The Herd Boy and His Hermit

n my heart, n

h diamonds, an

. My crown is

KESP

n-leaves with gold here and there, and made the hermit

ng on a rock close to his door, and that Piers, if not Hal, should always take care that it never went out, smothering i

e mysteries of a flower of golden-rod, until the hermit should have finished his prayers and be ready to attend to him,

in such rapt contemplation as to see nought, and, indeed, it might be ma

as he came in sight of the cottage that there were horses standing before i

o meet him as he emerged from the brushwood, and said in a gruff whisper, clutching

ing, 'Here he is, my lady! Here's your son! How now, my young lord? Thou hast learnt to hold up thy head! Ay, and to bow in better sort,' as, bending with due grace, Hal paused for a second ere hurrying forward to kneel bef

lady,' quoth Simon, wel

ut thine?' said Sir Lancel

unless it be hone

hat of the hermit in the

or three voices, as if this pr

lady. 'Anchorets are alw

h a man come in but he is at his pray

interrogatively. 'Sayest

hat there's no guessing their age. I myself should deem that the poor rogue had had som

de, and walked him away, so as to le

be old, very old, but had since come to a different conclusion. His dress was a plain brown gown like a countryman's. There was nobody like him, no one whom Hal so loved and venerated, and he could not help, as he stood by his mother, pouring out to her all his feeling for the hermit, and the wise patient words th

said, 'I trow thou hast enjo

m to repair to Penrith, where they were keeping an autumn retirement at a monaste

d heavily, and chided him for prating when he had been warned again

ancelot knows well who I am! No lack of p

inks there is no nobler quarry

! Oh, Simon

ection to the hermitage. But when he repaired thither the next day he was startled by hearing voices and the stamp of horses, and as he reconnoitred

rward to his protection or assistance, but as he sprang into sight one of the strangers cried ou

Do not meddle with him! H

h in as much need of hiding as him yonder. Well come, since you be come, my lord, for we cannot get him ther

t the door of the hovel, no longer in the brown anchoret's gown but in riding gear, partially defended

gone without bidding thee farewell,' he said in his sw

and are you

it! These good fellows

I not go

other's wing, while I am like one who was

h whither?'

of these good men, who are charged by m

? You that have helped me, and taught me,

the rude escort, 'take thou this,' giving him the little service-book, as he knelt to receive it, scarce knowing why. 'One day thou w

e done all,'

both come to your own, thou wilt be a true and loyal man to him, even as t

is holy!' gasped Hal Clifford, with

to go ere night. No time for

so well said: 'The blessing of God the Father be upon thee, thou fatherless boy, and may He reward thee

e, weeping as one heartbroken. He scarce heard the sounds of mounting and the tramplin

t when he emerged from it he could only see a dark party, containing a

on the ground, weeping bitterly. He knew now that his friend and