ppy brother, can it be
that thou dost covet this vain toy, this frivolous bauble, that thou
wouldst seek the devil's companionship anon to compound with Beelzelub?
I charge thee, Brother Gonsol, open thine eyes and see in what a
slippery place thou standest."

Now by these argumentations was the Friar Gonsol mightily confounded,
and he knew not what to do.

"Come, now, hesitate no longer," quoth the Friar Francis, "but tell me
where that devil may be found--I burn to see and to comprehend the
booke--not that I care for the booke, but that I am grievously tormented
to do that devil a sore despight!"

"Odds boddikins," quoth the other friar, "me-seemeth that the booke
inciteth thee more than the devil."

"Thou speakest wrongly," cried the Friar Francis. "Thou mistakest pious
zeal for sinful selfishness. Full wroth am I to hear how that this devil
walketh to and fro, using a sweet and precious booke for the temptation
of holy men. Shall so righteous an instrument be employed by the prince
of heretics to so unrighteous an end?"

"Thou sayest wisely," quoth the Friar Gonsol, "and thy words convince me
that a battaile must be made with this devil for that booke. So now I
shall go to encounter the fiend!"

"Then by the saints I shall go with thee!" cried the Friar Francis, and
he gathered his gown about his loins right briskly.

But when the Friar Gonsol saw this he made great haste to go alone, and
he ran out of the door full swiftly and fared him where the devil had
appointed an appointment with him. Now wit you well that the Friar
Francis did follow close upon his heels, for though his legs were not so
long he was a mighty runner and he was right sound of wind. Therefore
was it a pleasant sight to see these holy men vying with one another to
do battle with the devil, and much it repenteth me that there be some
ribald heretics that maintain full enviously that these two saintly
friars did so run not for the devil that they might belabor him, but for
the booke that they might possess it.

It fortuned that the devil was already come to the place where he had
appointed the appointment, and in his hand he had the booke aforesaid.
Much marveled he when that he beheld the two friars faring thence.

"I adjure thee, thou devil," said the Friar Gonsol from afar off, "I
adjure thee give me that booke else I will take thee by thy horns and
hoofs and drub thy ribs together!"

"Heed him not, thou devil," said the Friar Franci