contains a hazel-nut, from which I have picked the kernel, and filled
its place with quicksilver, stopping the hole with wax. Wear it round
your neck, and you will find it a certain preservative against the
pestilence."
"Who told you of this remedy?" asked Blaize, taking the bag.
"Your mother," returned Patience.
"I wonder I never heard of it," said the porter.
"She wouldn't mention it to you, because the doctor advised her not to
put such matters into your head," replied Patience. "But I couldn't help
indulging you. Heigho! I hope the plague will soon be over."
"It won't be over for six months," rejoined Blaize, shaking his head. "I
read in a little book, published in 1593, in Queen Elizabeth's reign,
and written by Simon Kelway, 'that when little children flock together,
and pretend that some of their number are dead, solemnizing the burial
in a mournful sort, it is a certain token that a great mortality is at
hand.' This I have myself seen more than once. Again, just before the
great sickness of 1625, the churchyard wall of St. Andrew's, Holborn,
fell down. I need not tell you that the same thing occurred after the
frost this winter."
"I heard of it," replied Patience: "but I did not know it was a bad
sign."
"It is a dreadful sign," returned Blaize, with a shudder "The thought of
it brings back my old symptoms. I must have a supper to guard against
infection--a slice of toasted bread, sprinkled with vinegar, and
powdered with nutmeg."
And chattering thus, they proceeded to the kitchen.
Before supper could be served, Dr. Hodges made his appearance. He was
delighted to see the family assembled together again, and expressed a
hearty wish that they might never more be divided. He watched Amabel and
Leonard carefully, and seemed annoyed that the former rather shunned
than favoured the regards of the apprentice.
Leonard, too, looked disconcerted; and though he was in possession of
his mistress's promise, he did not like to reclaim it. During the whole
of the month, he had been constantly on the watch, and had scarcely
slept at night, so anxious was he to prevent the possibility of any
communication taking place between Rochester and his mistress. But, in
spite of all his caution, it was possible he might be deceived. And when
on this, their first meeting, she returned his anxious gaze with averted
looks, he felt all his jealous misgivings return.
Supper, meanwhile, proceeded. Doctor Hodges was in excellent spirits,
and drank a bottle of old sack with great relish. Overcome by the sight
of his wife and children, the grocer abandoned himself to his feelings.
As to his wife, she could scarcely contain herself, but wept and laughed
by turns--now embracing her husband, now her son, between whom she had
placed herself. Nor did she forget Doctor Hodges; and such was the
exuberance of her satisfaction, that when the repast was ended, she
arose, and, flinging her arms about his neck, termed him the preserver
of her son.
"If any one is entitled to that appellation it is his father," replied
Hodges, "and I may say, that in all my experience I have never witnessed
such generous self-devotion as Mr. Bloundel has exhibited towards his
son. You must now be satisfied, madam, that no person can so well judge
what is proper for the safety of his family as your husband."
"I never doubted it, sir," replied Mrs. Bloundel.
"I must apprise you, then, that he has conceived a plan by which he
trusts to secure you and his children and household from any future
attack," returned Hodges.
"I care not what it is, so it does not separate me from him," replied
Mrs. Bloundel.
"It does not," replied the grocer. "It will knit us more closely
together than we have yet been. I mean to shut up my house, having
previously stored it with provisions for a twelvemonth, and shall suffer
no member of my family to stir forth as long as the plague endures."
"I am ready to remain within doors, if it continues twenty years,"
replied his wife. "But how long do you think it _will_ last, doctor?"
"Till next December, I have no doubt," returned Hodges.
"So long?" exclaimed Amabel.
"Ay, so long," repeated the doctor. "It has scarcely begun now. Your
father is right to adopt these precautions. It is the only way to insure
the safety of his family."
"But----" cried Amabel.
"I am resolved," interrupted Bloundel, peremptorily. "Who ever leaves
the house--if but for a moment--never returns."
"And when do you close it, father?" asked Amabel.
"A week hence," replied the grocer; "as soon as I have laid in a
sufficient stock of provisions."
"And am I not to leave the house for a year?" cried Amabel, with a
dissatisfied look.
"Why should you wish to leave it?" asked her father, curiously.
"Ay, why?" repeated Leonard, in a low tone. "I shall be here."
