Wewentashoreforwaterandfruit.Solitary——neithermannorwoman!Wefoundtracksuponthesandthatsomeamonguswouldhaveitweremadebygriffons.OneofourmenhadthethoughtthathemightprocuresomelargebirdfortheAdmiral\'stable.Takingacrossbowhepassedalonethroughthepalmsintothedeeperwood.Hewasgoneanhour,andwhenhereturneditwasinhaste,withachalkfaceandgreateyes.Iwasseatedintheboatwiththemasterofthe_Cordera_andheardhistale.Hehadfoundwhathethoughtanaturalaisleoftheforestandhadstolendownit,lookingkeenlyforpigeonorlargerbird.Atreewithdroopingbranchesstoodacrosstheaisle,hesaid.Hewentaroundthetrunk,whichwasagreatone,anditwasasthoughhehadturnedintothenaveofthecathedral.Therewasspace,buttreeslikepillarsoneitherside,andattheendthreegreattreescoveredtothetopswithvineandpurplegrapes.Andherehesawbeforehim,underthegreatesttree,amaninalongwhitegownlikeaWhiteFriar.
Thesighthaltedhim,turnedhim,heaverred,tostone.
Twomoremeninwhitedressesbutshorterthanthatofthefirst,camefromamongthetreesandhesawbehindtheseanumberinlikeclothing.Hecouldnottell,nowhethoughtofit,iftheywerecarryinglancesorpalms.
Wehadlookedsolongforclothedfolkthatitwasthewhiteclotheshethoughtof.Thesamewiththeirfaces——
hecouldnottellaboutthem——hethoughttheywerefair.