EXT Day, the Holiday of Life was over, its Duties re-commenced. Master Blower had an Accumulation of Business to attend to, and I had Plenty to do about the House. Before the End of the Week, I was immersed in Cares that were Pleasures to me, inasmuch as they lightened his own. But I could not resist paying a Visit to the Bridge, and spending an Hour in the dear old House, and another, afterwards, with Violet. She and Mark came to sup with us. I found they were not going to marry till six Months were 281out, which was full quick, after all; but I was thankful they would wait so long. A Change seemed coming over Mark; he was steady, composed, attentive2 to Business, and far pleasanter, whether lively or sad, than in his earlier Days. As to Violet, she was infinitely3 softened4, and the old Spirit of Coquetry seemed quite to have burned out. We did not see them often, but Master Blower always received them kindly5, and they seemed to consider it a Privilege as well as a Pleasure to come to us.
Thus, the Winter wore on: the Plague was stayed; and though it was common to meet in the Streets Men in their Nightcaps, limping, or with their Throats bound up, no one thought of getting out of their Way, for the Infection had spent itself. And Persons that were Strangers to each other might be heard exchanging 282Congratulations on the improved State of Things, now that Houses and Shops were re-opening, the Weeds beginning to disappear from the Thoroughfares, and Men no longer walked along the Middle of the Streets, but on the Foot-pavements.
My dear Husband endeavoured to impress the Hearts and Minds of his People, in Season and out of Season, with a Sense of the Mercy that had preserved them; but, I am sorry to say, with very little permanent Effect. True it is, at first the Ground was broken up, and the Clods were soft, and the good Seed that was cast in seemed likely to fructify6; but alas7, the hot Sun of worldly Temptation soon hardened the Ground and burnt the Seed up, and People that had almost miraculously8 escaped the general Judgment9, seemed little better than they 283were before. This depressed10 my dear Husband very much; but, instead of relaxing his Efforts, he only redoubled them; and he said I strengthened his Hands.
There was also a great deal of Distress11, owing to the general Stagnation12 of Trade, and the vast Numbers of People thrown out of Employ. So that, though we did all we could, it was heart-rending to witness the Misery13 in some of the lower Districts of our Parish. We pinched ourselves to help them, voluntarily giving up such and such Things at our Table; and this with such Cheerfulness that I really believe our Self-privations gave us more actual Enjoyment14 than if we had ate the Fat and drank the Sweet to our Hearts’ Desire. And once or twice it remarkably15 happened that when we had a little exceeded 284in this Way, and had supplied thereby16 the needs of a more than ordinary Number, a great Hamper17 would arrive from Mistress Blower, full of Game, Poultry18, Eggs, Butter, Brawn19, Hams, Tongues, and Everything that was good. Often we talked over that sweet Place the Hampers20 came from; and it seemed to me that my Husband more and more inclined towards the Country; especially as his Throat had never quite recovered the Effects of the Plague, and he found he could not make himself heard throughout the remoter Parts of his large Church without Difficulty. Quite at the End of the Summer, the old Incumbent21 of Bucklands Parsonage died; and as the living was in the Squire’s Gift, and he had some Notion his Brother would like it, he wrote to offer it to him. My Husband asked my Mind about it; I 285said I should like it of all Things, if he could be content with so small and quiet a Field of Action. He said, yes, the Time had been when it had been otherwise with him—the harder the Work the greater the Pleasure, especially as carrying some Sense of Glory in the Victory over it; but it was not so with him now: he could be content with trying to do good on a small Scale; especially as he had not been quite so successful on the larger Field of Action as he had hoped and expected.
“Could I preach like Apollos,” continued he, “to what Good, to the Half of my Congregation, who cannot catch one Word in ten? So that, in Fact, I preach to a small Congregation already. And I’ve no Mind to receive the Pay without doing the Work. There’s no Fear, Cherry, of my not making myself 286audible in Bucklands Church!—Besides, do you know I fancy I have a little domestic Mission there. My dear, good Brother, who has dozed22 under Doctor Bray23 for so many Years, has languished24 under a spiritual Dearth25. He is now getting in Years, and I think I may do Something for him—you know he told you he thought my Sermons were the real Thing.”
“He said,” replied I, “that you not only hit the right Nail on the Head, but hammered it well in.”
