from this world to the next-第4部分

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particular　shop；　and；　telling　me　it　would　do　my　business；　he　took

his　leave。



Secure；　as　I　now　thought　myself；　of　my　direction；　I　went　to　the

shop；　which　very　much　resembled　an　apothecary's。　　The　person　who

officiated；　having　read　the　paper；　took　down　about　twenty

different　jars；　and；　pouring　something　out　of　every　one　of　them；

made　a　mixture；　which　he　delivered　to　me　in　a　bottle；　having

first　tied　a　paper　round　the　neck　of　it；　on　which　were　written

three　or　four　words；　the　last　containing　eleven　syllables。　　I

mentioned　the　name　of　the　disease　I　wanted　to　find　out；　but

received　no　other　answer　than　that　he　had　done　as　he　was　ordered；

and　the　drugs　were　excellent。　　I　began　now　to　be　enraged；　and；

quitting　the　shop　with　some　anger　in　my　countenance；　I　intended

to　find　out　my　inn；　but；　meeting　in　the　way　a　porter　whose

countenance　had　in　it　something　more　pleasing　than　ordinary；　I

resolved　to　try　once　more；　and　clapped　a　fee　into　his　hand。　　As

soon　as　I　mentioned　the　disease　to　him　he　laughed　heartily；　and

told　me　I　had　been　imposed　on；　for　in　reality　no　such　disease　was

to　be　found　in　that　city。　　He　then　inquired　into　the　particulars

of　my　case；　and　was　no　sooner　acquainted　with　them　than　he

informed　me　that　the　Maladie　Alamode　was　the　lady　to　whom　I　was

obliged。　　I　thanked　him；　and　immediately　went　to　pay　my　respects

to　her。　　The　house；　or　rather　palace；　of　this　lady　was　one　of　the

most　beautiful　and　magnificent　in　the　city。　　The　avenue　to　it　was

planted　with　sycamore　trees；　with　beds　of　flowers　on　each　side；

it　was　extremely　pleasant　but　short。　　I　was　conducted　through　a

magnificent　hall；　adorned　with　several　statues　and　bustoes；　most

of　them　maimed；　whence　I　concluded　them　all　to　be　true　antiques；

but　was　informed　they　were　the　figures　of　several　modern　heroes；

who　had　died　martyrs　to　her　ladyship's　cause。　　I　next　mounted

through　a　large　painted　staircase；　where　several　persons　were

depicted　in　caricatura；　and；　upon　inquiry；　was　told　they　were　the

portraits　of　those　who　had　distinguished　themselves　against　the

lady　in　the　lower　world。　　I　suppose　I　should　have　known　the　faces

of　many　physicians　and　surgeons；　had　they　not　been　so　violently

distorted　by　the　painter。　　Indeed；　he　had　exerted　so　much　malice

in　his　work；　that　I　believe　he　had　himself　received　some

particular　favors　from　the　lady　of　this　mansion：　　it　is　difficult

to　conceive　a　group　of　stranger　figures。　　I　then　entered　a　long

room；　hung　round　with　the　pictures　of　women　of　such　exact　shapes

and　features　that　I　should　have　thought　myself　in　a　gallery　of

beauties；　had　not　a　certain　sallow　paleness　in　their　complexions

given　me　a　more　distasteful　idea。　　Through　this　I　proceeded　to　a

second　apartment；　adorned；　if　I　may　so　call　it；　with　the　figures

of　old　ladies。　　Upon　my　seeming　to　admire　at　this　furniture；　the

servant　told　me　with　a　smile　that　these　had　been　very　good

friends　of　his　lady；　and　had　done　her　eminent　service　in　the

lower　world。　　I　immediately　recollected　the　faces　of　one　or　two

of　my　acquaintance；　who　had　formerly　kept　bagnios；　but　was　very

much　surprised　to　see　the　resemblance　of　a　lady　of　great

distinction　in　such　company。　　The　servant；　upon　my　mentioning

this；　made　no　other　answer　than　that　his　lady　had　pictures　of　all

