_Signs in the Air_
AND now the glorious Restoration at length arrived, and ’tis incredible what
a Spur it was to Trade, and how the Mercers and Drapers could hardly
supply their Customers fast enough with expensive Goods; and how the
Tailors and Sempstresses worked all Night, and Hairdressers sold their
Ellwigs, and Hatters their Hats, and Horse-dealers their Horses good and
bad. For every one was for pouring out of _London_, across our Bridge,
at least as far as _Blackheath_. Oh! what a busy, what a joyous Sight it
was! All the Streets from the _Bridge_ to _Whitehall_ were hung with
Tapestry, and the Windows filled with Ladies. The _Lord Mayor’s_ Cooks
set up a gay Tent in _St. George’s_ Fields, to prepare a Refection for
his Majesty. The Livery Companies in their various rich Dresses of
Crimson, Violet, Purple, and Scarlet, lined the Streets on one Side, and
the Trained Bands on the other: Bursts of gay Music were intermingled
with Cheers and Laughter; Everybody seemed in tip-top Spirits that the
_King_ was coming. We let our Windows for a good Premium to some of the
Grandees; but had a good View ourselves of what was going on, from the
Leads—now there would come along a Troop of two or three Hundred or
more, in Cloth of Silver Doublets; then four or five Times as many in
Velvet Coats, with Attendants in Purple; then another Party in Buff
Coats with Cloth of Silver Sleeves and green Scarfs, others in pale Blue
and Silver, others in Scarlet: by and by, six Hundred of the Livery on
Horseback, in black Velvet with Gold Chains, then the Trumpeters, Waits,
City Officers, Sheriffs, and _Lord Mayor_ ... in short, there was no End
to the Splendour and Glory of that Day; for we had hardly rested
ourselves after seeing them all go forth, when they began to come back,
with the _King_ in the midst. Oh! what Shouts! what Cheers! what Bursts
of Music! And he, bowing this Side and that, so smiling and gracious!
“It seemed,” he said, “as if it must have been his own Fault he came not
sooner back, Everyone appeared so glad to see him!”
[Illustration]
But the Ladies’ Dresses!—Oh, how grieved I was!—Sure, they were resolved
to make up for the Dulness and Decorum they had been restricted to
during the Protectorate; for, indeed, they seemed to think Decorum and
Dulness went together, and should now be thrown overboard in Company.
The _Henrietta Maria_ Dress I had so complacently made up for our Wax
Doll, was now twenty Years behind the Fashion! fit only to laugh at!—and
what had taken its Place, I thought fit only to blush at.
For a Moment, when the Party that had hired our first-floor Window had
thrown off their Clokes, I felt a dreadful Presentiment that their
Characters could not be over-good; or else, thought I, they never could
dress in such a Manner. Only, knowing who they were, I thought again,
_that_ can never be—dear Heart! what can they be thinking of? we shall
have Stones and Mud thrown up at the Window. “Sure, Madam,” said I to
the youngest and prettiest, “you will catch Cold at the open Window ...
the Wind blows in very fresh from the River—will you just have this
Scarf a little over your Shoulders?” “No, thank you,” says she, shaking
back quite a Bush of fair Hair, and looking up at me with her Eyes half
shut, as if she were sleepy already. “Forsooth,” thought I, “those Curls
are equal to a Fur Tippet”—And, looking across at our Neighbours’
Windows, I saw we need not fear pelting, for that all the other Ladies
were dressed just the same. Then thought I, Oh, this is the
_Restoration_, is it? If you, fair Ladies, provoke ill Thoughts of you,
you must not feel aggrieved if People think not of you very well.
I disliked this Symptom of the Restoration from the very first—not that
it had, naturally, any Connexion with it.—The _King_ had lived long
abroad, had become fond of foreign Fashions; but were the modest Ladies
of _England_, therefore, to give in to them? Then, what the upper
Classes affect, the lower Classes soon ape: I knew we should presently
have Mistress _Blenkinsop_ and _Violet_ trying which could wear the
longest Curls and shortest Petticoats, and look the most languishing.
