CHAPTER XLIII
MALISE FETCHES A CLOUT
The four men whom the Messire Gilles, by good fortune, failed to see
standing in the doorway opposite the Hotel de Pornic were attired in
the habit of pilgrims to the shrine of Saint James of Compostella.
Upon their heads they wore broad corded hats of brown. Long brown
robes covered them from head to foot. Their heads were tonsured, and
as they went along they fumbled at their beads and gave their
benediction to the people that passed by, whether they returned them
an alms or not. This they did by spreading abroad the fingers of both
hands and inclining their heads, at the same time muttering to
themselves in a tongue which, if not Latin, was at least equally
unknown to the good folk of Paris.
"It is the house," said the tallest of the four, "stand well back
within the shade!"
"Nay, Sholto, what need?" grumbled another, a very thickset palmer he;
"if the maids be within, let us burst the gates, and go and take them
out!"
"Be silent, Malise," put in the third pilgrim, whose dress of richer
stuff than that of his companions, added to an air of natural command,
betrayed the man of superior rank, "remember, great jolterhead, that
we are not at the gates of Edinburgh with all the south country at our
backs.
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