spread upon the table,
simple and homely, but sufficient for the appetites of all. The
three rosy-faced apprentices, of whom a son of the house made one,
formed a link at table between the family and the shopmen and
serving wenches. All sat down together, and Rebecca, the daughter
who lived at home, served up the hot broth and puddings. The eldest
daughter was a serving maid in the household of my Lady Howe, and
was seldom able to get home for more than a few hours occasionally,
even when that fashionable dame was in London. Dorcas spent each
night under the shelter of her father's roof, and went daily to the
quaint old house close beside Allhallowes the Less, where lived the
eccentric Lady Scrope, her mistress, of whom mention has been made.
The youngest son was also from home, being apprenticed to a
carpenter in the service of the Master Builder next door, and he
lived, as was usual, in the house of his employer. Thus four out of
Harmer's seven children lived always at home, and Dan the sailor
was with them whenever his ship put into the river after a voyage.

No talk of either comet or plague was permitted at table; indeed
the meal was generally eaten in something approaching to silence.
Sometimes the master of the house would address a question to one
of the family, or suppress by a glance the giggling of the lads at
the lower end of the table. Joseph's presence there rather
encouraged hilarity, for he was a merry urchin, and stood not in
the same awe of his father as did his comrades. Kindness was the
law of the house, but it was the kindness of thorough discipline.
Neither the master nor the mistress believed in the liberty that
brings licence in its train.

Life went very quietly, smoothly, and monotonously within the walls
of that busy house. Trade was brisk just now. The fashion lately
introduced amongst fine ladies of having whole dresses of gold or
silver lace, brought more orders for the lace maker than he well
knew how to accomplish in the time. He and his son and his
apprentices were hard at work from morning to night; and glad
enough was the master of the daily-increasing daylight, which
enabled him and those who were glad to earn larger wages to work
extra hours each day.

Being thus busy at home, he went less than was his wont abroad, and
heard but little either of the sullen comet which hung night after
night in the sky, or of the whispers sometimes circulating in the
city of fresh cases of the d