Such flagrancy was the penalty of death, who had made himself too cheap in those days; nor were there any left with him who might have said, Honour my dead father, or dead master.

William the Marshal had gone to Rouen, afraid of Richard; Geoffrey was half way to Angers after treasure; the Bishop of Durham (for purposes) had hastened off to Poictiers to be the first to hail the new King.

All that remained faithful in that den of thieves were a couple of poor girls with whom the old sinner had lately had to do.
Seeing he was left naked on his bed, one of these--Nicolete her name was, from Harfleur--touched the other on the shoulder--Kentish Mall they called her--and said, 'They have robbed our master of so much as a shirt to be buried in.

What shall we do ?' Mall said, 'If we are found with him we shall be hanged, sure enough.
Yet the old man was kind to me.' 'And to me he was kind,' said Nicolete, 'God wot.' Then they looked at each other.

'Well ?' said Nicolete.