Amabel seemed confused, and looked from her father to Leonard. The
former, however, did not notice her embarrassment, but observed to
Hodges--"I shall begin to victual the house to-morrow."
"Amabel," whispered Leonard, "you told me if I claimed your hand in a
month, you would yield it to me. I require the fulfilment of your
promise."
"Give me till to-morrow," she replied, distractedly.
"She has seen Rochester," muttered the apprentice, turning away.
II. IN WHAT MANNER THE GROCER VICTUALLED HIS HOUSE.
Leonard Holt was wrong in his suspicions. Amabel had neither seen nor
heard from Rochester. But, if the truth must be told, he was never out
of her mind, and she found, to her cost, that the heart will not be
controlled. Convinced of her noble lover's perfidy, and aware she was
acting wrongfully in cherishing a passion for him, after the exposure of
his base designs towards herself, no reasoning of which she was capable
could banish him from her thoughts, or enable her to transfer her
affections to the apprentice.
This conflict of feeling produced its natural result. She became
thoughtful and dejected--was often in tears--had no appetite--and could
scarcely rouse herself sufficiently to undertake any sort of employment.
Her mother watched her with great anxiety, and feared--though she sought
to disguise it from herself--what was the real cause of her despondency.
Things were in this position at the end of the month, and it occasioned
no surprise to Mrs. Bloundel, though it afflicted her deeply, to find
that Amabel sedulously avoided the apprentice's regards on their first
meeting. When Doctor Hodges was gone, and the rest of the family had
retired, she remarked to her husband, "Before you shut up the house as
you propose, I should, wish one important matter settled."
The grocer inquired what she meant.
"I should wish to have Amabel married," was the answer.
"Married!" exclaimed Bloundel, in astonishment. "To whom?"
"To Leonard Holt."
Bloundel could scarcely repress his displeasure.
"It will be time enough to talk of that a year hence," he answered.
"I don't think so," returned his wife; "and now, since the proper time
for the disclosure of the secret has arrived, I must tell you that the
gallant who called himself Maurice Wyvil, and whom you so much dreaded,
was no other than the Earl of Rochester."
"Rochester!" echoed the grocer, while an angry flush stained his cheek;
"has that libertine dared to enter my house?"
"Ay, and more than once," replied Mrs. Bloundel.
"Indeed!" cried her husband, with difficulty controlling his
indignation. "When was he here?--tell me quickly."
His wife then proceeded to relate all that had occurred, and he listened
with profound attention to her recital. At its close, he arose and paced
the chamber for some time in great agitation.
At length he suddenly paused, and, regarding his wife with great
sternness, observed, in a severe tone, "You have done very wrong in
concealing this from me, Honora--very wrong."
"If I have erred, it was to spare you uneasiness," returned Mrs.
Bloundel, bursting into tears. "Doctor Hodges agreed with me that it was
better not to mention the subject while you had so many other anxieties
pressing upon you."
"I have a stout heart, and a firm reliance on the goodness of Heaven,
which will enable me to bear up against most evils," returned the
grocer. "But on this point I ought, under any circumstances, to have
been consulted. And I am greatly surprised that Doctor Hodges should
advise the contrary."
"He was influenced, like myself, by the kindliest feelings towards you,"
sobbed Mrs. Bloundel.
"Well, well, I will not reproach you further," returned the grocer,
somewhat moved by her tears. "I have no doubt you conceived you were
acting for the best. But I must caution you against such conduct for the
future." After a pause, he added, "Is it your opinion that our poor
deluded child still entertains any regard for this profligate nobleman?"
"I am sure she does," replied Mrs. Bloundel; "and it is from that
conviction that I so strongly urge the necessity of marrying her to
Leonard Holt."
"I will never compel her to do anything to endanger her future
happiness," returned the grocer. "She must not marry Leonard Holt
without loving him. It is better to risk an uncertain evil, than to rush
upon a certain one."
"Then I won't answer for the consequences," replied his wife.
"What!" cried Bloundel; "am I to understand you have no reliance on
Amabel? Has all our care been thrown away?"
"I do not distrust her," returned Mrs. Bloundel; "but consider whom she
has to deal with. She is beset by the handsomest and most fascinating
man of the day--by one understood to be practised in all the arts most
dangerous to our sex--and a nobleman to boot. Some allowance must be
made for her."
