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

  CHAPTER XV. A CHRISTMAS WEDDING.

  "I never thought to see daughter of mine wedded from the house of aneighbour," said the Master Builder (whose title yet clung to him,albeit there was something of mockery in the sound), heaving a sighas he looked into the happy face of his child. "But a homeless manmust needs do the best he can; and our good friends have won theright to play the part of kinsfolk towards us both."

  "Indeed--indeed they have, dear father," answered Gertrude; "thoucanst not think how happy I have been here in this sweet cottage,nor what a home it has been to us all these weeks. I shall bealmost loth to leave it on the morrow--at least I should be, wereit not for the great happiness coming into my life. But the home towhich Reuben will take me must be even dearer than this. And thouwilt come with us, sweet father, and make us happy by thypresence!"

  "Ay, child, if thou wilt have the homeless old man who has managedhis affairs so ill as to have to start life afresh when he shouldbe thinking of resigning his work into other hands, and passing hisold age in peace and--"

  But Gertrude stopped him with a kiss.

  "Thou art not old, father; and I trow before thou art, a peacefuland prosperous old age will be in store for thee. Whilst Reuben andI live, nothing shall lack to thee that filial love can bestow. Odearest father! methinks there are bright and happy days before usyet."

  "I trust so--I trust so, my child, for thee especially. For thoudost deserve them. Thou hast been a good daughter, and wilt make agood wife."

  "My heart misgives me sometimes that I was not always so tender adaughter to poor mother as I fain would have been. May God pardonme in whatever way I may have erred!"

  "The error was more hers than thine," answered the father with asigh; "and mine too, inasmuch as I checked her not early, as Iperchance might have done. She would have wed thee with some needyand perhaps evil-living gallant, who would have taken thee for thyfortune. Thou hast done far better to choose such an honest, godlyyouth as Reuben. He will make thee an excellent husband."

  "Ah, will he not!" said Gertrude, her face alight with tender love."Poor mother did not understand what she was doing in striving tobanish him from the house. But methinks, in the land of spirits allthese things are seen aright; and that if it is permitted to thedead to know aught of what passes in the land they have leftbehind, she will be rejoicing with us today."

  "Heaven send it may be so! My poor wife," and the father heaved agreat sigh of mixed feelings, "it is well she has not lived to seethis end to her schemings to be rich. At least she is spared theknowledge of her husband's ruin."

  "Nay, call it not that, dear father. Master Harmer says that thingsare beginning to look up again after the terrible visitation, andsurely your affairs will look up likewise."

  "In a measure, yes," he answered. "I have at least sold the oldhouse for a better sum than I expected; and the purchaser hasbought all the rich furniture, save such things as I would not sellfor the sake of your poor mother. These I shall move shortly toyour home, my child. My good friend says that it is hard by hishouse, so the journey will not be a difficult one."

  "No, father," answered Gertrude, with glowing cheeks. "And who hasbought the old Bridge house?"

  "Nay, I have not even had the heart to ask. My good friend hascarried out the business for me from first to last. He has been thetruest friend man ever had. I have had naught to do but to sign thepapers and receive the purchase money. No doubt the pang of seeingothers living there will pass in time, but just now I care not evento think of it."

  Gertrude's face was still glowing a rosy red, but she turned theconversation at once.

  "And thou art getting together a little business again, father, onthe Southwark side of the river?"

  "Yes; that again is by the advice of our good neighbour. He showedme that I could no longer afford the large buildings in the Chepe.He heard of these small premises going a-begging for a purchaser,all connected with them having perished in the plague. The smallsum left to me of the purchase money of the house, after my debtswere paid, sufficed to buy them; and now I have two steady workmenin my employ, instead of the scores I once had. But God be thanked,we have never been idle all these weeks. And it may be thatby-and-by, as confidence returns, I may get something of a businesstogether again."

  "Thou hast been purifying and disinfecting houses, they say, forthe wealthy ones of the city?"

  "Ay; that was our good friend's thought. The Lord Mayor andauthorities issued general directions for this work; and Harmersuggested to me that I should print handbills offering to undertakethe purging of any house entrusted to me for a fixed fee. This Idid, and have had my hands full ever since. All the fine folks arecrowding back now that the cold weather has come, but no one caresto venture within his house till it has been purified by theburning of aromatic drugs and spices. The rich care not what theyspend, so that they are sure they are free from danger. As for thepoor, they do but burn tar or pitch or sulphur; and methinks thesedo just as well, save that the odour which hangs about is not sograteful to the senses. Yes, it was a happy thought of good JamesHarmer, and has put money in my pocket enough to enable me toundertake small building matters without borrowing. But I trow itwill be long ere any building is wanted in and about the city.There are too many empty houses left there for that."

