noon
After a little while the road led him off the plain meads into a country of little hills and dales , the hill-sides covered with vineyards and orchards , and the dales plenteous of corn-fields ; and now amongst these dales Higham was hidden from him . Through this tillage and vine-land he rode a good while , and thought he had never seen a goodlier land ; and as he went he came on husbandmen and women of the country going about their business : yet were they not too busy to gaze on him , and most greeted him ; and with some he gave and took a little speech . These people also he deemed well before the world , for they were well clad and buxom , and made no great haste as they went , but looked about them as though they deemed the world worth looking at , and as if they had no fear either of a blow or a hard word for loitering . So he rode till it was noon , and he was amidst a little thorp of grey stone houses , trim enough , in a valley wherein there was more of wild-wood trees and less of fruit-bearers than those behind him . In the thorp was a tavern with the sign of the Nicholas , so Ralph deemed it but right to enter a house which was under the guard of his master and friend ; therefore he lighted down and went in . Therein he found a lad of fifteen winters , and a maiden spinning , they two alone , who hailed him and asked his pleasure , and he bade them bring him meat and drink , and look to his horse , for that he had a mind to rest a while . So they brought him bread and flesh , and good wine of the hill-side , in a little hall well arrayed as of its kind ; and he sat down and the damsel served him at table , but the lad , who had gone to see to his horse , did not come back .