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

ghts,whohavewanderedasfarastheHolyLand,areofonemindinsayingthattheyhaveneverseenamorenobleorgraciousperformance.Ifyouwillbepleasedtosituponthatstump,wewillnowcontinueourexercise.” Alleynesatdownwillinglyasdirectedwithtwogreatbundlesoneithersideofhimwhichcontainedthestrollers'dresses—doubletsofflame-coloredsilkandgirdlesofleather,spangledwithbrassandtin.Thejugglerswereontheirheadsoncemore,boundingaboutwithrigidnecks,playingthewhileinperfecttimeandtune.Itchancedthatoutofoneofthebundlestherestucktheendofwhattheclerksawtobeacittern,sodrawingitforth,hetuneditupandtwangedaharmonytothemerryliltwhichthedancersplayed.Onthattheydroppedtheirowninstruments,andputtingtheirhandstothegroundtheyhoppedaboutfasterandfaster,evershoutingtohimtoplaymorebriskly,untilatlastforverywearinessallthreehadtostop. “Wellplayed,sweetpoppet!”criedtheyounger.“Hastararetouchonthestrings.” “Howknewyouthetune?”askedtheother. “Iknewitnot.IdidbutfollowthenotesIheard.” Bothopenedtheireyesatthis,andstaredatAlleynewithasmuchamazementashehadshownatthem. “Youhaveafinetrickofearthen,”saidone.“Wehavelongwishedtomeetsuchaman.WiltjoinusandjogontoRingwood?Thydutiesshallbelight,andthoushalthavetwo-penceadayandmeatforsuppereverynight.” “Withasmuchbeerasyoucanputaway,”saidtheother,“andaflaskofGasconwineonSabbaths.” “Nay,itmaynotbe.Ihaveotherworktodo.Ihavetarriedwithyouoverlong,”quothAlleyne,andresolutelysetforthuponhisjourneyoncemore.Theyranbehindhimsomelittleway,offeringhimfirstfourpenceandthensixpenceaday,butheonlysmiledandshookhishead,untilatlasttheyfellawayfromhim.Lookingback,hesawthatthesmallerhadmountedontheyounger'sshoulders,andthattheystoodso,sometenfeethigh,wavingtheiradieustohim.Hewavedbacktothem,andthenhastenedon,thelighterofheartforhavingfalleninwiththesestrangemenofpleasure. Alleynehadgonenogreatdistanceforallthemanysmallpassagesthathadbefallenhim.Yettohim,usedashewastoalifeofsuchquietthatthefailureofabrewingorthealteringofananthemhadseemedtobeofthedeepestimport,thequickchangingplayofthelightsandshadowsoflifewasstrangelystartlingandinteresting.Agulfseemedtodividethisbriskuncertainexistencefromtheoldsteadyroundofworkandofprayerwhichhehadleftbehindhim.ThefewhoursthathadpassedsincehesawtheAbbeytowerstretchedoutinhismemoryuntiltheyoutgrewwholemonthsofthestagnantlifeofthecloister.Ashewalkedandmunchedthesoftbreadfromhisscrip,itseemedstrangetohimtofeelthatitwasstillwarmfromtheovensofBeaulieu. WhenhepassedPenerley,wherewerethreecottagesandabarn,hereachedtheedgeofthetreecountry,andfoundthegreatbarrenheathofBlackdownstretchinginfrontofhim,allpinkwithheatherandbronzedwiththefadingferns.Ontheleftthewoodswerestillthick,buttheroadedgedawayfromthemandwoundovertheopen.Thesunlaylowinthewestuponapurplecloud,whenceitthrewamild,chasteninglightoverthewildmoorlandandglitteredonthefringeofforestturningthewitheredleavesintoflakesofdeadgold,thebrighterfortheblackdepthsbehindthem.Totheseeingeyedecayisasfairasgrowth,anddeathaslife.ThethoughtstoleintoAlleyne'sheartashelookedupontheautumnalcountrysideandmarvelledatitsbeauty.Hehadlittletimetodwelluponithowever,fortherewerestillsixgoodmilesbetweenhimandthenearestinn.Hesatdownbytheroadsidetopartakeofhisbreadandcheese,andthenwithalighterscriphehasteneduponhisway. Thereappearedtobemorewayfarersonthedownthanintheforest.FirsthepassedtwoDominicansintheirlongblackdresses,whosweptbyhimwithdowncastlooksandpatteringlips,withoutsomuchasaglanceathim.Thentherecameagrayfriar,orminorite,withagoodpaunchuponhim,walkingslowlyandlookingabouthimwiththeairofamanwhowasatpeacewithhimselfandwithallmen.HestoppedAlleynetoaskhimwhetheritwasnottruethattherewasahostelsomewhereinthosepartswhichwasespeciallyfamousforthestewingofeels.TheclerkhavingmadeanswerthathehadheardtheeelsofSowleywellspokenof,thefriarsuckedinhislipsandhurriedforward.Closeathisheelscamethreelaborerswalkingabreast,withspadeandmattockovertheirshoulders.Theysangsomerudechorusrighttunefullyastheywalked,buttheirEnglishwassocoarseandroughthattotheearsofacloister-bredmanitsoundedlikeaforeignandbarbaroustongue.Oneofthemcarriedayoungbitternwhichtheyhadcaughtuponthemoor,andtheyoff