  "Shall I see a wondrous change there when I go back, father?"

  "A change, but a wondrous small one compared to what one wouldsuppose," answered the father. "All men are amazed to see howquickly the streets have filled, and how little of change there isto note in the outward aspect of things. I had thought that halfthe houses would be left empty; but I think there be not more thanone-eighth without inhabitants, and these are filling up apace. Tobe sure, in the once crowded lanes and alleys there are far fewerpeople than before; but it is wonderful to see how small the changeis; and life goes on just as of old. It is as if the calamity wasalready half forgot!"

  "Nay but, father, I trust it is not forgotten, and that men'sconsciences are stirred, and that they have taken to heart thewarning of God's just anger."

  The Master Builder slightly shook his head.

  "I fear not, child, I fear not. I hear the same oaths andblasphemies, the same ribald jests and ungodly talk, as of old.They say the Court, which has lately returned to Whitehall, is asgay and wanton as ever. In face of the terror of death, men didresolve to amend their ways; but I fear me, that terror being past,they do but make a mock of it, and return, like the sow inScripture, to their wallowing in the mire."

  Gertrude looked gravely sorrowful for a moment; but, on the eve ofher wedding day, she could not be sorrowful long. She and herfather were enjoying a talk together before she sought her couch.He had been unable to come earlier to see her, business mattershaving detained him in town. For the past two months he had been atwork with his task of purifying and setting in order the houses ofthe better-class people, for their return thither after the plague;and though he had sent many affectionate messages to his daughter,this was the first time for several weeks that they had met. Itcould not but rankle in the father's heart that, for the timebeing, he had no home to offer to his child. He had been stayingwith his good friend James Harmer all this while, who had left hiswife and family at Islington to regain their full health andstrength, while he spent his time between the Bridge house and thecottage. His business required his presence at home during a partof the week, since his shopmen and apprentices had alreadyreturned; but he would not permit his family to do so just yet,deeming it better for them to remain with his sister, and to enjoywith her a period of rest and refreshment which could never betheirs in the busy life of home.

  A happy Christmas had thus been spent; and now it was the eve ofGertrude's wedding day, which was the one following Christmas Day.The Master Builder had spent the festival with his friends, and onthe morrow would accompany his daughter and her husband to theirhome in the city, the Harmer family returning to their house at thesame time, and bringing Mary with them on a visit after a
ll herhospitality to them.

  By nine o'clock the next morning, the quiet little wedding partywas approaching the church, when to their surprise they beheld afine coach, drawn by four horses, drawing up at the gate of thechurchyard; and before Dorcas had more than time to exclaim, "Why,it is my Lady Scrope herself!" they saw that diminutive butremarkable old dame alighting from it, and walking nimbly up thepath towards the porch.

  "I never dreamed she would really come, albeit I did let her knowthe day according to promise--or rather to her command," said herhandmaiden, hurrying after her as if by instinct. The little figurein its sables and strangely-fashioned velvet bonnet turned at thesound of the quick footfall; and there stood the old lady scanningthe whole party with her bead-like eyes, and giving little nods tothis one and the other in response to their respectful reverences.

  "A pretty pair! a pretty pair!" was her comment upon the bridalcouple, who walked together, and who certainly looked very handsomeand happy. Reuben had regained strength and colour, though his facewas thinner and finer in outline than it had been before hisillness; and Gertrude had always been something of a beauty, andhad greatly improved in looks during these weeks of happiness.

  "Well, well, well! I am always sorry for folks who are tyingburdens round their own necks; but some can do it with a bettergrace than others.

  "Now, child," and she turned to Gertrude, and rapped her cane uponthe ground, "don't make a fool of yourself or your husband! Don'tbegin by thinking him the best man in the world; else he may turnout all too soon to be the worst. Don't let him trample upon you.Hold your own with him.

  "Pooh! I might as well spare my words. Poor fools, they are allalike at starting. They only learn to sing to another tune whenexperience has taken them in hand for a while. Well, well, well!'tis a pretty sight after all. I'll say no more. Give me your arm,good Master Harmer, and let me have a good view of the tying ofthis knot, so that there shall be no slipping out of it later."

  James Harmer, with a bow which he made as courtly as he knew how,offered his arm to the curious, little, old lady; and strange itwas to see her small, richly-clad, upright figure amongst thesimple group before the altar that day. Many there were whowondered what had brought her, and amongst the party themselvesnone could answer the question. It appeared to be one of thosefreaks for which, in old days, Lady Scrope had made herself famousthroughout London, and the habit of which had not been overcome,although the opportunities were growing smaller with advancingyears.

