The Plague, Pestilence & Apocalypse MEGAPACK™

by Robert Reed

chieftains were gathered together in the palace . The intriguing

  Palli, the accomplished Karazza, the warlike Ypsilanti, were among

  the principal . They talked of the events of the day; the skirmish at

  noon; the diminished numbers of the Infidels; their defeat and flight:

  they contemplated, after a short interval of time, the capture of the

  Golden City . They endeavoured to picture forth what would then

  happen, and spoke in lofty terms of the prosperity of Greece, when

  Constantinople should become its capital . The conversation then

  reverted to Asiatic intelligence, and the ravages the plague made

  in its chief cities; conjectures were hazarded as to the progress that

  disease might have made in the besieged city .

  Raymond had joined in the former part of the discussion . In lively

  terms he demonstrated the extremities to which Constantinople was

  reduced; the wasted and haggard, though ferocious appearance of

  the troops; famine and pestilence was at work for them, he observed,

  and the infidels would soon be obliged to take refuge in their only

  hope—submission . Suddenly in the midst of his harangue he broke

  off, as if stung by some painful thought; he rose uneasily, and I per-

  ceived him at length quit the hall, and through the long corridor

  seek the open air . He did not return; and soon Clara crept round to

  me, making the accustomed invitation . I consented to her request,

  and taking her little hand, followed Raymond . We found him just

  about to embark in his boat, and he readily agreed to receive us

  as companions . After the heats of the day, the cooling land-breeze

  ruffled the river, and filled our little sail. The city looked dark to the

  south, while numerous lights along the near shores, and the beauti-

  ful aspect of the banks reposing in placid night, the waters keenly

  reflecting the heavenly lights, gave to this beauteous river a dower

  of loveliness that might have characterized a retreat in Paradise . Our

  single boatman attended to the sail; Raymond steered; Clara sat at

  his feet, clasping his knees with her arms, and laying her head on

  them . Raymond began the conversation somewhat abruptly .

  “This, my friend, is probably the last time we shall have an op-

  portunity of conversing freely; my plans are now in full operation,

  and my time will become more and more occupied . Besides, I wish

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  at once to tell you my wishes and expectations, and then never again

  to revert to so painful a subject . First, I must thank you, Lionel, for

  having remained here at my request. Vanity first prompted me to ask

  you: vanity, I call it; yet even in this I see the hand of fate—your

  presence will soon be necessary; you will become the last resource

  of Perdita, her protector and consoler . You will take her back to

  Windsor .”—

  “Not without you,” I said . “You do not mean to separate again?”

  “Do not deceive yourself,” replied Raymond, “the separation at

  hand is one over which I have no control; most near at hand is it;

  the days are already counted . May I trust you? For many days I have

  longed to disclose the mysterious presentiments that weigh on me,

  although I fear that you will ridicule them . Yet do not, my gentle

  friend; for, all childish and unwise as they are, they have become a

  part of me, and I dare not expect to shake them off .

  “Yet how can I expect you to sympathize with me? You are of

  this world; I am not . You hold forth your hand; it is even as a part of

  yourself; and you do not yet divide the feeling of identity from the

  mortal form that shapes forth Lionel . How then can you understand

  me? Earth is to me a tomb, the firmament a vault, shrouding mere

  corruption . Time is no more, for I have stepped within the threshold

  of eternity; each man I meet appears a corse, which will soon be

  deserted of its animating spark, on the eve of decay and corruption .

  “Cada piedra un piramide levanta, y cada flor costruye

  un monumento, cada edificio es un sepulcro altivo, cada sol-

  dado un esqueleto vivo.”3

  His accent was mournful,—he sighed deeply . “A few months

  ago,” he continued, “I was thought to be dying; but life was strong

  within me . My affections were human; hope and love were the day-

  stars of my life . Now— they dream that the brows of the conqueror

  of the infidel faith are about to be encircled by triumphant laurel;

  they talk of honourable reward, of title, power, and wealth—all I

  3

  Calderon de la Barca .

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  ask of Greece is a grave . Let them raise a mound above my lifeless

  body, which may stand even when the dome of St . Sophia has fallen .

  “Wherefore do I feel thus? At Rodosto I was full of hope; but

  when first I saw Constantinople, that feeling, with every other joy-

  ful one, departed . The last words of Evadne were the seal upon the

  warrant of my death . Yet I do not pretend to account for my mood

  by any particular event . All I can say is, that it is so . The plague I am

  told is in Constantinople, perhaps I have imbibed its effluvia—per-

  haps disease is the real cause of my prognostications . It matters little

  why or wherefore I am affected, no power can avert the stroke, and

  the shadow of Fate’s uplifted hand already darkens me .

