ogether, while the bells broke out
again over their heads.

Then the brother pointed aloof with his finger and said: "Lo you! fair
lord, how bale speaks to bale all along the headlands of the
down-country, and below there in the thorps by the river!"

Forsooth Ralph saw fire after fire break out to the westward; and the
brother said: "And if we stood over the high altar and looked east, ye
would see more of such fires and many more; and all these bales are
piled up and lighted by vassals and villeins of my lord Abbot: now
to-night they are but mere Midsummer bale-fires; but doubt ye not that
if there came war into the land each one of these bales would mean at
least a half-score of stout men, archers and men-at-arms, all ready to
serve their lord at all adventure. All this the tyrants round about,
that hate holy Church and oppress the poor, know full well; therefore
we live in peace in these lands."

Ralph hearkened, but said nought; for amidst all this flashing of fire
and flame, and the crying out of folk, and the measured clash of the
bells so near him, his thought was confused, and he had no words ready
to hand. But the monk turned from the parapet and looked him full in
the face and said to him:

"Thou art a fair young man, and strong, and of gentle blood as I deem;
and thou seemest to me to have the lucky look in thine eyes: now I tell
thee that if thou wert to take service with my lord thou shouldest
never rue it. Yea, why shouldest thou not wax in his service, and
become his Captain of Captains, which is an office meet for kings?"

Ralph looked on him, but answered nought, for he could not gather his
thoughts for an answer; and the brother said: "Think of it, I bid thee,
fair young lord; and be sure that nowhere shalt thou have a better
livelihood, not even wert thou a king's son; for the children of my
lord Abbot are such that none dareth to do them any displeasure;
neither is any overlord as good as is Holy Church."

"Yea," said Ralph, "doubtless thou sayest sooth; yet I wot not that I
am come forth to seek a master."

Said the brother: "Nay, do but see the lord Abbot, as thou mayst do
to-morrow, if thou wilt."

"I would have his blessing," said Ralph.

"No less shalt thou have," said the brother; "but look you down yonder;
for I can see tokens that my lord is even now coming forth."

Ralph looked down and beheld the folk parting to right and left, and a
lane made amidst the throng, guarded by