  She insisted on accompanying the party back to Mary Harmer'scottage. A simple collation was awaiting them before they travelledback to the city. Lady Scrope looked with the greatest interest andcuriosity at the cottage; received the inquiring advances of Fidovery graciously; made the boys tell her all the history of hisattaching himself to them; and finally made herself the mostentertaining and agreeable guest at the board, although thesharpness of her speech and the acid favour of some of her remarksbred a little uneasiness in some of her auditors.

  Nevertheless the time passed pleasantly enough; and when the handsof the clock pointed to the hour of eleven, the lady rose to herfeet and remarked incisively:

  "My coach will be here immediately, if the varlets play me notfalse. The bride, bridegroom, and the bride's father shall drivewith me. I mean to see the maiden's house before I return to mineown."

  A glowing colour was in Gertrude's face. Now she began to have aclearer idea why Lady Scrope was there. Reuben had been to heronce, and had asked her approval of their plan to expend the bulkof the dowry she had, with such eccentric and unaccountablegenerosity, bestowed upon the bride, upon the purchase of the housewhich had been for many generations in the family of her father,and which she loved well from old associations.

  Reuben was going to set up in business for himself now. He had longbeen contemplating this step, since his father's trade wasincreasing steadily. They would now be partners, Reuben taking onebranch of the industry, and leaving his father the other. With thechanges in fashions, changes in the manufacture of Court luxuriesbecame necessary. Reuben would advance with the times, his fatherwould remain where he was before. It was a plan which had beencarefully considered by both father and son for long, and wouldhave been earlier carried out had it not been for the disastrousstoppage of all trade during the visitation of the plague.

  Now, however, London seemed as gay as ever. Orders were pouring in.It was wonderful how little the gaps in the ranks seemed to beheeded. It was scarcely, even amongst the upper classes, thatpersons troubled to wear the deep mourning for departed friendswhich, under ordinary circumstances, they would have done. Thegreat wish of all appeared to be to forget the awful visitation asfast as possible, and to drown the memory of it in feasting andrevelry. And this spirit, however little to the liking of a godlyman like James Harmer, was nevertheless good for his trade.

  Lady Scrope being in the secret of the surprise in store for theMaster Builder, was anxious to amuse herself by being witness tohis enlightenment; and it certainly seemed as though she had fullright thus to amuse herself, if it were her desire. Reuben had somesavings of his own; but the purchase of the house, had it been madeby him alone, would have seriously crippled his ability to carryout his further plans of business. Thus it was really Lady Scrope'sgolden guineas which had paved the way for the young people, and noone could grudge her the enjoyment of seeing them arrive at theirnew home.

  The Master Builder had had some dealings of late with her ladyship;for on hearing what he was employed to do for so many of her friends,she summoned him to fumigate both of her houses when she had got ridof all her temporary inmates; and she followed him about, watchingwhat he did, and amusing herself with making him relate all thegossip he had picked up relative to her acquaintances into whosehouses he had been admitted: how many amongst them had had theplague, how many had died, and all the other details that herinsatiable curiosity could glean from him.

  And now the bridal couple, together with the bride's father, werebeing driven in state through the widest thoroughfares of the cityin the hired chariot of Lady Scrope, she chatting all the while,and pointing out this thing and that as they went, openly lamentingthat so little remained to remind them of the plague, andprophesying that London had not done with calamity yet.

  Gertrude was amazed at the small change in the familiar streets asthey neared their home. True, she saw more strange faces than shehad been wont to do, and read new names and new signs upon thegaily-painted boards hanging over the shop doors. Again and againshe missed from some accustomed doorway the familiar face of theformer owner, and saw that a stranger had taken the old business.But then, again, others were there in their old places; friendlyfaces beamed upon her as she looked out of the window. It was knownupon the bridge itself that she was to come back today; and thoughthe appearance of this fine coach caused a little thrill ofsurprise, there was a fine buzz of welcome as Reuben put out hishead and stopped the postillion at the familiar door; for so manyfears had been entertained of Reuben's death, that there were thosewho could not believe they should see him again in the flesh untilhe stood before them.

  "What means all this? Why stop ye here?" asked the Master Builder,with a little agitation in his voice. "You have a home of your own,you told me, Reuben, to which to take your wife. Why stop you atyour father's house? Let the postillion drive to your own abode."

  "This is our own abode, dear father," said Gertrude softly,alighting from the coach and taking him by the hand to lead him in.

  Her other hand was held by her husband; and Lady Scrope wasforgotten for the moment by all, as the three passed the familiarthreshold amid a chorus of good wishes from friends and neighbours,to which Reuben responded by a variety of signs, Gertrude being toomuch moved to notice them.

