For this purpose she descended, making a
deep acknowledgment to the generally supposed sanctity of the pilgrim's
vocation. So much occupied, however, did he appear by other concernments
that he scarcely noticed her approach, but continued to pass with hasty
and irregular steps across the chamber.
"By what quality or appearance may Sir Osmund Neville be distinguished?"
he abruptly inquired.
"A right goodly person, and a brave gentleman! He gave me a sousing
kiss, and a pair of mittens to boot, the last choosing of knights to the
parliament," said the Dame.
"Hold thy tongue, Madge!" angrily exclaimed Giles. "Good father, heed
not a woman; they are caught by the lip and the fist, like my lord's
trencher-man. This Sir Osmund is both lean and ill-favoured. I wonder
what the Lady Mabel saw above his shoe to wed with an ugly toad spawned
i' the Welsh marshes. Had ye seen her first husband, Sir William
Bradshaigh--rest his soul! he was killed in the wars--you would have
marvelled that she drunk the scum after the broth."
"Lady Mabel and Sir Osmund are now at Haigh?" cautiously inquired the
palmer.
"You have business there, belike?" sharply interrogated the
indefatigable host.
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