degrees。　　I　was　now　introduced　into　the　presence　of　the　lady

herself。　　She　was　a　thin；　or　rather　meager；　person；　very　wan　in

the　countenance；　had　no　nose　and　many　pimples　in　her　face。　　She

offered　to　rise　at　my　entrance；　but　could　not　stand。　　After　many

compliments；　much　congratulation　on　her　side；　and　the　most

fervent　expressions　of　gratitude　on　mine；　she　asked　me　many

questions　concerning　the　situation　of　her　affairs　in　the　lower

world；　most　of　which　I　answered　to　her　entire　satisfaction。　　At

last；　with　a　kind　of　forced　smile；　she　said；　〃I　suppose　the　pill

and　drop　go　on　swimmingly？〃　　I　told　her　they　were　reported　to

have　done　great　cures。　　She　replied　she　could　apprehend　no　danger

from　any　person　who　was　not　of　regular　practice；　〃for；　however

simple　mankind　are；〃　said　she；　〃or　however　afraid　they　are　of

death；　they　prefer　dying　in　a　regular　manner　to　being　cured　by　a

nostrum。〃　　She　then　expressed　great　pleasure　at　the　account　I

gave　her　of　the　beau　monde。　　She　said　she　had　herself　removed　the

hundreds　of　Drury　to　the　hundreds　of　Charing…cross；　and　was　very

much　delighted　to　find　they　had　spread　into　St。　James's；　that

she　imputed　this　chiefly　to　several　of　her　dear　and　worthy

friends；　who　had　lately　published　their　excellent　works；

endeavoring　to　extirpate　all　notions　of　religion　and　virtue；　and

particularly　to　the　deserving　author　of　the　Bachelor's　Estimate；

〃to　whom；〃　said　she；　〃if　I　had　not　reason　to　think　he　was　a

surgeon；　and　had　therefore　written　from　mercenary　views；　I　could

never　sufficiently　own　my　obligations。〃　　She　spoke　likewise

greatly　in　approbation　of　the　method；　so　generally　used　by

parents；　of　marrying　children　very　young；　and　without　the　least

affection　between　the　parties；　and　concluded　by　saying　that；　if

these　fashions　continued　to　spread；　she　doubted　not　but　she

should　shortly　be　the　only　disease　who　would　ever　receive　a　visit

from　any　person　of　considerable　rank。



While　we　were　discoursing　her　three　daughters　entered　the　room。　

They　were　all　called　by　hard　names；　the　eldest　was　named　Lepra；

the　second　Chaeras；　and　the　third　Scorbutia。＇8＇　They　were　all

genteel；　but　ugly。　　I　could　not　help　observing　the　little　respect

they　paid　their　parent；　which　the　old　lady　remarking　in　my

countenance；　as　soon　as　they　quitted　the　room；　which　soon

happened；　acquainted　me　with　her　unhappiness　in　her　offspring；

every　one　of　which　had　the　confidence　to　deny　themselves　to　be

her　children；　though　she　said　she　had　been　a　very　indulgent

mother　and　had　plentifully　provided　for　them　all。　　As　family

complaints　generally　as　much　tire　the　hearer　as　they　relieve　him

who　makes　them；　when　I　found　her　launching　farther　into　this

subject　I　resolved　to　put　an　end　to　my　visit；　and；　taking　my

leave　with　many　thanks　for　the　favor　she　had　done　me；　I　returned

to　the　inn；　where　I　found　my　fellow…travelers　just　mounting　into

their　vehicle。　　I　shook　hands　with　my　host　and　accompanied　them

into　the　coach；　which　immediately　after　proceeded　on　its　journey。



＇8＇　These　ladies；　I　believe；　by　their　names；　presided　over　the　

leprosy；　king's…evil；　and　scurvy。





CHAPTER　IV　



Discourses　on　the　road；　and　a　description　of　the　palace　of　Death。



We　were　all　silent　for　some　minutes；　till；　being　well　shaken　into

our　several　seats；　I　opened　my　mouth　first；　and　related　what　had