  “To you, Lionel, I entrust your sister and her child . Never men-

  tion to her the fatal name of Evadne . She would doubly sorrow over

  the strange link that enchains me to her, making my spirit obey her

  dying voice, following her, as it is about to do, to the unknown coun-

  try .”I listened to him with wonder; but that his sad demeanour and

  solemn utterance assured me of the truth and intensity of his feel-

  ings, I should with light derision have attempted to dissipate his

  fears . Whatever I was about to reply, was interrupted by the power-

  ful emotions of Clara . Raymond had spoken, thoughtless of her pres-

  ence, and she, poor child, heard with terror and faith the prophecy

  of his death . Her father was moved by her violent grief; he took her

  in his arms and soothed her, but his very soothings were solemn and

  fearful . “Weep not, sweet child,” said he, “the coming death of one

  you have hardly known . I may die, but in death I can never forget or

  desert my own Clara . In after sorrow or joy, believe that you father’s

  spirit is near, to save or sympathize with you . Be proud of me, and

  cherish your infant remembrance of me . Thus, sweetest, I shall not

  appear to die . One thing you must promise,—not to speak to any one

  but your uncle, of the conversation you have just overheard . When

  I am gone, you will console your mother, and tell her that death was

  only bitter because it divided me from her; that my last thoughts will

  be spent on her . But while I live, promise not to betray me; promise,

  my child .”

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  With faltering accents Clara promised, while she still clung to

  her father in a transport of sorrow . Soon we returned to shore, and


  I endeavoured to obviate the impression made on the child’s mind,

  by treating Raymond’s fears lightly . We heard no more of them;

  for, as he had said, the siege, now drawing to a conclusion, became

  paramount in interest, engaging all his time and attention .

  The empire of the Mahometans in Europe was at its close . The

  Greek fleet blockading every port of Stamboul, prevented the ar-

  rival of succour from Asia; all egress on the side towards land had

  become impracticable, except to such desperate sallies, as reduced

  the numbers of the enemy without making any impression on our

  lines . The garrison was now so much diminished, that it was evident

  that the city could easily have been carried by storm; but both hu-

  manity and policy dictated a slower mode of proceeding . We could

  hardly doubt that, if pursued to the utmost, its palaces, its temples

  and store of wealth would be destroyed in the fury of contending

  triumph and defeat . Already the defenceless citizens had suffered

  through the barbarity of the Janisaries; and, in time of storm, tumult

  and massacre, beauty, infancy and decrepitude, would have alike

  been sacrificed to the brutal ferocity of the soldiers. Famine and

  blockade were certain means of conquest; and on these we founded

  our hopes of victory .

  Each day the soldiers of the garrison assaulted our advanced

  posts, and impeded the accomplishment of our works . Fire-boats

  were launched from the various ports, while our troops sometimes

  recoiled from the devoted courage of men who did not seek to live,

  but to sell their lives dearly . These contests were aggravated by the

  season: they took place during summer, when the southern Asiatic

  wind came laden with intolerable heat, when the streams were dried

  up in their shallow beds, and the vast basin of the sea appeared to

  glow under the unmitigated rays of the solsticial sun . Nor did night

  refresh the earth. Dew was denied; herbage and flowers there were

  none; the very trees drooped; and summer assumed the blighted ap-

  pearance of winter, as it went forth in silence and flame to abridge

  the means of sustenance to man. In vain did the eye strive to find

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  the wreck of some northern cloud in the stainless empyrean, which

  might bring hope of change and moisture to the oppressive and

  windless atmosphere . All was serene, burning, annihilating . We the

  besiegers were in the comparison little affected by these evils . The

  woods around afforded us shade,—the river secured to us a constant

  supply of water; nay, detachments were employed in furnishing the

  army with ice, which had been laid up on Haemus, and Athos, and

  the mountains of Macedonia, while cooling fruits and wholesome

  food renovated the strength of the labourers, and made us bear with

  less impatience the weight of the unrefreshing air . But in the city

  things wore a different face . The sun’s rays were refracted from the

  pavement and buildings—the stoppage of the public fountains—the

  bad quality of the food, and scarcity even of that, produced a state

  of suffering, which was aggravated by the scourge of disease; while

  the garrison arrogated every superfluity to themselves, adding by

  waste and riot to the necessary evils of the time . Still they would not

  capitulate .

  Suddenly the system of warfare was changed . We experienced no

  more assaults; and by night and day we continued our labours un-

  impeded . Stranger still, when the troops advanced near the city, the

  walls were vacant, and no cannon was pointed against the intruders .