"I will make none," rejoined Bloundel, austerely. "She has been taught
to resist temptation in whatever guise it may present itself; and if the
principles I have endeavoured to implant within her breast had found
lodgment there, she _would_ have resisted it. I am deeply grieved to
find this is not the case, and that she must trust to others for
protection, when she ought to be able to defend herself."
The subject was not further discussed, and the grocer and his wife
shortly afterwards retired to rest.
On the following morning, Bloundel remarked to the apprentice as they
stood together in the shop, "Leonard, you are aware I am about to shut
up my house. Before doing so, I must make certain needful arrangements.
I will not disguise from you that I should prefer your remaining with
me, but at the same time I beg you distinctly to understand that I will
not detain you against your will. Your articles are within two months of
expiring; and, if you desire it, I will deliver them to you to-morrow,
and release you from the rest of your time."
"I do not desire it, sir," replied Leonard; "I will remain as long as I
can be serviceable to you."
"Take time for reflection," rejoined his master, kindly. "In all
probability, it will be a long confinement, and you may repent, when too
late, having subjected yourself to it."
"Last month's experience has taught me what I have to expect," remarked
Leonard, with a smile. "My mind is made up, I will stay with you."
"I am glad of it," returned Bloundel, "and now I have something further
to say to you. My wife has acquainted me with the daring attempt of the
Earl of Rochester to carry off Amabel."
"Has my mistress, also, told you of my attachment to your daughter?"
demanded Leonard, trembling, in spite of his efforts to maintain a show
of calmness.
Bloundel nodded an affirmative.
"And of Amabel's promise to bestow her hand upon me, if I claimed it at
the month's end?" continued the apprentice.
"No!" replied the grocer, a good deal surprised--"I heard of no such
promise. Nor was I aware the matter had gone so far. But have you
claimed it?"
"I have," replied Leonard; "but she declined giving an answer till
to-day."
"We will have it, then, at once," cried Bloundel "Come with me to her."
So saying, he led the way to the inner room, where they found Amabel and
her mother. At the sight of Leonard, the former instantly cast down her
eyes.
"Amabel," said her father, in a tone of greater severity than he had
ever before used towards her, "all that has passed is known to me. I
shall take another and more fitting opportunity to speak to you on your
ill-advised conduct. I am come for a different purpose. You have given
Leonard Holt a promise (I need not tell you of what nature), and he
claims its fulfilment."
"If he insists upon my compliance," replied Amabel, in a tremulous
voice, "I must obey. But it will make me wretched."
"Then I at once release you," replied Leonard. "I value your happiness
far more than my own."
"You deserve better treatment, Leonard," said Bloundel; "and I am sorry
my daughter cannot discern what is for her good. Let us hope that time
will work a change in your favour."
"No," replied the apprentice, bitterly; "I will no longer delude myself
with any such vain expectation."
"Amabel," observed the grocer, "as your father--as your wellwisher--I
should desire to see you wedded to Leonard. But I have told your mother,
and now tell you, that I will not control your inclinations, and will
only attempt to direct you so far as I think likely to be conducive to
your happiness. On another point, I must assume a very different tone.
You can no longer plead ignorance of the designs of the depraved person
who besets you. You may not be able to forget him--but you can avoid
him. If you see him alone again--if but for a moment--I cast you off for
ever. Yes, for ever," he repeated, with stern emphasis.
"I will never voluntarily see him again," replied Amabel, tremblingly.
"You have heard my determination," rejoined her father. "Do you still
adhere to your resolution of remaining with me, Leonard?" he added,
turning to the apprentice. "If what has just passed makes any alteration
in your wishes, state so, frankly."
"I will stay," replied Leonard.
"There will be one advantage, which I did not foresee, in closing my
house," remarked the grocer aside to the apprentice. "It will
effectually keep away this libertine earl."
"Perhaps so," replied the other. "But I have more faith in my own
vigilance than in bolts and bars."
Bloundel and Leonard then returned to the shop, where the former
immediately began to make preparations for storing his house; and in the
prosecution of his scheme he was greatly aided by the apprentice.
