Whiletheywerethusspeaking，Locksley’sloudandrepeatedknockshadatlengthdisturbedtheanchoriteandhisguest。``Bymybeads，’’saidthehermit，stoppingshortinagrandflourish，``herecomemorebenightedguests。Iwouldnotformycowlthattheyfoundusinthisgoodlyexercise。
　　Allmenhavetheirenemies，goodSirSluggard；
　　andtherebethosemalignantenoughtoconstruethehospitablerefreshmentwhichIhavebeenofferingtoyou，awearytraveller，forthematterofthreeshorthours，intosheerdrunkennessanddebauchery，vicesalikealientomyprofessionandmydisposition。’’
　　``Basecalumniators！’’repliedtheknight；``I
　　wouldIhadthechastisingofthem。Nevertheless，HolyClerk，itistruethatallhavetheirenemies；
　　andtherebethoseinthisverylandwhomIwouldratherspeaktothroughthebarsofmyhelmetthanbarefaced。’’
　　``Getthineironpotonthyheadthen，friendSluggard，asquicklyasthynaturewillpermit，’’
　　saidthehermit，``whileIremovethesepewterflagons，whoselatecontentsrunstrangelyinmineownpate；andtodrowntheclatter——for，infaith，Ifeelsomewhatunsteady——strikeintothetunewhichthouhearestmesing；itisnomatterforthewords——Iscarceknowthemmyself。’’
　　Sosaying，hestruckupathundering_Deprofundisclamavi_，undercoverofwhichheremovedtheapparatusoftheirbanquet：whiletheknight，laughingheartily，andarminghimselfallthewhile，assistedhishostwithhisvoicefromtimetotimeashismirthpermitted。
　　``Whatdevil’smatinsareyouafteratthishour?’’saidavoicefromwithout。
　　``Heavenforgiveyou，SirTraveller！’’saidthehermit，whoseownnoise，andperhapshisnocturnalpotations，preventedfromrecognisingaccentswhichweretolerablyfamiliartohim——``Wendonyourway，inthenameofGodandSaintDunstan，anddisturbnotthedevotionsofmeandmyholybrother。’’
　　``Madpriest，’’answeredthevoicefromwithout，``opentoLocksley！’’
　　``All’ssafe——all’sright，’’saidthehermittohiscompanion。
　　``Butwhoishe?’’saidtheBlackKnight；``itimportsmemuchtoknow。’’
　　``Whoishe?’’answeredthehermit；``Itelltheeheisafriend。’’
　　``Butwhatfriend?’’answeredtheknight；``forhemaybefriendtotheeandnoneofmine?’’
　　``Whatfriend?’’repliedthehermit；``that，now，isoneofthequestionsthatismoreeasilyaskedthananswered。Whatfriend?——why，heis，nowthatIbethinkmealittle，theverysamehonestkeeperItoldtheeofawhilesince。’’
　　``Ay，ashonestakeeperasthouartapioushermit，’’repliedtheknight，``Idoubtitnot。
　　Butundothedoortohimbeforehebeatitfromitshinges。’’
　　Thedogs，inthemeantime，whichhadmadeadreadfulbayingatthecommencementofthedisturbance，seemednowtorecognisethevoiceofhimwhostoodwithout；for，totallychangingtheirmanner，theyscratchedandwhinedatthedoor，asifintercedingforhisadmission。Thehermitspeedilyunboltedhisportal，andadmittedLocksley，withhistwocompanions。
　　``Why，hermit，’’wastheyeoman’sfirstquestionassoonashebeheldtheknight，``whatbooncompanionhastthouhere?’’
　　``Abrotherofourorder，’’repliedthefriar，shakinghishead；``wehavebeenatourorisonsallnight。’’
　　``Heisamonkofthechurchmilitant，Ithink，’’
　　answeredLocksley；``andtherebemoreofthemabroad。Itellthee，friar，thoumustlaydowntherosaryandtakeupthequarter-staff；weshallneedeveryoneofourmerrymen，whetherclerkorlayman——
　　But，’’headded，takinghimastepaside，``artthoumad?togiveadmittancetoaknightthoudostnotknow?Hastthouforgotourarticles?’’
　　``Notknowhim！’’repliedthefriar，boldly，``I
　　knowhimaswellasthebeggarknowshisdish。’’
　　``Andwhatishisname，then?’’demandedLocksley。
　　``Hisname，’’saidthehermit——``hisnameisSirAnthonyofScrabelstone——asifIwoulddrinkwithaman，anddidnotknowhisname！’’
　　``Thouhastbeendrinkingmorethanenough，friar，’’saidthewoodsman，``and，Ifear，pratingmorethanenoughtoo。’’
　　``Goodyeoman，’’saidtheknight，comingforward，``benotwrothwithmymerryhost。HedidbutaffordmethehospitalitywhichIwouldhavecompelledfromhimifhehadrefusedit。’’
　　``Thoucompel！’’saidthefriar；``waitbuttillhavechangedthisgreygownforagreencassock，andifImakenotaquarter-staffringtwelveuponthypate，Iamneithertrueclerknorgoodwoodsman。’’
　　Whilehespokethus，hestriptoffhisgown，andappearedinacloseblackbuckramdoubletanddrawers，overwhichhespeedilydidonacassockofgreen，andhoseofthesamecolour。``Ipraytheetrussmypoints，’’saidhetoWamba，``andthoushalthaveacupofsackforthylabour。’’
　　``Gramercyforthysack，’’saidWamba；``butthink’stthouitislawfulformetoaidyoutotransmewthyselffromaholyhermitintoasinfulforester?’’