  When these circumstances were reported to Raymond, he caused

  minute observations to be made as to what was doing within the

  walls, and when his scouts returned, reporting only the continued

  silence and desolation of the city, he commanded the army to be

  drawn out before the gates . No one appeared on the walls; the very

  portals, though locked and barred, seemed unguarded; above, the

  many domes and glittering crescents pierced heaven; while the old

  walls, survivors of ages, with ivy-crowned tower and weed-tangled

  buttress, stood as rocks in an uninhabited waste . From within the

  city neither shout nor cry, nor aught except the casual howling of

  a dog, broke the noon-day stillness . Even our soldiers were awed

  to silence; the music paused; the clang of arms was hushed . Each

  man asked his fellow in whispers, the meaning of this sudden peace;

  while Raymond from an height endeavoured, by means of glasses,

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  to discover and observe the stratagem of the enemy . No form could

  be discerned on the terraces of the houses; in the higher parts of the

  town no moving shadow bespoke the presence of any living being:

  the very trees waved not, and mocked the stability of architecture

  with like immovability .

  The tramp of horses, distinctly heard in the silence, was at length

  discerned . It was a troop sent by Karazza, the Admiral; they bore

  dispatches to the Lord General . The contents of these papers were

  important . The night before, the watch, on board one of the smaller

  vessels anchored near the seraglio wall, was roused by a slight

  splashing as of muffled oars; the alarm was given: twelve small

  boats, each containing three Janizaries, were descried endeavouring

  to make their way through the fleet to the opposite shore of Scutari.

  When they found themselves discovered they discharged their mus-

  kets, and some came to the front to cover the others, whose crews,

  exerting all their strength, endeavoured to escape with their light

  barks from among the dark hulls that environed them . They were in

  the end all sunk, and, with the exception of two or three prisoners,

  the crews drowned . Little could be got from the survivors; but their

  cautious answers caused it to be surmised that several expeditions

  had preceded this last, and that several Turks of rank and importance

  had been conveyed to Asia . The men disdainfully repelled the idea

  of having deserted the defence of their city; and one, the youngest

  among them, in answer to the taunt of a sailor, exclaimed, “Take

  it, Christian dogs! take the palaces, the gardens, the mosques, the

  abode of our fathers—take plague with them; pestilence is the en-

  emy we fly; if she be your friend, hug her to your bosoms. The curse

  of Allah is on Stamboul, share ye her fate .”

  Such was the account sent by Karazza to Raymond: but a tale full

  of monstrous exaggerations, though founded on this, was spread by

  the accompanying troop among our soldiers . A murmur arose, the

  city was the prey of pestilence; already had a mighty power sub-

  jugated the inhabitants; Death had become lord of Constantinople .

  I have heard a picture described, wherein all the inhabitants of

  earth were drawn out in fear to stand the encounter of Death . The

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  feeble and decrepid fled; the warriors retreated, though they threat-

  ened even in flight. Wolves and lions, and various monsters of ther />
  desert roared against him; while the grim Unreality hovered shaking

  his spectral dart, a solitary but invincible assailant . Even so was it

  with the army of Greece . I am convinced, that had the myriad troops

  of Asia come from over the Propontis, and stood defenders of the

  Golden City, each and every Greek would have marched against

  the overwhelming numbers, and have devoted himself with patriotic

  fury for his country . But here no hedge of bayonets opposed itself, no

  death-dealing artillery, no formidable array of brave soldiers—the

  unguarded walls afforded easy entrance—the vacant palaces luxuri-

  ous dwellings; but above the dome of St . Sophia the superstitious

  Greek saw Pestilence, and shrunk in trepidation from her influence.

  Raymond was actuated by far other feelings . He descended the

  hill with a face beaming with triumph, and pointing with his sword

  to the gates, commanded his troops to—down with those barri-

  cades—the only obstacles now to completest victory . The soldiers

  answered his cheerful words with aghast and awe-struck looks; in-

  stinctively they drew back, and Raymond rode in the front of the

  lines:—“By my sword I swear,” he cried, “that no ambush or strata-

  gem endangers you . The enemy is already vanquished; the pleasant

  places, the noble dwellings and spoil of the city are already yours;

  force the gate; enter and possess the seats of your ancestors, your

  own inheritance!”

  An universal shudder and fearful whispering passed through the

  lines; not a soldier moved . “Cowards!” exclaimed their general, ex-

  asperated, “give me an hatchet! I alone will enter! I will plant your

  standard; and when you see it wave from yon highest minaret, you

  may gain courage, and rally round it!”

  One of the officers now came forward: “General,” he said, “we

  neither fear the courage, nor arms, the open attack, nor secret am-

  bush of the Moslems . We are ready to expose our breasts, exposed

  ten thousand times before, to the balls and scymetars of the infidels,

  and to fall gloriously for Greece . But we will not die in heaps, like

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  dogs poisoned in summer-time, by the pestilential air of that city—

  we dare not go against the Plague!”

  A multitude of men are feeble and inert, without a voice, a leader;