The only Difference would be, that the one would become the Fashion, and
the other make it ridiculous. Perhaps, thought I, I am growing prudish
and old-maidish, I am Eight and Twenty; but so is _Violet_.
I have often thought, that if the Ladies of _England_ had at this Time
been what they ought, a good Deal of Folly and Sin that presently
stained this Reign would never have happened. What! could the merry
Glance and free Word of a light young Monarch break down Barriers that
were not tottering already? What had Mothers and Teachers been about?
Where were the Lady _Fanshawes_ and _Lucy Hutchinsons_? There must have
been Something wrong in the Bringing-up—I can never believe all these
fair young Ladies were so good one Day and so bad the next.
But the joyfullest Event, to ourselves, on that glorious Twenty-ninth of
_May_, was the Restoration to his Country and Home of our excellent
Friend and Lodger, Master _Blower_. He seemed to be rejuvenized by the
general Spirit of Hilariousness; for I protest it seemed as though ten
Years were taken off his Shoulders. And he talked of being soon replaced
in his Curacy; but, instead of that, his Friends presently got him a
Living in the City, which took him away from us, as there was a
Parsonage House. But we went to his Church on _Sundays_; and, as he was
not one of those who forget old Friends or humble ones, he would make my
Father and me sup with him about once a Quarter, and come to us of his
own Accord about as often, and talk over the Times, which in some
Respects, as far as Sabbath-keeping and general Morality went, we could
not say were bettered.
And now a shocking Sight was to be seen at the _Bridge_ Gate,—the Heads,
namely, of those Traitors who brought about the Death of the late King,
and who richly deserved their bad End. There they have remained for many
a Year, a Terror to all Evil-doers.
[Illustration:
And now a shocking sight was to be seen at the Bridge Gate
]
It was in the Spring following the Restoration, in the Month of _March_,
that we and the _Braidfoots_ were taking our Supper together on the
Leads, the Weather being very warm for the Season, when our Attention
was attracted by the uncommon Appearance of the Clouds, which, as will
often be the Case after much Rain, were exceeding gorgeous and
grotesque. Master _Braidfoot_ was the first of us who noticed them, and
cried, “See, see, Neighbours! Cannot you now credit how Lovers of the
Marvellous have oft-times set Tales afloat of Armies seen fighting in
the Air? Do not those two Battalions of Clouds, impelled by opposite
Currents, look like two great Armies with Spears and Banners, about to
encounter each other? Now they meet, now they fall together, now one
vanishes away! Now, they both are gone!”
“And see, dear _Hugh_,” cries _Kitty_, “there’s another that looks like
a Cathedral; and another like an exceeding big Mountain, with a Rent in
its Side; and out of the Rent comes Something that looks like a
Crocodile, with its Jaws wide open; no! now it is liker to a Bull, or
rather to a Lion.”
“Very like a Whale!” said a Man, as if to himself, on the Top of the
next House. It was Master _Benskin’s_ Lodger, who wrote for the
Booksellers.
_Kitty_ started, and lowered her Voice; for we were not on speaking
Terms with him; however, she squeezed my Arm and said softly, “It really
_is_ becoming Something like a Whale now, though!” On which, Master
_Braidfoot_ burst into one of his ringing Laughs, and cried, “Why,
_Kitty_, you give it as many Faces as the Moon! What will you fancy it
next?”
“I wonder what it means,” says she, very gravely.
“Means?” said her Husband, still laughing; “why, it means we shall have
some more wet Weather. So we’ll put off our Pleasure Party. See what a
red Flame the setting Sun casts all along the City!”
