john ingerfield and other stories-第4部分

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master　to　his　people；　a　sterner　creditor；　a　greedier　dealer；

squeezing　the　uttermost　out　of　every　one；　feverish　to　grow　richer；　so

that　he　may　spend　more　upon　the　game　that　day　by　day　he　finds　more

tiresome　and　uninteresting。



And　the　piled…up　casks　upon　his　wharves　increase　and　multiply；　and　on

the　dirty　river　his　ships　and　barges　lie　in　ever…lengthening　lines；

and　round　his　greasy　cauldrons　sweating；　witch…like　creatures　swarm

in　ever…denser　numbers；　stirring　oil　and　tallow　into　gold。



Until　one　summer；　from　its　nest　in　the　far　East；　there　flutters

westward　a　foul　thing。　　Hovering　over　Limehouse　suburb；　seeing　it

crowded　and　unclean；　liking　its　fetid　smell；　it　settles　down　upon　it。



Typhus　is　the　creature's　name。　　At　first　it　lurks　there　unnoticed；

battening　upon　the　rich；　rank　food　it　finds　around　it；　until；　grown

too　big　to　hide　longer；　it　boldly　shows　its　hideous　head；　and　the

white　face　of　Terror　runs　swiftly　through　alley　and　street；　crying　as

it　runs；　forces　itself　into　John　Ingerfield's　counting…house；　and

tells　its　tale。　　　John　Ingerfield　sits　for　a　while　thinking。　　Then　he

mounts　his　horse　and　rides　home　at　as　hard　a　pace　as　the　condition　of

the　streets　will　allow。　　In　the　hall　he　meets　Anne　going　out；　and

stops　her。



〃Don't　come　too　near　me；〃　he　says　quietly。　　〃Typhus　fever　has　broken

out　at　Limehouse；　and　they　say　one　can　communicate　it；　even　without

having　it　oneself。　　You　had　better　leave　London　for　a　few　weeks。　　Go

down　to　your　father's：　　I　will　come　and　fetch　you　when　it　is　all

over。〃



He　passes　her；　giving　her　a　wide　berth；　and　goes　upstairs；　where　he

remains　for　some　minutes　in　conversation　with　his　valet。　　Then；

coming　down；　he　remounts　and　rides　off　again。



After　a　little　while　Anne　goes　up　into　his　room。　　His　man　is　kneeling

in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　packing　a　valise。



〃Where　are　you　to　take　it？〃　she　asks。



〃Down　to　the　wharf；　ma'am；〃　answers　the　man：　　〃Mr。　Ingerfield　is

going　to　be　there　for　a　day　or　two。〃



Then　Anne　sits　in　the　great　empty　drawing…room；　and　takes　HER　turn　at

thinking。



John　Ingerfield　finds；　on　his　return　to　Limehouse；　that　the　evil　has

greatly　increased　during　the　short　time　he　has　been　away。　　Fanned　by

fear　and　ignorance；　fed　by　poverty　and　dirt；　the　scourge　is　spreading

through　the　district　like　a　fire。　　Long　smouldering　in　secret；　it　has

now　burst　forth　at　fifty　different　points　at　once。　　Not　a　street；　not

a　court　but　has　its　〃case。〃　　Over　a　dozen　of　John's　hands　are　down

with　it　already。　　Two　more　have　sunk　prostrate　beside　their　work

within　the　last　hour。　　The　panic　grows　grotesque。　　Men　and　women　tear

their　clothes　off；　looking　to　see　if　they　have　anywhere　upon　them　a

rash　or　a　patch　of　mottled　skin；　find　that　they　have；　or　imagine　that

they　have；　and　rush；　screaming；　half…undressed；　into　the　street。　　Two

men；　meeting　in　a　narrow　passage；　both　rush　back；　too　frightened　to

pass　each　other。　　A　boy　stoops　down　and　scratches　his　legnot　an

action　that　under　ordinary　circumstances　would　excite　much　surprise

in　that　neighbourhood。　　In　an　instant　there　is　a　wild　stampede　from

the　room；　the　strong　trampling　on　the　weak　in　their　eagerness　to

escape。



These　are　not　the　days　of　organised　defence　against　disease。　　There

are　kind　hearts　and　willing　hands　in　London　town；　but　they　are　not

