the soul from the body; howbeit, being shamefaced, he knew
not how to gainsay the brother, who took him by the hand,
and led him through the press to the west front of the minster,
where on the north side was a little door in a nook.
So they went up a stair therein a good way till they came into
a gallery over the western door; and looking forth thence Ralph
deemed that he could have seen a long way had daylight been,
for it was higher than the tops of the highest houses.

So there they abode a space looking down on the square and its throng,
and the bells, which had been ringing when they came up, now ceased a while.
But presently there arose great shouts and clamour amongst the folk below,
and they could see men with torches drawing near to the pile of wood,
and then all of a sudden shot up from it a great spiring flame,
and all the people shouted together, while the bells broke out again
over their heads.

Then the brother pointed aloof with his finger and said:
"Lo you! fair lord, how bale speaks to bale all along the headlands
of the down-country, and below there in the thorps by the river!"

Forsooth Ralph saw fire after fire break out to the westward;
and the brother said: "And if we stood over the high altar and looked east,
ye would see more of such fires and many more; and all these bales
are piled up and lighted by vassals and villeins of my lord Abbot:
now to-night they are but mere Midsummer bale-fires; but doubt ye
not that if there came war into the land each one of these bales would
mean at least a half-score of stout men, archers and men-at-arms,
all ready to serve their lord at all adventure. All this the tyrants
round about, that hate holy Church and oppress the poor, know full well;