I have a wound on the side of my head, and the same blow, as the
doctor says, cleft through my shoulder-bone."

"I had best go and get a surgeon at once," John said; "though it will
be no easy matter, for all the world is agog in the streets."

"Leave it for the present, John. There is no need whatever for haste.
In that trunk of mine is a bottle of oils for the burns, though most
of the sore places are already beginning to heal over, and the doctor
said that I need not apply it any more, unless I found that they
smarted too much for bearing. As for the other wounds, they are
strapped up and bandaged, and he said that unless they inflamed
badly, they would be best let alone for a time. So sit down quietly,
and let me hear the news."

"The news is bad enough, though the Plague has not yet entered the
City."

"The Prince told me that there was a report, before he came on board
at Lowestoft, that it had done so."

"No, it is not yet come; but people are as frightened as if it was
raging here. For the last fortnight they have been leaving in crowds
from the West End, and many of the citizens are also beginning to
move. They frighten themselves like a parcel of children. The comet
seemed to many a sign of great disaster."

Cyril laughed.

"If it could be seen only in London there might be something in it,