s 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. Thus humbly he walked slowly up the hall, while his men-at-arms
stood about the door. When he had come to where the Prior sat, he knelt
upon one knee. "Save and keep thee, Sir Prior," said he, "I am come to
keep my day."

Then the first word that the Prior said to him was "Hast thou brought my
money?"

"Alas! I have not so much as one penny upon my body," said the Knight;
whereat the Prior's eyes sparkled.

"Now, thou art a shrewd debtor, I wot," said he. Then, "Sir Sheriff, I
drink to thee."

But still the Knight kneeled upon the hard stones, so the Prior turned
to him again. "What wouldst thou have?" quoth he sharply.

At these words, a slow red mounted into the Knight's cheeks; but still
he knelt. "I would crave thy mercy," said he. "As thou hopest for
Heaven's mercy, show mercy to me. Strip me not of my lands and so reduce
a true knight to poverty."

"Thy day is broken and thy lands forfeit," said the man of law, plucking
up his spirits at the Knight's humble speech.

Quoth Sir Richard, "Thou man of law, wilt thou not befriend me in mine
hour of need?"

"Nay," said the other, "I hold with this holy Prior, who hath paid me my
fees in hard gold, so that I am bounder to him."

"Wilt thou not be my friend, Sir Sheriff?" said Sir Richard.

"Nay, 'fore Heaven," quoth the Sheriff of Nottin