After some further Talk, which only went to prove how completely we were of a Mind on the Matter, the Letters were written and sent—to accept the one Living and resign the other. That was on the Second of September. The same Night, broke out that dreadful Fire, which lasted three Days and three 287Nights, and destroyed fifteen of the twenty-six City Wards1, including four hundred Streets and Lanes, and thirteen thousand Houses. Oh, what a dreadful Calamity26! We were in Bed, a little after Ten, when Shrieks27 and Cries of “Fire!” awoke us; and my dear Husband put his Head forth28 of the Window and asked where it was. A Man running along answered, “On or at the Foot of London Bridge!” Then our Hearts failed us for Violet and Mark, and all our old Friends; and we dressed and went forth, for I could not be stayed from accompanying Master Blower. But before we could reach the Bridge Foot, we found Access to it cut off, both by Reason of the Crowd and of the Flames: the only Comfort was, that the Fire kept off the Bridge. There was so much Tumult29 and Pressure that we could only keep on 288the Skirts of the Crowd, where we hung about without doing any Good for some Hours.
The next Morning, we were in Hope of hearing the Fire had been got under; instead of which, the whole Bankside was wrapped in Flames, and all the Houses from the Bridge Foot, and all Thames Street, were lying in Ashes. The People seemed all at Pause, gazing on, without stirring Hand or Foot, and those that were personal Sufferers were venting30 their Grief in Cries and Lamentations. But we could not find that any Life had yet been lost; and the Fire kept off the Bridge.
When I went Home at Dusk, it was to pray for the poor Sufferers, and then to muse31 how far the Calamity might extend. Supper was on Table, but I had no Mind to eat; which was all the 289better, as my Husband presently brought in a poor, weeping Family who had lost Everything, and had not touched a Morsel32 all Day. We gave them a good Meal, and Shelter for the Night. They slept, but we could not. There was no Need of Candles all that Night, which was as light as Day for ten Miles round. The Fire was now spreading all along the South Part of the City, leaping from House to House, and Street to Street, for the very Air seemed ignited; Showers of Sparks and Ashes were falling in every Direction, and the Pavement was growing almost too hot to tread upon. My Husband kept bringing in new Refugees as long as our House would hold them, and I was too busy caring for them to have Leisure to go forth, even had it been safe; but each New-comer brought fresh Tidings of the Desolation, which 290was now extending to Churches, public Monuments, Hospitals, Companies’ Halls, as though it would carry all before it. We now began to be in some Alarm for ourselves; and to consider what we should do if it came our Way; and now we experienced the Convenience of having but little Treasure that Moth33, Rust34, or Fire could injure, for when Master Blower had made up a small Packet of Papers and ready Money that we could readily carry about us, there was Nothing left for the Destroyer to consume but our poor Furniture and the House over our Heads. Very opportunely35, at this Time came to our Door a Berkshire Countryman with one of the good Squire’s Hampers full of Eatables. I never saw a poor Fellow look so scared! He got a good View of the Calamity from a Distance, and then set his Face homewards 291in as great a Hurry as if the Flames were in Chase of him. The Streets were now full of Carts loaded with Moveables, which their Owners were conveying out of Town; giving Way to the Calamity rather than seeking to arrest it, which, indeed, it was now vain to attempt, though I think Something might have been done at first. St. Paul’s was now in a Blaze; the great Stones exploding with intense Heat, and the melted Lead running along the Gutters36. This Night, also, we got scarce any Rest.
St Paul’s was now in a Blaze
The next Morning, while I was overlooking my Stores, and considering how I should best husband them for my poor Inmates37, in comes Mark, his Face blackened, his Hair full of Ashes, his Clothes singed38 in many Places, and his Shoes nearly burnt off his Feet.
“Thank God, you are safe, then!” 292cries he, catching39 hold of both my Hands. “The Sky looked so fiery40 in this Quarter during the Night, that Violet and I were in dreadful Fear for you, and I started at Daybreak, and came here by making a great Round, to see how it fared with you. And Violet bids me say that she has not forgotten your Father’s and Mother’s Kindness to her Father and Mother when they were burned out of House and Home, nor how she and you were put together in the same Cradle; and it will make her and me, dear Cherry, unspeakably happy to receive you and Master Blower under the very same Roof, should you be burnt out of your own.”
I said, “Dear Mark, that is so like you and Violet! Just the Kindness I should have expected! Believe me, we shall thankfully accept it, if there 293be Need. But at present the Fire is all about us, yet comes not to us. We have made up our little Parcel of Treasures, (a little one, indeed, Mark!) and are ready to start at a Minute’s Notice, trusting to a good God to spare our Lives. This old House, if it once catches, will burn like Tinder; meanwhile, come and see how many it holds.”
