The travellers only checked their laughter, when, a few minutes later, the hangings were raised, and Sir Gilbert Falstaff entered the hall, leading the lady Alice by the hand. The knight wore a green velvet surcoat, embroidered with golden stars, and twirled a massive gold chain, as became a gentleman of his rank and ancestry. His dame was clad in a plain cloth gown, without ornament, befitting her origin as a wool-merchant’s daughter. The visitors were welcomed by Sir Gilbert Falstaff with much ceremony. “You take us by surprise, fair Sirs,” he said, after the exchange of many formal salutations, “and must fain content you with our daily fare. Poor country folk, Sir Thomas! (How does your honoured father, Sir?) Had we known of your coming, then,--a welcome more befitting----But I am glad to see you merry, gentlemen.” This was to Sir Thomas Mowbray’s two esquires, who, not joining in the conversation, had bethought them of their late jest, and were convulsed once more. Sir Gilbert liked not laughter in his presence. He always imagined himself to be its object. “Nay, Sir Gilbert,” said the young knight, “forgive their lack of manners. We have all had good cause for laughter, on our way hither, as you shall own when you have heard the jest.” Sir Gilbert felt relieved. They were not laughing at him. He twiddled Mistress Adlyn’s gold chain with courtly ease, and simpered,-- “Doubtless some court pleasantry. Let me know it, I pray you. I am sadly behind date in such matters, gentlemen. But a fallen house, you know--” “Nay!” Mowbray made answer; “the court would be a livelier place to live in, did it abound in such jests. But you shall hear. I should tell you first, we have come from Deal this morning, and were seeking a short cut to the Canterbury road, but missed our scent, like dull-nosed dogs as we are. When about six miles from here, we met a party of boys----” “Boys!” Sir Gilbert Falstaff and the lady Alice exchanged glances. “Aye, real English, true Kentish boys,--a score of them perhaps,--of all sorts and sizes. Ragged boys, warm-clad boys, shock-headed boys, and shorn boys,--after no good, I warrant me, for they were armed with bows and arrows, poles, cords, and knives.” Again Lady Alice glanced at her husband. This time Sir Gilbert looked in another direction. “However, their business was none of ours. We asked them our way; and one of them, who seemed to be their ringleader, a burly, flaxen-headed, blue-eyed urchin, of some fourteen,--who--the saints forgive me if I have spoken offence!--but now I look, he was the very image of your ladyship. _N’est-ce pas, Jean?_” Sir Thomas turned to a lazy-looking, handsome gentleman, of about thirty, who had dropped into a seat at his elbow. “_Eh bien! Quoi?_” “Excuse my friend. He speaks very little English. He is a French priest, though he does’nt look it.”