dance. All day he sang or played his flute. Yet for all his grace and
cleverness he was lowly, and carved at table for his father. His
tunic matched his gaiety of heart, for it was embroidered all over,
as full of red and white flowers as is a meadow.

With the Knight and Squire was their servant, a Yeoman Forester.
He was dressed in hood and cloak of green, with a green baldric for
his horn. His sheaf was full of arrows feathered with gay peacock
plumes, and in addition he carried a sword and buckler and a sharp
dagger. He was a fine figure, with skin browned by life in the woods.
He was skilled too, owing all the secrets of woodcraft.

A Prioress was of the company. She spoke in soft coy tones, and
smiled gently on all; but Madame Eglantine was chiefly attractive
because of her charming manners. No morsel ever fell from her lips,
neither did she dip her fingers too deeply in the sauce, nor drop
her meat as her dainty fingers carried it from her plate to her
mouth. She seemed ever at pains to show her courtly behaviour, and
may have kept a small school, for she spoke French (as they speak it
in London, however, not as they speak it in Paris). She had brought
her small dogs with her and fed them carefully on best wheaten bread
and roasted meat. If anyone smote one of them Madame Eglantine wept
bitterly, for she was full of tenderness and pity, and had been known
to cry if a mouse were caught in a trap. With her were a nun, and her
three priests.

As you would expect, many other members of the Church were among our
company. The Monk was a manly fellow who loved hunting and good
living. Many a horse he had in his stables, and many greyhounds for
hunting the hare. A fat swan was his favourite dish. His looks told