There! A lawyer dare not say as much--not to me, at any rate." Ralph found his man half a mile further on coming to meet him with his horse, and he mounted and rode on with Nicholas towards the mill.
"I have something to tell you," he said presently.

"Chris is to be a monk." "Mother of God!" cried Nicholas, half checking his horse, "and when was that arranged ?" "Last night," went on Ralph.

"He went to see the Holy Maid at St.
Sepulchre's, and it seems that she told him he had a vocation; so there is an end of it." "And what do you all think of it ?" asked the other.
"Oh! I suppose he knows his business." Nicholas asked a number of questions, and was informed that Chris proposed to go to Lewes in a month's time.

He was already twenty-three, the Prior had given his conditional consent before, and there was no need for waiting.

Yes, they were Cluniacs; but Ralph believed that they were far from strict just at present.