doubt have good fun by the way, and fall in with many pleasant
adventures."

"A brave idea, indeed!" I cried. "By Heaven, I will take
stick and knapsack and walk right away from my own front door,
right away where the road leads, and see what happens. "And
now, if the reader please, we will make a start.



CHAPTER III

AN INDICTMENT OF SPRING

"Marry! an odd adventure!" I said to myself, as I stepped along
in the spring morning air; for, being a pilgrim, I was
involuntarily in a mediaeval frame of mind, and "Marry! an odd
adventure!" came to my lips as though I had been one of that
famous company that once started from the Tabard on a day in
spring.

It had been the spring, it will be remembered, that had prompted
them to go on pilgrimage; and me, too, the spring was filling
with strange, undefinable longings, and though I flattered myself
that I had set out in pursuance of a definitely taken resolve, I
had really no more freedom in the matter than the children who
followed at the heels of the mad piper.

A mad piper, indeed, this spring, with his wonderful lying
music,--ever lying, yet ever convincing, for when was Spring