ht my ears would be so much offended on this day," he
said. "Let us go down. I have seen and heard enough."

They then descended, and Stephen Bloundel, who was greatly alarmed by
what he had just witnessed, strongly urged his father to remove
immediately. "There are seasons," said the young man, "when even our
duty to Heaven becomes a secondary consideration; and I should be sorry
if the fruit of your industry were sacrificed to your religious
scruples."

"There are no such seasons," replied the grocer, severely; "and I am
grieved that a son of mine should think so. If the inhabitants of this
sinful city had not broken the Sabbath, and neglected God's
commandments, this heavy judgment would not have fallen upon them. I
shall neglect no precaution for the personal safety of my family, but I
place my worldly goods in the hands of Him from whom I derived them, and
to whom I am ready to restore them, whenever it shall please Him to take
them."

"I am rebuked, father," replied Stephen, humbly; "and entreat your
pardon for having ventured to differ with you. I am now fully sensible
of the propriety of your conduct."

"And I have ever acquiesced in your wishes, be they what they may," said
Mrs. Bloundel to her husband; "but I confess I am dreadfully frightened.
I hope you will remove the first thing to-morrow."

"When midnight has struck, and the Sabbath is past, I shall commence my
preparations," replied the grocer. "You must rest content till then."
Mrs. Bloundel heaved a sigh, but said no more; and the grocer, retiring
to a side-table, opened the Bible, and sat down calmly to its perusal.
But though no further remonstrances reached his ears, there was great
murmuring in the kitchen on the part of Blaize and Patience.

"Goodness knows what will become of us!" cried the latter. "I expect we
shall all be burnt alive, owing to our master's obstinacy. What harm can
there be in moving on a Sunday, I should like to know? I'm sure I'm too
much hurried and flurried to say my prayers as I ought to do."

"And so am I," replied Blaize. "Mr. Bloundel is a great deal too
particular. What a dreadful thing it would be if the house should be
burnt down, and all my mother's savings, which were to form a provision
for our marriage, lost."

"That would be terrible, indeed," cried Patience, with a look of dismay.
"I think the wedding had better take place as soon as the fire is over.
It can't last many days if it goes on at this rate."