The grocer's dwelling, as has been stated, was large and commodious. It
was three stories high; and beneath the ground-floor there were kitchens
and extensive cellars. Many of the rooms were spacious, and had
curiously carved fireplaces, walls pannelled with fine brown oak, large
presses, and cupboards.
In the yard, at the back of the house, there was a pump, from which
excellent water was obtained. There were likewise three large cisterns,
supplied from the New River. Not satisfied with this, and anxious to
obtain water in which no infected body could have lain, or clothes have
been washed, Bloundel had a large tank placed within the cellar, and
connecting it by pipes with the pump, he contrived an ingenious machine,
by which he could work the latter from within the house--thus making
sure of a constant supply of water direct from the spring.
He next addressed himself to the front of the house, where he fixed a
pulley, with a rope and hook attached to it, to the beam above one of
the smaller bay windows on the second story. By this means, he could let
down a basket or any other article into the street, or draw up whatever
he desired; and as he proposed using this outlet as the sole means of
communication with the external world when his house was closed, he had
a wooden shutter made in the form of a trap-door, which he could open
and shut at pleasure.
Here it was his intention to station himself at certain hours of the
day, and whenever he held any communication below, to flash off a
pistol, so that the smoke of the powder might drive back the air, and
purify any vapour that found entrance of its noxious particles.
He laid down to himself a number of regulations, which will be more
easily shown and more clearly understood, on arriving at the period when
his plans came to be in full operation. To give an instance, however--if
a letter should be conveyed to him by means of the pulley, he proposed
to steep it in a solution of vinegar and sulphur; and when dried and
otherwise fumigated, to read it at a distance by the help of strong
glasses.
In regard to provisions, after a careful calculation, he bought upwards
of three thousand pounds' weight of hard sea-biscuits, similar to those
now termed captain's biscuits, and had them stowed away in hogsheads. He
next ordered twenty huge casks of the finest flour, which he had packed
up with the greatest care, as if for a voyage to Barbadoes or Jamaica.
As these were brought in through the yard an accident had well-nigh
occurred which might have proved fatal to him. While superintending the
labours of Leonard and Blaize, who were rolling the casks into the
house--having stowed away as many as he conveniently could in the upper
part of the premises--he descended to the cellar, and, opening a door at
the foot of a flight of steps leading from the yard, called to them to
lower the remaining barrels with ropes below. In the hurry, Blaize
rolled a cask towards the open door, and in another instant it would
have fallen upon the grocer, and perhaps have crushed him, but for the
interposition of Leonard. Bloundel made no remark at the time; but he
never forgot the service rendered him by the apprentice.
To bake the bread required an oven, and he accordingly built one in the
garret, laying in a large stock of wood for fuel. Neither did he neglect
to provide himself with two casks of meal.
But the most important consideration was butcher's meat; and for this
purpose he went to Rotherhithe, where the plague had not yet appeared,
and agreed with a butcher to kill him four fat bullocks, and pickle and
barrel them as if for sea stores. He likewise directed the man to
provide six large barrels of pickled pork, on the same understanding.
These were landed at Queenhithe, and brought up to Wood-street, so that
they passed for newly-landed grocery.
Hams and bacon forming part of his own trade, he wrote to certain
farmers with whom he was in the habit of dealing, to send him up an
unlimited supply of flitches and gammons; and his orders being promptly
and abundantly answered, he soon found he had more bacon than he could
possibly consume. He likewise laid in a good store of tongues, hung
beef, and other dried meats.
As to wine, he already had a tolerable stock; but he increased it by
half a hogshead of the best canary he could procure; two casks of
malmsey, each containing twelve gallons; a quarter-cask of Malaga sack;
a runlet of muscadine; two small runlets of aqua vitae; twenty gallons
of aniseed water; and two eight-gallon runlets of brandy. To this he
added six hogsheads of strongly-hopped Kent ale, calculated for keeping,
which he placed in a cool cellar, together with three hogsheads of beer,
for immediate use. Furthermore, he procured a variety of distilled
waters for medicinal purposes, amongst which he included a couple of
dozen of the then fashionable and costly preparation, denominated
plague-water.