　　``Neverfear，’’saidthehermit；``Iwillbutconfessthesinsofmygreencloaktomygreyfriar’sfrock，andallshallbewellagain。’’
　　``Amen！’’answeredtheJester；``abroadclothpenitentshouldhaveasackclothconfessor，andyourfrockmayabsolvemymotleydoubletintothebargain。’’
　　Sosaying，heaccommodatedthefriarwithhisassistanceintyingtheendlessnumberofpoints，asthelaceswhichattachedthehosetothedoubletwerethentermed。
　　Whiletheywerethusemployed，Locksleyledtheknightalittleapart，andaddressedhimthus：——
　　``Denyitnot，SirKnight——youarehewhodecidedthevictorytotheadvantageoftheEnglishagainstthestrangersontheseconddayofthetournamentatAshby。’’
　　``Andwhatfollowsifyouguesstruly，goodyeoman?’’repliedtheknight。
　　``Ishouldinthatcaseholdyou，’’repliedtheyeoman，``afriendtotheweakerparty。’’
　　``Suchisthedutyofatrueknightatleast，’’repliedtheBlackChampion；``andIwouldnotwillinglythattherewerereasontothinkotherwiseofme。’’
　　``Butformypurpose，’’saidtheyeoman，``thoushouldstbeaswellagoodEnglishmanasagoodknight；forthat，whichIhavetospeakof，concerns，indeed，thedutyofeveryhonestman，butismoreespeciallythatofatrue-bornnativeofEngland。’’
　　``Youcanspeaktonoone，’’repliedtheknight，``towhomEngland，andthelifeofeveryEnglishman，canbedearerthantome。’’
　　``Iwouldwillinglybelieveso，’’saidthewoodsman，``forneverhadthiscountrysuchneedtobesupportedbythosewholoveher。Hearme，andI
　　willtelltheeofanenterprise，inwhich，ifthoubestreallythatwhichthouseemest，thoumaysttakeanhonourablepart。Abandofvillains，inthedisguiseofbettermenthanthemselves，havemadethemselvesmasterofthepersonofanobleEnglishman，calledCedrictheSaxon，togetherwithhisward，andhisfriendAthelstaneofConingsburgh，andhavetransportedthemtoacastleinthisforest，calledTorquilstone。Iaskofthee，asagoodknightandagoodEnglishman，wiltthouaidintheirrescue?’’
　　``Iamboundbymyvowtodoso，’’repliedtheknight；``butIwouldwillinglyknowwhoyouare，whorequestmyassistanceintheirbehalf?’’
　　``Iam，’’saidtheforester，``anamelessman；
　　butIamthefriendofmycountry，andofmycountry’sfriends——Withthisaccountofmeyoumustforthepresentremainsatisfied，themoreespeciallysinceyouyourselfdesiretocontinueunknown。
　　Believe，however，thatmyword，whenpledged，isasinviolateasifIworegoldenspurs。’’
　　``Iwillinglybelieveit，’’saidtheknight；``I
　　havebeenaccustomedtostudymen’scountenances，andIcanreadinthinehonestyandresolution。I
　　will，therefore，asktheenofurtherquestions，butaidtheeinsettingatfreedomtheseoppressedcaptives；
　　whichdone，Itrustweshallpartbetteracquainted，andwellsatisfiedwitheachother。’’
　　``So，’’saidWambatoGurth，——forthefriarbeingnowfullyequipped，theJester，havingapproachedtotheothersideofthehut，hadheardtheconclusionoftheconversation，——``Sowehavegotanewally?——ltrustthevalouroftheknightwillbetruermetalthanthereligionofthehermit，orthehonestyoftheyeoman；forthisLocksleylookslikeaborndeer-stealer，andthepriestlikealustyhypocrite。’’
　　``Holdthypeace，Wamba，’’saidGurth；``itmayallbeasthoudostguess；butwerethehorneddeviltoriseandproffermehisassistancetosetatlibertyCedricandtheLadyRowena，IfearI
　　shouldhardlyhavereligionenoughtorefusethefoulfiend’soffer，andbidhimgetbehindme。’’
　　Thefriarwasnowcompletelyaccoutredasayeoman，withswordandbuckler，bow，andquiver，andastrongpartisanoverhisshoulder。Helefthiscellattheheadoftheparty，and，havingcarefullylockedthedoor，depositedthekeyunderthethreshold。
　　``Artthouinconditiontodogoodservice，friar，’’
　　saidLocksley，``ordoesthebrownbowlstillruninthyhead?’’
　　``NotmorethanadroughtofStDunstan’sfountainwillallay，’’answeredthepriest；``somethingthereisofawhizzinginmybrain，andofinstabilityinmylegs，butyoushallpresentlyseebothpassaway。’’
　　Sosaying，hesteppedtothestonebasin，inwhichthewatersofthefountainastheyfellformedbubbleswhichdancedinthewhitemoonlight，andtooksolongadroughtasifhehadmeanttoexhaustthespring。
　　``Whendidstthoudrinkasdeepadroughtofwaterbefore，HolyClerkofCopmanhurst?’’saidtheBlackKnight。
　　``Neversincemywine-butleaked，andletoutitsliquorbyanillegalvent，’’repliedthefriar，``andsoleftmenothingtodrinkbutmypatron’sbountyhere。’’
　　Thenplunginghishandsandheadintothefountain，hewashedfromthemallmarksofthemidnightrevel。
　　Thusrefreshedandsobered，thejollypriesttwirledhisheavypartisanroundhisheadwiththreefingers，asifhehadbeenbalancingareed，exclaimingatthesametime，``Wherebethosefalseravishers，whocarryoffwenchesagainsttheirwill?Maythefoulfiendflyoffwithme，ifIamnotmanenoughforadozenofthem。’’