The gentleman passed on without observing his wife, but a servant who
was with him, and who had always been wont to foregather with one of
the friar's comrades named Brother John, began to call to his mistress,
thinking, indeed, that she was this Brother John. The poor woman, who
durst not turn her eyes in the direction of her husband, answered not a
word. The servant, however, wishing to see her face, crossed the road,
and the lady, still without making any reply, signed to him with her
eyes, which were full of tears.

The servant then went after his master and said--"Sir, as I crossed the
road I took note of the friar's companion. He is not Brother John, but
is very like my lady, your wife, and gave me a pitiful look with eyes
full of tears."

The gentleman replied that he was dreaming, and paid no heed to him; but
the servant persisted, entreating his master to allow him to go back,
whilst he himself waited on the road, to see if matters were as he
thought. The gentleman gave him leave, and waited to see what news he
would bring him. When the friar heard the servant calling out to Brother
John, he suspected that the lady had been recognised, and with a great,
iron-bound stick that he carried, he dealt the servant so hard a blow in
the side that he knocked him off his horse. Then, leaping upon his body,
he cut his throat.

The gentleman, seeing his servant fall in the distance, thought that he
had met with an accident, and hastened back to assist him. As soon as
the friar saw him, he struck him also with the iron-bound stick, just
as he had struck the servant, and, flinging him to the ground, threw
himself upon him. But the gentleman being strong and powerful, hugged
the friar so closely that he was unable to do any mischief, and was