the notch on the ax and on being found out-第47章
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！
people was always observed to be much increased thereby； as； for
instance； in the church of Rome；that St。 Augustine； with his
monks； advanced to meet King Ethelbert singing litanies （in a
language his majesty could not possibly have understood）； and
converted him and his whole court on the spot；that the sybilline
books。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
Cum multis aliis。
Between the pages were cut most exquisitely in paper the likenesses
of some of these Turkish ambassadors； the hair of the beards； in
particular； was feathered with a delicacy of touch that seemed the
work of fairy fingers；but the pages ended with a complaint of the
operator； that his scissors had been taken from him。 However； he
consoled himself and the reader with the assurance； that he would
that night catch a moonbeam as it entered through the grating； and；
when he had whetted it on the iron knobs of his door； would do
wonders with it。 In the next page was found a melancholy proof of
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 stairc
