain. Houses were shut up, some empty, some with infected People in them under Guard, ne’er to be let out, save in perfect Health or to be cast into the Dead-cart. Swarms¹ of People hurried out of Town, some in Health, some already infected: never was such a Blockade of Carts, Coaches, and Horsemen on the Bridge; and I was told, on the northern and western Roads ’twas still worse. Every Horse, good and bad, was in request, at enormous Hire: as soon as they had done Duty for one 135Party, they came back for another, so that the poor Things had an ill Time o’t. The Court set the Example of running away; the Nobility and Gentry² followed it; the Soldiers were all sent to Country Quarters, the Tower was left under the Guard of a few Beef-eaters, all the Courts of Law were closed, and even the middle and lower Ranks that could not well afford to leave their Shops and Houses, thought it a good Matter to escape for bare Life, and live about the Country in removed Places, camping in the Fields, and under Hedges.

 

Houses were shut up, some empty, some

with infected people in them

Thus the City, which had previously³ been so over-filled as to provoke the comparing of it with Jerusalem before the last Passover, was in a Manner so depopulated, that though vast Numbers remained in its By-streets and Lanes, whole Rows of Houses stood empty. Those that walked 136abroad kept the Middle of the Streets for Fear of Infection; Grass began to grow between the Paving-stones; the Sound of Wheels was scarce heard, for People were afraid of using the Hackney-coaches; Beggars, and Street-singers, and Hawkers, had altogether disappeared; so that there was nothing to break the awful Stillness save the Shrieks⁴ of dying Persons in lone⁵ Houses, or the Rumbling⁶ of the Dead-cart.

Meanwhile, though the Distemper was raging on both Sides of us and all about us, it came not on the Bridge. Crowded Assemblages of Buyers and Sellers at Markets, &c., being much to be avoided, we laid in as much Stock as our small Premises⁷ would hold and our small Family require, of Soap, Candles, Groceries, Cheese, Bacon, salt Butter, and such-like. And whereas the Plague 137raged worse than Anywhere among the Butchers’ Stalls and low Fishmongers, we made a Merit of Necessity, and fasted from both Fish and fresh Meat, as well for our Health as our Sins, which, if sundry⁸ others had done in a proper Frame and Temper, ’tis likely they might have been spared.

Thus we kept close and went Abroad little, except to Public Prayers; reading and meditating⁹ much at Home, and considering, as Noah and his Family probably did in the Ark, that if our Confinement¹⁰ were irksome, ’twas a cheap Price to pay for Safety. Of the Blenkinsops we saw nothing after the regular Outburst of the Calamity¹¹; but we knew that Mistress Blenkinsop was not only resolved not to stir, but that she would not so much as lay in Stores for daily Consumption; perversely¹² and cruelly persisting in sending 138her Servants into the Danger, she feared not for herself to purchase Pennyworths of Things she might have bought wholesale¹³.

 

Keeping the Gates.

Meantime, though our Bridge, by reason of its being one of the great Thoroughfares of London, could not well be shut up, yet the Bridgewardens took all the Care of us they could, keeping the Gates with much Jealousy¹⁴, and burning large Fires of resinous¹⁵ and strong-smelling Substances. Early in the Season, there was one Person who took a mighty¹⁶ Panic at her own Danger, which was Mistress Armytage. She had left her Lodgings¹⁷, ostensibly to be with Kitty during her Confinement, but in Reality, as the Event proved, to be out of the Reach of Infection. However, the News of each Day, which she greedily gathered, becoming dismaller, and the Crowds of 139People pouring out of Town exciting her Desire to be among them, she wearied Hugh Braidfoot with Entreaties¹⁸ that he would promise to go into the Country as soon as Kitty got about again; and, one Night, a Coffin¹⁹ leaping into her Lap out of the Fire, her Fears for herself could no longer be allayed²⁰, but she declared she must go the next Morning, come what would. I heard much sobbing²¹ and loud talking through the Wall overnight; and the next Morning at Day-break, saw the Widow departing with a small Bundle in her Hand, and a young Lad carrying her heavy Box. However, the End, which was impressive, was this. She over-heated herself in her selfish Flight, slept in a damp Bed the next Night, and took a Hurt which ended her Life before the Year was out, though not by the Plague.

140Soon after, Kitty gave Birth to twin Daughters, the sweetest little Dears that ever were seen, whom she very prettily²² insisted on naming Violet and Cherry. But now, the Plague being more and more talked of, and she being unable to nurse both, it became a momentous²³ Question with her whether to bring one up by Hand or send it to a Foster-nurse in the Country. At length, the latter was decided²⁴ upon; and little Violet was put out to nurse at Lewisham.

