CHAPTER 7
The Maiden of Bourton Abbas
So went he through the gate, and many, both of men and maids gazed at him,
for he was fair to look on, but none meddled with him.
There was a goodly fauburg outside the gate, and therein were fair houses,
not a few, with gardens and orchards about them; and when these were
past he rode through very excellent meadows lying along the water,
which he crossed thrice, once by a goodly stone bridge and twice by fords;
for the road was straight, and the river wound about much.
After a little while the road led him off the plain meads into
a country of little hills and dales, the hill-sides covered with
vineyards and orchards, and the dales plenteous of corn-fields;
and now amongst these dales Higham was hidden from him.
Through this tillage and vine-land he rode a good while, and thought
he had never seen a goodlier land; and as he went he came on
husbandmen and women of the country going about their business:
yet were they not too busy to gaze on him, and most greeted him;
and with some he gave and took a little speech.
These people also he deemed well before the world, for they
were well clad and buxom, and made no great haste as they went,
but looked about them as though they deemed the world worth
looking at, and as if they had no fear either of a blow or a hard
word for loitering.
So he rode till it was noon, and he was amidst a little thorp of grey
stone houses, trim enough, in a valley wherein there was more of
wild-wood trees and less of fruit-bearers than those behind him.
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