"A posset must have time to boil.

It is meet now that you wear a tonsure that you who are no longer a centurion should forget these 'Come, and he cometh,' ways.

When the water's hot----" The rest of that speech was lost, for Father Arnold, muttering some word belonging to his "centurion" days, dived into the kitchen, to reappear presently dragging a little withered old woman after him who was dressed in a robe of conventual make.
"Peace, Mother Agnes, peace!" he said.

"Take this lady, dry her, array her in your best gown, give her food, warm her, and bring her back to me.

Short?
What care I if the robe be short?
Obey, or it will not be come, and he cometh, but go and she goeth, and then who will shelter one who talks so much ?" He thrust the pair of them through the kitchen door and, returning, led Hugh and Grey Dick up a broad oak stair to what had been the guest-hall of the Preceptory on its first floor.
It was a very great chamber where, before their Order was dispersed, all the Knights Templar had been wont to dine with those who visited them at times of festival.