I trust not to be gone longer than nine days.

You, being safely established in your own home, amongst your own people, I can leave without anxious fears.

Moreover, Martin Goodfellow will remain here representing me, and will in all things do your bidding." "From whom is this letter, Hugh, which takes you from me, on such a day ?" "It is from a man well known to me, dwelling in a city four days' journey from here." "Why not say at once: 'It is from the Bishop, written from his Palace in the city of Worcester' ?" Hugh frowned.
"How knew you that ?" he asked, almost roughly.
"My dear Knight, hearing much champing of horses in my courtyard, I looked down from a casement and saw a lay-brother well known to me, and three other horsemen wearing the Bishop's livery.

What can Symon of Worcester have written which takes you from me on this day, of all days ?" "That I cannot tell thee," he made answer.

"But he writes, without much detail, of a matter about which I must know fullest details, without loss of time.