THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
had gone round and round up that stair, so that my limbs sunk from under me, and my senses were confounded, I became like one who walks in his sleep and could count the steps no more; but before this I had surmounted five thousand of them. At last we came to a door in the wall, and here they unbound my hands and unlocked the door and bade me go in and gaze as long as I would above or below it mattered not which, for either way there was constancy and plenty of it 'Since most gallant knight errant and mirror of chivalry, if you look over your shoulder you will have a close view of a special vane of beaten brass, the which follows the wind whithersoever it leadeth it, and this it does in all weathers, by day or night. But if you yourself are not over constant, and like change, you have but to look down on our square, when you will see us all constant in constantly taking our pleasure; only go not too near the ledge of your habitacle, since a mile through the air is a long fall.'" Here Sir Nicholas groaned deeply and went on to explain that he found himself in a little cell or habitacle made some ten feet under the capstone of that spire he had seen from afar, and, as he judges, full a mile from solid earth. And all the company groaned and cried 'las!' and called on the dear saints, hearing of such a fearful adventure; and some of the girls fancied they were falling from that tremendous height, but in fact they were deceived since most of them were borne up by an arm in need ere they had gone back three inches. "And there indeed for many days and
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