would not suffer her to visit us, especially since poor
Janet came home last night from a plague-stricken house."

Reuben's eyes had brightened suddenly at his mother's words, but
the gleam died out again, and he remained quite silent whilst the
story of Janet's appearance at home was told. The Master Builder
listened with interest and sighed at the same time. Perhaps he was
contrasting the nature of his neighbour's wife with that of his
own. How would Madam have acted had her child come to her in such a
plight?

Harmer then told his neighbour the rules he was about to lay down
for his own household, all of which the Master Builder, who was a
keen practical man, cordially approved. He was himself likely soon
to be in a great strait, for most probably he would be appointed in
due course to serve as an examiner of health, and would of
necessity come into contact with those who had been amongst the
sick, even if not with the infected themselves, and how his wife
would bear such a thing as that he scarce dared to think. Business,
too, was at a standstill, all except the carpentering branch, and
that was only busy with coffins. If London became depopulated,
there would be nothing doing in the building and furnishing line
for long enough. Some prophets declared that the city was doomed to
a destruction such as had never been seen by mortal man before.
Even as it was the plague seemed like to sweep away a fourth of the
inhabitants; and if that were so, what would become of such trades
as his for many a year to come? Already the Master Builder spoke of
himself as a half-ruined man.

His neighbour did all he could to cheer him, but it was only too
true that misfortune appeared imminent. Harmer had always been a
careful and cautious man, laying by against a rainy day, and not
striving after a rapid increase of wealth. But the Master Builder
had worked on different lines. He had enlarged his borders wherever
he could see his way to doing so, and although he had a large
capital by this time, it was all floating in this and that venture;
so that in spite of his appearance of wealth and prosperity, he had
often very little ready money. So long as trade was brisk this
mattered little, and he turned his capital over in a fashion that
was very pleasing to himself. But this sudden and totally
unexpected collapse of business came upon him at a time when he
could ill afford to meet it. Already he had had to discharge the
greater part