the wandering jew, volume 9-第8章

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some　two；　frequently　three　or　four；　from　the　same　house。　　It　sometimes
happened　that　the　store　was　quickly　exhausted；　and　the　cart；　which　had
arrived　full；　went　away　empty；　whilst　many　of　the　dead　in　the　street　were
still　unserved。　　In　nearly　every　dwelling；　upstairs　and　down；　from　the
roof　to　the　cellar；　there　was　a　stunning　tapping　of　hammers：　coffins　were
being　nailed　down；　and　so　many；　so　very　many　were　nailed；　that　sometimes
those　who　worked　stopped　from　sheer　fatigue。　　Then　broke　forth　laments；
heart…rending　moans；　despairing　imprecations。　　They　were　uttered　by　those
from　whom　the　men　in　black　and　gray　had　taken　some　one　to　fill　the
coffins。

Unceasingly　were　the　coffins　filled；　and　day　and　night　did　those　men
work；　but　by　day　more　than　by　night；　for；　as　soon　as　it　was　dusk；　carne　a
gloomy　file　of　vehicles　of　all　kindsthe　usual　hearses　were　not
sufficient；　but　cars；　carts；　drays；　hackney…coaches；　and　such　like；
swelled　the　funeral　procession；　different　to　the　other　conveyances；　which
entered　the　streets　full　and　went　away　emptythese　came　empty　but　soon
returned　full。　　During　that　period；　the　windows　of　many　houses　were
illuminated；　and　often　the　lights　remained　burning　till　the　morning。　　It
was　〃the　season。〃　These　illuminations　resembled　the　gleaming　rays　which
shine　in　the　gay　haunts　of　pleasure；　but　there　were　tapers　instead　of　wax
candles；　and　the　chanting　of　prayers　for　the　dead　replaced　the　murmur　of
the　ball…room。　　In　the　streets；　instead　of　the　facetious　transparencies
which　indicate　the　costumers；　there　swung　at　intervals　huge　lanterns　of　a
blood…red　color；　with　these　words　in　black　letters：　〃Assistance　for　those
attacked　with　the　cholera。〃　The　true　places　for　revelry；　during　the
night；　were　the　churchyards；　they　ran　riotthey；　usually　so　desolate　and
silent；　during　the　dark；　quiet　hours；　when　the　cypress　trees　rustle　in
the　breeze；　so　lonely；　that　no　human　step　dared　to　disturb　the　solemn
silence　which　reigned　there　at　night；　became　on　a　sudden；　animated；
noisy；　riotous；　and　resplendent　with　light。　　By　the　smoky　flames　of
torches；　which　threw　a　red　glare　upon　the　dark　fir…trees；　and　the　white
tombstones；　many　grave…diggers　worked　merrily；　humming　snatches　of　some
favorite　tune。　　Their　laborious　and　hazardous　industry　then　commanded　a
very　high　price；　they　were　in　such　request　that　it　was　necessary　to　humor
them。　　They　drank　often　and　much；　they　sang　long　and　loud；　and　this　to
keep　up　their　strength　and　spirits　good；　absolute　requisites　in　such　an
employment。　　If；　by　chance；　any　did　not　finish　the　grave　they　had　begun；
some　obliging　comrade　finished　it　for　them　（fitting　expression！）；　and
placed　them　in　it　with　friendly　care。

Other　distant　sounds　responded　to　the　joyous　strains　of　the　grave…
diggers；　public…houses　had　sprung　up　in　the　neighborhood　of　the
churchyards；　and　the　drivers　of　the　dead；　when　they　had　〃set　down　their
customers；〃　as　they　jocosely　expressed　themselves；　enriched　with　their
unusual　gratuities；　feasted　and　made　merry　like　lords；　dawn　often　found
them　with　a　glass　in　their　hands；　and　a　jest　on　their　lips；　and；　strange
to　say；　among　these　funeral　satellites；　who　breathed　the　very　atmosphere
of　the　disease；　the　mortality　was　scarcely　perceptible。　　In　the　dark；
squalid　quarters　of　the　town；　where；　surrounded　by　infectious
exhalations；　the　indigent　population　was　crowded　together；　and　miserable
beings；　exhausted　by　severe　privation；　were　〃bespoke〃　by　the　cholera；　as
it　was　energetically　said　at　the　time；　not　only　individuals；　but　whole
families；　were　carried　off　in　a　few　hours；　and　yet；　sometimes；　oh；
merciful　Providence！　one　or　two　little　children　were　left　in　the　cold　and
empty　room；　after　the　father　and　mother；　brother　and　sister；　had　been
taken　away　in　their　shells。