yet　closely　enough　banded　together　to　meet　a　swift　foe　such　as　this。

There　are　hospitals　and　charities　galore；　but　these　are　mostly　in　the

City；　maintained　by　the　City　Fathers　for　the　exclusive　benefit　of

poor　citizens　and　members　of　the　guilds。　　The　few　free　hospitals　are

already　over…crowded　and　ill…prepared。　　Squalid；　outlying　Limehouse；

belonging　to　nowhere；　cared　for　by　nobody；　must　fight　for　itself。



John　Ingerfield　calls　the　older　men　together；　and　with　their　help

attempts　to　instil　some　sense　and　reason　into　his　terrified　people。

Standing　on　the　step　of　his　counting…house；　and　addressing　as　many　of

them　as　are　not　too　scared　to　listen；　he　tells　them　of　the　danger　of

fear　and　of　the　necessity　for　calmness　and　courage。



〃We　must　face　and　fight　this　thing　like　men；〃　he　cries；　in　that　deep；

din…conquering　voice　that　has　served　the　Ingerfields　in　good　stead　on

many　a　steel…swept　field；　on　many　a　storm…struck　sea；　〃there　must　be

no　cowardly　selfishness；　no　faint…hearted　despair。　　If　we've　got　to

die　we'll　die；　but　please　God　we'll　live。　　Anyhow；　we　will　stick

together；　and　help　each　other。　　I　mean　to　stop　here　with　you；　and　do

what　I　can　for　you。　　None　of　my　people　shall　want。〃



John　Ingerfield　ceases；　and　as　the　vibrations　of　his　strong　tones

roll　away　a　sweet　voice　from　beside　him　rises　clear　and　firm：…



〃I　have　come　down　to　be　with　you　also；　and　to　help　my　husband。　　I

shall　take　charge　of　the　nursing　and　tending　of　your　sick；　and　I　hope

I　shall　be　of　some　real　use　to　you。　　My　husband　and　I　are　so　sorry

for　you　in　your　trouble。　　I　know　you　will　be　brave　and　patient。　　We

will　all　do　our　best；　and　be　hopeful。〃



He　turns；　half　expecting　to　see　only　the　empty　air　and　to　wonder　at

the　delirium　in　his　brain。　　She　puts　her　hand　in　his；　and　their　eyes

meet；　and　in　that　moment；　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives；　these

two　see　one　another。



They　speak　no　word。　　There　is　no　opportunity　for　words。　　There　is

work　to　be　done；　and　done　quickly；　and　Anne　grasps　it　with　the　greed

of　a　woman　long　hungry　for　the　joy　of　doing。　　As　John　watches　her

moving　swiftly　and　quietly　through　the　bewildered　throng；

questioning；　comforting；　gently　compelling；　the　thought　comes　to　him；

Ought　he　to　allow　her　to　be　here；　risking　her　life　for　his　people？

followed　by　the　thought；　How　is　he　going　to　prevent　it？　　For　in　this

hour　the　knowledge　is　born　within　him　that　Anne　is　not　his　property；

that　he　and　she　are　fellow　hands　taking　their　orders　from　the　same

Master；　that　though　it　be　well　for　them　to　work　together　and　help

each　other；　they　must　not　hinder　one　another。



As　yet　John　does　not　understand　all　this。　　The　idea　is　new　and

strange　to　him。　　He　feels　as　the　child　in　a　fairy　story　on　suddenly

discovering　that　the　trees　and　flowers　has　he　passed　by　carelessly　a

thousand　times　can　think　and　talk。　　Once　he　whispers　to　her　of　the

labour　and　the　danger；　but　she　answers　simply；　〃They　are　my　people

too；　John：　　it　is　my　work〃；　and　he　lets　her　have　her　way。



Anne　has　a　true　woman's　instinct　for　nursing；　and　her　strong　sense

stands　her　in　stead　of　experience。　　A　glance　into　one　or　two　of　the

squalid　dens　where　these　people　live　tells　her　that　if　her　patients

are　to　be　saved　they　must　be　nursed　away　from　their　own　homes；　and

she　determines　to　convert　the　large　counting…housea　long；　lofty

room　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　wharf　to　the　refineryinto　a

