Алая чума
Chapter 5
IhavereasontobelievethatVestaneverreallylovedherhusbandinthemadpassionatewayofwhichthepoetsusedtosing. ItwasmorelikethemarriagesthatobtainedamongcrownedheadsinthedaysbeforetheyweredisplacedbytheMagnates.
“Andthereshewas,boilingfish-chowderinasoot-coveredpot,hergloriouseyesinflamedbytheacridsmokeoftheopenfire. Herswasasadstory. Shewastheonesurvivorinamillion,asIhadbeen,astheChauffeurhadbeen. OnacrowningeminenceoftheAlamedaHills,overlookingSanFranciscoBay,VanWardenhadbuiltavastsummerpalace. Itwassurroundedbyaparkofathousandacres. Whentheplaguebrokeout,VanWardensentherthere. Armedguardspatrolledtheboundariesofthepark,andnothingenteredinthewayofprovisionsorevenmailmatterthatwasnotfirstfumigated. Andyetdidtheplagueenter,killingtheguardsattheirposts,theservantsattheirtasks,sweepingawaythewholearmyofretainers—or,atleast,allofthemwhodidnotfleetodieelsewhere. SoitwasthatVestafoundherselfthesolelivingpersoninthepalacethathadbecomeacharnelhouse.
“NowtheChauffeurhadbeenoneoftheservantsthatranaway. Returning,twomonthsafterward,hediscoveredVestainalittlesummerpavilionwheretherehadbeennodeathsandwhereshehadestablishedherself. Hewasabrute. Shewasafraid,andsheranawayandhidamongthetrees.Thatnight,onfoot,shefledintothemountains—she,whosetenderfeetanddelicatebodyhadneverknownthebruiseofstonesnorthescratchofbriars.
