Алая чума
Chapter 3
Nooneeverrecovered. TherewastheoldAsiaticcholera,whenyoumighteatdinnerwithawellmanintheevening,andthenextmorning,ifyougotupearlyenough,youwouldseehimbeinghauledbyyourwindowinthedeath-cart. Butthisnewplaguewasquickerthanthat—muchquicker.
“Fromthemomentofthefirstsignsofit,amanwouldbedeadinanhour.Somelastedforseveralhours.Manydiedwithintenorfifteenminutesoftheappearanceofthefirstsigns.
“Theheartbegantobeatfasterandtheheatofthebodytoincrease. Thencamethescarletrash,spreadinglikewildfireoverthefaceandbody. Mostpersonsnevernoticedtheincreaseinheatandheart-beat,andthefirsttheyknewwaswhenthescarletrashcameout. Usually,theyhadconvulsionsatthetimeoftheappearanceoftherash. Buttheseconvulsionsdidnotlastlongandwerenotverysevere. Ifonelivedthroughthem,hebecameperfectlyquiet,andonlydidhefeelanumbnessswiftlycreepinguphisbodyfromthefeet. Theheelsbecamenumbfirst,thenthelegs,andhips,andwhenthenumbnessreachedashighashishearthedied. Theydidnotraveorsleep. Theirmindsalwaysremainedcoolandcalmuptothemomenttheirheartnumbedandstopped. Andanotherstrangethingwastherapidityofdecomposition. Nosoonerwasapersondeadthanthebodyseemedtofalltopieces,toflyapart,tomeltawayevenasyoulookedatit. Thatwasoneofthereasonstheplaguespreadsorapidly. Allthebillionsofgermsinacorpseweresoimmediatelyreleased.
