Father Cuthbert soon gave good assurance that he was asleep; but the
noisy manner in which the assurance was given banished sleep from the
eyelids of his anxious pupil. At length he yielded to weariness both of
mind and body, and the overwrought brain was still.
He was but little refreshed when he heard Father Cuthbert's morning
salutation, "_Benedicamus Domino_," and could hardly stammer out the
customary reply, "_Deo gratias_."
Every one rose early in those days, and the timely departure of the
party from Aescendune excited no special comment. Hundreds of pilgrims
were on the road, and Alfred expressed his conviction that there would
be force enough at Glastonbury to protect Dunstan, to which Father
Cuthbert replied--"If he would accept such protection."
On former days their journey had been frequently impeded by broken
bridges and dangerous fords; but as they drew near Glastonbury the
presence of a mighty civilising power became manifest. The fields were
well tilled, for the possessions for miles around the abbey were let to
tenant farmers by the monks, who had first reclaimed them from the
wilderness. The farm houses and the abodes of the poor were better
constructed, and the streams were all bridged over, while the old Roman
road was kept in tolerable repair.
A short distance before they reached the city, the pilgrims, who were a
space in advance of the party, came in sight of the towers of the
monastery, whereupon they all paused for one moment, and raised the
solemn strain then but recently composed--
I.
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