another as if they had been brethren born. And so they went forth in
their drunken fury towards the village of which the taverner had spoken,
with terrible execrations on their lips that "Death should be dead, if
they might catch him."

They had not gone quite half a mile when at a stile between two fields
they came upon a poor old man, who meekly greeted them with a "God save
you, sirs." But the proudest of the three rioters answered him roughly,
asking him why he kept himself all wrapped up except his face, and how so
old a fellow as he had managed to keep alive so long? And the old man
looked him straight in the face and replied, "Because in no town or
village, though I journey as far as the Indies, can I find a man willing
to exchange his youth for my age; and therefore I must keep it so long as
God wills it so. Death, alas! will not have my life, and so I wander
about like a restless fugitive, and early and late I knock on the ground,
which is my mother's gate, with my staff, and say, 'Dear mother, let me
in! behold how I waste away! Alas! when shall my bones be at rest?
Mother, gladly will I give you my chest containing all my worldly gear in
return for a shroud to wrap me in.' But she refuses me that grace, and
that is why my face is pale and withered. But you, sirs, are uncourteous
to speak rudely to an inoffensive old man, when Holy Writ bids you
reverence grey hairs. Therefore, never again give offence to an old man,
if you wish men to be courteous to you in your age, should you live so
long. And so God be with you: I must go whither I have to go." But the
second rioter prevented him, and swore he should not depart so lightly.
"Thou spakest just now of that traitor Death, who slays all our friends in
this country. As thou art his spy, hear me swear that, unless thou
tellest where he is, thou shalt die; for thou art in his plot to slay us
young men, thou false thief!" Then the old man told them that if they
were so desirous of finding Death, they had but to turn up a winding path