A wooden porringer, filled to the brim with new
milk, in which oatmeal was stirred, a rasher of salted mutton, and a
large cake of coarse bread, comprised the delicacies of their morning
repast. To this, however, was added a snatch of cold venison from the
hall. "But this, you see," said the old woman, "is not of our own
killing; St Gregory forbid!--it comes from Dan there, who has the care
of the knight's buttery."
"Rot him for a churl!" said the smith; "Sir Osmund grudges every mouth
about him; but"--and here he looked wondrous knowing--"he may happen to
be ousted yet, if Earl Thomas should come by the worst in this cabal."
"Sir Osmund, I find, is no favourite with his neighbours."
"Hang him!" replied Grim, first looking cautiously into the shop;
"there's not a man of us but would like to see him and his countrymen
packed off to-morrow upon ass-panniers. They were spawned from the Welsh
ditches to help that overgrown Earl against his master. If Sir William
had been alive I had spoken out without fear. He was a loyal knight and
a true--he ever served his country and his king. But I bethink me that
peradventure ye may have heard of our late master's death, and who knows
but ye bring some token, pilgrim, to his lady?"
"Thou hast shrewdly guessed--I bear the last message that Sir William
sent to his lady; thinkest thou it may be delivered without the knight's
privity?"
"Save thee, father! peril betides him who would hazard a message to my
lady without her husband's leave.
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