The Sign of the Red Cross: A Tale of Old London

  CHAPTER XIII. HAPPY MEETINGS.

  "Reuben found! Reuben alive! O Joseph, Joseph, Joseph!" and Dorcasburst into tears of joy and relief, and sobbed aloud upon herbrother's neck.

  Joseph had brought his news straight to Dorcas, knowing that she atleast would be certainly found within Lady Scrope's house. He wassecretly afraid to go home first, lest the fatal red cross upon thedoor should tell its tale of woe, or lest the whole house itselfshould be shut up and desolate, like the majority of the houses hehad passed in the forlorn city that morning. He felt, however, analmost superstitious confidence that Lady Scrope's house would defythe infection. He was decidedly of the opinion that thatredoubtable dame was a witch, and that she had charms which keptthe plague at bay. He therefore first sought out the sister withwhom he felt certain he could obtain speech; and she had drawn himinto a little parlour hard by the street door, in greatastonishment at seeing him there, and fearful at first (as folkshad grown to be of late) that he was the bearer of evil tidings.

  The joy and relief were therefore so great that she could notrestrain her tears, and between laughing, crying, and repeating inastonished snatches the words of explanation which fell fromJoseph's lips, she made such an unwonted commotion in theordinarily silent house, that soon the tap of a stick could havebeen heard by ears less preoccupied coming down the stairs andalong the passage, and the door was pushed open to admit the littleupright figure of the mistress of the house.

  "Hoity toity! art thou bereft of thy senses, child? What infortune's name means all this?

  "Boy, who art thou? and what dost thou here? A brother, forsooth!Come with some news, perchance? Well, well, well; how goes it inthe city? Are any left alive? They say at the rate we are goingnow, it will take but a month more to destroy the city even asSodom was destroyed!"

  "O madam," cried Dorcas dashing away her tears, and turning aneager face towards the witch-like old woman, who in her silk gown,hooped and looped up, her fine lace cap and mittens, and her ebonystick with its ivory head, looked the impersonation of a fairygodmother, "this is my brother Joseph, and he comes with welcometidings. My brother Reuben is not dead, albeit he has in truth beensmitten by the plague. Joseph found him yesterday in the pest housejust beyond Clerkenwell; and he is in a fair way to recover, if hismind can but be set at rest.

  "Oh what news this will be for our parents!--for the girls!--forGertrude! Oh how we have mourned and wept together; and now weshall rejoice with full hearts!"

  "Has Mistress Gertrude mourned for him too?" asked Joseph eagerly."Marry that is good hearing, for I have wondered all this whilewhether I should obtain the grace from her for which I have come."

  "And what is that, young man?" asked Lady Scrope, tapping her caneupon the ground as much as to say that in her own house she was notgoing to take a secondary place, and that conversation was to beaddressed to her. Joseph turned to her at once and answered:

  "Verily, good madam, my aunt has sent me hither to fetch MistressGertrude forthwith to his side. She says that he calls ceaselesslyupon her, and that unless he can see her beside him he may yet dieof the disappointment and trouble, albeit the plague is stayed inhis case, and it is but the fever of weakness that is upon him. Shethinks it will not hurt her to come, if so be that it is as wehope, and that she has in her heart for him the same love as he hasfor her."

  "Oh, she has! she has!" cried Dorcas, fired with suddenillumination of mind about many things that perplexed her before."Her heart is just breaking for him!

  "Prithee, good madam, let me go and call her. They say that she isof little use in the house now, being weak and weeping, and too sadat heart to work as heretofore. They can well spare her on such anerrand, and methinks it will save her life as well as his. Let mebut go and tell her the news."

  "Go, child, go. Lovers be the biggest fools in all this world offools! And if the women be the bigger fools, 'tis but because theywere meant to be fitting companions for the men!

  "Go to, child!--bring her here, and let us see what she says tothis mad errand of this mad boy.

  "And you, young sir, whilst your sister is gone, tell me all yousaw and heard in the pest house! Marry, I like your spirit in goingthither! It is the one place I long to see myself; only I am tooold to go gadding hither and thither after fine sights!"

  Joseph was quite willing to indulge the old lady's morbid curiosityas to the sights he had seen yesterday and today, as he hadjourneyed back into the city in the guise of a market lad. Thethings were terrible enough to satisfy even Lady Scrope, who seemedto rejoice in an uncanny fashion over the awful devastation goingon all round.

  "I'm not a saint myself," she said with unwonted gravity, "and Inever set up for one, but many has been the time when I have warnedthose about me that God would not stand aside for ever looking onat these abominations. The means were ready to His hand, and He hastaken them and used them as a scourge. And He will scourge thiswicked city yet again, if men will not amend their evil practices."

