“ ‘Where are we going?’ asks Sam, and the old man answers that the job isn’t finished until the horse itself is shod. With assurance that he’ll be compensated for his time, Sam falls in step alongside him.

“Well, to hear Sam tell of it, they walk out of the town proper- this was all happening in Reading, by the way-and along the river Kennet past the abandoned abbey grounds and into the forest. They go about a mile inwards, until they reach a cave in the side of a cliff. The old man ducks his head and walks in without pausing and Sam’s right behind him trying not to lose sight of him in the dark.

“It’s not too long before they come to a small room carved out in the rock in the corner of which is a large pile of jewels-rubies, emeralds, diamonds, garnets, sapphires, and the like. There are two grand archways in this small room leading to two large halls like feasting halls. In one of them he can see men, warriors, all done up head to foot in armour, and sleeping, each laid out on the floor shoulder to shoulder, toe to toe.

“In the other room are horses, massive warhorses, all of them likewise asleep but upright and covered in fine blankets under which they wear armour. And each one of them is shod with four golden horseshoes.

“The old man enters this second room, but Sam is told to stay where he is, and not to touch the pile of jewels. As he waits Sam takes in all he can about the place. He ends up by counting the horses and reckons there to be about seventy or so.

“Well, the old man reappears, leading a listing horse down the centre of the hall and into the smaller chamber.

“Sam is told by the old man to shoe the horse and so he does, all the while eyeing the pile of jewels and asking questions- questions about where he is, who the knights are, and how the horses have been kept-but the old man doesn’t say a word, as if he can’t hear Sam.