“The proposal for this exchange of land came fromHaughmond,” he said, “but it makes good sense for bothhouses. I have already set the necessary facts before Father Abbotand Prior Robert, and I have here rough plans of the two fields inquestion, both large and of comparable quality. The one which thishouse owns lies some mile and a half beyond Haughton, and isbounded on all sides by land gifted to Haughmond Priory. Clearly itwill advantage them to add this piece to their holdings, foreconomy in use and the saving of time and labor in going back andforth. And the field which Haughmond wishes to exchange for it ison the hither side of the manor of Longner, barely two miles fromus but inconveniently distant from Haughmond. Clearly it is goodsense to consider this exchange. I have viewed the ground, and thebargain is a fair one. I recommend that we shouldaccept.”

“If this field is on the hither side of Longner,”said Brother Richard, the sub-prior, who came from a mile or sobeyond that manor and knew the outlines of the land, “howdoes it lie with regard to the river? Is it subject toflooding?”

“No. It has the Severn along one flank, yes, but the bankis high, and the meadow climbs gradually from it to a headland anda windbreak of trees and bushes along the ridge. It is the field ofwhich Brother Ruald was tenant until some fifteen months ago. Therewere two or three small claypits along the river bank, but Ibelieve they are exhausted. The field is known as thePotter’s Field.”

A slight ripple of movement went round the chapterhouse, as allheads turned in one direction, and all eyes fastened for onediscreet moment upon Brother Ruald. A slight, quiet, grave man,with a long, austere face, very regular of feature, of an ageless,classical comeliness, he still went about the devout hours of theday like one half withdrawn into a private rapture, for his finalvows were only two months old, and his desire for the life of the