temporary　hospital。　　Selecting　some　seven　or　eight　of　the　most

reliable　women　to　assist　her；　she　proceeds　to　prepare　it　for　its

purpose。　　Ledgers　might　be　volumes　of　poetry；　bills　of　lading　mere

street　ballads；　for　all　the　respect　that　is　shown　to　them。　　The　older

clerks　stand　staring　aghast；　feeling　that　the　end　of　all　things　is

surely　at　hand；　and　that　the　universe　is　rushing　down　into　space；

until；　their　idleness　being　detected；　they　are　themselves　promptly

impressed　for　the　sacrilegious　work；　and　made　to　assist　in　the

demolition　of　their　own　temple。



Anne's　commands　are　spoken　very　sweetly；　and　are　accompanied　by　the

sweetest　of　smiles；　but　they　are　nevertheless　commands；　and　somehow

it　does　not　occur　to　any　one　to　disobey　them。　　Johnstern；

masterful；　authoritative　John；　who　has　never　been　approached　with

anything　more　dictatorial　than　a　timid　request　since　he　left　Merchant

Taylors'　School　nineteen　years　ago；　who　would　have　thought　that

something　had　suddenly　gone　wrong　with　the　laws　of　Nature　if　he　had

beenfinds　himself　hurrying　along　the　street　on　his　way　to　a

druggist's　shop；　slackens　his　pace　an　instant　to　ask　himself　why　and

wherefore　he　is　doing　so；　recollects　that　he　was　told　to　do　so　and　to

make　haste　back；　marvels　who　could　have　dared　to　tell　him　to　do

anything　and　to　make　haste　back；　remembers　that　it　was　Anne；　is　not

quite　sure　what　to　think　about　it；　but　hurries　on。　　He　〃makes　haste

back；〃　is　praised　for　having　been　so　quick；　and　feels　pleased　with

himself；　is　sent　off　again　in　another　direction；　with　instructions

what　to　say　when　he　gets　there。　　He　starts　off　（he　is　becoming　used

to　being　ordered　about　now）。　　Halfway　there　great　alarm　seizes　him；

for　on　attempting　to　say　over　the　message　to　himself；　to　be　sure　that

he　has　it　quite　right；　he　discovers　he　has　forgotten　it。　　He　pauses；

nervous　and　excited；　cogitates　as　to　whether　it　will　be　safe　for　him

to　concoct　a　message　of　his　own；　weighs　anxiously　the　chances

supposing　that　he　does　soof　being　found　out。　　Suddenly；　to　his

intense　surprise　and　relief；　every　word　of　what　he　was　told　to　say

comes　back　to　him；　and　he　hastens　on；　repeating　it　over　and　over　to

himself　as　he　walks；　lest　it　should　escape　him　again。



And　then　a　few　hundred　yards　farther　on　there　occurs　one　of　the　most

extraordinary　events　that　has　ever　happened　in　that　street　before　or

since：　　John　Ingerfield　laughs。



John　Ingerfield；　of　Lavender　Wharf；　after　walking　two…thirds　of　Creek

Lane；　muttering　to　himself　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground；　stops　in　the

middle　of　the　road　and　laughs；　and　one　small　boy；　who　tells　the　story

to　his　dying　day；　sees　him　and　hears　him；　and　runs　home　at　the　top　of

his　speed　with　the　wonderful　news；　and　is　conscientiously　slapped　by

his　mother　for　telling　lies。



All　that　day　Anne　works　like　a　heroine；　John　helping　her；　and

occasionally　getting　in　the　way。　　By　night　she　has　her　little

hospital　prepared　and　three　beds　already　up　and　occupied；　and；　all

now　done　that　can　be　done；　she　and　John　go　upstairs　to　his　old　rooms

above　the　counting…house。



John　ushers　her　into　them　with　some　misgiving；　for　by　contrast　with

the　house　at　　Bloomsbury　they　ar