the hall extended itself to the buttery, where
Gregory the jester narrated such feats of arms done by himself in the
fray of the morning as might have shamed Bevis and Guy of Warwick. He
was, according to his narrative, singled out for destruction by the
gigantic baron himself, while he abandoned to meaner hands the
destruction of St. Clere and Fitzosborne.

"But, certes," said he, "the foul paynim met his match; for, ever as he
foined at me with his brand, I parried his blows with my bauble, and
closing with him upon the third veny, threw him to the ground, and made
him cryrecreant to an unarmed man."

"Tush, man!" said Drawslot, "thou forgettest thy best auxiliaries, the
good greyhounds, Help and Holdfast! I warrant thee that when the
humpbacked baron caught thee by the cowl, which he hath almost torn off,
thou hadst been in a fair plight, had they not remembered an old friend
and come in to the rescue. Why, man, I found them fastened on him myself;
and there was odd staving and stickling to make them 'ware haunch!' Their
mouths were full of the flex, for I pulled a piece of the garment from
their jaws. I warrant thee that when they brought him to ground, thou
fledst like a frighted pricket."

"And as for Gregory's gigantic paynim," said Fabian, "why, he lies yonder
in the guard-room, the very size, shape, and colour of a spider in a
yewhedge."

"It is false!" said Gregory; "Colbrand the Dane was a dwarf to him."

"It is as true," returned Fabian, "as that the Tasker is to be married on
Tuesday to pretty Margery. Gregory, thy sheet hath brought them between a
pair of blankets."

"I care no more for such a gillflirt," said the Jester, "than I do for
thy leasings. Marry, thou hop-o'-my-thumb, happy wouldst thou be could
thy head reach the captive baron's girdle."

"By the Mass," said Peter Lanaret, "I will have one peep at this burly
gallant;" and leaving the buttery, he went to the guard-room where Gaston
St. Clere was confined. A man-at-arms, who kept sentinel on the strong
studded door of the apartment, said he believed he slept; for that after
raging, stamping, and uttering the most horrid imprecations, he had been
of late perfectly still. The falconer gently drew back a sliding board,
of a foot square, towards the top of the door, which covered a hole of
the same size, strongly latticed, through which the warder, without
opening the door, could look in upon his prisoner. From this aperture he
beheld the wre