happened　to　me　after　our　separation　in　the　city　we　had　just　left。



The　rest　of　the　company；　except　the　grave　female　spirit　whom　our

reader　may　remember　to　have　refused　giving　an　account　of　the

distemper　which　occasioned　her　dissolution；　did　the　same。　　It

might　be　tedious　to　relate　these　at　large；　we　shall　therefore

only　mention　a　very　remarkable　inveteracy　which　the　Surfeit

declared　to　all　the　other　diseases；　especially　to　the　Fever；　who；

she　said；　by　the　roguery　of　the　porters；　received　acknowledgments

from　numberless　passengers　which　were　due　to　herself。　　〃Indeed；〃

says　she；　〃those　cane…headed　fellows〃　（for　so　she　called　them；

alluding；　I　suppose；　to　their　ticket）　〃are　constantly　making　such

mistakes；　there　is　no　gratitude　in　those　fellows；　for　I　am　sure

they　have　greater　obligations　to　me　than　to　any　other　disease；

except　the　Vapors。〃　　These　relations　were　no　sooner　over　than　one

of　the　company　informed　us　we　were　approaching　to　the　most　noble

building　he　had　ever　beheld；　and　which　we　learned　from　our

coachman　was　the　palace　of　Death。　　Its　outside；　indeed；　appeared

extremely　magnificent。　　Its　structure　was　of　the　Gothic　order；

vast　beyond　imagination；　the　whole　pile　consisting　of　black

marble。　　Rows　of　immense　yews　form　an　amphitheater　round　it　of

such　height　and　thickness　that　no　ray　of　the　sun　ever　perforates

this　grove；　where　black　eternal　darkness　would　reign　was　it　not

excluded　by　innumerable　lamps　which　are　placed　in　pyramids　round

the　grove；　so　that　the　distant　reflection　they　cast　on　the

palace；　which　is　plentifully　gilt　with　gold　on　the　outside；　is

inconceivably　solemn。　　To　this　I　may　add　the　hollow　murmur　of

winds　constantly　heard　from　the　grove；　and　the　very　remote　sound

of　roaring　waters。　　Indeed；　every　circumstance　seems　to　conspire

to　fill　the　mind　with　horror　and　consternation　as　we　approach　to

this　palace；　which　we　had　scarce　time　to　admire　before　our

vehicle　stopped　at　the　gate；　and　we　were　desired　to　alight　in

order　to　pay　our　respects　to　his　most　mortal　majesty　（this　being

the　title　which　it　seems　he　assumes）。　　The　outward　court　was　full

of　soldiers；　and；　indeed；　the　whole　very　much　resembled　the　state

of　an　earthly　monarch；　only　more　magnificent。　　We　passed　through

several　courts　into　a　vast　hall；　which　led　to　a　spacious

staircase；　at　the　bottom　of　which　stood　two　pages；　with　very

grave　countenances；　whom　I　recollected　afterwards　to　have

formerly　been　very　eminent　undertakers；　and　were　in　reality　the

only　dismal　faces　I　saw　here；　for　this　palace；　so　awful　and

tremendous　without；　is　all　gay　and　sprightly　within；　so　that　we

soon　lost　all　those　dismal　and　gloomy　ideas　we　had　contracted　in

approaching　it。　　Indeed；　the　still　silence　maintained　among　the

guards　and　attendants　resembled　rather　the　stately　pomp　of

eastern　courts；　but　there　was　on　every　face　such　symptoms　of

content　and　happiness　that　diffused　an　air　of　cheerfulness　all

round。　　We　ascended　the　staircase　and　passed　through　many　noble

apartments　whose　walls　were　adorned　with　various　battle…pieces　in

tapistry；　and　which　we　spent　some　time　in　observing。　　These

brought　to　my　mind　those　beautiful　ones　I　had　in　my　lifetime　seen

at　Blenheim；　nor　could　I　prevent　my　curiosity　from　inquiring

where　the　Duke　of　Marlborough's　victories　were　placed　（for　I

think　th