THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS
Dragon," and it made me think of the days when there were coaches and highwaymen and footpads and jolly landlords, and adventures at country inns like you read about.
"We've ordered tea," said the lady. "Would you like to wash your hands?" We saw that she wished us to, so we said yes, we would. The girls and Denny were already much cleaner than when we parted from them.
There was a court-yard to the inn and a wooden staircase outside the house. We were taken up this, and washed our hands in a big room with a four post wooden bed and dark red hangings—just the sort of hangings that would not show the stains of gore in the dear old adventurous times.
Then we had tea in a great big room with wooden chairs and tables, very polished and old.
It was very nice tea, with lettuces and cold meat and three kinds of jam, as well as cake, and new bread, which we are not allowed at home.
While tea was being had the lady talked to us. She was very kind. There are two sorts of people in the world, besides others: one sort understand what you're driving at and the other don't. This lady was the one sort.
After every one had had as much to eat as they could possibly want, the lady said, "What was it you particularly wanted to see at Canterbury?"
"The cathedral," Alice said, "and the place where Thomas à Becket was murdered."
"And the Danejohn," said Dicky.
259
