Abbot Radulfus sat, very erect and lean and lofty, gravely considering thephalanx of stout burgesses before him. “That is the view of you all?”

Edric Flesher spoke up bluntly: “It is. And of all our townsmen, too. Thereare many who would voice the matter more forcibly than Master Corviser hasdone. But we trust in your fellow-feeling, and wait your answer.”

The faint stir that went round the chapter-house was like a great, cautioussigh. Most of the brothers looked on wide-eyed and anxious; the younger onesshifted and whispered, but very warily. Prior Robert Pennant, who had looked tobe abbot by this time, and been sorely disappointed at having a strangerpromoted over his head, maintained a silvery, ascetic calm, appeared to movehis lips in prayer, and shot sidelong looks at his superior between narrowedivory lids, wishing him irredeemable error while appearing to compassionate andbless. Old Brother Heribert, recently abbot of this house and now degraded toits ranks, dozed in a quiet corner, smiling gently, thankful to be at rest.

“We are considering, are we not,” said Radulfus at length, gently andwithout haste, “what you pose as a dispute between the rights of the town andthe rights of this house. In such a balance, should the judgment rest with you,or with me? Surely not! Some disinterested judge is needed. But, gentlemen, Iwould remind you, there has been such a decision, now, within the pasthalf-year, since the siege of which you complain. At the beginning of this yearhis Grace King Stephen confirmed to us our ancient charter, with all its grantsin lands, rights and privileges, just as we held them aforetime. He confirmedalso our right to this three-day fair on the feast of our patron Saint Peter,at the same fee we have paid before, and on the same conditions. Do you supposehe would have countenanced such a grant, if he had not held it to be just?”

“To say outright what I suppose,” said the provost warmly, “I never supposed