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Show CHAPTER EIGHT As was her custom, Elise went to the Billingsgate fish market once a week. This day was no exception. She officiously carried her shopping bag and pushed herself through the crowd. Because the fish market was a place frequented by all kinds, but dominated often by the low-class and foul-mouthed, she always hurried to get her shopping done. Haply she arrived about the same time as a mimist who was drawing everyone's attention by his antics, as well as by his fiddle and dance. "Hey you, Fool!" someone in the crowd called out to the mimist. "Don't call me a Puritan!" was the mimist's retort. It set everyone off to laughing. Elise had heard a lot of "laughter over Puritans before, but today it swelled her indignation. "I. got reliable word that Puritans (hie) are the cause o the plague," a drunkard swung his bottle high as he spoke to his comrade who was equally soused. The laughter of the immediate populace was repugnant to ,u 1 1 S 6 « "Anyone with half a wit knows that the plague has been in England longer than Puritans!" Elise rose to the 'defense of Puritans. It was not a popular or seemly thing to do. |