the wandering jew, volume 9-第10章

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for　the　removal　of　the　corpses；　a　number　of　artillery　wagons　had　been　put
into　requisition；　and　the　coffins　were　hastily　piled　in　these　novel
hearses。

Many　of　the　spectators　regarded　this　gloomy　vehicle　with　dismay；　but　the
quarryman　and　his　band　redoubled　their　horrible　jokes。

〃Make　way　for　the　omnibus　of　the　departed！〃　cried　Ciboule。

〃No　danger　of　having　one's　toes　crushed　in　that　omnibus；〃　said　the
quarryman。

〃Doubtless　they're　easy　to　please；　the　stiff…uns　in　there。〃

〃They　never　want　to　be　set　down；　at　all　events。〃

〃I　say；　there's　only　one　reg'lar　on　duty　as　postilion！〃

〃That's　true；　the　leaders　are　driven　by　a　man　in　a　smock…frock。〃

〃Oh！　I　daresay　the　other　soldier　was　tired；　lazy　fellow！　and　got　into　the
omnibus　with　the　othersthey'll　all　get　out　at　the　same　big　hole。〃

〃Head　foremost；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　they　pitch　them　head　first　into　a　bed　of　lime。〃

〃Why；　one　might　follow　the　dead…cart　blind…fold；　and　no　mistake。　　It's
worse　than　Montfaucon　knacker…yards！〃

〃Ha！　ha！　ha！it's　rather　gamey！〃　said　the　quarryman；　alluding　to　the
infectious　and　cadaverous　odor　which　this　funeral　conveyance　left　behind
it。

〃Here's　sport！〃　exclaimed　Ciboule：　〃the　omnibus　of　the　dead　will　run
against　the　fine　coach。　　Hurrah！　the　rich　folks　will　smell　death。〃

Indeed；　the　wagon　was　now　directly　in　front　of　the　carriage；　and　at　a
very　little　distance　from　it。　　A　man　in　a　smock…frock　and　wooden　shoes
drove　the　two　leaders；　and　an　artilleryman　the　other　horses。　　The　coffins
were　so　piled　up　within　this　wagon；　that　its　semicircular　top　did　not
shut　down　closely；　so　that；　as　it　jolted　heavily　over　the　uneven
pavement；　the　biers　could　be　seen　chafing　against　each　other。　　The　fiery
eyes　and　inflamed　countenance　of　the　man　in　the　smock…frock　showed　that
he　was　half　intoxicated；　urging　on　the　horses　with　his　voice；　his　heels；
and　his　whip；　he　paid　no　attention　to　the　remonstrances　of　the　soldier；
who　had　great　difficulty　in　restraining　his　own　animals；　and　was　obliged
to　follow　the　irregular　movements　of　the　carman。　　Advancing　in　this
disorderly　manner；　the　wagon　deviated　from　its　course　just　as　it　should
have　passed　the　travelling…carriage；　and　ran　against　it。　　The　shock
forced　open　the　top；　one　of　the　coffins　was　thrown　out；　and；　after
damaging　the　panels　of　the　carriage；　fell　upon　the　pavement　with　a　dull
and　heavy　sound。　　The　deal　planks　had　been　hastily　nailed　together；　and
were　shivered　in　the　fall；　and　from　the　wreck　of　the　coffin　rolled　a
livid　corpse；　half　enveloped　in　a　shroud。

At　this　horrible　spectacle；　Lady　Morinval；　who　had　mechanically　leaned
forward；　gave　a　loud　scream；　and　fainted。　　The　crowd　fell　back　in　dismay；
the　postilions；　no　less　alarmed；　took　advantage　of　the　space　left　open　to
them　by　the　retreat　of　the　multitude；　they　whipped　their　horses；　and　the
carriage　dashed　on　towards　the　quay。　　As　it　disappeared　behind　the
furthermost　buildings　of　the　Hospital；　the　shrill　joyous　notes　of　distant
trumpets　were　heard；　and　repeated　shouts　proclaimed：　〃The　Cholera
Masquerade！〃　The　words　announced　one　of　those　episodes　combining
buffoonery　with　terror；　which　marked　the　period　when　the　pestilence　was
on　the　increase；　though　now　they　can　with　difficulty　be　credited。　　If　the
evidence　of　eyewitnesses　did　not　agree　in　every　particular　with　the
accounts　given　in　the　public　papers　of　this　masquerade；　they　might　be
regarded　as　the　ravings　of　some　diseased　brain；　and　not　as　the　notice　of
a　fact　which　really　occurred。

〃The　Masquerade　of　the　Cholera〃　appeared；　we　say；　in　the　square　of　Notre…
Dame；　just　as　Morinval's　carriage　gained　the　quay；　after　disengaging
itself　from　the　death…wagon。

＇37＇　It　is　well…known　that　at　the　time　of　the　cholera；　such　placards　were
numerous　in　Paris；　and　were　alternately　attributed　to　opposite　parties。
Among　others；　to　the　priests；　many　of　the　bishops　having　published
mandatory　letters；　or　stated　openly　in　the　churches　of　their　diocese；
that　the　Almighty　had　sent　the　cholera　as　a　punishment　to　France　for
having　driven　away　its　lawful　sovereign；　and　assimilated　the　Catholic　to
other　forms　of　worship。

