Camping out in Epping Forest  
HEN I returned Home, my Neighbours looked strangely on me, as though I were one risen from the Dead, after nursing two People through the Plague without Hurt. I said not much, however, to any of them except to Violet.
When I had told her all I had to tell, she said, “Well, I think the Tale ends rather flatly: you and Master Blower might as well have made a Match of it.”
“Truly, Violet,” said I, “I think Women of our age may be capable of a disinterested 206Action, without Question of Matchmaking.”
“As to Women of our Age,” retorted she, “speak for yourself, if you please! You may make out yourself to be as old as you will; but I mean to stick at Twenty-eight!”
I said not another Word, but secretly wondered how strangely tender some People are on the Subject of Age. Even Master Blower, who had owned to Forty-four, did not like me to reckon him at Fifty.
It was now quite the latter End of October, the Distemper was abating, and People were beginning to venture back to their Homes, and a few Shops were re-opened. Hugh Braidfoot and his Family returned among the rest. But too heedless an Exposure to the Infection yet lingering among us caused the 207Distemper to rage again with great Fury before it abated for good.
I now kept myself close, and spent the Chief of the Day at my Needle or Book, working much for the Poor, who were like enough to be destitute in the Winter. First, however, I put on Mourning for my poor, dear Father, whom I could not bear to deny this Mark of Remembrance, though the Mortality being so great, People had quite left off wearing Black for their Friends. Much he dwelt in my sad, solitary Thoughts; and when they ran not on him, they chiefly settled on Master Blower. The more I considered their Characters, the more Beauty I found in them.
I never opened the Shop-shutters now, except for a little Light. Trade was utterly stagnant; and my Father’s Business 208had dropped with him. The little I might have done in the Perfumery Line, had the Town not been empty, would not have been worth speaking of: it was a Mercy, therefore, that my dear Father had left me well provided.
One Evening, when it was getting too dusk to work or read, and I was falling into a Muse, a tall Shadow darkened the Door, which happened to be ajar, and the next Moment a Man whom I did not immediately recognise, entered the Parlour and stepped up to me.
“Cherry! dear Cherry!” he said in a stifled Voice, and took me in his Arms with a Brother’s Affection. It was poor Mark.
“Dear Mark!” I said, “where have you been? Oh, how often have I thought of you!”
209“Aye, Cherry, well you might, and pray for me, too,” said he, somewhat wildly. “Oh, what a Tale I have to tell you!—You will either hate or despise me.”
“You are ill, very ill,” said I, looking fearfully at his haggard Face; “let me give you Something before you say another Word.”
“Wine, then,” said he; and drank with avidity the Glass I poured out, and then filled it again himself. “Thanks, dear Cherry!—will my Uncle be coming in?”
I looked at him and at my Dress, and could not speak; but there was no need—“Ah!”—said he; and wrung my Hand, and then dropped it.
 
“Cherry,” said he, after a Moment’s Pause, “you know how afraid I was of the Plague, and how my Wife taunted 210me for it, and for taking the commonest Precautions. She herself braved it, defied it; secure in her Amulet and Fortune-telling. What was worse, she cruelly exposed her Servants to it, for the merest Trifles. We had Words about it often: bitter Words, at last—She accused me, utterly without Foundation, 211of caring more for the Servant-girl than for her, reviled me for tempting my own Fate by Fear; finally, said I should be no great Loss, for I had never cared much for her, nor she for me. All this embittered me against her. Well, the poor Maid caught the Plague at the Butchers’ Stalls, and, the next Night, was in the Dead-cart. The following Day, our youngest ’Prentice died. The other decamped in the Night. I now became nearly Mad with Fear and Anger; and, finding my Wife would not stir, or at least, as she said, ‘not yet,’ I considered that Self-preservation was the first Law of Nature; and, taking a good Supply of Money with me, I left the House in the Night. Fear of being driven back was my sole Feeling till I got clear out of London; then, I began to have an Impression 212I had done wrong. But ’twas Death, ’twas Madness to think of turning back. On I went....
“It had been my Impression, Cherry, that, with plenty of Money in my Pocket, I could make my Way wherever I would; but now, in whatever Direction I went, I came upon a Watchman, who, because I had no Clean Bill of Health to show, would not let me pass. At length, after running hither and thither, throughout the Night, I came upon a couple of Men, with a small Cart and Horse. They seemed to be in the same Strait as myself, and talked of fetching a Compass to Bow. I asked them to let me join them, and they consented. They were a rough Sort of Fellows; one it seemed had deserted his Mother, the other his Wife. Their Conduct, and their brutal 213Way of talking of it, only made mine seem more ugly.
“On Bow Bridge the Watch would have questioned us, but we crossed the Road into a narrow Way leading to Old Ford. Afterwards we got on to Homerton and Hackney, and at length into the northern Road. Here we went on till we saw some Men running towards us; then we struck into a Lane, halted at a Barn, and had some Bread and Cheese. The Food was theirs, but I paid for my Share; and I saw them curiously eyeing my Money. Afterwards they asked one or two Questions about my Resources, which I did not much like.
“Well, we kept on till we were many Miles from London, occasionally dodging Villages and Constables. At Nightfall we reached the Skirt of a Wood. 214Here my Companions proposed to sleep; but as soon as they were fairly off, I stole away. I wandered a long Way from them in the Wood; at length took refuge in a Cow-shed. I thought I heard Voices, not far off, which made me uneasy; however, I was so tired that I fell asleep.
“As soon as Day dawned, I made off; and, not knowing which Track to take, went on at Random, till I came to a large old Barn. To my Surprise, I heard some one praying within. I looked in, and saw, not one, but a dozen Men, and two or three Women and Children. I stood reverently aside till the old Man had done, and heard him pray that they might all continue to be spared from the awful Visitation. When they uncovered their Faces, I stept forward, on which there was a 215loud Cry, and ............