“Wherefore ’Philip’?” asked the Knight, with averted eyes.

“Because ‘Philip’ signifies ‘a lover of horses.’  I named the good brother so, when he developed a great affection for all the steeds in my stables.

“Well, at length Brother Philip returned, leading the palfrey.  I had been riding upon the heights above the town, on my comely black mare, Shulamite.”

Again the Bishop paused, and shot a merry challenge at Hugh d’Argent; but realising at once that the Knight could brook no more delay, he hastened on.

“Riding into the courtyard, just as Philip led in the palfrey, I bade him first to see to Icon’s comfort; then come to my chamber and report.  Before long the lay-brother appeared.

“Now Brother Philip is an excellent teller of stories.  He does not need to mar them by additions, because his quickness of observation takes in every detail, and his excellent memory lets nothing slip.  He has a faculty for recalling past scenes in pictures, and tells a story as if describing a thing just happening before his mental vision:  the sole draw-back to so vivid a memory being, that if the picture grows too mirth provoking, Brother Philip is seized with spasms of the diaphragm, and further description becomes impossible.  On this occasion, I saw at once that the good brother’s inner vision teemed with pictures.  I settled myself to listen.

“Aye, it had been a wonderful scene, and more merriment, so the lay-sisters afterwards told Brother Philip, than ever known before at any Play Day.

“Icon was led in state from the courtyard, down into the river meadow.

“At first the great delight was to crowd round him, pat him, stroke his mane, finger his trappings; cry out words of ecstatic praise and admiration, and attempt to feed him with all manner of unsuitable food.

“Icon, I gather, behaved much as most males behave on finding themselves the centre of a crowd of admiring women.  He pawed the ground, and swished his tail; arched his neck, and looked from side to side; munched cakes he did not want, winking a large and roguish eye at Brother Philip; and finally, ignoring all the rest, fixed a languorous gaze upon the Prioress, she being the only lady present who stood apart, regarding the scene, but taking no share in the general adulation.

“At length the riding began; Brother Philip keeping firm hold on Icon, while the entire party of nuns undertook to mount the nun who had elected to ride.  Each time Brother Philip attempted a description of this part of the proceedings he was at once seized with such spasms in the region of his girdle, that speech became an impossibility; he could but hold himself helplessly, looking at me from out streaming eyes, until a fresh peep at his mental picture again bent him double.

“Much as I prefer a story complete, from start to finish, I was constrained to command Brother Philip to pass on to scenes which would allow him some possibility of articulate speech.