About a Week after this, our Neighbour, Master _Benskin_, gave my Father
a little Pamphlet of four Leaves, writ by his Lodger; the Title of which
was truly tremendous. It was this,—
“_Strange News from the West! being a true and perfect Account
of several Miraculous Sights seen in the Air westward, on
Thursday last, by divers Persons of Credit, standing on London
Bridge between Seven and Eight of the Clock. Two great Armies
marching forth of two Clouds, and encountering each other; but,
after a sharp Dispute, they suddenly vanished. Also, some
remarkable Sights that were seen to issue forth of a Cloud that
seemed like a Mountain, in the Shapes of a Bull, a Bear, a Lyon,
and an Elephant with a Castle on his Back; and the Manner how
they all vanished._”
“Well,” said my Father, turning the Leaf, “is it dedicated to Mistress
_Braidfoot_? Here seems to be much Ado about Nothing, I think.”
“Nothing or Something,” said Master _Benskin_, laughing, and jingling
his Pockets, “it has enabled my Lodger to pay up seven Weeks’ Arrears;
so it’s an ill Wind that blows Nobody any Good. The Trifle has had a
Run, Sir!”
“So this is the Way Books are made, and Stories are vamped up,” said my
Father. “Truly, it makes one serious.”
But, a little Time after, a Rumour was repeated in the Shop that did
indeed make one serious, to wit, that the Plague was in _Holland_, and
would very likely come across to us. However, though the following Year
it did indeed rage very badly in _Amsterdam_ and _Rotterdam_, yet it
crossed not the Water for another twelve Months or more; and as we had
no such Things as printed Newspapers in those Days, such as I have lived
to see since, Reports did not instantly spread over the whole Nation as
they do now.
Howbeit, at the latter End of _November_, 1664, there really were two
Cases of Plague in _Long Acre_, which frightened People a good deal. A
third Man afterwards died of the same Distemper in the same House, which
kept alive our Uneasiness; but after that, nothing was heard of it for
six Weeks or more, when it broke out beyond Concealment.
At this Time, Master _Benskin’s_ Shop-window was full of small Books
with awakening Titles, such as “_Britain’s_ Remembrancer,”—“Come out of
her, my People,”—“Give Ear, ye careless Daughters,” and such-like, many
of them emanating from the Pen of his Lodger in the Attick; and with
these and _Lilly’s_ Almanacks, he drove a thriving Trade.
_Violet_ was sitting with me one Morning, when _Mark_ suddenly entered,
and seeing her with me, lost his Presence of Mind directly, and forgot
what he had to say. She on her Part, being just then in Mourning for one
of her Brother’s Children, for whom I am bold to say she had scarce shed
a Tear, (he being a humoursome Child, particularly disagreeable to her,)
fetches a deep Sigh, and with a pretty, pensive Air takes up her Work,
rises, mutely curtsies to him, and retires. On which he, after a
Minute’s Silence, says sadly, “_Violet_ is as beautiful, I see, as
ever,”—and I was grieved to find he still thought so much about her.
Just then, my Father enters; and _Mark_, of a sudden recollecting his
Business, exclaimed, “Oh, Uncle, here is a capital Opening for you. ’Tis
an ill Wind, sure enough, that blows nobody any Good,—I don’t know why
you should not do a good Turn of Business as well as ourselves by being
Agent for the Sale of these patent Nostrums” ... and thereon pulled out
a Parcel of Bills, headed “Infallible Preventive-pills against the
Plague.” ... “Never-failing Preservatives against Infection.” ...
“Sovereign Cordials against the Corruption of the Air.” ... “The Royal
Antidote—” and so forth.
—“No, Boy, no,” said my Father, putting them by, one after another, as
he looked over them, “Time was when I should have thought it as innocent
to laugh in my Sleeve at other People’s Credulity and turn a Penny by
their Delusions as yourself, and many others that are counted honest
Men; but I’m older and sadder now. To the best of my Belief, every and
all of these Remedies are Counterfeits, that will not only rob People of
their Money, but peradventure of their Lives, by inducing them to trust
in what they have bought instead of going to the Expense of proper
Medicines. A solemn Time is coming; my own Time may be short; and
whether I be taken or whether I be left, GOD forbid I should carry a Lie
in my right Hand, or set it in my Shop-window.”
