Читать книгу Cherry & Violet: A Tale of the Great Plague онлайн

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“Peter Curling sells all Sorts of Hair, Curled or Uncurled, Roses, Braids, Cauls, Ribbons, Weaving, Sewing-silk, Cards, and Blocks. Together with Combs, Crisping-pins, Perfumery, and all other Goods made use of by Tonsors and Hairdressers, at the Lowest Prices.”

On the opposite Side of the Way, was a Vintner’s, by the Name of Abel, who had humorously set up a Bell for his Sign, and painted beneath it, “Quoth the Wag, I am Abel.”

Next Door to us on one Side, lived a Bookseller and Stationer named Benskin, whose Sign was the Bible and Star; and next Door to us on the other Side was a Glover named Hugh Braidfoot, a jolly, good-tempered Bachelor, black-haired, fresh-coloured, and six Feet high, whose Sign was the Roebuck.

A few Weeks after my Birth, which was in February, 1633, in the Midst of a notable hard Frost, there broke out a most dreadful Fire at the north End of the Bridge, which consumed all the Houses on both Sides, from St. Magnus’ Church to the first open Space on the Bridge. There was, I have heard tell, much bodily Hurt as well as Destruction of Property; many Persons in precipitating themselves from upper Stories, getting their Limbs broken. “Water! Water!” was the Cry, and all in vain, for though the Thames lay right under the Houses, ’twas one great Cake of Ice, and the only Resource was to break the Conduit Pipes that ran through the Streets leading to the Bridge, and sweep the Water down with Brooms, to supply the three Engines that every one had thought would be such Helps in Time of Need, but which proved very sorry Helps indeed. In the Midst of the Tumult and Danger, some Neighbours of ours that were burned out of House and Home, took Refuge with us; to wit, the Wife and infant Daughter of Master Samuel Armytage, Haberdasher of small Wares; the Infant being, like myself, a Nursling of only a few Weeks old. These homeless Strangers did my Mother hospitably and Christianly entertain, bestirring herself more in her Care for them than in her tender Case it was fit she should have done, and putting us two Infants into one and the same Cradle. With our little Arms locked about one another, in an Atmosphere of Christian Love, ’twas no Wonder that little Violet and I conceived a Tenderness for each other, e’en while Sucklings, that grew with our Growth, and strengthened with our Strength. As for the elder Parties, Hospitality on the one Side and Thankfulness on the other caused a more than common Friendliness to spring up between them from that Time forth. And when the Fugitives were re-established in their re-built Houses, they long had an impressive and solemnifying Remembrance of their narrow Escape from an awful and terrible Death.