he should not know who
the purchaser was until the right moment came.

Mary Harmer's proposal to take in the whole family for a spell of
fresh air and rest was gratefully accepted by the tired father.

"I trow it would be the greatest boon for all of us, and may likely
save us from some peril," he said, "for, as I say, men seem to be
gone mad with joy that the malignity of the plague is so greatly
abating, and that the houses are no longer closed. For my own part,
I would they were closed yet a little longer; but the impatience of
the people would not now permit it, and they having shown
themselves in the main docile and obedient these many months, must
be considered now that the worst of the peril is past. When the
plague was at its worst last month, there was of necessity some
relaxation of stringent measures, because there were times when
neither watchmen nor nurses could be found, and common humanity
forbade us to close houses when the inhabitants could not get
tendance in the prescribed way. Moreover, a sort of desperation was
bred in men's minds, and the fear was the less because that every
man thought his own turn would assuredly come ere long. So that
when of a sudden the bills began to decrease, it seemed
unreasonable to be more strict than we had been just before.
Moreover, it was found harder to restrain the people in their joy
than in their sorrow; and so we must hope for the best, and trust
that the lessened malignity of the disease will keep down the
mortality. For that there will continue to be many sick for weeks
to come we cannot doubt. As for myself, knowing and fearing all I
do, nothing would more please and comfort me than to bring my wife
and girls hither to this safe spot. I had not dared to think you
could take such a party, Mary; but since you have already made
provision for us, why, the sooner we all get forth from the city,
the better will it please me."

Great was the joy in the cottage occasioned by this answer. Sorrow
for the loss of poor Dan was almost forgotten in joyful
preparation. Dan had not been much at home for many years, only
coming and going as his ship chanced to put into port in the river
or not. Therefore his loss was not felt as that of Reuben would
have been. It seemed a sad and grievous thing, after having escaped
so many perils, to come to his death at last; but so many families
had suffered such infinitely greater loss, that repining and
mourning seemed almost wrong.