And now the Judgment²⁵ of God fell very heavy on us; insomuch that amid the general Visitation and Bereavement²⁶, it would have been strange indeed if even the unafflicted could have been so unfeeling as to hold back from the general Mourning. The Cry from every Pulpit and every Altar was, “Spare, O Lord, spare thy People, whom thou hast redeemed²⁷ 141with thy precious Blood;” and the Churches were open all Day long and crowded with Penitents²⁸, till it was found that Contagion²⁹ was thereby³⁰ augmented³¹; whereon all but the bold fell to exchanging public for private Devotion.

About this Time, poor Kitty Braidfoot fell into much Danger. She was nursing her little Cherry one Morning, and saying to me how her Heart yearned³² for a Sight of its Twin-sister, when, as if in Answer to her Wish, in comes the Foster-nurse, looking defiant³³ and heated, with the Infant in her Arms, whom without more Ado she sets upon the Table, and then retreats to the Door.

“There’s your Babby, Mistress,” says she bluntly, “and you owes me one and twenty Shillings for the last six Weeks’ nursing, at Three and Sixpence a Week ... it’s taken the Plague, and I can’t 142have my own Babby infected, so I declines the farther Charge of it—’tis a puny³⁴ little Thing, and I doesn’t think would anyhow ha’ lived long.”

“Puny!” cries Kitty, with Eyes darting³⁵ Fire; “why, you’ve starved it for the Sake of your own Baby! ’Twas as fine a Child as this, and now a downright Skeleton!”

The Woman had an Answer on her Lips, but Something in Kitty’s Eye and in her own Heart suddenly abashed³⁶ her; and with a “Marry come up!” she hastily turned about and quitted the House, without so much as asking again for her one and twenty Shillings. Poor Kitty exclaimed, “Oh, you little Starveling!” and bursting into Tears, put Cherry into my Arms, and began to unfasten her own Dress. I said, “Remember, you cannot nurse both——” She said, “I must 143commit the other to you to bring up by Hand and keep out of the Infection—I cannot let this little Thing perish,” and showered on it Kisses and Tears, quite thoughtless of her own Safety.

Just then, Hugh came in, and stood amazed when he saw Kitty fondling the famished³⁷ little Infant. She, thoughtful of him also before herself, cried, “Don’t come near me, Hugh! Baby has the Plague. I’m thankful the Woman brought it Home; God forbid a Child of mine should endanger a Child of hers!” And pressed her little one yet closer to her, and kissed its little, meagre Hands. Poor Hugh stood aghast at the News, regarding her from where he first stood with a Mixture of Wonder, Admiration³⁸, and Fear; at length exclaiming, “God be your Blessing³⁹, Kitty!”—he brushed off a Tear and turned away. 144Again saw I that the strongest Heart is not always in the biggest Body. As for Kitty, I thought she had never looked so beautiful as at that Moment. She was now eagerly seeking for some Token of the Disease about her Child, but could find none. “What and if ’twere a false alarm?” cries she,—“Heaven grant it!—But now, dear Cherry, take your little Charge out of Harm’s Reach—and bid Nell tend dear Hugh all she can—I’ve Everything I want here, and they can set down my Meals at the Door without coming in.”

I looked back at her as I closed the Door, and saw her smiling so over her Baby that it really seemed as if she felt she had in it Everything she wanted. And when I lay down by my little Cherry at Night, and felt its little Mites⁴⁰ of Hands straying over my Face, I felt 145drawn towards it with a Love I had never experienced for a Child before, and wondered not how Kitty, who might call it Part and Parcel of herself, could so cheerfully risk her own Life for that of her Child.

Next Morning, both our Heads were thrust simultaneously⁴¹ out of our Bedroom Windows. “Violet is doing purely,” cries she; “there’s no Plague-spot—How is Cherry?” We exchanged Congratulations and heartfelt Blessings⁴².

In short, it proved a false Alarm; but as Cherry was so miraculously⁴³ contented⁴⁴ under my Care, her Mother would not have her back till every Fear of Danger was over, by which Time the pretty Creature was well weaned. If Hugh had loved his Wife before this, he now absolutely adored her: he said he had learned the Value of his Treasures too dearly to 146run any farther Risk of losing them, come what might to his Business. So he shut up Shop, left an old Woman in Charge, bought a Tent, Horse, and Cart, and Everything else he wanted or could take; and, one fair Morning, he mounted Kitty all smiling under the Tilt⁴⁵, with a Darling on each Arm, and Bags, Baskets, and Crockery-ware all about her; and shouldering his Carter’s Whip, started off with his Family for Kent, like a blythe, honest Patriarch.

