Accordingly，hesoonreachedanopenplatofturf，ontheoppositesideofwhich，arock，risingabruptlyfromagentlyslopingplain，offereditsgreyandweatherbeatenfronttothetraveller。Ivymantleditssidesinsomeplaces，andinothersoaksandhollybushes，whoserootsfoundnourishmentinthecliffsofthecrag，wavedovertheprecipicesbelow，liketheplumageofthewarrioroverhissteelhelmet，givinggracetothatwhosechiefexpressionwasterror。Atthebottomoftherock，andleaning，asitwere，againstit，wasconstructedarudehut，builtchieflyofthetrunksoftreesfelledintheneighbouringforest，andsecuredagainsttheweatherbyhavingitscrevicesstuffedwithmossmingledwithclay。Thestemofayoungfir-treeloppedofitsbranches，withapieceofwoodtiedacrossnearthetop，wasplanteduprightbythedoor，asarudeemblemoftheholycross。Atalittledistanceontherighthand，afountainofthepurestwatertrickledoutoftherock，andwasreceivedinahollowstone，whichlabourhadformedintoarusticbasin。Escapingfromthence，thestreammurmureddownthedescentbyachannelwhichitscoursehadlongworn，andsowanderedthroughthelittleplaintoloseitselfintheneighbouringwood。
Besidethisfountainweretheruinsofaverysmallchapel，ofwhichtheroofhadpartlyfallenin。
Thebuilding，whenentire，hadneverbeenabovesixteenfeetlongbytwelvefeetinbreadth，andtheroof，lowinproportion，resteduponfourconcentricarcheswhichsprungfromthefourcornersofthebuilding，eachsupporteduponashortandheavypillar。Theribsoftwoofthesearchesremained，thoughtheroofhadfallendownbetwixtthem；
overtheothersitremainedentire。Theentrancetothisancientplaceofdevotionwasunderaverylowroundarch，ornamentedbyseveralcoursesofthatzig-zagmoulding，resemblingshark’steeth，whichappearssoofteninthemoreancientSaxonarchitecture。Abelfryroseabovetheporchonfoursmallpillars，withinwhichhungthegreenandweatherbeatenbell，thefeeblesoundsofwhichhadbeensometimebeforeheardbytheBlackKnight。
Thewholepeacefulandquietscenelayglimmeringintwilightbeforetheeyesofthetraveller，givinghimgoodassuranceoflodgingforthenight；
sinceitwasaspecialdutyofthosehermitswhodweltinthewoods，toexercisehospitalitytowardsbenightedorbewilderedpassengers。
Accordingly，theknighttooknotimetoconsiderminutelytheparticularswhichwehavedetailed，butthankingSaintJulianthepatronoftravellers
whohadsenthimgoodharbourage，heleapedfromhishorseandassailedthedoorofthehermitagewiththebuttofhislance，inordertoarouseattentionandgainadmittance。
Itwassometimebeforeheobtainedanyanswer，andthereply，whenmade，wasunpropitious。
``Passon，whosoeverthouart，’’wastheanswergivenbyadeephoarsevoicefromwithinthehut，``anddisturbnottheservantofGodandStDunstaninhiseveningdevotions。’’
``Worthyfather，’’answeredtheknight，``hereisapoorwandererbewilderedinthesewoods，whogivestheetheopportunityofexercisingthycharityandhospitality。’’
``Goodbrother，’’repliedtheinhabitantofthehermitage，``ithaspleasedOurLadyandStDunstantodestinemefortheobjectofthosevirtues，insteadoftheexercisethereof。Ihavenoprovisionsherewhichevenadogwouldsharewithme，andahorseofanytendernessofnurturewoulddespisemycouch——passthereforeonthyway，andGodspeedthee。’’
``Buthow，’’repliedtheknight，``isitpossibleformetofindmywaythroughsuchawoodasthis，whendarknessiscomingon?Iprayyou，reverendfatherasyouareaChristian，toundoyourdoor，andatleastpointouttomemyroad。’’
``AndIprayyou，goodChristianbrother，’’repliedtheanchorite，``todisturbmenomore。Youhavealreadyinterruptedone_pater_，two_aves_，anda_credo_，whichI，miserablesinnerthatIam，should，accordingtomyvow，havesaidbeforemoonrise。’’
``Theroad——theroad！’’vociferatedtheknight，``givemedirectionsfortheroad，ifIamtoexpectnomorefromthee。’’
``Theroad，’’repliedthehermit，``iseasytohit。
