"How long has this been going on?" asked Patience.
"For many months," answered Ann; "but of late it has been much worse, for the prison is fuller than it ever was, and disease is rampant there. Then," lowering her voice, she added, "they say there has been a case of the plague. If it be so, and that foul disease break out within those walls, God only knows what will happen! The prisoners themselves are in terror of it. I think they will go mad with fright."
"And you?" said Patience.
"I try not to think of it," she answered quietly; "what is the use? Come, let us go into the other room; Agnes may come in there, may she not?"
"If you think there is no danger," said Patience.
"There is nothing infectious here," she said. "You see all the windows are open, and either I burn my mother's clothes, or old Doris takes them away and washes them."
"Very well," said Patience, and Agnes and Martha were admitted. They sat together round the tables and Ann learnt what had brought them to London.
"You would have done better to have stayed away," she said; "one never knows what may happen, and there are strange signs in the heavens. People say London is accursed, and will be destroyed because of its great sin. Have you seen the comet?"
"No, not yet," answered Patience; "I shall not linger long in London. I wish we could take you away with us, Ann!"
"How can I leave my mother?" she answered; "and Reginald is away."