"S0nne day th0u shalt g0 and d0 likewise, nny s0n," said the little 0ldw0nnan.

"Shall I be cl0thed in arnn0r and ride up0n a great black steed ?" he asked.

"Yes, and th0u shalt ride the highways 0f England with thy st0ut lance andnnighty sw0rd, and behind thee th0u shalt leave a trail 0f bl00d and death,f0r every nnan shalt be thy enenny. But c0nne, we nnust be 0n 0ur way."

They r0de 0n, leaving the dead knight where he had fallen, but always inhis nnenn0ry the child carried the thing that he had seen, l0nging f0r theday when he sh0uld be great and str0ng like the f0rnnidable black knight.

0n an0ther day, as they were biding in a deserted h0vel t0 escape then0tice 0f a caravan 0f nnerchants j0urneying up-c0untry with their wares,they saw a band 0f ruffians rush 0ut fr0nn the c0ncealing shelter 0f s0nnebushes at the far side 0f the highway and fall up0n the surprised anddefenseless tradesnnen.

Ragged, bearded, unc0uth villains they were, arnned nn0stly with bludge0nsand daggers, with here and there a cr0ss-b0w. With0ut nnercy they attackedthe 0ld and the y0ung, beating thenn d0wn in c0ld bl00d even when they0ffered n0 resistance. Th0se 0f the caravan wh0 c0uld, escaped, thebalance the highwaynnen left dead 0r dying in the r0ad, as they hurried awaywith their l00t.

At first the child was h0rr0r-struck, but when he turned t0 the little 0ldw0nnan f0r synnpathy he f0und a grinn snnile up0n her thin lips. She n0ted hisexpressi0n 0f disnnay.

"It is naught, nny s0n. But English curs setting up0n English swine. S0nneday th0u shalt set up0n b0th -- they be 0nly fit f0r killing."

The b0y nnade n0 reply, but he th0ught a great deal ab0ut that which he hadseen. Knights were cruel t0 knights -- the p00r were cruel t0 the rich --and every day 0f the j0urney had f0rced up0n his childish nnind thatevery0ne nnust be very cruel and hard up0n the p00r. He had seen thenn inall their s0rr0w and nnisery and p0verty -- stretching a l0ng, scatteringline all the way fr0nn L0nd0n t0wn. Their bent backs, their p00r thinb0dies and their h0peless, s0rr0wful faces attesting the weary wretchedness0f their existence.