CHAPTER IV. HOW THE BAILIFF OF SOUTHAMPTON SLEW THE TWO MASTERLESS MEN.

Theroadalongwhichhetravelledwasscarceaspopulousasmostotherroadsinthekingdom,andfarlesssothanthosewhichliebetweenthelargertowns.YetfromtimetotimeAlleynemetotherwayfarers,andmorethanoncewasovertakenbystringsofpackmulesandhorsemenjourneyinginthesamedirectionashimself.Onceabeggingfriarcamelimpingalonginabrownhabit,imploringinamostdolorousvoicetogivehimasinglegroattobuybreadwherewithtosavehimselffromimpendingdeath.Alleynepassedhimswiftlyby,forhehadlearnedfromthemonkstohavenoloveforthewanderingfriars,and,besides,therewasagreathalf-gnawedmuttonbonestickingoutofhispouchtoprovehimaliar.Swiftlyashewent,however,hecouldnotescapethecurseofthefourblessedevangelistswhichthemendicanthowledbehindhim.Sodreadfularehisexecrationsthatthefrightenedladthrusthisfingersintohisear-holes,andranuntilthefellowwasbutabrownsmirchupontheyellowroad. Furtheron,attheedgeofthewoodland,hecameuponachapmanandhiswife,whosatuponafallentree.Hehadputhispackdownasatable,andthetwoofthemweredevouringagreatpasty,andwashingitdownwithsomedrinkfromastonejar.Thechapmanbrokearoughjestashepassed,andthewomancalledshrillytoAlleynetocomeandjointhem,onwhichtheman,turningsuddenlyfrommirthtowrath,begantobelaborherwithhiscudgel.Alleynehastenedon,lesthemakemoremischief,andhisheartwasheavyasleadwithinhim.Lookwherehewould,heseemedtoseenothingbutinjusticeandviolenceandthehardnessofmantoman. ButevenashebroodedsadlyoveritandpinedforthesweetpeaceoftheAbbey,hecameonanopenspacedottedwithhollybushes,wherewasthestrangestsightthathehadyetchancedupon.Neartothepathwaylayalongclumpofgreenery,andfrombehindthistherestuckstraightupintotheairfourhumanlegscladinparti-coloredhosen,yellowandblack.Strangestofallwaswhenabrisktunestrucksuddenlyupandthefourlegsbegantokickandtwitterintimetothemusic.Walkingontiptoeroundthebushes,hestoodinamazementtoseetwomenboundingaboutontheirheads,whiletheyplayed,theoneaviolandtheotherapipe,asmerrilyandastrulyasthoughtheywereseatedinachoir.Alleynecrossedhimselfashegazedatthisunnaturalsight,andcouldscarceholdhisgroundwithasteadyface,whenthetwodancers,catchingsightofhim,camebouncinginhisdirection.Aspear'slengthfromhim,theyeachthrewasomersaultintotheair,andcamedownupontheirfeetwithsmirkingfacesandtheirhandsovertheirhearts. “Aguerdon—aguerdon,myknightofthestaringeyes!”criedone. “Agift,myprince!”shoutedtheother.“Anytriflewillserve—apurseofgold,orevenajewelledgoblet.” Alleynethoughtofwhathehadreadofdemoniacpossession—thejumpings,thetwitchings,thewildtalk.Itwasinhismindtorepeatovertheexorcismpropertosuchattacksbutthetwoburstouta-laughingathisscaredface,andturningontotheirheadsoncemore,clappedtheirheelsinderision. “Hastneverseentumblersbefore?”askedtheelder,ablack-browed,swarthyman,asbrownandsuppleasahazeltwig.“Whyshrinkfromus,then,asthoughwewerethespawnoftheEvilOne?” “Whyshrink,myhoney-bird?Whysoafeard,mysweetcinnamon?”exclaimedtheother,aloose-jointedlankyyouthwithadancing,roguisheye. “Truly,sirs,itisanewsighttome,”theclerkanswered.“WhenIsawyourfourlegsabovethebushIcouldscarcecreditmyowneyes.Whyisitthatyoudothisthing?” “Adryquestiontoanswer,”criedtheyounger,comingbackontohisfeet.“Amosthuskyquestion,myfairbird!Buthow?Aflask,aflask!—byallthatiswonderful!”Heshotouthishandashespoke,andpluckingAlleyne'sbottleoutofhisscrip,hedeftlyknockedtheneckoff,andpouredthehalfofitdownhisthroat.Theresthehandedtohiscomrade,whodrankthewine,andthen,totheclerk'sincreasingamazement,madeashowofswallowingthebottle,withsuchskillthatAlleyneseemedtoseeitvanishdownhisthroat.Amomentlater,however,heflungitoverhishead,andcaughtitbottomdownwardsuponthecalfofhisleftleg. “Wethankyouforthewine,kindsir,”saidhe,“andforthereadycourtesywherewithyouofferedit.Touchingyourquestion,wemaytellyouthatwearestrollersandjugglers,who,havingperformedwithmuchapplauseatWinchesterfair,arenowonourwaytothegreatMichaelmasmarketatRingwood.Asourartisaveryfineanddelicateone,however,wecannotletadaygobywithoutexercisingourselvesinit,towhichendwechoosesomequietandshelteredspotwherewemaybreakourjourney.Hereyoufindusandwecannotwonderthatyou,whoarenewtotumbling,shouldbeastounded,sincemanygreatbarons,earls,marshalsandkni