l in St. Mary's House for a
little while; for, thought he, if my father, or Nicholas, hear of me
therein, they must even let me alone to abide here.

Therewith the Abbot went forth to his place, and sat him down under a
goodly cloth of estate, and folk stood up again; but when Ralph looked
for the man in the sallet he could see nought of him. Now when the
Abbot was set down, men made a clear ring round about the bale, and
there came into the said ring twelve young men, each clad in nought
save a goat-skin, and with garlands of leaves and flowers about their
middles: they had with them a wheel done about with straw and hemp
payed with pitch and brimstone. They set fire to the same, and then
trundled it blazing round about the bale twelve times. Then came to
them twelve damsels clad in such-like guise as the young men: then
both bands, the young men and the maidens, drew near to the bale, which
was now burning low, and stood about it, and joined hands, and so
danced round it a while, and meantime the fiddles played an uncouth
tune merrily: then they sundered, and each couple of men and maids
leapt backward and forward over the fire; and when they had all leapt,
came forward men with buckets of water which they cast over the dancers
till it ran down them in streams. Then was all the throng mingled
together, and folk trod the embers of the bale under foot, and
scattered them hither and thither all over the square.

All this while men were going about with pitchers of wine and ale, and
other good drinks; and every man drank freely what he would, and there
was the greatest game and joyance.

But now was Ralph exceeding weary, and he said: "Father, mightest thou
lead me out of this throng, and show me some lair where I may sleep in
peace, I would thank thee blithely."

As he spake there sounded a great horn over the square, and the Abbot
rose in his place and blessed all the people once more. Then said the
monk:

"Come then, fair field-lord, now shalt thou have thy will of bed." And
he laughed therewith, and drew Ralph out of the throng and brought him
into the Abbey, and into a fair little chamber, on the wall whereof was
pictured St. Christopher, and St. Julian the lord and friend of
wayfarers. Then he brought Ralph the wine and spices, and gave him
good-night, and went his ways.

As Ralph put the raiment from off him he said to himself a long day
forsooth, so long that I should have thought no day could have