"Certes, Mary," said he, "all this has come upon us by reason of our
sins. I thought to charge your shoulders with our bacon in the garden,
but now I know well that these rogues have bestowed it upon theirs.
Heavens, I wonder where he learned to play the part of a woman so
bravely in manner and in speech! Hard is the lesson I am set to learn
in school, because of a flitch of bacon. But, please God, I will find
them this night, yea, though I walk till I have no sole to my shoe, and
supplant them yet."
Travers took the path leading to the wood, and entering in the coppice,
saw the red blaze of a fire which these two thieves had litten. He
heard their voices lifted in dispute, so he concealed himself behind an
oak, and listened to their words. At the end Barat and Haimet agreed
that it were better to eat the bacon forthwith, lest a new cast of the
dice should go against them. Whilst they went to seek dry cones and
brushwood for the fire, Travers crept privily to the oak beneath which
it was burning. But the wood was damp and green, so that more smoke and
smother came from that fire than flame. Then Travers climbed into the
tree, and by the aid of bough and branch came at last to the place
where he would be. The two thieves returned presently with cones and
brambles. These they threw upon the fire in handfuls, saying that very
soon it would grill their bacon, and Travers hearkened to their speech.
He had stripped himself to his shirt, and hung from a limb of the oak
by his arm. Now, in a while, Haimet lifted his eyes to the tree, and
saw above him the hanged man, tall, grotesque and horrible to see,
naked in his very shirt.
"Barat," whispered he, "our father is spying upon us. Behold him
hanging from this branch in a very hideous fashion. Surely it is he
come back to us, is it not?"
"God help me," cried Barat, "it seems to me that he is about to fall."
Then because of their fear the two thieves fled from that place,
without leisure to eat, or to bear away, the bacon they had stolen.
When Travers marked their flight he tarried no longer in the oak, but
taking his bacon, returned straightway to his house, with none to give
him nay. His wife praised him to his face, saying--
"Husband, you are welcome home, for you have proven your worth. Never
did there live a braver man than you."
"Sister," said he, "take wood from the cellar, and make a fire.
Certainly we must eat our bacon, if we would call it our own."
Dame Maria lighted a fire with fagots upon the hearth; she put water in
the cauldron, and hung it on the hook above the fire. Travers for his
part carefully cut the bacon for which he had suffered so great
trouble, and put it in the pot till all was full. When this was done--
"Fair sister," said he, "watch by the fire, if you can keep awake. I
have not slept this night, and will rest a little on the bed. But I
will not take off my clothes, because I still am troubled of these
thieves."
"Husband," answered she, "ill luck go with them. Sleep soundly and in
peace, for there is none to do you wrong."
So Dame Maria kept vigil whilst Travers slept, for very greatly had he
need of rest.
During this time Barat lamented in the wood, for well he knew, when he
found the bacon gone, that Travers had played this trick upon them.
"Certes," said he, "we have lost the meat because of our fearful
hearts, and it belongs to Travers by right of courage. A good breakfast
he will make, for he deems that none can take it from him. He will look
upon us as dirt, if we leave it in his hands. Let us go to his house
and mark where he has bestowed it."
The two thieves hastened to the door of Travers' house. Barat set his
eye to a crevice therein, and saw a sight which gave him little joy,
for the pot was boiling upon the fire.
"Haimet," said he, "the bacon is cooking, and much I grieve that there
is none for us."
"Let it boil in peace till it is fit for eating," answered Haimet. "I
shall not give Travers quittance in this matter till he has paid me
wages for my toil."
Haimet sought a long stake which he cut from a hazel tree, and
sharpened it with his knife. Then he climbed upon the roof of the
house, and uncovered a little space above the spot where the cauldron
boiled upon the fire. Through this opening he could see the wife of
Travers sound asleep, for she was weary of her vigil, and nodded over
the hearth. Haimet lowered the rod, which he had sharpened like a dart,
and struck it in the pot so adroitly that he drew forth a portion of
the bacon from out the cauldron. This he raised cunningly to the roof,
and had great joy of his fishing. Then awoke Travers from his sleep,
and saw this thing, and marked the thief, who was both malicious and
strong.
"Gossip, upon my roof," said he, "it is not reasonable of you to strip
the covering from over my head. In this manner we shall never come to
an end. Climb down; let us give and take. Let each of us have his share
of the bacon."
So Haimet descended from the roof, and the bacon was taken from the
cauldron. Dame Maria divided the meat into three portions, for the
thieves had no care to let Travers part the lots. The two brothers took
two portions, and Travers one; but his was not the best, for all that
he had nourished the pig.
For this reason was the proverb made, oh, gentles, that "Bad is the
company of thieves."