Thepathfromthewoodleadstoamorass，andfromthencetoaford，which，astherainshaveabated，maynowbepassable。Whenthouhastcrossedtheford，thouwilttakecareofthyfootinguptheleftbank，asitissomewhatprecipitous；andthepath，whichhangsovertheriver，haslately，asIlearn，forIseldomleavethedutiesofmychapel，
givenwayinsundryplaces。Thouwiltthenkeepstraightforward’’
``Abrokenpath——aprecipice——aford，andamorass！’’saidtheknightinterruptinghim，——``SirHermit，ifyouweretheholiestthateverworebeardortoldbead，youshallscarceprevailonmetoholdthisroadto-night。Itellthee，thatthou，wholivestbythecharityofthecountry——illdeserved，asIdoubtitis——hastnorighttorefusesheltertothewayfarerwhenindistress。
Eitheropenthedoorquickly，or，bytherood，Iwillbeatitdownandmakeentryformyself。’’
``Friendwayfarer，’’repliedthehermit，``benotimportunate；ifthouputtestmetousethecarnalweaponinmineowndefence，itwillbee’entheworseforyou。’’
Atthismomentadistantnoiseofbarkingandgrowling，whichthetravellerhadforsometimeheard，becameextremelyloudandfurious，andmadetheknightsupposethatthehermit，alarmedbyhisthreatofmakingforcibleentry，hadcalledthedogswhomadethisclamourtoaidhiminhisdefence，outofsomeinnerrecessinwhichtheyhadbeenkennelled。Incensedatthispreparationonthehermit’spartformakinggoodhisinhospitablepurpose，theknightstruckthedoorsofuriouslywithhisfoot，thatpostsaswellasstaplesshookwithviolence。
Theanchorite，notcaringagaintoexposehisdoortoasimilarshock，nowcalledoutaloud，``Patience，patience——sparethystrength，goodtraveller，andIwillpresentlyundothedoor，though，itmaybe，mydoingsowillbelittletothypleasure。’’
Thedooraccordinglywasopened；andthehermit，alarge，strong-builtman，inhissackclothgownandhood，girtwitharopeofrushes，stoodbeforetheknight。Hehadinonehandalightedtorch，orlink，andintheotherabatonofcrab-tree，sothickandheavy，thatitmightwellbetermedaclub。Twolargeshaggydogs，halfgreyhoundhalfmastiff，stoodreadytorushuponthetravellerassoonasthedoorshouldbeopened。Butwhenthetorchglancedupontheloftycrestandgoldenspursoftheknight，whostoodwithout，thehermit，alteringprobablyhisoriginalintentions，repressedtherageofhisauxiliaries，and，changinghistonetoasortofchurlishcourtesy，invitedtheknighttoenterhishut，makingexcuseforhisunwillingnesstoopenhislodgeaftersunset，byallegingthemultitudeofrobbersandoutlawswhowereabroad，andwhogavenohonourtoOurLadyorStDunstan，nortothoseholymenwhospentlifeintheirservice。
``Thepovertyofyourcell，goodfather，’’saidtheknight，lookingaroundhim，andseeingnothingbutabedofleaves，acrucifixrudelycarvedinoak，amissal，witharough-hewntableandtwostools，andoneortwoclumsyarticlesoffurniture——``thepovertyofyourcellshouldseemasufficientdefenceagainstanyriskofthieves，nottomentiontheaidoftwotrustydogs，largeandstrongenough，Ithink，topulldownastag，andofcourse，tomatchwithmostmen。’’
``Thegoodkeeperoftheforest，’’saidthehermit，``hathallowedmetheuseoftheseanimals，toprotectmysolitudeuntilthetimesshallmend。’’
Havingsaidthis，hefixedhistorchinatwistedbranchofironwhichservedforacandlestick；and，placingtheoakentrivetbeforetheembersofthefire，whichherefreshedwithsomedrywood，heplacedastoolupononesideofthetable，andbeckonedtotheknighttodothesameupontheother。
Theysatdown，andgazedwithgreatgravityateachother，eachthinkinginhisheartthathehadseldomseenastrongerormoreathleticfigurethanwasplacedoppositetohim。
``Reverendhermit，’’saidtheknight，afterlookinglongandfixedlyathishost，``wereitnottointerruptyourdevoutmeditations，Iwouldpraytoknowthreethingsofyourholiness；first，whereIamtoputmyhorse?——secondly，whatIcanhaveforsupper?——thirdly，whereIamtotakeupmycouchforthenight?’’
