ility of divers women. He
heard with a sort of incredulous surprise the first incipient grumblings
in contravention of his authority; but when these had fairly shaped
themselves into open defiance, he started agape with wonder. Recovering
himself, with a stern and portentous silence, he jumped out of bed and
drew on his doublet and hose. While thoughts of relentless import were
brooding, he groped his way down the ladder that communicated with the
lower apartment, for the purpose of ascertaining the quality and
condition of the stranger. The latter still manifested a noisy
impatience at being suffered, in so inhospitable a manner, to linger
without. The night was rainy and tempestuous--Giles shivered to the
backbone as he trod on the wheezing rushes strewed over the floor; they
were yet damp and dirty, by reason of the many visitors who had that
night loitered long at the Merry Maypole.

"Holloa, friend!--thy name?" shouted Giles, placing his hand on the
latch.

"Open the door, for the love of mercy!" cried a strange voice. Giles
drew back; he liked not this salutation--more, by token, from the
adjurement being for the love of mercy, in lieu of an appeal to the
tinkling angels that generally lined a traveller's pouch.

"Some sturdy beggar or mendicant friar," thought he, "that knocks at my
door because the chantry gates are shut. I care not to open my door to
every losel that knocks," cried he aloud. "Hence! I know thee not."

"Goodman, give me a night's lodging, and I will reward thee"--the door
flew open at this intimation--"with a palmer's benison," continued the
stranger, advancing towards the wan embers that yet flickered on the
hearth. Had Giles awaited the finishing of this sentence ere the latch
was loosened, some other and more hospitable roof had enjoyed the
benefit of that night's adventure.

"Thanks are not over meet for a cool stomach," growled the disappointed
tapster; whilst his guest roused the decaying faggots into a faint and
unsteady blaze.

Giles surveyed the new-comer with no very sanguine prepossessions in his
behalf. The figure that met his scrutiny was clad in a dark cloak. The
hood, partly thrown back, showed a somewhat "frosty poll," though the
vivacity of a wild and restless eye, peering from under his dark and
luxuriant brow, would scarcely have betokened an age at which the coming
winter of life usually scatters these chill warnings of its approach.
His features were finely moulded. A