The Sign of the Red Cross | Page 4

but I have no knowledge of mine own.
I never saw the like before."
"They spoke of it at my Lady Scrope's today," said Dorcas. "I was
behind her chair, with her fan and essence bottles, and the lap dogs,
when in comes one and another of the old beaux who beguile their
leisure with my lady's sharp speeches; and they spoke of this thing, and
she laughed them to scorn, and called them fools for listening to old
wives' fables. It is her way thus to revile all who come anigh her. She
said she had lived through a score of such scares, and would snap her
fingers at all the comets of the heavens at once. Sometimes it makes me
tremble to hear her talk; but methinks she loveth to raise a shudder in
the hearts of those who hear her. She is a strange being. Sometimes I
almost fear to go to and fro there, albeit she treats me well, and seldom
speaks harshly to me. But men say she is above a hundred years old,
and she leads so strange a life in her lonely house. Fancy being there
alone of a night, with only that deaf old man and his aged wife within
doors! It would scare me to death. But she will not let one other of her
servants abide there with her!"
"Ay, it is her whimsie. Women folks are given to such," answered
Reuben, tolerantly. "She is a strange creature, albeit I doubt not that
men make her out stranger than she is. Well, well, the comet at least
will do us no hurt of itself; and if it be God's way of warning us of peril
to come, we need not fear it, but only set ourselves to be ready for what
He may send us."
Below stairs there was a comfortable meal spread upon the table,
simple and homely, but sufficient for the appetites of all. The three
rosy-faced apprentices, of whom a son of the house made one, formed a
link at table between the family and the shopmen and serving wenches.
All sat down together, and Rebecca, the daughter who lived at home,

served up the hot broth and puddings. The eldest daughter was a
serving maid in the household of my Lady Howe, and was seldom able
to get home for more than a few hours occasionally, even when that
fashionable dame was in London. Dorcas spent each night under the
shelter of her father's roof, and went daily to the quaint old house close
beside Allhallowes the Less, where lived the eccentric Lady Scrope,
her mistress, of whom mention has been made. The youngest son was
also from home, being apprenticed to a carpenter in the service of the
Master Builder next door, and he lived, as was usual, in the house of
his employer. Thus four out of Harmer's seven children lived always at
home, and Dan the sailor was with them whenever his ship put into the
river after a voyage.
No talk of either comet or plague was permitted at table; indeed the
meal was generally eaten in something approaching to silence.
Sometimes the master of the house would address a question to one of
the family, or suppress by a glance the giggling of the lads at the lower
end of the table. Joseph's presence there rather encouraged hilarity, for
he was a merry urchin, and stood not in the same awe of his father as
did his comrades. Kindness was the law of the house, but it was the
kindness of thorough discipline. Neither the master nor the mistress
believed in the liberty that brings licence in its train.
Life went very quietly, smoothly, and monotonously within the walls of
that busy house. Trade was brisk just now. The fashion lately
introduced amongst fine ladies of having whole dresses of gold or
silver lace, brought more orders for the lace maker than he well knew
how to accomplish in the time. He and his son and his apprentices were
hard at work from morning to night; and glad enough was the master of
the daily-increasing daylight, which enabled him and those who were
glad to earn larger wages to work extra hours each day.
Being thus busy at home, he went less than was his wont abroad, and
heard but little either of the sullen comet which hung night after night
in the sky, or of the whispers sometimes circulating in the city of fresh
cases of the distemper.
These last, however, were growing fewer. The scare of a few weeks

back seemed to be dying down. People said the pest had been stamped
out, and the brighter, hotter weather cheered the hearts of men, albeit in
case of sickness it might be