Frequently；　houses　which　had　swarmed　with　hard　working　laborers；　were
obliged　to　be　shut　up　for　want　of　tenants；　in　one　day；　they　had　been
completely　cleared　by　this　terrible　visitation；　from　the　cellars；　where
little　chimney…sweepers　slept　upon　straw；　to　the　garret；　on　whose　cold
brick　floor　lay　stretched　some　wan　and　half…naked　being；　without　work　and
without　bread。　　But；　of　all　the　wards　of　Paris；　that　which　perhaps
presented　the　most　frightful　spectacle　during　the　progress　of　the
cholera；　was　the　City；　and　in　the　City；　the　square　before　the　cathedral
of　Notre…Dame　was　almost　every　day　the　theatre　of　dreadful　scenes：　for
this　locality　was　frequently　thronged　with　those　who　conveyed　the　sick
from　the　neighboring　streets　to　the　Great　Hospital。　　The　cholera　had　not
one　aspect；　but　a　thousand。　　So　that　one　week　after　Rodin　had　been
suddenly　attacked；　several　events　combining　the　horrible　and　the
grotesque　occurred　in　the　square　of　Notre　Dame。

Instead　of　the　Rue　d'Arcole；　which　now　leads　directly　to　the　square；　it
was　then　approached　on　one　side；　by　a　mean；　narrow　lane；　like　all　the
other　streets　of　the　City；　and　terminating　in　a　dark；　low　archway。　　Upon
entering　the　square　the　principal　door　of　the　huge　Cathedral　was　to　the
left　of　the　spectator；　and　facing　him　were　the　Hospital　buildings。　　A
little　beyond；　was　an　opening　which　gave　to　view　a　portion　of　the　parapet
of　the　Quay　Notre…Dame。　　A　placard　had　been　recently　stuck　on　the
discolored　and　sunken　wail　of　the　archway；　it　contained　these　words；
traced　in　large　characters。＇37＇

〃VENGEANCE！　VENGEANCE！

〃The　Working…men　carried　to　the　hospitals　are　poisoned；　because　the
number　of　patients　is　too　great；　every　night；　Boats　filled　with　corpses；
drop　down　the　Seine。

〃Vengeance　and　Death　to　the　murderers　of　the　People！〃

Two　men；　enveloped　in　cloaks；　and　half…hidden　in　the　deep　shadow　of　the
vault；　were　listening　with　anxious　curiosity　to　the　threatening　murmur；
which　rose　with　increasing　force　from　among　a　tumultuous　assembly；
grouped　around　the　Hospital。　　Soon；　cries　of　〃Death　to　the　doctors！
Vengeance！〃　reached　the　ears　of　the　persons　who　were　in　ambush　under　the
arch。

〃The　posters　are　working；〃　said　one；　〃the　train　is　on　fire。　　When　once
the　populace　is　roused；　we　can　set　them　on　whom　we　please。〃

〃I　say；〃　replied　the　other　man；　〃look　over　there。　　That　Hercules；　whose
athletic　form　towers　above　the　mob；　was　cue　of　the　most　frantic　leaders
when　M。　Hardy's　factory　was　destroyed。〃

〃To　be　sure　he　was；　I　know　him　again。　Wherever　mischief　is　to　be　done；
you　are　sure　to　find　those　vagabonds。

〃Now；　take　my　advice；　do　not　let　us　remain　under　this　archway；〃　said　the
other　man；　〃the　wind　is　as　cold　as　ice；　and　though　I　am　cased　in　flannel〃

〃You　are　right；　the　cholera　is　confoundedly　impolite。　　Besides；
everything　is　going　on　well　here；　I　am　likewise　assured　that　the　whole　of
the　Faubourg　Saint…Antoine　is　ready　to　rise　in　the　republican　cause；　that
will　serve　our　ends；　and　our　holy　religion　will　triumph　over
revolutionary　impiety。　　Let　us　rejoin　Father　d'Aigrigny。〃

〃Where　shall　we　find　him？〃

〃Near　here；　comecome。〃

The　two　hastily　disappeared。

The　sun；　beginning　to　decline；　shed　its　golden　rays　upon　the　blackened
sculptures　of　the　porch　of　Notre…Dame；　and　upon　its　two　massy　towers；
rising　in　imposing　majesty　against　a　perfectly　blue　sky；　for　during　the
fast　few　days；　a　north…east　wind；　dry　and　cold；　had　driven　away　the
lightest　cloud。　　A　considerable　number　of　people；　as　we　have　already
stated；　obstructed　the　approach　to　the　Hospital；　they　crowded　round　the
iron　railings　that　protect　the　front　of　the　building；　behind　which　was
stationed　a　detachment　of　infantry；　the　cries　of　〃Death　to　the　doctors！〃
becoming　every　moment　more　threatening。　　The　people　who　thus　vociferated。
belonged　to　an　idle；　vagabond；　and　depraved　populacethe　dregs　of　the
Paris　mob；　and　（terrible　spectacle！）　the　unfortunate　beings　who　were
forcibly　carried　through　the　midst　of　these　hideous　groups　entered　the
Hospital；　whilst　the　air　resounded　with　hoarse　clamors；　and　cries　of
〃Death。〃　Every　moment；　fresh　victims　were　brought　along　in　litters；　and
on　stretchers；　the　litters　were　frequently　furnished　with　coarse
curtains；　and　thus　the　sick　occupants　were　concealed　from　the　public
gaze；　but　the　stretchers；　having　no　covering；　the　convulsive　movements　of
the　dying　patients　often　thrust　aside　th