The gentleman would have expostulated, but his brother-in-law’s sword was pressing so close upon him that he found it of more importance to defend himself than to inquire the reason of the quarrel; whereupon each dealt the other so many wounds that they were at last compelled by weariness and loss of blood to sit down on the ground face to face.
And while they were recovering breath, the gentleman asked—
“What cause, brother, has turned our deep and unbroken friendship to such cruel strife as this?”
“Nay,” replied the brother-in-law, “what cause has moved you to slay my sister, the most excellent woman that ever lived, and this in so cowardly a fashion that under pretence of sleeping with her you have hanged and strangled her with the bed-cord?”
On hearing these words the gentleman, more dead than alive, came to his brother, and putting his arms around him, said—
“Is it possible that you have found your sister in the state you say?”
The brother-in-law assured him that it was indeed so.
“I pray you, brother,” the gentleman thereupon replied, “hearken to the reason why I left the house.”
Forthwith he told him all about the wicked Grey Friar, whereat his brother-in-law was greatly astonished, and still more grieved that he should have unjustly attacked him.
Entreating pardon, he said to him—