“Now which o' they seven deadly sins doth he call to repent?” he drawled, and with a sudden change to sharp speech, keeping his eye ever upon Wat's face: “A day cometh when there shall be no king, nor no overlord, nor no rich merchant to buy food away from the people, and store it up, and sell it at a price. But every man shall be leader of his own soul, and every man king. There shall not be poverty nor richesse, but one shall share as another, and nothing shall be mine nor thine.”
Peter rested his elbows on the table and his chin in his hands, such fashion that his jaw hammered upward and downward; and the table, that had one leg a bit short, hammered likewise. Said he:—
“Christ came a poor man, poor men to comfort. He suffereth my sorrow. I knew not there was question of any kingdom, but only Christ's. And if Christ is King, how then do ye say there will be no leader?”
Will Langland looked at the other two with a strange smile; but Wat turned to the ploughman and cried:—
“Yet if Christ delay His second coming, must another lead till he come. How else shall folk know His way?”
“Of a surety,” answered Peter; “I am come to Long Will.”
And Long Will covered his face and so remained. And they all sat silent and as it were ashamed, till Kitte put her head in and said:—
“Calote, get thee to bed, child!”