Keeping the Gates.
Meantime, though our Bridge, by reason of its being one of the great Thoroughfares of London, could not well be shut up, yet the Bridgewardens took all the Care of us they could, keeping the Gates with much Jealousy, and burning large Fires of resinous and strong-smelling Substances. Early in the Season, there was one Person who took a mighty Panic at her own Danger, which was Mistress Armytage. She had left her Lodgings, ostensibly to be with Kitty during her Confinement, but in Reality, as the Event proved, to be out of the Reach of Infection. However, the News of each Day, which she greedily gathered, becoming dismaller, and the Crowds of People pouring out of Town exciting her Desire to be among them, she wearied Hugh Braidfoot with Entreaties that he would promise to go into the Country as soon as Kitty got about again; and, one Night, a Coffin leaping into her Lap out of the Fire, her Fears for herself could no longer be allayed, but she declared she must go the next Morning, come what would. I heard much sobbing and loud talking through the Wall overnight; and the next Morning at Day-break, saw the Widow departing with a small Bundle in her Hand, and a young Lad carrying her heavy Box. However, the End, which was impressive, was this. She over-heated herself in her selfish Flight, slept in a damp Bed the next Night, and took a Hurt which ended her Life before the Year was out, though not by the Plague.
Soon after, Kitty gave Birth to twin Daughters, the sweetest little Dears that ever were seen, whom she very prettily insisted on naming Violet and Cherry. But now, the Plague being more and more talked of, and she being unable to nurse both, it became a momentous Question with her whether to bring one up by Hand or send it to a Foster-nurse in the Country. At length, the latter was decided upon; and little Violet was put out to nurse at Lewisham.
And now the Judgment of God fell very heavy on us; insomuch that amid the general Visitation and Bereavement, it would have been strange indeed if even the unafflicted could have been so unfeeling as to hold back from the general Mourning. The Cry from every Pulpit and every Altar was, “Spare, O Lord, spare thy People, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood;” and the Churches were open all Day long and crowded with Penitents, till it was found that Contagion was thereby augmented; whereon all but the bold fell to exchanging public for private Devotion.
About this Time, poor Kitty Braidfoot fell into much Danger. She was nursing her little Cherry one Morning, and saying to me how her Heart yearned for a Sight of its Twin-sister, when, as if in Answer to her Wish, in comes the Foster-nurse, looking defiant and heated, with the Infant in her Arms, whom without more Ado she sets upon the Table, and then retreats to the Door.
“There’s your Babby, Mistress,” says she bluntly, “and you owes me one and twenty Shillings for the last six Weeks’ nursing, at Three and Sixpence a Week ... it’s taken the Plague, and I can’t have my own Babby infected, so I declines the farther Charge of it—’tis a puny little Thing, and I doesn’t think would anyhow ha’ lived long.”
“Puny!” cries Kitty, with Eyes darting Fire; “why, you’ve starved it for the Sake of your own Baby! ’Twas as fine a Child as this, and now a downright Skeleton!”
The Woman had an Answer on her Lips, but Something in Kitty’s Eye and in her own Heart suddenly abashed her; and with a “Marry come up!” she hastily turned about and quitted the House, without so much as asking again for her one and twenty Shillings. Poor Kitty exclaimed, “Oh, you little Starveling!” and bursting into Tears, put Cherry into my Arms, and began to unfasten her own Dress. I said, “Remember, you cannot nurse both——” She said, “I must commit the other to you to bring up by Hand and keep out of the Infection—I cannot let this little Thing perish,” and showered on it Kisses and Tears, quite thoughtless of her own Safety.
Just then, Hugh came in, and stood amazed when he saw Kitty fondling the famished little Infant. She, thoughtful of him also before herself, cried, “Don’t come near me, Hugh! Baby has the Plague. I’m thankful the Woman brought it Home; God forbid a Child of mine should endanger a Child of hers!” And pressed her little one yet closer to her, and kissed its little, meagre Hands. Poor Hugh stood aghast at the News, regarding her from where he first stood with a Mixture of Wonder, Admiration, and Fear; at length exclaiming, “God be your Blessing, Kitty!”—he brushed off a Tear and turned away. Again saw I that the strongest Heart is not always in the biggest Body. As for Kitty, I thought she had never looked so beautiful as at that Moment. She was now eagerly seeking for some Token of the Disease about her Child, but could find none. “What and if ’twere a false alarm?” cries she,—“Heaven grant it!—But now, dear Cherry, take your little Charge out of Harm’s Reach—and bid Nell tend dear Hugh all she can—I’ve Everything I want here, and they can set down my Meals at the Door without coming in.”
I looked back at her as I closed the Door, and saw her smiling so over her Baby that it really seemed as if she felt she had in it Everything she wanted. And when I lay down by my little Cherry at Night, and felt its little Mites of Hands straying over my Face, I felt drawn towards it with a Love I had never experienced for a Child before, and wondered not how Kitty, who might call it Part and Parcel of herself, could so cheerfully risk her own Life for that of her Child.