＇38＇　It　is　notorious；　that　at　this　unhappy　period　several　persons　were
massacred；　under　a　false　accusation　of　poisoning　the　fountains；　etc。




CHAPTER　XIX。

THE　CHOLERA　MASQUERADE。＇39＇

A　stream　of　people；　who　preceded　the　masquerade；　made　a　sudden　irruption
through　the　arch　into　the　square；　uttering　loud　cheers　as　they　advanced。
Children　were　also　there；　blowing　horns；　whilst　some　hooted　and　others
hissed。

The　quarryman；　Ciboule；　and　their　band；　attracted　by　this　new　spectacle；
rushed　tumultuously　towards　the　arch。　　Instead　of　the　two　eating…houses；
which　now　（1845）　stand　on　either　side　of　the　Rue　d'Arcole；　there　was　then
only　one；　situated　to　the　left　of　the　vaulted　passage；　and　much
celebrated　amongst　the　joyous　community　of　students；　for　the　excellence
both　of　its　cookery　and　its　wines。　　At　the　first　blare　of　the　trumpets；
sounded　by　the　outriders　in　livery　who　preceded　the　masquerade；　the
windows　of　the　great　room　of　the　eating…house　were　thrown　open；　and
several　waiters；　with　their　napkins　under　their　arms；　leaned　forward；
impatient　to　witness　the　arrival　of　the　singular　guests　they　were
expecting。

At　length；　the　grotesque　procession　made　its　appearance　in　the　thick　of
an　immense　uproar。　　The　train　comprised　a　chariot；　escorted　by　men　and
women　on　horseback；　clad　in　rich　and　elegant　fancy　dresses。　　Most　of
these　maskers　belonged　to　the　middle　and　easy　classes　of　society。　　The
report　had　spread　that　masquerade　was　in　preparation；　for　the　purpose　of
daring　the　cholera；　and；　by　this　joyous　demonstration；　to　revive　the
courage　of　the　affrighted　populace。　　Immediately；　artists；　young　men
about　town；　students；　and　so　on；　responded　to　the　appeal；　and　though　till
now　unknown　one　to　the　other；　they　easily　fraternized　together。　　Many
brought　their　mistresses；　to　complete　the　show。　　A　subscription　had　been
opened　to　defray　the　expenses；　and；　that　morning；　after　a　splendid
breakfast　at　the　other　end　of　Paris；　the　joyous　troop　had　started　bravely
on　their　march；　to　finish　the　day　by　a　dinner　in　the　square　of　Notre…
Dame。

We　say　bravely；　for　it　required　a　singular　turn　of　mind；　a　rare　firmness
of　character；　in　young　women；　to　traverse；　in　this　fashion；　a　great　city
plunged　in　consternation　and　terrorto　fall　in　at　every　step　with
litters　loaded　with　the　dying；　and　carriages　filled　with　the　deadto
defy；　as　it　were；　in　a　spirit　of　strange　pleasantry；　the　plague　that　was
detonating　the　Parisians。　　It　is　certain　that；　in　Paris　alone；　and　there
only　amongst　a　peculiar　class；　could　such　an　idea　have　ever　been
conceived　or　realized。　　Two　men；　grotesquely　disguised　as　postilions　at　a
funeral；　with　formidable　false　noses；　rose…colored　crape　hat…bands　and
large　favors　of　roses　and　crape　bows　at　their　buttonholes；　rode　before
the　vehicle。　　Upon　the　platform　of　the　car　were　groups　of　allegorical
personages；　representing　WINE；　PLEASURE；　LOVE；　PLAY。　　The　mission　of
these　symbolical　beings　was；　by　means　of　jokes；　sarcasms；　and　mockeries；
to　plague　the　life　out　of　Goodman　Cholera；　a　sort　of　funeral　and
burlesque　Cassander；　whom　they　ridiculed　and　made　game　of　in　a　hundred
ways。　　The　moral　of　the　play　was　this：　〃To　brave　Cholera　in　security；　let
us　drink；　laugh；　game；　and　make　love！〃

WINE　was　represented　by　a　huge；　lusty　Silenus；　thick…set；　and　with
swollen　paunch；　a　crown　of　ivy　on　his　brow；　a　panther's　skin　across　his
shoulder；　and　in　his　hand　a　large　gilt　goblet；　wreathed　with　flowers。
None　other　than　Ninny　Moulin；　the　famous　moral　and　religious　writer；
could　have　exhibited　to　the　astonished　and　delighted　spectators　an　ear　of
so　deep　a　scarlet；　so　majestic　an　abdomen；　and　a　face　of　such　triumphant
and　majestic　fulness。　　Every　moment；　Ninny　Moulin　appeared　to　empty　his
cupafter　which　he　burst　out　laughing　in　the　face　of　Goodman　Cholera。
Goodman　Cholera；　a　cadaverous　pantaloon；　was　half…enveloped　in　a　shroud；
his　mask　of　greenish　cardboard；　with　red；　hollow　eyes；　seemed　every
moment　to　grin　as　in　mockery　of　death；　from　beneath　his　powdered　peruke；
surmounted　by　a　pyramidical　cotton　night…cap；