ard, looking keenly at him, "it is a
marvel to me that thy girdle should have so goodly a span and clip thee
so closely, if you have in sooth had so little to place within it."

"Kind stranger," answered the pilgrim, "you have unwittingly spoken
words which are very grievous to me to listen to. Yet I should be loth
to blame you, for I doubt not that what you said was not meant to sadden
me, nor to bring my sore affliction back to my mind. It ill becomes me
to prate too much of what I have endured for the faith, and yet, since
you have observed it, I must tell you that this thickness and roundness
of the waist is caused by a dropsy brought on by over-haste in
journeying from the house of Pilate to the Mount of Olives."

"There, Aylward," said Alleyne, with a reddened cheek, "let that curb
your blunt tongue. How could you bring a fresh pang to this holy man,
who hath endured so much and hath journeyed as far as Christ's own
blessed tomb?"

"May the foul fiend strike me dumb!" cried the bowman in hot repentance;
but both the palmer and Alleyne threw up their hands to stop him.

"I forgive thee from my heart, dear brother," piped the blind man. "But,
oh, these wild words of thine are worse to mine ears than aught which
you could say of me."

"Not another word shall I speak," said Aylward; "but here is a franc for
thee and I crave thy blessing."

"And here is another," said Alleyne.

"And another," cried Hordle John.

But the blind palmer would have none of their alms. "Foolish, foolish
pride!" he cried, beating upon his chest with his large brown hand.
"Foolish, foolish pride! How long then will it be ere I can scourge it
forth? Am I then never to conquer it? Oh, strong, strong are the ties of
flesh, and hard it is to subdue the spirit! I come, friends, of a noble
house, and I cannot bring myself to touch this money, even though it be
to save me from the grave."

"Alas! father," said Alleyne, "how then can we be of help to thee?"

"I had sat down here to die," quoth the palmer; "but for many years I
have carried in my wallet these precious things which you see set forth
now before me. It were sin, thought I, that my secret should perish with
me. I shall therefore sell these things to the first worthy passers-by,
and from them I shall have money enough to take me to the shrine of Our
Lady at Rocamadour, where I hope to lay these old bones."

"What are these treasures, then, father?" asked Hordle John. "I can but