rse with Richard and Stephen and came to his
own men. There was much laughter and jeering at the Abbot's men amidst
of the Dry Tree, both of those who had ridden with Ralph, and the
new-comers; but they arrayed them to ride further in good order, and
presently were skirting the walls of Higham out of bow-shot, and making
for the Down country by the clear of the moon. The sergeants had
gotten a horse for Hugh, and by Ralph's bidding he rode beside him as
they went their ways, and the two brethren talked together lovingly.

CHAPTER 21

Talk Between Those Two Brethren

Ralph asked Hugh first if he wotted aught of Gregory their brother.
Hugh laughed and pointed to Higham, and said: "He is yonder." "What,"
said Ralph, "in the Abbot's host?" "Yea," said Hugh, laughing again,
"but in his spiritual, not his worldly host: he is turned monk,
brother; that is, he is already a novice, and will be a brother of the
Abbey in six months' space." Said Ralph: "And Launcelot Long-tongue,
thy squire, how hath he sped?" Said Hugh: "He is yonder also, but in
the worldly host, not the spiritual: he is a sergeant of theirs, and
somewhat of a catch for them, for he is no ill man-at-arms, as thou
wottest, and besides he adorneth everything with words, so that men
hearken to him gladly." "But tell me," said Ralph, "how it befalleth
that the Abbot's men of war be so churlish, and chary of the inside of
their town; what have they to fear? Is not the Lord Abbot still a
mighty man?" Hugh shook his head: "There hath been a change of days at
Higham; though I say not but that the knights are over careful, and
much over fearful." "What has the change been?" said Ralph. Hugh
said: "In time past my Lord Abbot was indeed a mighty man, and both
this town of Higham was well garnished of men-at-arms, and also many of
his manors had castles and strong-houses on them, and the yeomen were
ready to run to their weapons whenso the gathering was blown. In
short, Higham was as mighty as it was wealthy; and the Abbot's men had
naught to do with any, save with thy friends here who bear the Tree
Leafless; all else feared those holy walls and the well-blessed men who
warded them. But the Dry Tree feared, as men said, neither man nor
devil (and I hope it may be so still since they are become thy
friends), and they would whiles lift in the Abbot's lands when they had
no merrier business on hand, and not seldom came to their above in
their dealings wit