``Iwillreplytoyou，’’saidthehermit，``withmyfinger，itbeingagainstmyruletospeakbywordswheresignscananswerthepurpose。’’Sosaying，hepointedsuccessivelytotwocornersofthehut。``Yourstable，’’saidhe，``isthere——yourbedthere；and，’’reachingdownaplatterwithtwohandfulsofparchedpeaseuponitfromtheneighbouringshelf，andplacingituponthetable，headded，``yoursupperishere。’’
Theknightshruggedhisshoulders，andleavingthehut，broughtinhishorse，whichintheinterimhehadfastenedtoatree，unsaddledhimwithmuchattention，andspreaduponthesteed’swearybackhisownmantle。
Thehermitwasapparentlysomewhatmovedtocompassionbytheanxietyaswellasaddresswhichthestrangerdisplayedintendinghishorse；for，mutteringsomethingaboutprovenderleftforthekeeper’spalfrey，hedraggedoutofarecessabundleofforage，whichhespreadbeforetheknight’scharger，andimmediatelyafterwardsshookdownaquantityofdriedferninthecornerwhichhehadassignedfortherider’scouch。Theknightreturnedhimthanksforhiscourtesy；and，thisdutydone，bothresumedtheirseatsbythetable，whereonstoodthetrencherofpeaseplacedbetweenthem。
Thehermit，afteralonggrace，whichhadoncebeenLatin，butofwhichoriginallanguagefewtracesremained，exceptinghereandtherethelongrollingterminationofsomewordorphrase，setexampletohisguest，bymodestlyputtingintoaverylargemouth，furnishedwithteethwhichmighthaverankedwiththoseofaboarbothinsharpnessandwhiteness，somethreeorfourdriedpease，amiserablegristasitseemedforsolargeandableamill。
Theknight，inordertofollowsolaudableanexample，laidasidehishelmet，hiscorslet，andthegreaterpartofhisarmour，andshowedtothehermitaheadthick-curledwithyellowhair，highfeatures，blueeyes，remarkablybrightandsparkling，amouthwellformed，havinganupperlipclothedwithmustachoesdarkerthanhishair，andbearingaltogetherthelookofabold，daring，andenterprisingman，withwhichhisstrongformwellcorresponded。
Thehermit，asifwishingtoanswertotheconfidenceofhisguest，threwbackhiscowl，andshowedaroundbulletheadbelongingtoamanintheprimeoflife。Hisclose-shavencrown，surroundedbyacircleofstiffcurledblackhair，hadsomethingtheappearanceofaparishpinfoldbegirtbyitshighhedge。Thefeaturesexpressednothingofmonasticausterity，orofasceticprivations；onthecontrary，itwasaboldbluffcountenance，withbroadblackeyebrows，awell-turnedforehead，andcheeksasroundandvermilionasthoseofatrumpeter，fromwhichdescendedalongandcurlyblackbeard。Such。
avisage，joinedtothebrawnyformoftheholyman，spokeratherofsirloinsandhaunches，thanofpeaseandpulse。Thisincongruitydidnotescapetheguest。
Afterhehadwithgreatdifficultyaccomplishedthemasticationofamouthfulofthedriedpease，hefounditabsolutelynecessarytorequesthispiousentertainertofurnishhimwithsomeliquor；
whorepliedtohisrequestbyplacingbeforehimalargecanofthepurestwaterfromthefountain。
``ItisfromthewellofStDunstan，’’saidhe，``inwhich，betwixtsunandsun，hebaptizedfivehundredheathenDanesandBritons——blessedbehisname！’’Andapplyinghisblackbeardtothepitcher，hetookadraughtmuchmoremoderateinquantitythanhisencomiumseemedtowarrant。
``Itseemstome，reverendfather，’’saidtheknight，``thatthesmallmorselswhichyoueat，togetherwiththisholy，butsomewhatthinbeverage，havethrivenwithyoumarvellously。Youappearamanmorefittowintheramatawrestlingmatch，ortheringataboutatquarter-staff，orthebucklersatasword-play，thantolingeroutyourtimeinthisdesolatewilderness，sayingmasses，andlivinguponparchedpeaseandcoldwater。’’
``SirKnight，’’answeredthehermit，``yourthoughts，likethoseoftheignorantlaity，areaccordingtotheflesh。IthaspleasedOurLadyandmypatronsainttoblessthepittancetowhichIrestrainmyself，evenasthepulseandwaterwasblessedtothechildrenShadrach，Meshech，andAbednego，whodrankthesameratherthandefilethemselveswiththewineandmeatswhichwereappointedthembytheKingoftheSaracens。’’