第17章

“Castitfromyou！”exclaimedJervaseHelwyse，claspinghishands

inanagonyofentreaty。“Itmaynotyetbetoolate！Givethe

accursedgarmenttotheflames！”

ButLadyEleanore，withalaughofscorn，drewtherichfoldsof

theembroideredmantleoverherhead，insuchafashionastogivea

completelynewaspecttoherbeautifulface，which-halfhidden，

halfrevealed-seemedtobelongtosomebeingofmysterious

characterandpurposes。

Farewell，JervaseHelwyse！”saidshe。“Keepmyimageinyour

remembrance，asyoubeholditnow。”

“Alas，lady！”hereplied，inatonenolongerwild，butsadasa

funeralbell。“Wemustmeetshortly，whenyourfacemaywearanother

aspect-andthatshallbetheimagethatmustabidewithinme。”

Hemadenomoreresistancetotheviolenteffortsofthe

gentlemenandservants，whoalmostdraggedhimoutoftheapartment，

anddismissedhimroughlyfromtheirongateoftheProvinceHouse。

CaptainLangford，whohadbeenveryactiveinthisaffair，was

returningtothepresenceofLadyEleanoreRochcliffe，whenhe

encounteredthephysician，DoctorClarke，withwhomhehadheldsome

casualtalkonthedayofherarrival。TheDoctorstoodapart，

separatedfromLadyEleanorebythewidthoftheroom，buteyingher

withsuchkeensagacitythatCaptainLangfordinvoluntarilygavehim

creditforthediscoveryofsomedeepsecret。

“Youappeartobesmitten，afterall，withthecharmsofthis

queenlymaiden。”saidhe，hopingthustodrawforththephysician’s

hiddenknowledge。

“Godforbid！”answeredDoctorClarke，withagravesmile；“andif

youbewiseyouwillputupthesameprayerforyourself。Woto

thosewhoshallbesmittenbythisbeautifulLadyEleanore！Butyonder

standstheGovernor-andIhaveawordortwoforhisprivateear。

Goodnight！”

