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Authors: Hearts Restored
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licence to preach. If he is stopped he tells them he must obey God rather than man. Mostly they tolerate him because he keeps himself clean and speaks politely. Besides they know he helps the poor and thinks nothing of giving his last crust to a beggar. Mind, you will be appalled where they live but our man knows the house and will guide you. I dare not come with you. It distresses me too much to see what my son has come to, the dear compliant boy that he always was. But I have writ him a letter which you may give him.”
Daniel was both excited and apprehensive. Eunice had said so little to him but every word was clear in his memory. He could not forget the intense look she had given him before suddenly deciding to go with her father. Was there a second or two when she might have rushed into his arms and said, “Save me from him”?
Perhaps he would find out very soon.
Nat said as they left the house, “We are going to see a man who is trying to serve God. Let us not forget that.”
They were guided by Clifford’s serving-man, walking ahead of them and turning constantly to point out foul places. From the Strand they passed into Fleet Street and the City by Ludgate Hill. This was retracing the way they had come the first day and since then they had visited St Paul’s with Madeline and Diana who were rightly shocked, Nat observed, at the noise and bustle of traders in the very nave. So they did not stop today but skirted the great sprawling edifice, surrounded outside too by many stalls, and so up to Cheapside. Daniel noted the way so that he could find it again. When they turned up Milk Street the man pointed along a narrow alleyway off it and indicated a tiny house between a leather-worker’s and a baker’s. It seemed to embarrass him that his master’s son should live in such a place.
“That is their abode, sir.” He addressed Nathaniel. “Do you wish me to wait outside?”
“No. We thank you for coming and will find our own way back.”
The man bowed and scurried off.
Bel looked at the house and then at Nat and Dan. “It is not so far in distance but the gulf between the dwellings is immense. What will our reception be? If we are thrown out at once it is but a morning’s walk.”
Looking about him, Daniel was overwhelmed by a sense of darkness and oppression. The street was so narrow that the overhanging upper storeys shut out the sunlight. Only the house they were looking at did not protrude over the street. While some were three storeys high this had two levels with its steeply sloping roof many feet below the roof lines of the adjoining houses. Obviously built to fill in the gap between them it was almost a toy house with its narrow front door and small window across which a piece of canvas was hanging for privacy.
Nat put his ear to the door. “I can hear William’s voice so they are within.”
He lifted his hand and knocked.
There was a silence and then a few more sonorous words and a loud “Amen.”
They waited as a bolt was being thrust back and the door opened a crack. Eunice’s little pointed face peeped out. Her eyes opened wide in astonishment, she uttered an exclamation of dismay and closed the door.
Daniel looked sadly from his mother to his father but only for a moment as the door was pulled wide and William stood there. He bowed so low that the crown of his cropped head was level with Daniel’s chest. Then he straightened and addressed them collectively.
“The child did not understand. If visitors come to our door they are to be welcomed. We were at our prayers. That is good. You find us at one with the Lord. Pray enter and be seated.” He stood aside and bowed them in. “Eunice, uncover the window to let in more light.”
Daniel stepped to help her. The wooden rod slotted through the sack was only just within her reach but when he held up his hands to it she shrank back so that he wouldn’t touch her. He lifted it off its hooks and held it out to know where it was to
Daniel was both excited and apprehensive. Eunice had said so little to him but every word was clear in his memory. He could not forget the intense look she had given him before suddenly deciding to go with her father. Was there a second or two when she might have rushed into his arms and said, “Save me from him”?
Perhaps he would find out very soon.
Nat said as they left the house, “We are going to see a man who is trying to serve God. Let us not forget that.”
They were guided by Clifford’s serving-man, walking ahead of them and turning constantly to point out foul places. From the Strand they passed into Fleet Street and the City by Ludgate Hill. This was retracing the way they had come the first day and since then they had visited St Paul’s with Madeline and Diana who were rightly shocked, Nat observed, at the noise and bustle of traders in the very nave. So they did not stop today but skirted the great sprawling edifice, surrounded outside too by many stalls, and so up to Cheapside. Daniel noted the way so that he could find it again. When they turned up Milk Street the man pointed along a narrow alleyway off it and indicated a tiny house between a leather-worker’s and a baker’s. It seemed to embarrass him that his master’s son should live in such a place.
“That is their abode, sir.” He addressed Nathaniel. “Do you wish me to wait outside?”
“No. We thank you for coming and will find our own way back.”
The man bowed and scurried off.
Bel looked at the house and then at Nat and Dan. “It is not so far in distance but the gulf between the dwellings is immense. What will our reception be? If we are thrown out at once it is but a morning’s walk.”
Looking about him, Daniel was overwhelmed by a sense of darkness and oppression. The street was so narrow that the overhanging upper storeys shut out the sunlight. Only the house they were looking at did not protrude over the street. While some were three storeys high this had two levels with its steeply sloping roof many feet below the roof lines of the adjoining houses. Obviously built to fill in the gap between them it was almost a toy house with its narrow front door and small window across which a piece of canvas was hanging for privacy.
Nat put his ear to the door. “I can hear William’s voice so they are within.”
He lifted his hand and knocked.
There was a silence and then a few more sonorous words and a loud “Amen.”
They waited as a bolt was being thrust back and the door opened a crack. Eunice’s little pointed face peeped out. Her eyes opened wide in astonishment, she uttered an exclamation of dismay and closed the door.
Daniel looked sadly from his mother to his father but only for a moment as the door was pulled wide and William stood there. He bowed so low that the crown of his cropped head was level with Daniel’s chest. Then he straightened and addressed them collectively.
“The child did not understand. If visitors come to our door they are to be welcomed. We were at our prayers. That is good. You find us at one with the Lord. Pray enter and be seated.” He stood aside and bowed them in. “Eunice, uncover the window to let in more light.”
Daniel stepped to help her. The wooden rod slotted through the sack was only just within her reach but when he held up his hands to it she shrank back so that he wouldn’t touch her. He lifted it off its hooks and held it out to know where it was to
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