1 swarms   

蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。
• On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天，这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。

2 gentry   

n.绅士阶级，上层阶级

参考例句：

• Landed income was the true measure of the gentry.来自土地的收入是衡量是否士绅阶层的真正标准。
• Better be the head of the yeomanry than the tail of the gentry.宁做自由民之首，不居贵族之末。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 shrieks   

n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• shrieks of fiendish laughter 恶魔般的尖笑声
• For years, from newspapers, broadcasts, the stages and at meetings, we had heard nothing but grandiloquent rhetoric delivered with shouts and shrieks that deafened the ears. 多少年来， 报纸上， 广播里， 舞台上， 会场上的声嘶力竭，装腔做态的高调搞得我们震耳欲聋。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

6 rumbling   

n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词

参考例句：

• The earthquake began with a deep [low] rumbling sound. 地震开始时发出低沉的隆隆声。
• The crane made rumbling sound. 吊车发出隆隆的响声。

7 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

8 sundry   

adj.各式各样的，种种的

参考例句：

• This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。
• We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。

9 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

10 confinement   

n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限

参考例句：

• He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
• The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

11 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

12 perversely   

adv. 倔强地

参考例句：

• Intelligence in the mode of passion is always perversely. 受激情属性控制的智力，总是逆着活动的正确方向行事。
• She continue, perversely, to wear shoes that damaged her feet. 她偏偏穿那双挤脚的鞋。

13 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

14 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

15 resinous   

adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的

参考例句：

• Alcohol is a solvent of resinous substances.酒精是树脂性物质的溶媒。
• He observed that the more resinous the wood, the more resistant it was to decay.他观察到木材含树脂越多，其抗腐力越强。

16 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

17 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

18 entreaties   

n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He began with entreaties and ended with a threat. 他先是恳求，最后是威胁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves. 暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

20 allayed   

v.减轻，缓和( allay的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His fever is allayed, but his appetite is still flatted. 他发烧减轻了，但食欲仍然不振。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His fever was allayed by the medicine. 这药剂使他退烧了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

21 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

22 prettily   

adv.优美地；可爱地

参考例句：

• It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back.此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。
• She pouted prettily at him.她冲他撅着嘴，样子很可爱。

23 momentous   

adj.重要的，重大的

参考例句：

• I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合，我深感荣幸。
• The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。

24 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

25 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

26 bereavement   

n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛

参考例句：

• the pain of an emotional crisis such as divorce or bereavement 诸如离婚或痛失亲人等情感危机的痛苦
• I sympathize with you in your bereavement. 我对你痛失亲人表示同情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 redeemed   

adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。
• He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's. 他从当铺赎回手表。

28 penitents   

n.后悔者( penitent的名词复数 )；忏悔者

参考例句：

29 contagion   

n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延

参考例句：

• A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
• The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。

30 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

31 Augmented   

adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• 'scientists won't be replaced," he claims, "but they will be augmented." 他宣称：“科学家不会被取代；相反，他们会被拓展。” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. 由于发表的时间选得好，这篇报导的影响更大了。

32 yearned   

渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The people yearned for peace. 人民渴望和平。
• She yearned to go back to the south. 她渴望回到南方去。

33 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

34 puny   

adj.微不足道的，弱小的

参考例句：

• The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
• Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙，身体还不壮，还不能干活。

35 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

36 abashed   

adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked suitably abashed. 他怪罪的一瞥，朱丽叶自然显得很窘。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The girl was abashed by the laughter of her classmates. 那小姑娘因同学的哄笑而局促不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 famished   

adj.饥饿的

参考例句：

• When's lunch?I'm famished!什么时候吃午饭？我饿得要死了！
• My feet are now killing me and I'm absolutely famished.我的脚现在筋疲力尽，我绝对是极饿了。

38 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

39 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

40 mites   

n.（尤指令人怜悯的）小孩( mite的名词复数 )；一点点；一文钱；螨

参考例句：

• The only discovered animals are water bears, mites, microscopic rotifers. 能够发现的动物只有海蜘蛛、螨和微小的轮虫。 来自辞典例句
• Mites are frequently found on eggs. 螨会经常出现在蛋上。 来自辞典例句

41 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

42 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

43 miraculously   

ad.奇迹般地

参考例句：

• He had been miraculously saved from almost certain death. 他奇迹般地从死亡线上获救。
• A schoolboy miraculously survived a 25 000-volt electric shock. 一名男学生在遭受2.5 万伏的电击后奇迹般地活了下来。

44 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

45 tilt   

v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜

参考例句：

• She wore her hat at a tilt over her left eye.她歪戴着帽子遮住左眼。
• The table is at a slight tilt.这张桌子没放平，有点儿歪.