HeaccordinglyadvancedtoGovernorShute，andaddressedhimin

solowatonethatnoneoftheby-standerscouldcatchawordof

whathesaid，althoughthesuddenchangeofhisExcellency’s

hithertocheerfulvisagebetokenedthatthecommunicationcouldbe

ofnoagreeableimport。Averyfewmomentsafterwardsitwasannounced

tothegueststhatanunforeseencircumstancerendereditnecessaryto

putaprematureclosetothefestival。

TheballattheProvinceHousesuppliedatopicofconversationfor

thecolonialmetropolisforsomedaysafteritsoccurrence，and

mightstilllongerhavebeenthegeneraltheme，onlythatasubjectof

all-engrossinginterestthrustit，foratime，fromthepublic

recollection。Thiswastheappearanceofadreadfulepidemic，which，

inthatageandlongbeforeandafterwards，waswonttoslayits

hundredsandthousandsonbothsidesoftheAtlantic。Onthe

occasionofwhichwespeak，itwasdistinguishedbyapeculiar

virulence，insomuchthatithasleftitstraces-itspit-marks，touse

anappropriatefigure-onthehistoryofthecountry，theaffairsof

whichwerethrownintoconfusionbyitsravages。Atfirst，unlike

itsordinarycourse，thediseaseseemedtoconfineitselftothe

highercirclesofsociety，selectingitsvictimsfromamongtheproud，

thewell-born，andthewealthy，enteringunabashedintostately

chambers，andlyingdownwiththeslumberersinsilkenbeds。Someof

themostdistinguishedguestsoftheProvinceHouse-eventhosewhom

thehaughtyLadyEleanoreRochcliffehaddeemednotunworthyofher

favor-werestrickenbythisfatalscourge。Itwasnoticed，withan

ungenerousbitternessoffeeling，thatthefourgentlemen-the

Virginian，theBritishofficer，theyoungclergyman，andthe

Governor’ssecretary-whohadbeenhermostdevotedattendantson

theeveningoftheball，weretheforemostonwhomtheplaguestroke

fell。Butthedisease，pursuingitsonwardprogress，soonceasedtobe

exclusivelyaprerogativeofaristocracy。Itsredbrandwasno

longerconferredlikeanoble’sstar，oranorderofknighthood。It

threadeditswaythroughthenarrowandcrookedstreets，andentered

thelow，mean，darksomedwellings，andlaiditshandofdeathuponthe

artisansandlaboringclassesofthetown。Itcompelledrichand

poortofeelthemselvesbrethrenthen；andstalkingtoandfro

acrosstheThreeHills，withafiercenesswhichmadeitalmostanew

pestilence，therewasthatmightyconqueror-thatscourgeandhorror

ofourforefathers-theSmall-Pox！

Wecannotestimatetheaffrightwhichthisplagueinspiredofyore，

bycontemplatingitasthefanglessmonsterofthepresentday。We

mustremember，rather，withwhatawewewatchedthegiganticfootsteps

oftheAsiaticcholera，stridingfromshoretoshoreofthe

Atlantic，andmarchinglikedestinyuponcitiesfarremotewhich

flighthadalreadyhalfdepopulated。Thereisnootherfearso

horribleandunhumanizingasthatwhichmakesmandreadtobreathe

heaven’svitalairlestitbepoison，ortograspthehandofa

brotherorfriendlestthegripeofthepestilenceshouldclutch

him。Suchwasthedismaythatnowfollowedinthetrackofthe

disease，orranbeforeitthroughoutthetown。Graveswerehastily

dug，andthepestilentialrelicsashastilycovered，becausethe

deadwereenemiesoftheliving，andstrovetodrawthemheadlong，

asitwere，intotheirowndismalpit。Thepubliccouncilswere

suspended，asifmortalwisdommightrelinquishitsdevices，now

thatanunearthlyusurperhadfoundhiswayintotheruler’s

mansion。Hadanenemy’sfleetbeenhoveringonthecoast，orhis

armiestramplingonoursoil，thepeoplewouldprobablyhavecommitted

theirdefencetothatsamedirefulconquerorwhohadwroughttheirown

calamity，andwouldpermitnointerferencewithhissway。This

conquerorhadasymbolofhistriumphs。Itwasablood-redflag，

thatflutteredinthetaintedair，overthedoorofeverydwelling

intowhichtheSmall-Poxhadentered。

SuchabannerwaslongsincewavingovertheportaloftheProvince

House；forthence，aswasprovedbytrackingitsfootstepsback，had

allthisdreadfulmischiefissued。Ithadbeentracedbacktoalady’s

luxuriouschamber-totheproudestoftheproud-toherthatwasso

delicate，andhardlyownedherselfofearthlymould-tothehaughty

one，whotookherstandabovehumansympathies-toLadyEleanore！

Thereremainednoroomfordoubtthatthecontagionhadlurkedinthat

gorgeousmantle，whichthrewsostrangeagracearoundheratthe

festival。Itsfantasticsplendorhadbeenconceivedinthedelirious

brainofawomanonherdeath-bed，andwasthelasttoilofher

stiffeningfingers，whichhadinterwovenfateandmiserywithits

goldenthreads。Thisdarktale，whisperedatfirst，wasnowbruited

farandwide。ThepeopleravedagainsttheLadyEleanore，andcried

outthatherprideandscornhadevokedafiend，andthat，between

themboth，thismonstrousevilhadbeenborn。Attimes，theirrageand

despairtookthesemblanceofgrinningmirth；andwheneverthered

flagofthepestilencewashoistedoveranotherandyetanother

door，theyclappedtheirhandsandshoutedthroughthestreets，in

bittermockery：“BeholdanewtriumphfortheLadyEleanore！”

Oneday，inthemidstofthesedismaltimes，awildfigure

approachedtheportaloftheProvinceHouse，andfoldinghisarms，

stoodcontemplatingthescarletbannerwhichapassingbreezeshook

fitfully，asiftoflingabroadthecontagionthatittypified。At

length，climbingoneofthepillarsbymeansoftheironbalustrade，

hetookdowntheflagandenteredthemansion，wavingitabovehis

head。AtthefootofthestaircasehemettheGovernor，bootedand

spurred，withhiscloakdrawnaroundhim，evidentlyonthepointof

settingforthuponajourney。

“Wretchedlunatic，whatdoyouseekhere？”exclaimedShute，

extendinghiscanetoguardhimselffromcontact。“Thereisnothing

herebutDeath。Back-oryouwillmeethim！”

