CHAPTER II. HOW ALLEYNE EDRICSON CAME OUT INTO THE WORLD.

propofChristendom.” “Andthen?” “ThenhewouldpassthroughthelandoftheAlmainsandthegreatRomanEmpire,andsotothecountryoftheHunsandoftheLithuanianpagans,beyondwhichliesthegreatcityofConstantineandthekingdomoftheuncleanfollowersofMahmoud.” “Andbeyondthat,fairson?” “BeyondthatisJerusalemandtheHolyLand,andthegreatriverwhichhathitssourceintheGardenofEden.” “Andthen?” “Nay,goodfather,Icannottell.Methinkstheendoftheworldisnotfarfromthere.” “Thenwecanstillfindsomethingtoteachthee,Alleyne,”saidtheAbbotcomplaisantly.“Knowthatmanystrangenationsliebetwixtthereandtheendoftheworld.ThereisthecountryoftheAmazons,andthecountryofthedwarfs,andthecountryofthefairbutevilwomenwhoslaywithbeholding,likethebasilisk.BeyondthatagainisthekingdomofPresterJohnandofthegreatCham.ThesethingsIknowforverysooth,forIhadthemfromthatpiousChristianandvaliantknight,SirJohndeMandeville,whostoppedtwiceatBeaulieuonhiswaytoandfromSouthampton,anddiscoursedtousconcerningwhathehadseenfromthereader'sdeskintherefectory,untiltherewasmanyagoodbrotherwhogotneitherbitnorsup,sostrickenweretheybyhisstrangetales.” “Iwouldfainknow,father,”askedtheyoungman,“whattheremaybeattheendoftheworld?” “Therearesomethings,”repliedtheAbbotgravely,“intowhichitwasneverintendedthatweshouldinquire.Butyouhavealongroadbeforeyou.Whitherwillyoufirstturn?” “Tomybrother'satMinstead.Ifhebeindeedanungodlyandviolentman,thereisthemoreneedthatIshouldseekhimoutandseewhetherIcannotturnhimtobetterways.” TheAbbotshookhishead.“TheSocmanofMinsteadhathearnedanevilnameoverthecountryside,”hesaid.“Ifyoumustgotohim,seeatleastthathedothnotturnyoufromthenarrowpathuponwhichyouhavelearnedtotread.ButyouareinGod'skeeping,andGodwardshouldyoueverlookindangerandintrouble.Aboveall,shunthesnaresofwomen,fortheyareeversetforthefoolishfeetoftheyoung.Kneeldown,mychild,andtakeanoldman'sblessing.” Alleyn