ent. I have also store of songs and
ballades, grave and gay. Are ye melancholic? Then I have a ditty merry
and mirthful. Would ye weep? Here's a lamentable lay of love and
languishment infinite sad to ease you of your tears. Are ye a sinner
vile and damned? Within my wallet lie pardons galore with powerful
indulgences whereby a man may enjoy all the cardinal sins yet shall his
soul be accounted innocent as a babe unborn and his flesh go without
penance. Here behold my special indulgence! The which, to him that
buyeth it, shall remit the following sins damned and deadly--to wit:
Lechery, perjury, adultery, wizardry. Murders, rapes, thievings and
slanders. Then follow the lesser sins, as--"

"Hold!" cried Beltane, "surely here be sins enough for any man."

"Not so, potent sir: for 'tis a right sinful world and breedeth new
sins every day, since man hath a rare invention that way. Here is a
grievous thing, alas! yet something natural: for, since men are human,
and human 'tis to sin, so must all men be sinners and, being sinners,
are they therefore inevitably damned!"

"Alas, for poor humanity!" sighed Beltane.

"Forsooth, alas indeed, messire, and likewise woe!" nodded the
Pardoner, "for thou, my lord, thou art but human, after all."

"Indeed at times, 'twould almost seem so!" nodded Beltane gravely.

"And therefore," quoth the Pardoner, "and therefore, most noble, gentle
lord, art thou most assuredly and inevitably--" The Pardoner sighed.

"Damned?" said Beltane.

"Damned!" sighed the Pardoner.

"Along with the rest of humanity!" nodded Beltane.

"All men be more prone to sin when youth doth riot in their veins,"
quoth the Pardoner, "and alas, thou art very young, messire, so do I
tremble for thee."

"Yet with each hour do I grow older!"

"And behold in this hour come I, declaring to thee there is no sin so
vile but that through me, Holy Church shall grant thee remission--at a
price!"

"A price, good Pardoner?"

"Why, there be sins great and sins little. But, youthful sir, for
thine own damnable doings, grieve not, mope not nor repine, since I,
Lubbo Fitz-Lubbin, Past Pardoner of the Holy See, will e'en now
unloose, assoil and remit them unto thee--"

"At a price!" nodded Beltane.

"Good my lord," spake Giles, viewing the Pardoner's plump person with a
yearning eye, "pray thee bid me kick him hence!"

"Not so, Giles, since from all things may we learn--with patience.
Here now is one that hath travell