  "Dear father," she said, as they stood within the lower room, whichwas being now fitted as of old for a shop, "forgive us if we havekept our happy secret till now. We wanted to have the home readyere we brought you to it. This is our home. A wonderful thin
gbefell me. A dowry was bestowed upon me by a generous patroness,from whom I looked not to receive a penny; that dowry bought thehouse. Reuben's business will give us an ample livelihood. Thouwilt remain always with us in the dear old house which thou hastloved. Oh how happy we shall be--how wondrously happy!

  "Father dear, it was Lady Scrope who gave me the wonderful giftthat has brought us all this. We must try to thank her ere we thinkof ourselves more."

  So speaking Gertrude turned, with her eyes full of happy tears,towards Lady Scrope, who stood only a few paces off watchingeverything with her accustomed intense scrutiny, and held out bothher hands in a sweet and simple gesture expressive of so muchfeeling that the old dame felt an unwonted mist rising in her eyes.

  "Tut, tut, tut, child! I want no thanks. What good did the gold dome, thinkest thou, shut away in yonder box? What think you I hadpreserved it there for? Marry that I might fling it away at dice orcards with those who came to visit me? It was my pleasure money, asI chose to call it. And then came the plague and smote hip andthigh amongst those who called me friend. And what good did thegold do me or any person else? If it pleases me to throw it away ona pair of fools, whose business is that but mine?

  "There, there, there, that will do, all of you good people. I wantto see the house. I want none of your fool's talk. Going to keep ashop here?--sensible man. I'll come and buy all my finery when youstart business, and sit and gossip at the counter the while. Somind you have plenty of fine folks to gossip with me. If I wereyoung again, I vow I'd keep a shop myself."

  And she made Reuben show samples of his goods, which were piled upin readiness, albeit he was not quite ready to open shop; and veryexcellent of their kind they were, as Lady Scrope was not slow toremark.

  "I'll send the whole city to you. I'll make you the fashion yet. IfI were a younger woman, and had my own old train of gallants afterme, I'd have made your fortune for you before the year was out. ButI'll do something yet, you shall see. And mind that you never beginto lend money, young man, to any needy young fool who may ask it ofyou. Those greedy court gallants would eat up all the gold of theIndies, and be no whit the richer for it. No money lending, youngman, for in that way lies ruin, as too many have found."

  The Master Builder winced like one touched in a tender part, whilstReuben answered boldly:

  "I have no such intentions. I hate usury, nor care I to earn moneyfor others to filch from me. I get my wealth by honest trade; andif any man comes to me for aid, all the help I can give him is toput him in the way of doing the like."

  Lady Scrope nodded her head and laughed her shrill witch-likelaugh.

  "He! he! he! Offer honest work to a needy gallant! May I be thereto hear when thou dost. Work, forsooth!--a turn at the galleyswould do most of them a power of good. Well, well, well, young man,thou speakest sound sense. Thou shouldst prosper in thy business.

  "Now, girl, show me the rest of the house, for I must needs begetting home ere long. I shall weary my old bones with all thisgadding to and fro."

  Gertrude was willing enough to obey. The house was hardly changedfrom the time she had left it, save that all which was faded andworn had been replaced and furbished anew, and the whole place madesweet and wholesome, and as clean and bright as hands could makeit. Gertrude would have preferred a plainer and simpler abode, morelike that of her neighbours; but she had not had the heart to undoall her mother's dainty handiwork, and Reuben had thought nothingtoo good for his bride.

  Lady Scrope gibed and jeered a little, but not unkindly. She knewall the family history by this time, and how that Gertrude was notresponsible for the luxuries with which her life would besurrounded.

  "Go to, child, go to; I am no judge over thee. What matters it afew years earlier or later? It began in Shakespeare's time, as youmay read if you will, and it grows worse every generation. Soon theshopmen and traders will be the fine gentlemen of the land, and wemay hope for the pickings and leavings of their tables. What doesit matter to me? I shall not be troubled by it. And if I be nottroubled thereby, what matter if all the world goes mad?

  "Now fare you well, young folks; and thou, good Master Builder,thank Heaven for a good and dutiful daughter, for they grow not onevery hedge in these graceless days.

  "See me to my coach, young man, if thou canst leave devouring thywife with thine eyes for so much as a minute.

  "Poor fools! poor fools! both of you.

  "Give me a kiss, maiden--nay, mistress I must call thee now. Be agood child, and be not too meek. Remember the fate of the haplessGriselda."

  Nodding her head and shaking her finger, Lady Scrope vanished downthe stairs upon Reuben's arm; and Gertrude, moved beyond her powersof self restraint by all she had gone through, flung herself intoher father's arms, and the two mingled together their tears ofthankfulness and joy.