slipped out, and now stood in the passage, and Chris saw him bowing with
a nicely calculated mixture of humility and independence. Then a black
figure appeared in the doorway, and came briskly through.

"My dear Chris," he said warmly, holding out his hands, and Chris took
them, still trembling and excited.

They sat down together in the window-seat, and the monk opened the
casement and threw it open, for the atmosphere was a little heavy, and
then flung his arm out over the sill and crossed his feet, as if he had
an hour at his disposal. Chris had noticed before that extraordinary
appearance of ease and leisure in such monks, and it imperceptibly
soothed him. Neither would Dom Anthony speak on technical matters, but
discoursed pleasantly about the party at Overfield Court and the beauty
of the roads between there and Lewes, as if Chris were only come to pay
a passing visit.

"Your horses are happy enough," he said. "We had a load of fresh beans
sent in to-day. And you, Chris, are you hungry? Supper will be here
immediately. Brother James told the guest-cook as soon as you came."

He seemed to want no answer, but talked on genially and restfully about
the commissioners who had come from Cluny to see after their possessions
in England, and their queer French ways.

"Dom Philippe would not touch the muscadel at first, and now he cannot
have too much. He clamoured for claret at first, and we had to give him
some. But he knows better now. But he says mass like a holy angel of
God, and is a very devout man in all ways. But they are going soon."

Dom Anthony fulfilled to perfection the ideal laid down for a
guest-master in the Custumal. He showed, indeed, the "cheerful
hospitality to guests" by which "the good name of the monastery was
enhanced, friendships multiplied, enmities lessened, God honoured, and
charity increased." He recognised perfectly well the confused terror in
Christopher's mind and his anxiety to make a good beginning, and
smoothed down the tendency to awkwardness that would otherwise have
shown itself. He had a happy tranquil face, with wide friendly eyes that
almost disappeared when he laughed, and a row of even white teeth.

As he talked on, Christopher furtively examined his habit, though he
knew every detail of it well enough already. He had, of course, left his
cowl, or ample-sleeved singing gown, in the sacristy on leaving the
church, and was in his black frock girded with the leather belt, and