“Deathwillnottouchme，thebanner-bearerofthepestilence！”

criedJervaseHelwyse，shakingtheredflagaloft。“Death，andthe

Pestilence，whowearstheaspectoftheLadyEleanore，willwalk

throughthestreetstonight，andImustmarchbeforethemwiththis

banner！”

“WhydoIwastewordsonthefellow？”mutteredtheGovernor，

drawinghiscloakacrosshismouth。“Whatmattershismiserable

life，whennoneofusaresureoftwelvehours’breath？On，fool，to

yourowndestruction！”

HemadewayforJervaseHelwyse，whoimmediatelyascendedthe

staircase，but，onthefirstlanding-place，wasarrestedbythefirm

graspofahanduponhisshoulder。Lookingfiercelyup，witha

madman’simpulsetostrugglewithandrendasunderhisopponent，he

foundhimselfpowerlessbeneathacalm，sterneye，whichpossessedthe

mysteriouspropertyofquellingfrenzyatitsheight。Theperson

whomhehadnowencounteredwasthephysician，DoctorClarke，the

dutiesofwhosesadprofessionhadledhimtotheProvinceHousewhere

hewasaninfrequentguestinmoreprosperoustimes。

“Youngman，whatisyourpurpose？”demandedhe。

“IseektheLadyEleanore。”answeredJervaseHelwyse，submissively。

“Allhavefledfromher。”saidthephysician。“Whydoyouseek

hernow？Itellyou，youth，hernursefelldeath-strickenonthe

thresholdofthatfatalchamber。Knowyenot，thatnevercamesucha

cursetoourshoresasthislovelyLadyEleanore？thatherbreath

hasfilledtheairwithpoison？thatshehasshakenpestilenceand

deathupontheland，fromthefoldsofheraccursedmantle？”

“Letmelookuponher！”rejoinedthemadyouth，morewildly。“Let

mebeholdher，inherawfulbeauty，cladintheregalgarmentsof

thepestilence！SheandDeathsitonathronetogether。Letmekneel

downbeforethem！”

“Pooryouth！”saidDoctorClarke；and，movedbyadeepsenseof

humanweakness，asmileofcaustichumorcurledhislipeventhen。

“Wiltthoustillworshipthedestroyerandsurroundherimagewith

fantasiesthemoremagnificent，themoreevilshehaswrought？Thus

mandothevertohistyrants。Approach，then！Madness，asIhave

noted，hasthatgoodefficacy，thatitwillguardyoufrom

contagion-andperchanceitsowncuremaybefoundinyonderchamber。”

Ascendinganotherflightofstairs，hethrewopenadoorandsigned

toJervaseHelwysethatheshouldenter。Thepoorlunatic，itseems

probable，hadcherishedadelusionthathishaughtymistresssatin

state，unharmedherselfbythepestilentialinfluence，which，asby

enchantment，shescatteredroundabouther。Hedreamed，nodoubt，that

herbeautywasnotdimmed，butbrightenedintosuperhumansplendor。

Withsuchanticipations，hestolereverentiallytothedooratwhich

thephysicianstood，butpauseduponthethresholdgazingfearfully

intothegloomofthedarkenedchamber。

“WhereistheLadyEleanore？”whisperedhe。

“Callher。”repliedthephysician。

“LadyEleanore！Princess！QueenofDeath！”criedJervaseHelwyse，

advancingthreestepsintothechamber。“Sheisnothere！There，on

yondertable，Ibeholdthesparkleofadiamondwhichonceshewore

uponherbosom。There“-andheshuddered-“therehangshermantle，

onwhichadeadwomanembroideredaspellofdreadfulpotency。But

whereistheLadyEleanore？”

Somethingstirredwithinthesilkencurtainsofacanopiedbed；and

alowmoanwasuttered，which，listeningintently，JervaseHelwyse

begantodistinguishasawoman’svoice，complainingdolefullyof

thirst。Hefancied，even，thatherecognizeditstones。

“Mythroat！mythroatisscorched。”murmuredthevoice。“Adrop

ofwater！”