“I don’t know that I can, Sir,” said I, “but I’ll try.”
Though the Journey was delightsome, yet towards the latter End of it, every Mile of the Road became less and less pleasant, till at length we got into the Tide of People, on Horse and on Foot, setting in towards London. Then, how strange it seemed to me that I was not going back to the Bridge! where I had lived all the Days of my Life till within the last Week! I began to tremble a little; and the Idea of the great old roomy, gloomy House in Whitechapel, with no bright, sparkling Water to look out upon, became rather oppressive to me, till I thought how Master Blower’s continual Presence would light it up. The Streets now becoming thronged, he pressed my Arm tighter to him and bade me hold on close; and I felt he was all the World to me, be the House what it would. But when we reached it, what a Difference! The whole Front had a fresh Coat of Paint, which made it wondrous lightsome and cheerful; the Door-step was fresh whitened, the Door fresh varnished, the Knocker fresh polished, and Mistress Peach standing on the Step with a new Cap plaited close round her sweet, pleasant Face, and dressed in a new grass-green Gown. I could not help kissing her as I ran in; she said, “God bless you, Mistress!” with hearty Cordiality, and followed me from Room to Room. Everything had been cleaned up, and she told me, laughing, that though she had had Plenty of Helps, it had been the hardest Week’s Work she had ever had in her Life. The old green Bed-furniture had given Place to new white Dimity; there was a Lady’s Pincushion on the Toilette, with “May you be happy!” in minikin Pins; and a Beau-pot of Flowers on the Window-seat. “All that is Mistress Violet’s doing,” said Dorcas; “she has not left the House half an Hour, I assure you, and her Needle went in and out as fast as could be when she was finishing the last Muslin Blind. Oh, she has been very busy, has Mistress Violet! ’Twas she set out the Supper Table with the Flowers, and Sweet-meats, and Pound-cake.”
CHAPTER XVI
The Burning City
NEXT Day, the Holiday of Life was over, its Duties re-commenced. Master Blower had an Accumulation of Business to attend to, and I had Plenty to do about the House. Before the End of the Week, I was immersed in Cares that were Pleasures to me, inasmuch as they lightened his own. But I could not resist paying a Visit to the Bridge, and spending an Hour in the dear old House, and another, afterwards, with Violet. She and Mark came to sup with us. I found they were not going to marry till six Months were out, which was full quick, after all; but I was thankful they would wait so long. A Change seemed coming over Mark; he was steady, composed, attentive to Business, and far pleasanter, whether lively or sad, than in his earlier Days. As to Violet, she was infinitely softened, and the old Spirit of Coquetry seemed quite to have burned out. We did not see them often, but Master Blower always received them kindly, and they seemed to consider it a Privilege as well as a Pleasure to come to us.
Thus, the Winter wore on: the Plague was stayed; and though it was common to meet in the Streets Men in their Nightcaps, limping, or with their Throats bound up, no one thought of getting out of their Way, for the Infection had spent itself. And Persons that were Strangers to each other might be heard exchanging Congratulations on the improved State of Things, now that Houses and Shops were re-opening, the Weeds beginning to disappear from the Thoroughfares, and Men no longer walked along the Middle of the Streets, but on the Foot-pavements.
My dear Husband endeavoured to impress the Hearts and Minds of his People, in Season and out of Season, with a Sense of the Mercy that had preserved them; but, I am sorry to say, with very little permanent Effect. True it is, at first the Ground was broken up, and the Clods were soft, and the good Seed that was cast in seemed likely to fructify; but alas, the hot Sun of worldly Temptation soon hardened the Ground and burnt the Seed up, and People that had almost miraculously escaped the general Judgment, seemed little better than they were before. This depressed my dear Husband very much; but, instead of relaxing his Efforts, he only redoubled them; and he said I strengthened his Hands.