第37章

Whiletheywerethusspeaking，Locksley’sloudandrepeatedknockshadatlengthdisturbedtheanchoriteandhisguest。``Bymybeads，’’saidthehermit，stoppingshortinagrandflourish，``herecomemorebenightedguests。Iwouldnotformycowlthattheyfoundusinthisgoodlyexercise。

Allmenhavetheirenemies，goodSirSluggard；

andtherebethosemalignantenoughtoconstruethehospitablerefreshmentwhichIhavebeenofferingtoyou，awearytraveller，forthematterofthreeshorthours，intosheerdrunkennessanddebauchery，vicesalikealientomyprofessionandmydisposition。’’

``Basecalumniators！’’repliedtheknight；``I

wouldIhadthechastisingofthem。Nevertheless，HolyClerk，itistruethatallhavetheirenemies；

andtherebethoseinthisverylandwhomIwouldratherspeaktothroughthebarsofmyhelmetthanbarefaced。’’

``Getthineironpotonthyheadthen，friendSluggard，asquicklyasthynaturewillpermit，’’

saidthehermit，``whileIremovethesepewterflagons，whoselatecontentsrunstrangelyinmineownpate；andtodrowntheclatter——for，infaith，Ifeelsomewhatunsteady——strikeintothetunewhichthouhearestmesing；itisnomatterforthewords——Iscarceknowthemmyself。’’

Sosaying，hestruckupathundering_Deprofundisclamavi_，undercoverofwhichheremovedtheapparatusoftheirbanquet：whiletheknight，laughingheartily，andarminghimselfallthewhile，assistedhishostwithhisvoicefromtimetotimeashismirthpermitted。

``Whatdevil’smatinsareyouafteratthishour?’’saidavoicefromwithout。

``Heavenforgiveyou，SirTraveller！’’saidthehermit，whoseownnoise，andperhapshisnocturnalpotations，preventedfromrecognisingaccentswhichweretolerablyfamiliartohim——``Wendonyourway，inthenameofGodandSaintDunstan，anddisturbnotthedevotionsofmeandmyholybrother。’’

``Madpriest，’’answeredthevoicefromwithout，``opentoLocksley！’’

``All’ssafe——all’sright，’’saidthehermittohiscompanion。

``Butwhoishe?’’saidtheBlackKnight；``itimportsmemuchtoknow。’’

``Whoishe?’’answeredthehermit；``Itelltheeheisafriend。’’

``Butwhatfriend?’’answeredtheknight；``forhemaybefriendtotheeandnoneofmine?’’

``Whatfriend?’’repliedthehermit；``that，now，isoneofthequestionsthatismoreeasilyaskedthananswered。Whatfriend?——why，heis，nowthatIbethinkmealittle，theverysamehonestkeeperItoldtheeofawhilesince。’’

``Ay，ashonestakeeperasthouartapioushermit，’’repliedtheknight，``Idoubtitnot。

Butundothedoortohimbeforehebeatitfromitshinges。’’

Thedogs，inthemeantime，whichhadmadeadreadfulbayingatthecommencementofthedisturbance，seemednowtorecognisethevoiceofhimwhostoodwithout；for，totallychangingtheirmanner，theyscratchedandwhinedatthedoor，asifintercedingforhisadmission。Thehermitspeedilyunboltedhisportal，andadmittedLocksley，withhistwocompanions。

``Why，hermit，’’wastheyeoman’sfirstquestionassoonashebeheldtheknight，``whatbooncompanionhastthouhere?’’

``Abrotherofourorder，’’repliedthefriar，shakinghishead；``wehavebeenatourorisonsallnight。’’

``Heisamonkofthechurchmilitant，Ithink，’’

answeredLock