As, notwithstanding all his precautions, it was not impossible that some
of his household might be attacked by the distemper, he took care to
provide proper remedies, and, to Blaize's infinite delight, furnished
himself with mithridates, Venice treacle, diascorium, the pill rufus
(oh! how the porter longed to have the key of the medicine chest!),
London treacle, turpentine, and other matters. He likewise collected a
number of herbs and simples; as Virginian snakeweed, contrajerva,
pestilence-wort, angelica, elecampane, zedoary, tormentil, valerian,
lovage, devils-bit, dittany, master-wort, rue, sage, ivy-berries, and
walnuts; together with bole ammoniac, terra sigillata, bezoar-water, oil
of sulphur, oil of vitriol, and other compounds. His store of remedies
was completed by a tun of the best white-wine vinegar, and a dozen jars
of salad-oil.
Regulating his supplies by the provisions he had laid in, he purchased a
sufficient stock of coals and fagots to last him during the whole period
of his confinement; and he added a small barrel of gunpowder, and a like
quantity of sulphur for fumigation.
His eatables would not have been complete without cheese; and he
therefore ordered about six hundredweight from Derbyshire, Wiltshire,
and Leicestershire, besides a couple of large old cheeses from
Rostherne, in Cheshire--even then noted for the best dairies in the
whole county. Several tubs of salted butter were sent him out of
Berkshire, and a few pots, from Suffolk.
It being indispensable, considering the long period he meant to close
his house, to provide himself and his family with every necessary, he
procured a sufficient stock of wearing apparel, hose, shoes and boots.
Spice, dried fruit, and other grocery articles, were not required,
because he already possessed them. Candles also formed an article of his
trade, and lamp-oil; but he was recommended by Doctor Hodges, from a
fear of the scurvy, to provide a plentiful supply of lemon and lime
juice.
To guard against accident, he also doubly stocked his house with glass,
earthenware, and every article liable to breakage. He destroyed all
vermin, such as rats and mice, by which the house was infested; and the
only live creatures he would suffer to be kept were a few poultry. He
had a small hutch constructed near the street-door, to be used by the
watchman he meant to employ; and he had the garrets fitted up with beds
to form an hospital, if any part of the family should be seized with the
distemper, so that the sick might be sequestered from the sound.
* * * * *
III. THE QUACK DOCTORS.
Patience, it may be remembered, had promised Blaize to give him her
earnings to enable him to procure a fresh supply of medicine, and about
a week after he had received the trifling amount (for he had been so
constantly employed by the grocer that he had no opportunity of getting
out before), he sallied forth to visit a neighbouring apothecary, named
Parkhurst, from whom he had been in the habit of purchasing drugs, and
who occupied a small shop not far from the grocer's, on the opposite
side of the street. Parkhurst appeared overjoyed to see him, and,
without giving him time to prefer his own request, inquired after his
master's family--whether they were all well, especially fair Mistress
Amabel--and, further, what was the meaning of the large supplies of
provision which he saw daily conveyed to the premises? Blaize shook his
head at the latter question, and for some time refused to answer it. But
being closely pressed by Parkhurst, he admitted that his master was
about to shut up his house.
"Shut up his house!" exclaimed Parkhurst. "I never heard of such a
preposterous idea. If he does so, not one of you will come out alive.
But I should hope that he will be dissuaded from his rash design."
"Dissuaded!" echoed Blaize. "You don't know my master. He's as obstinate
as a mule when he takes a thing into his head. Nothing will turn him.
Besides, Doctor Hodges sanctions and even recommends the plan."
"I have no opinion of Doctor Hodges," sneered the apothecary. "He is not
fit to hold a candle before a learned friend of mine, a physician, who
is now in that room. The person I speak of thoroughly understands the
pestilence, and never fails to cure every case that comes before him. No
shutting up houses with him. He is in possession of an infallible
remedy."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Blaize, pricking up his ears. "What is his name?"
"His name!" cried Parkhurst, with a puzzled look. "How strange it should
slip my memory! Ah, now I recollect. It is Doctor Calixtus Bottesham."
"A singular name, truly," remarked Blaize; "but it sounds like that of a
clever man."
"Doctor Calixtus Bottesham is a wonderful man," returned the apothecary.
"I have never met with his like. I would trumpet forth his merits
through the whole city, but that it would ruin my trade. The plague is
our harvest, as my friend Chowles, the coffin-maker, says, and it will
not do to stop it--ha! ha!"