  Next minute Gertrude and Dorcas came running in together, andGertrude almost flung herself into Joseph's arms in her eagergratitude to him for his news, and her desire to hear everything hecould tell her.

  Such a clamour of voices then arose as fairly drowned any remarkthat Lady Scrope tried from time to time to throw in. Her old facetook a suddenly softened look as she watched the little scene, andheard the words that passed amongst the young people. Presently shewent tapping away on her high-heeled shoes, and was absent for someten or fifteen minutes. When she came back she held in her hands asmall iron-bound box, which seemed to be very heavy for its size.

  "Well," she asked in her clear, sharp tones, "and what is going tobe done next?"

  "O madam, I am going to him. I can do naught else," answeredGertrude, whose face was like an April morning, all smiles andtears blended together. "I cannot let him lie wanting me andwearying for me."

  "Humph! I thought you had shown yourself a girl of spirit, and hadsent him about his business when he came a-wooing, eh?"

  "O madam, I did so. I thought that duty bid me; but I have repentedso bitterly since! They say that 'twas since then he fell into themelancholy which was like to make him fall ill of the distemper.Oh, if he were to die, I should feel his blood on my head. I shouldnever hold it up again. I cannot let anything keep me from him now.I must go to him in my poverty and tell him all. He must be thejudge!"

  Lady Scrope uttered a little snort, although her face bore nounkindly look.

  "Child, child, thou art a veritable woman! I had thought betterthings of thee, but thou art just like the rest. Thou wilt gladlylie down in the dust, so as the one man shall trample upon thee,whilst thou dost adore him the more for it. Go to! go to! Maids andlovers be all alike. Fools every one of them! But for all that Ilike thee. I have an old woman's fancy for thee. And since in thesedays none may reckon on seeing the face of a departing friendagain, I give now into thine hands the wedding gift I have had inmine eyes for thee.

  "Nay, thank me not; and open it not save at the bedside of thybetrothed husband--if thou art fool enough to betroth thyself toone who as like as not will die of the plague before the week isout.

  "And now off with you both. If you tarry too long, the watch willnot believe you to be honest market folks, and will hinder yourflight. Good luck go with you; and when ye be come to the cityagain--if ever that day arrive--come hither and tell me all thetale of your folly and love. Although a wise woman myself, I have awondrous love of hearing tales of how other folks make havoc oftheir lives by their folly."

  Gertrude took the box, which amazed her by its weight, andsuggested ideas of value quite out of keeping with what she had anyreason to expect from one so little known to her as Lady Scrope.She thanked the donor with shy gratitude, and pressed the witheredhand to her fresh young lips. Lady Scrope, a little moved despiteher cynical fashion of talking, gave her several affectionatekisses; and then the other girls came in to see the last of theircompanion, and to charge her with many messages of love f
or Reuben.

  Joseph during this interval darted round to his father's house, toexchange a kiss with his mother and tell her the good news. It wasindeed a happy day for the parents to hear that the son whom theyhad given up for lost was living, and likely, under Gertrude'scare, to do well. They had not dared to murmur or repine. It seemedto them little short of a miracle that death had spared to them alltheir children through this fearful season. When they believed onehad at last been taken, they had learned the strength and courageto say, "God's will be done." Yet it was happiness inexpressible toknow that he was not only living, but in the safe retreat of MaryHarmer's cottage, and under her tender and skilful care.

  So used were they now to the thought of those they loved caring forthe sick, that they had almost ceased to fear contagion soencountered. It appeared equally busy amongst those who fled fromit. They did not even chide Joseph for the reckless curiosity whichhad led the boys to adventure themselves without cause in thefashion that had led to such notable results.

  When Joseph returned to Lady Scrope's, it was to find Gertrudearrayed in the clothes provided for her, and looking, save for herdainty prettiness, quite like a country girl come in withmarketable wares. Such things of her own as she needed for hersojourn, together with Lady Scrope's precious box, were put intothe barrow beneath the empty basket and sacks. Then with manyaffectionate farewells the pair started forth, and talking eagerlyall the while, took their way through the solitary grass-grownstreets, away through Cripplegate, and out towards the pleasanterregions beyond the walls.

  Joseph sought to engross his companion in talk, so that she mightnot see or heed too much the dismal aspect of all around them. Hehimself had seen a considerable difference in the city between thetime he and Benjamin had left it and today. In places it almostseemed as though no living soul now remained; and he observed thatfoot passengers in the streets went about more recklessly thanbefore, with a set and desperate expression of countenance, asthough they had made up their minds to the worst, and cared littlewhether their fate overtook them today or a week hence.