So I led him from Room to Room, and shewed him Mothers nursing their Infants, Children eating Bread and Milk, and old People still sleeping heavily. He was greatly interested and impressed. “What a good Soul you are!” said he,—“I can give you no Notion of the Scenes of Misery on the Outskirts41 through which I passed on my Way here. People huddled42 in Tents, or lying under Hedges, or on 294Heaps of Litter and broken Furniture, without a Morsel of Bread or a Cup of Milk, yet none begging!... I saw a few Bread-carts and Milk-people coming up to them as I passed along, but many had no Money, not even a Penny, to buy a Breakfast. I had filled my Purse, Cherry, with all that was in the Till, before I set out; but you see there’s not much in it now——”
And he pulled out an empty Purse, with a Smile that showed he was well pleased with the Way its Contents had gone. Then we shook Hands heartily43, and parted.
To the loud Crackling of Flames and Crash of falling Buildings, was now added the blowing up of Houses with Gunpowder44, which, indeed, made the Neighbourhood of them very dangerous 295to Bystanders, but checked the Progress of the Fire. However, Nothing effectual could have been done, had it not pleased Almighty45 God to stay his Judgment by abating46 the high Wind, which fell all at once; whereby the Flames ceased to spread, though the glowing Ruins continued to burn.
The Crisis being now past, we ceased to be in Apprehension47 for ourselves, and devoted48 all our Attention to the poor, bereft49 People under our Care. Some of these were fetched away by their Country Friends; sooner or later all dispersed50; and then we went out into the Fields adjoining the City, to afford what little Help we could. But oh! the Desolation! To attempt to assuage51 that Accumulation of Destitution52 by our trivial Means seemed like essaying to subdue53 the Fire with a Cup of Water: 296yet we know that every Little helps; and that even a Cup of Water, to the thirsty Man who drinks it, quenches54 not his Thirst the less, that Thousands beside are parched55 with Drought. And thus, by Analogy, concerning the general Amount of human Suffering surrounding us at all Times, which the wife of a Whitechapel Parson is perhaps as well qualified56 to speak of as any one else—We need not be discouraged from aiding any, because we cannot succour all; since the Relief afforded is as grateful to him who has it, as though all were relieved, which it is not God’s Will that any should have Power to accomplish.
By the End of the Month this terrible Calamity was over-past; at least, as far as we had Anything to do with it, though we continued to give Shelter 297to poor, ruined Householders as long as the Parsonage was our own. The Gentleman who succeeded my dear Husband seemed a benevolent57 Sort of Man, a little pompous58, maybe, but tenderly disposed towards the Poor.
And now, Everything being settled, we sold some of our old Furniture, and sent down the Rest, with Mistress Peach, by the Wagon59. And my dear Husband and I entered Bucklands exactly as we had left it, and on the very same Horse; I in my cherry-colour Habit, that was as fresh as on my Wedding-day. And here we have been ever since; and he calls me his right Hand, and says my Attention to all his secular60 Affairs leaves his Mind at Liberty to pursue his Duties and Studies without Distraction—and that I understand the Poor even better than he does—and that I am his best 298Counsellor, his dearest Friend, his pleasantest Companion, his darling Cherry!—Yes; he calls me, and I believe he thinks me all this: and as for my being happy in him ... I should think so, indeed!
The End
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1
wards
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| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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3
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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4
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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fructify
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| v.结果实；使土地肥沃 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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8
miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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9
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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12
stagnation
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| n. 停滞 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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14
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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16
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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poultry
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| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
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brawn
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| n.体力 | |
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hampers
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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dozed
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| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
bray
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| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
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24
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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25
dearth
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| n.缺乏，粮食不足，饥谨 | |
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26
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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27
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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28
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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29
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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venting
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| 消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风 | |
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31
muse
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| n.缪斯（希腊神话中的女神），创作灵感 | |
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32
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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moth
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| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
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rust
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| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
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opportunely
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| adv.恰好地，适时地 | |
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36
gutters
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| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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38
singed
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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39
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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40
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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41
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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42
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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43
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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44
gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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45
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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46
abating
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| 减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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47
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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48
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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49
bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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50
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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51
assuage
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| v.缓和，减轻，镇定 | |
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52
destitution
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| n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷 | |
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53
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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54
quenches
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| 解（渴）( quench的第三人称单数 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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55
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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56
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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57
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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58
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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59
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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60
secular
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| n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的 | |
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