“On Bow Bridge the Watch would have questioned us, but we crossed the Road into a narrow Way leading to Old Ford. Afterwards we got on to Homerton and Hackney, and at length into the northern Road. Here we went on till we saw some Men running towards us; then we struck into a Lane, halted at a Barn, and had some Bread and Cheese. The Food was theirs, but I paid for my Share; and I saw them curiously eyeing my Money. Afterwards they asked one or two Questions about my Resources, which I did not much like.
“Well, we kept on till we were many Miles from London, occasionally dodging Villages and Constables. At Nightfall we reached the Skirt of a Wood. Here my Companions proposed to sleep; but as soon as they were fairly off, I stole away. I wandered a long Way from them in the Wood; at length took refuge in a Cow-shed. I thought I heard Voices, not far off, which made me uneasy; however, I was so tired that I fell asleep.
“As soon as Day dawned, I made off; and, not knowing which Track to take, went on at Random, till I came to a large old Barn. To my Surprise, I heard some one praying within. I looked in, and saw, not one, but a dozen Men, and two or three Women and Children. I stood reverently aside till the old Man had done, and heard him pray that they might all continue to be spared from the awful Visitation. When they uncovered their Faces, I stept forward, on which there was a loud Cry, and they warned me off. It was to no Use speaking, they would not hear me as I had no Passport. Dispirited and hungry, I strayed away till I came to the Skirt of the Wood, in Sight of a Cluster of Houses. I was about to make for them, when three Men, with a Pitchfork, Bludgeon, and Horsewhip, rushed upon me and collared me, saying, ‘Here’s one of them!’—I struggled, and said, ‘One of whom? I belong to no Party, and am a healthy, innocent Man.’ ‘That sounds well,’ said one of them, ‘but we guess you are one of a Gang that, after threatening and intimidating our Town yesterday, broke into a lone Farmhouse last Night; so we’ll take you before a Magistrate.’ ‘Do so,’ said I, ‘for it will be better than starving in the Wood, and I shall be able to clear myself.’ So, after a Time, finding I made no Resistance, they gave over dragging me, and let me walk by myself, only keeping close about me, with an ugly Bull-dog at my Heels. However, I did not feel over-sure, Cherry, that my Story would satisfy the Magistrate, so when we reached a small Public-house where we found a Constable, I privately slipped a Half-crown into his Hand, and he, after a little Parley, gave it as his Opinion that I was an honest Man, whereon the others desisted from giving me in Charge. But they would by no Means admit me into the House, only brought out some Bread and Beer and set them at a Distance, and then went away while I ate and drank.
“There seemed nothing to do but to turn again into the Wood; and as I was without Object, foot-sore, and spiritless, I paused at the first inviting Spot I came to, and cast myself along under a Tree. Here I suppose I slept a good While: when I awoke, it was with a strange Sense of Depression, and it occurred to me I might be plague-stricken after all. As if I could fly yet from the Distemper, if that were the Case, I resolved to be moving; for I had no Mind to die like a Rat in a Hole. Just then I heard Voices close on the other Side the Tree; and, eyeing the Speakers between the Branches, could make out a numerous Band of Men and a few Women, who were eating and drinking. I did not like their Appearance much, and thought of retreating, when one of them, seeing me stir, cries,—‘A Spy!’ and drags me into the Midst. I was pretty roughly handled till they settled it to their Minds I was a harmless Sort of a Fellow; and then they told me they would let me join the Crew if I would cast my Lot among them, and put whatever I had about me into the common Stock. I was no Ways minded to do this; however, I gave them a few Shillings, which, after a little Demur, they took, and I then was free of the Company. I soon had Reason to apprehend they were the Band who had affrighted the Townsmen the Day before, and plundered the Farm in the Night; and it seemed as if a select Council of them were concerting Something of the Sort again, though they did not invite me to participate. As this was not the Sort of Company I had any Mind to associate with, I dragged through the Afternoon and Evening as well as I could, mostly apart. They then began to put up Booths and Tents for the Night, at which I was glad to assist, rather than do Nothing; but I lay a little Way off, under a Tree. In the Night I felt some one lugging at the little Parcel of Clothing I laid my Head upon.—I hit a Blow at Random, which made whoever it was move off without a Word; and then I thought it was Time for me to move off too. I got away unperceived, and could not settle again all Night. When Day broke, I was in a Part of the Forest that was new to me.... The Sun was shining on some gnarled old Oaks, and along green Glades; there were Birds singing, Hares running across the Grass, and Wildflowers overhanging a little Brook of clear Water. Oh, Cherry! how I should have enjoyed idling in such a Place if I had had a quiet Mind!
“I drank some Water, and washed my Face; and just then I saw some Women passing through the Trees, carrying large, country Loaves, and tin Cans of Milk. They did not see me, but set down their Burthens near a large Stone. Then they retreated and stood a little Way off, and presently, two pretty-looking Girls came tripping out of the Wood, took up the Loaves, emptied the Milk into brown Pitchers of their own, put some Silver on the Stone, and cried, ‘Here’s your Money, good People!’”
“Then they returned into the Wood, and I followed them. I said, ‘Shall I carry one of your Pitchers?’ They looked affrighted, and cried, ‘Pray, Sir, keep off ... how do we know that you may not have the Plague?’ I said, ‘I assure you, it was to escape from the Plague that I came into the Wood, and here I seem likely to starve, though I have Plenty of Money.’ They looked at one another, and said, ‘If it be true, his Case is hard,—let us tell my Father.’ They went away, and by and by an elderly Man came to me from among the Trees. He questioned me very narrowly, and satisfying himself at length that I was both sound and respectable, he admitted me to their little Encampment, which consisted of five or six little Huts, a Family in each; besides a few Cabins the single Men had set up for themselves. I did the like, added my Stock to theirs, and continued with them all the Time their Encampment lasted, which was till Yesterday, when, the Weather turning cold, and the News of the Abatement of the Distemper having reached us, we resolved to return to our Homes.—I could make you quite in Love with our Camp Life, Cherry, if I chose to enlarge upon some Things, and leave others out of Sight,—in short, make it appear the Thing it was not. But, honestly speaking, though we were very thankful to buy our Safety at the Price of much Inconvenience, all the Romance of our Situation soon faded away, and we were right glad to set our Faces homewards again, even without being fully certified we could do so with Impunity.”
“But, to what a Home did I return! The House was padlocked up, and Everything in the Possession of the Lord Mayor. And, from a Watchman out of Employ, who was taking Care of a House over the Way, and who did not know me, I heard the Circumstances of my Wife’s frightful Death. Oh, Cherry! we did not care for each other much; but I fear it was cowardly and cruel of me to forsake her!”
—And Mark laid his Head on his Arms and wept. Presently he said, “What to do, I know not. I shall be able, by Application to the Lord Mayor to-morrow, to get back my House and Property; but—to tell you the Truth—I have no great Fancy to go back there; at any Rate, till the House has been well fumigated. So that ... will you take Compassion on me, and let me return awhile to my old Quarters, Cherry?”
Of course I said I would.