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 distemper.

These last, however, were growing fewer. The scare of a few weeks
back seemed to be dying down. People said the pest had been stamped
out, and the brighter, hotter weather cheered the hearts of men,
albeit in case of sickness it might be their worst enemy, as some
amongst them well knew.