The Great Plague of Vienna

The Woman Donned In Red

My father is English, and I bear an English name, although I never saw England. In fact, i've never seen outside the walls of Vienna. My father, an Austrian born veteran, who is the kindest man on earth, but growing old; and I, only just eighteen, live sombrely in the town square, south of the Danube river. In Vienna, money is obsolete, although my father remembers a time where it controlled the world. Now JOY tells us there is no need for materialistic goods as long as everyone is equal. I hear stories of the time before JOY restored serenity to Austria, when people fought over food scraps and children died from the plague. My mother, a Styrian lady, died from the plague, but I had a good-natured governess, who had been with me from- I might almost say - my infancy. I could not remember the time when her fat, benignant face was not a familiar picture in my memory. Her name was Madame Perridone, a native of Berne, whose care and good nature now in part supplied to me the loss of my mother.

A day does not go by in which my father does not mourn my mother, today, to much of my own unease, he talked as if she was still with us, whispering in a low soft voice "what would you fancy, my love?" as we browsed through the markets.

My attention was redirected by Madame Perridone's voice gabbling in animated dialogue with a stall keeper. We joined them at the drawbridge, and turn about to admire with them the beautiful scene of the Danube. My father, who enjoyed the picturesque with a distant gaze, and I, stood looking in silence over the expanse beneath us.

"There's been news around the town that JOY have found an antidote for the plague", said Madame Perridone as she waved off the shop keeper. My father turned abruptly to face the maid.

"A cure? I have lost my darling wife, I can not bare to lose my daughter, we must take use of this at once". My father's sudden haste fueled my own eagerness. At this moment the unwonted sound of carriage wheels and many hoofs upon the road, arrested our attention. It seemed to be a carriage of a person of rank, we were all immediately absorbed in watching it pass the summit of the steep bridge and approach us. Coming to a halt in the town square, a JOY officer emerged, letting a high pitched call out of his bugle before opening the carriage door. The townspeople advanced in curiosity; me rather in silence, as a woman donned in red stepped out onto the cobblestone. She was a fine looking woman for her time of life, she was tall, but not thin, looking rather pale, but with a proud commanding countenance that held your gaze hostage.

"Gather all, for I have important news" I heard her say, with clasped hands and pursed thin lips. "It must be known that our beloved JOY have blessed us with a cure to the unabated plague", she paused for an applause. "In this coming week, each of you will be summoned to the hospital for your respective treatments", her face hardened and voice grew sterner as her final words rang through the town square "Ungratefulness for JOY's generosity will not be tolerated". And as elegantly and sporadically as she arrived, she was gone, the hooves of the horses leaving unsettled dust as the carriage whirled away.