  Gertrude's thoughts, however, were so much with Reuben, that sheheeded but little of what she saw around her. She spoke of himincessantly, and begged again and again to hear the story of how hehad been found. Her cheek flushed a delicate rose tint each timeshe heard how he had called for her ceaselessly in his delirium.That showed her, if nothing else could convince her of it, how trueand disinterested his love was; that it was for herself he hadalways wooed her, and not for any hope of the fortune she had atone time looked to receive from her father as her marriage dowry.

  When they had passed the last of the houses, and stood in the sunnymeadows, with the blue sky above them and the songs of birds intheir ears, Gertrude heaved a great sigh of relief, and her eyesfilled with tears.

  "O beautiful trees and fields!" she cried; "it seems as thoughnothing of danger and death could overshadow the dwellers in suchfair places."

  "So Benjamin and I thought," said Joseph gravely; "but, alas, theplague has been busy here, too. See, there is a cluster of housesdown there, and but three of them are now inhabited. The pestilencecame and smote right and left, and in some houses not one was leftalive. Still death seems not so terrible here amid these smilingfields as it does when men are pent together in streets and lanes.And the dead at first could be buried in their own gardens by theirfriends, if they could not take them to the churchyards, which soonrefused to receive them. Many were thus saved from the horror ofthe plague pit, which they so greatly dreaded. But I know notwhether it is a wise kindness so to bury them; for there werehamlets, I am told, where the plague raged fearfully, and where theliving could scarce bury the dead."

  Gertrude sighed; death and trouble did indeed seem everywhere. Buteven her sorrow for others could not mar her happiness in theprospect of seeing Reuben once again; and as they neared the place,and Joseph pointed out the twisted chimneys and thatched roofpeeping through the sheltering trees and shrubs, the girl could notrestrain her eager footsteps, and flew on in advance of hercompanion, who was retarded by his barrow.

  The next minute she was eagerly kissing Benjamin (who, togetherwith Fido, had run out at the sound of her footsteps), and sheddingtears of joy at the news that Reuben was no worse, that there werenow no symptoms of the plague about him, but that he was perilouslyweak, and needed above all things that his mind should be set atrest.

  At the sound of voices Mary Harmer came softly downstairs from thesick man's side, and divining in a moment who the stranger was,took her into a warm, motherly embrace, and thanked her again andagain for coming so promptly.

  "Nay, it is I must thank thee for letting me come," answeredGertrude between smiles and tears. "And now, may I not go to him? Iwould not lose a moment. I am hungry for the sight of his livingface. Prithee, let me go!"

  "So thou shalt, my child, in all good speed; but just at thismoment he sleeps, and thou must refresh thyself after thy long, hotwalk, that thou mayest be better able to tend him. I will not keepthee from him, be sure, when the time comes that thou mayest go tohim."

  Joseph at that moment came up with the barrow, and Gertrude foundthat it was pleasant and refreshing to let Mary Harmer bathe herface and hands and array her in her own garments. And then she satdown to a pleasant meal of fresh country provisions, which tastedso different from anything she had eaten these many long weeks.

  The boys, who as a precautionary measure were keeping away from thehouse itself until it should be quite certain that their brotherwas free from infection, took their meal on the grass plot outside,and enjoyed it mightily.

  The whole scene was so different from anything upon whichGertrude's eyes had rested for long, that tears would rise unbiddenin them, though they were tears of happiness and gratitude. The dogFido took to her at once, and showed her many intelligentattentions, and was so useful altogether in fetching and carryingthat his cleverness and docility were a constant source ofamusement and wonder to all, and gave endless delight to the boys,who spent all their spare time in training him.

  Then just when the afternoon shadows were beginning to lengthen,and the light to grow golden with the mellow September glow,Gertrude was softly summoned to the pleasant upper chamber, whichsmelt sweetly of lavender, rose leaves, and wild thyme, wherebeside the open casement lay Reuben, in a snow-white bed, his facesadly wasted and white, and his eyes closed as if in the lassitudeof utter weakness.

  Mary gave Gertrude a smile, and motioned her to go up to him, whichshe did very softly and with a beating heart. He did not appear tonote her footfall; but when she stood beside him, and gently spokehis name, his eyes flashed open in a moment, and fixed themselvesupon her face, their expression growing each moment more clear andcomprehending.

  "Gertrude!" he breathed in a voice whose weakness told a tale ofits own, and he moved his hand as though he would fain ascertain bythe sense of touch whether or not this was a dream.

  She saw the movement, and took his hand between her own, kneelingdown beside the bed and covering it with kisses and tears.

  That seemed to tell him all, without the medium of words. He askedno question, he only lay gazing at her with a deep contentment inhis eyes. He probably knew not either where he was, or how any ofthese strange things came to pass. She was with him; she was hisvery own. Of that there could be no manner of doubt. And that beingso, what did anything else matter? He lay gazing at her perfectlycontented, till he fell asleep holding her hand in his.