A Customer here summoned him away; and _Mark_, instead of departing, sat
down beside me and said, “What think you, _Cherry_, of this approaching
Visitation? Are you very much affrighted?”
“Awe-stricken, rather,” I made Answer; “I only fear for myself along
with the rest, and I fear most for my Father, who will be more exposed
to it than I shall; but I feel I can leave the Matter in GOD’S Hand.”
“I wish I could,” said poor _Mark_, sighing. “I own to you, _Cherry_, I
am horribly dismayed. I have a Presentiment that I shall not escape. My
_Wife_,” continued he, with great Bitterness in his Tone ... he commonly
spoke of her with assumed Recklessness as “his old Lady” ... “my Wife
has no Sense of the Danger—mocks at it, defies it; refuses to leave her
House and her Business, come what may, and tells me with a Scoff I shall
frighten myself to Death, and that _Ralph Denzel_ shall be her
Third.—Don’t you hate, _Cherry_, to hear Husbands and Wives, even in
Sport, making light of each other’s Deaths?”
Her Grossness was offensive to me, and I said in a low Voice, “I do.”
“And if I die, as die I very likely shall,” pursued he hurriedly, “you
may do me a Kindness, _Cherry_, by telling _Violet_ that I never——”
This was insupportable to me. “Dear _Mark_,” I cried, “why yield to this
Notion of Evil which may be its own Fulfilment? GOD watches over all.
With proper Precaution, and with his Blessing, we may escape. No one
knows his Hour: the brittle Cup oft lasts the longest.—Many a Casualty
may cut us off before the Day of general Visitation.”
“Aye,” he replied, with a sickened Look, “but I had a Dream last Night
... and, just now, as I came through _Bishopgate_ Churchyard, a Crowd of
People were watching a Ghost among the Tombs, that was signing to Houses
that should be stricken, and to yet undug Graves.”
“_Watching_ it?” said I. “Did you see it?”
“Well, I rather think I did,” said _Mark_, “but am not quite assured—the
Press was very great. At any rate, I saw those who evidently _did_ see
it. My Wife has had her Fortune told, and the Fortune-teller avouched to
her she should escape; so there’s the Ground of _her_ Comfort. To make
doubly sure, she wears a Charm. For me, I am neither for Charm nor
Fortune-telling,—if I die, I die, and what then! I’ve often felt Life
scarce worth keeping; only one don’t know what comes after!”
And, with a faint Laugh, he rose to go away. I said, “_Mark! Mark!_”
“What is it?” he said, and stopped. I said, “Don’t go away with that
light Saying in your Mouth——”
He said, “Oh!” and smiling, opened the Door. I said, looking full at
him, “Faith in GOD is the best Amulet.”
“It is,” he said more gravely; and went out.
Presently my Father came in to Supper; and sat down, while it was making
ready, near the Window, looking out on the River quite calmly. Our large
white Cat sat purring beside him. Stroking her kindly, he said, “Pussy,
you must keep close, or your Days will be few ... they’ve given Orders,
now, to kill all the Dogs and Cats. I believe, _Cherry_, we are as safe
here as we should be in the privatest Retreat in the Kingdom, for
Infection never harbours on the _Bridge_, the Current of Air always
blows it away, one Way or the other. But, my dear, we may be called away
at any Hour, and I never Sleep worse of a Night for bearing in Mind I
may not see another Morning. But I rest all the peacefuller, _Cherry_,
for knowing you will never be in want, though this poor Business should
dwindle away to nothing. Master _Benskin_ and _Hugh Braidfoot_ know all
about my little Hoard, and will manage it well for you, my Daughter. And
now, let’s see what is under this bright little Cover. Pettitoes, as
sure as _London Bridge_ is built on Wool-packs!”
And he ate his frugal Meal cheerfully, I thinking in my Mind, as I had
so often done before, that the firmest Heart is oft found in the
littlest Body.
------------------------------------------------------------------------