"
Ralph saw that it availed nothing to bicker with the smith,
and so went his way somewhat crestfallen, and that the more
as he saw Roger grinning a little.
Now they come into the market-place, on one side whereof was the master
church of the town, which was strongly built and with a tall tower
to it, but was not very big, and but little adorned. Over against it
they saw the sign of the Flower de Luce, a goodly house and great.
Thitherward they turned; but in the face of the hostelry amidmost the place
was a thing which Roger pointed at with a grin that spoke as well as words;
and this was a high gallows-tree furnished with four forks or arms,
each carved and wrought in the fashion of the very bough of a tree,
from which dangled four nooses, and above them all was a board whereon
was written in big letters THE DRY TREE. And at the foot of this gallows
were divers folk laughing and talking.
So Ralph understood at once that those four men whom he had
seen led away bound yesterday should be hanged thereon;
so he stayed a franklin who was passing by, and said to him,
"Sir, I am a stranger in the town, and I would know if justice
shall be done on the four woodmen to-day." "Nay," said the man,
"but to-morrow; they are even now before the judges."
Then said Roger in a surly voice, "Why art thou not there to look on?"
"Because," quoth the man, "there is little to see there, and not much
more to hearken.
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