that a glass might always be brought him when he
visited the grocer's house.

"You may rely upon id, mynheer, as long as my small sdore lasds,"
replied Josyna.

Blaize, who, in obedience to the doctor's commands, had drained a large
glass of sack, felt so much inspirited by it, that he ventured, when his
mother's back was turned, to steal a kiss from Patience, and to whisper
in her ear, that if he escaped the plague, he would certainly marry
her--an assurance that seemed to give her no slight satisfaction. His
new-born courage, however, was in some degree damped by Leonard, who
observed to him in an undertone:

"You have neglected my injunctions, sirrah, and allowed the person I
warned you of to enter the house. When a fitting season arrives, I will
not fail to pay off old scores."

Blaize would have remonstrated, and asked for some explanation, but the
apprentice instantly left him, and set out upon his errand to the
Examiner of Health. Accompanied by his mother, who would not even allow
him to say good-night to Patience, the porter then proceeded to his own
room, where the old woman, to his infinite regret, carried off his
stores of medicine in a basket, which she brought with her for that
purpose, and locked the door upon him.

"This has escaped her," said Blaize, as soon as she was gone, opening a
secret drawer in the cupboard. "How fortunate that I kept this reserve.
I have still a tolerable supply in case of need. Let me examine my
stock. First of all, there are plague-lozenges, composed of angelica,
liquorice, flower of sulphur, myrrh, and oil of cinnamon. Secondly, an
electuary of bole-armoniac, hartshorn-shavings, saffron, and syrup of
wood-sorrel. I long to taste it. But then it would be running in the
doctor's teeth. Thirdly, there is a phial labelled _Aqua Theriacalis
Stillatitia_--in plain English, distilled treacle-water. A spoonful of
this couldn't hurt me. Fourthly, a packet of powders, entitled _Manus
Christi_--an excellent mixture. Fifthly, a small pot of diatesseron,
composed of gentian, myrrh, bayberries, and round aristolochia. I must
just taste it. Never mind the doctor! He does not know what agrees with
my constitution as well as I do myself. Physic comes as naturally to me
as mother's milk. Sixthly, there is _Aqua Epidemica_, commonly called
the Plague-Water of Matthias--delicious stuff! I will only just sip it.
What a fine bitter it has! I'm sure it must be very wholesome. Next, for
I've