Page:A C Doyle - The White Company.djvu/327

Rh and such as you, who bring an evil name upon the many churchmen who lead a pure and a holy life. Thou outside the door of heaven! Art more like to be inside the door of hell.'

At this crowning insult the sompnour, with a face ashen with rage, raised up a quivering hand and began pouring Latin imprecations upon the angry alderman. The latter, however, was not a man to be quelled by words, for he caught up his ell-measure sword-sheath and belaboured the cursing clerk with it. The latter, unable to escape from the shower of blows, set spurs to his mule and rode for his life, with his enemy thundering behind him. At sight of his master's sudden departure, the varlet Watkin set off after him, with the pack-mule beside him, so that the four clattered away down the road together, until they swept round a curve, and their babble was but a drone in the distance. Sir Nigel and Alleyne gazed in astonishment at one another, while Ford burst out a-laughing.

'Pardieu!' said the knight, 'this David Micheldene must be one of those Lollards about whom Father Christopher of the priory had so much to say. Yet he seemed to be no bad man from what I have seen of him.'

'I have heard that Wicliff hath many followers in Norwich,' answered Alleyne.

'By Saint Paul! I have no great love for them,' quoth Sir Nigel. 'I am a man who am slow to change; and, if you take away from me the faith that I have been taught, it would be long ere I could learn one to set in its place. It is but a chip here and a chip there, yet it may bring the tree down in time. Yet, on the other hand, I cannot but think it shame that a man should turn God's mercy on and off, as a cellarman doth wine with a spigot.'

'Nor is it,' said Alleyne, 'part of the teachings of that Mother Church of which he bad so much to say. There was sooth in what the alderman said of it.'

'Then, by Saint Paul! they may settle it betwixt them,' quoth Sir Nigel. 'For me, I serve God, the king and my