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me if this were not so； the world would not live； but would die； smothered
by its own stink。 Is the wall betwixt us gone； friend？〃
He smiled as he looked at me； kindly； but sadly and shamefast； and
shook his head。
Then in a while he said； 〃Now ye have seen the images of those who
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were our friends； come and see the images of those who were once our
foes。〃
So he led the way through the side screen into the chancel aisle； and
there on the pavement lay the bodies of the foemen； their weapons taken
from them and they stripped of their armour； but not otherwise of their
clothes； and their faces mostly； but not all； covered。 At the east end of
the aisle was another altar； covered with a rich cloth beautifully figured；
and on the wall over it was a deal of tabernacle work； in the midmost
niche of it an image painted and gilt of a gay knight on horseback； cutting
his own cloak in two with his sword to give a cantle of it to a half…naked
beggar。 〃Knowest thou any of these men？〃 said I。
He said； 〃Some I should know； could I see their faces； but let them
be。〃
〃Were they evil men？〃 said I。
〃Yea；〃 he said； 〃some two or three。 But I will not tell thee of them；
let St。 Martin； whose house this is； tell their story if he will。 As for the
rest they were hapless fools； or else men who must earn their bread
somehow； and were driven to this bad way of earning it； God rest their
souls！ I will be no tale…bearer； not even to God。〃
So we stood musing a little while； I gazing not on the dead men； but on
the strange pictures on the wall； which were richer and deeper coloured
than those in the nave； till at last John Ball turned to me and laid his hand
on my shoulder。 I started and said； 〃Yea； brother； now must I get me
back to Will Green's house； as I promised to do so timely。〃
〃Not yet； brother；〃 said he； 〃I have still much to say to thee； and the
night is yet young。 Go we and sit in the stalls of the vicars； and let us ask
and answer on matters concerning the fashion of this world of menfolk；
and of this land wherein we dwell； for once more I deem of thee that thou
hast seen things which I have not seen； and could not have seen。〃 With
that word he led me back into the chancel； and we sat down side by side in
the stalls at the west end of it； facing the high altar and the great east
window。 By this time the chancel was getting dimmer as the moon
wound round the heavens； but yet was there a twilight of the moon； so that
I could still see the things about me for all the brightness of the window
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that faced us； and this moon twilight would last； I knew； until the short
summer night should wane； and the twilight of the dawn begin to show us
the colours of all things about us。
So we sat； and I gathered my thoughts to hear what he would say； and I
myself was trying to think what I should ask of him； for I thought of him
as he of me； that he had seen things which I could not have seen。
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CHAPTER X
TWO TALK OF THE DAYS TO COME
〃Brother；〃 said John Ball； 〃how deemest thou of our adventure？ I do
not ask thee if thou thinkest we are right to play the play like men； but
whether playing like men we shall fail like men。〃
〃Why dost thou ask me？〃 said I； 〃how much further than beyond this
church can I see？〃 〃Far further；〃 quoth he； 〃for I wot that thou art a scholar
and hast read books； and withal； in some way that I cannot name； thou
knowest more than we； as though with thee the world had lived longer
than with us。 Hide not； therefore； what thou hast in thine heart； for I
think after this night I shall see thee no more； until we meet in the
heavenly Fellowship。〃
〃Friend；〃 I said； 〃ask me what thou wilt； or rather ask thou the years to
come to tell thee some little of their tale； and yet methinks thou thyself
mayest have some deeming thereof。〃
He raised himself on the elbow of the stall and looked me full in the
face； and said to me： 〃Is it so after all that thou art no man in the flesh；
but art sent to me by the Master of the Fellowship； and the King's Son of
Heaven； to tell me what shall be？ If that be so tell me straight out； since I
had some deeming hereof before； whereas thy speech is like ours and yet
unlike； and thy face hath something in it which is not after the fashion of
our day。 And yet take heed； if thou art such an one； I fear thee not； nay；
nor him that sent thee； nor for thy bidding； nor for his； will I turn back
from London Bridge but will press on； for I do what is meet and right。〃
〃Nay；〃 said I； 〃did I not tell thee e'en now that I knew life but not death？
I am not dead； and as to who hath sent me； I say not that I am come by my
own will； for I know not； yet also I know not the will that hath sent me
hither。 And this I say to thee； moreover； that if I know more than thou； I
do far less； therefore thou art my captain and I thy minstrel。〃
He sighed as one from whom a weight had been lifted； and said：
〃Well； then； since thou art alive on the earth and a man like myself； tell me
how deemest thou of our adventure： shall we come to London； and how
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shall we fare there？〃
Said I； 〃What shall hinder you to come to London； and to fare there as
ye will？ For be sure that the Fellowship in Essex shall not fail you； nor
shall the Londoners who hate the king's uncles withstand you； nor hath the
Court any great force to meet you in the field； ye shall cast fear and
trembling into their hearts。〃
〃Even so； I thought；〃 said he； 〃but afterwards what shall betide？〃
Said I； 〃It grieves my heart to say that which I think。 Yet hearken；
many a man's son shall die who is now alive and happy； and if the soldiers
be slain； and of them most not on the field； but by the lawyers； how shall
the captains escape？ Surely thou goest to thy death。〃
He smiled very sweetly； yet proudly； as he said： 〃Yea； the road is
long； but the end cometh at last。 Friend； many a day have I been dying；
for my sister； with whom I have played and been merry in the autumn tide
about the edges of the stubble…fields； and we gathered the nuts and
bramble…berries there； and started thence the missel…thrush； and wondered
at his voice and thought him big； and the sparrow…hawk wheeled and
turned over the hedges and the weasel ran across the path； and the sound
of the sheep…bells came to us from the downs as we sat happy on the grass；
and she is dead and gone from the earth； for she pined from famine after
the years of the great sickness； and my brother was slain in the French
wars； and none thanked him for dying save he that stripped him of his gear；
and my unwedded wife with whom I dwelt in love after I had taken the
tonsure； and all men said she was good and fair； and true she was and
lovely； she also is dead and gone from the earth； and why should I abide
save for the deeds of the flesh which must be done？ Truly； friend； this is
but an old tale that men must die； and I will tell thee another； to wit； that
they live： and I live now and shall live。 Tell me then what shall befall。〃
Somehow I could not heed him as a living man as much as I had done；
and the voice that came from me seemed less of me as I answered：
〃These men are strong and valiant as any that have been or shall be；
and good fellows also and kindly； but they are simple； and see no great
way before their own noses。 The victory shall they have and shall not
know what to do with it； they shall figh