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〃And he stays no more here；〃 said the Abbot。 〃Brother sacrist；
you have raised the Devil； and it is for you to lay it again。〃
〃That I will most readily；〃 cried the sacrist。 〃The pittance…
master can stop the fifty shillings from my very own weekly dole；
and so the Abbey be none the poorer。 In the meantime here is Wat
with his arbalist and a bolt in his girdle。 Let him drive it to
the head through this cursed creature； for his hide and his hoofs
are of more value than his wicked self。〃
A hard brown old woodman who had been shooting vermin in the Abbey
groves stepped forward with a grin of pleasure。 After a lifetime
of stoats and foxes； this was indeed a noble quarry which was to
fall before him。 Fitting a bolt on the nut of his taut crossbow；
he had raised it to his shoulder and leveled it at the fierce；
proud； disheveled head which tossed in savage freedom at the other
side of the wall。 His finger was crooked on the spring； when a
blow from a whip struck the bow upward and the bolt flew harmless
over the Abbey orchard； while the woodman shrank abashed from
Nigel Loring's angry eyes。
〃Keep your bolts for your weasels！〃 said he。 〃Would you take life
from a creature whose only fault is that its spirit is so high
that it has met none yet who dare control it？ You would slay such
a horse as a king might be proud to mount； and all because a
country franklin； or a monk； or a monk's varlet； has not the wit
nor the hands to master him？〃
The sacrist turned swiftly on the Squire。 〃The Abbey owes you an
offering for this day's work； however rude your words may be；〃
said he。 〃If you think so much of the horse； you may desire to
own it。 If I am to pay for it； then with the holy Abbot's
permission it is in my gift and I bestow it freely upon you。〃
The Abbot plucked at his subordinate's sleeve。 〃Bethink you；
brother sacrist；〃 he whispered； 〃shall we not have this man's
blood upon our heads？〃
〃His pride is as stubborn as the horse's； holy father；〃 the
sacrist answered； his gaunt fact breaking into a malicious smile。
〃Man or beast； one will break the other and the world will be the
better for it。 If you forbid me … 〃
〃Nay； brother； you have bought the horse； and you may have the
bestowal of it。〃
〃Then I give it … hide and hoofs； tail and temper … to Nigel
Loring； and may it be as sweet and as gentle to him as he hath
been to the Abbot of Waverley！〃
The sacrist spoke aloud amid the tittering of the monks； for the
man concerned was out of earshot。 At the first words which had
shown him the turn which affairs had taken he had run swiftly to
the spot where he had left his pony。 From its mouth he removed
the bit and the stout bridle which held it。 Then leaving the
creature to nibble the grass by the wayside he sped back whence he
came。
〃I take your gift； monk；〃 said he； 〃though I know well why it is
that you give it。 Yet I thank you； for there are two things upon
earth for which I have ever yearned； and which my thin purse could
never buy。 The one is a noble horse； such a horse as my father's
son should have betwixt his thighs； and here is the one of all
others which I would have chosen； since some small deed is to be
done in the winning of him； and some honorable advancement to be
gained。 How is the horse called？〃
〃Its name；〃 said the franklin； 〃is Pommers。 I warn you； young
sir； that none may ride him； for many have tried； and the luckiest
is he who has only a staved rib to show for it。〃
〃I thank you for your rede；〃 said Nigel； 〃and now I see that this
is indeed a horse which I would journey far to meet。 I am your
man； Pommers； and you are my horse； and this night you shall own
it or I will never need horse again。 My spirit against thine； and
God hold thy spirit high； Pommers； so that the greater be the
adventure； and the more hope of honor gained！〃
While he spoke the young Squire had climbed on to the top of the
wall and stood there balanced； the very image of grace and spirit
and gallantry； his bridle hanging from one hand and his whip
grasped in the other。 With a fierce snort； the horse made for him
instantly； and his white teeth flashed as he snapped； but again a
heavy blow from the loaded whip caused him to swerve； and even at
the instant of the swerve； measuring the distance with steady
eyes； and bending his supple body for the spring； Nigel bounded
into the air and fell with his legs astride the broad back of the
yellow horse。 For a minute； with neither saddle nor stirrups to
help him； and the beast ramping and rearing like a mad thing
beneath him； he was hard pressed to hold his own。 His legs were
like two bands of steel welded on to the swelling arches of the
great horse's ribs； and his left hand was buried deep in the tawny
mane。
Never had the dull round of the lives of the gentle brethren of
Waverley been broken by so fiery a scene。 Springing to right and
swooping to left； now with its tangled wicked head betwixt its
forefeet； and now pawing eight feet high in the air； with scarlet；
furious nostrils and maddened eyes； the yellow horse was a thing
of terror and of beauty。 But the lithe figure on his back；
bending like a reed in the wind to every movement； firm below；
pliant above； with calm inexorable face； and eyes which danced and
gleamed with the joy of contest； still held its masterful place
for all that the fiery heart and the iron muscles of the great
beast could do。
Once a long drone of dismay rose from the monks； as rearing higher
and higher yet a last mad effort sent the creature toppling over
backward upon its rider。 But； swift and cool； he had writhed from
under it ere it fell； spurned it with his foot as it rolled upon
the earth； and then seizing its mane as it rose swung himself
lightly on to its back once more。 Even the grim sacrist could not
but join the cheer； as Pommers； amazed to find the rider still
upon his back； plunged and curveted down the field。
But the wild horse only swelled into a greater fury。 In the
sullen gloom of its untamed heart there rose the furious resolve
to dash the life from this clinging rider； even if it meant
destruction to beast and man。 With red； blazing eyes it looked
round for death。 On three sides the five…virgate field was
bounded by a high wall； broken only at one spot by a heavy
four…foot wooden gate。 But on the fourth side was a low gray
building； one of the granges of the Abbey； presenting a long flank
unbroken by door or window。 The horse stretched itself into a
gallop； and headed straight for that craggy thirty…foot wall。 He
would break in red ruin at the base of it if he could but dash
forever the life of this man； who claimed mastery over that which
had never found its master yet。
The great haunches gathered under it； the eager hoofs drummed the
grass； as faster and still more fast the frantic horse bore
himself and his rider toward the wall。 Would Nigel spring off？
To do so would be to bend his will to that of the beast beneath
him。 There was a better way than that。 Cool； quick and decided；
the man swiftly passed both whip and bridle into the left hand
which still held the mane。 Then with the right