He is dressed in long robes of gray which, methinks, are of poor
seeming; but the horse he rideth upon hath the richest coursing that
ever I saw. The Knight dismounts and they come this way, and are even
now below in the great hall."
"Lo, see ye there now," quoth Prior Vincent. "Here ye have a knight
with so lean a purse as scarce to buy him a crust of bread to munch, yet
he keeps a band of retainers and puts rich trappings upon his horse's
hide, while his own back goeth bare. Is it not well that such men should
be brought low?"
"But art thou sure," said the little doctor tremulously, "that this
knight will do us no harm? Such as he are fierce when crossed, and he
hath a band of naughty men at his heels. Mayhap thou hadst better give
an extension of his debt." Thus he spake, for he was afraid Sir Richard
might do him a harm.
"Thou needst not fear," said the Prior, looking down at the little man
beside him. "This knight is gentle and would as soon think of harming
an old woman as thee."
As the Prior finished, a door at the lower end of the refectory swung
open, and in came Sir Richard, with folded hands and head bowed upon his
breast.
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