“Fair Fool,” quoth the Friar, fanning himself with a frond of bracken, “'tis a hot day, a day reminiscent of the ultimate fate of graceless sinners, and I am like the day and languish for breath, yet, to thy so pertinent question I will, straightly and in few words, pronounce and answer thee, as followeth: Our Lady Benedicta hath run away firstly, brethren, for that being formed woman after Nature's goodly plan she hath the wherewithal to walk, to leap, to skip or eke to run, as viz.: item and to wit—legs. Secondly, inquisitorial brethren, she ran for an excellent good reason—as observe—there was none to let or stay her. And thirdly, gentle and eager hearers, she did flit or fly, leave, vacate, or depart our goodly town of Tissingors for that she had—mark me—no mind to stay, remain or abide therein. And this for the following express, rare and most curious reason as—mark now—in a word—”
“Hold—hold, Friar John!” exclaimed the Reeve; “here sit ye here a-sermonising, venting words a-many what time our vanished Duchess fleeth. Knew I not the contrary I should say thou didst countenance her flight and spent thyself in wordy-wind wherewith to aid her!”
Now here, chancing to meet Duke Jocelyn's shrewd gaze, Friar John slowly and ponderously winked one round, bright eye.
Quoth he:
“Hark to our valiant port-reeve Greg'ry Bax
Who, save for reason, nought of reason lacks!”
“Howbeit,” fumed the Reeve, stamping in the dust, “here sit ye at thy
full-bodied ease, fanning flies and animadverting—”
“Animadverting!” nodded Friar John. “A good word, Reeve, a fair, sweet word; in verity a word full-bodied as I, wherefore it liketh me well. So sit I here animadverting whiles thou kicketh up a dust in fashion foolish and un-reeve-like.”
“A plague o' words!” cried the Reeve. “A pest o' wind! Enough—enough, contain thy prolixities and rodomontade and let me to the point explain—”
“Aha!” quoth the Friar. “Good sooth, here's a noble word! A word round i' the mouth, rolling upon the tongue. Ha, Reeve, I give thee joy of rodomontade!”
“Thus then,” continued the Reeve, “I will, with use of no verbiage circumlocutory, explain.”
“Ho-oho!” cried Friar John, rubbing plump hands ecstatic. “Good Bax, ne'er have I heard thee to so great advantage—verbiage circumlocutory—and thou—thou such small man to boot! O most excellent, puny Reeve!”