  That was the beginning of a steady if rather a slow recovery. Itwas only natural indeed that Reuben should be long in regainingstrength. He had been through months of fatigue and arduous wearingtoil, and the marvel was that when the distemper attacked him inhis weakness and depression he had strength enough to throw it off.As Mary Harmer said, it seemed sometimes as though those who wentfearlessly amongst the plague stricken became gradually inoculatedwith the poison, and were thus able to rid themselves of it when itdid attack them. Reuben at least had soon thrown off his atta
ck,and the state of weakness into which he had fallen was less theresult of the plague than of his long and arduous labours before.

  How he ever came to be in the pest house of Clerkenwell he nevercould altogether explain. He remembered that business had calledhim out in a northwesterly direction; and he had a dim recollectionof feeling a sick longing for a sight of the country once more, andof bending his steps further than he need, whilst he fancied he hadentertained some notion of paying a visit to his aunt, and makingsure that his brothers had safely reached her abode. That wasprobably the reason why he had come so far away from home. He hadbeen feeling miserably restless and wretched ever since Gertrudehad refused him, and upon that day he had an overpowering sense ofillness and weariness upon him, too. But he did not rememberfeeling any alarm, or any premonition of coming sickness. He hadgrown so used to escaping when others were stricken down all round,that the sense of uncertainty which haunted all men at thecommencement of the outbreak had almost left him now. It could onlybe supposed that the fever of the pestilence had come upon him, andthat he had dropped by the wayside, as so many did, and had beencarried into the farm house by some compassionate person, or by oneof the bearers whose duty it was to keep the highways clear of suchobjects of public peril. But he knew nothing of his own condition,and had had no real gleam of consciousness, until he opened hiseyes in his aunt's house to find Gertrude bending over him.

  There was no shadow between them now. Gertrude's surrender was ascomplete as Lady Scrope had foreseen. She used now to laugh withReuben over the sayings of that redoubtable old dame, and wonderwhat she would think of them could she see them now. The box shehad entrusted to Gertrude had been given into Mary Harmer's carefor the present, till Reuben should be strong enough to enjoy theexcitement of opening it. But upon the first day that saw him downin the little parlour, lying upon the couch that had been madeready to receive him, Joseph eagerly clamoured to have the boxbrought down and opened; and his wish being seconded by all, MaryHarmer quickly produced it, and it was set upon a little table atthe side of the couch.

  "Have you the key?" asked Reuben of Gertrude, and she produced itfrom her neck, round which it had been hanging all this while by asilken cord.

  "It felt almost like a love token," she said with a little blush,"for she told me I was not to open it save at the side of mybetrothed husband!"

  Now, amid breathless silence, she fitted the key into the lock andraised the lid. That disclosed a layer of soft packing, which, whenremoved, left the contents exposed to view.

  "Oh!" cried Joseph and Benjamin in tones of such wonder that Fidomust needs rear himself upon his hind legs to get a peep, too; buthe was soon satisfied, for he saw nothing very interesting in theyellow contents of the wooden box, which neither smelt nice norwere good for food. But the lovers looked across at each other inspeechless amazement.

  For the box was filled to the brim with neatly piled heaps ofgolden guineas--the first guineas ever struck in this country; socalled from the fact that they were made of Guinea gold broughtfrom Africa by one of the trading companies, and first coined inthe year 1662. And a quick calculation, based upon the counting ofone of these upright heaps, showed that the box contained fivehundred of these golden coins, which as yet were only just cominginto general circulation.

  "Oh," cried Gertrude in amaze, "what can she have done it for? Andthey call Lady Scrope a miser!"

  "Misers often have strange fancies; and Lady Scrope has always beenone of the strangest and most unaccountable of her sex," saidReuben. "I cannot explain it one whit. It is of a piece with muchof her inscrutable life. All we can do is to give her our gratitudefor her munificence. She has neither kith nor kin to wrong by herstrange liberality to thee, sweet Gertrude; nor can I marvel thatshe should have come to love thee so well. Sweet heart, this moneywill purchase the house upon the bridge which thy father tells ushe is forced to sell. I had thought that I would buy it of him forour future home. But thou hast the first claim. At least, now theplace is safe. What is mine is thine, and what is thine is mine,and we will together make the purchase, and give him a home with usbeneath the old roof.

  "Will that make you happy, dear heart? Methinks it will please LadyScrope that her golden hoard should help in such an act of filiallove!"

  And Gertrude could only weep tears of pure happiness on her lover'sshoulder, and marvel how it was that such untold joy had come toher in the midst of the very shadow of death.