diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:17:18 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:17:18 -0700 |
| commit | b2f222a99939d338093d803966df9c52d3c6f0ac (patch) | |
| tree | 84dacb3255269239293d85eacbc84f0975c4bd8d | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1557-0.txt | 7615 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1557-0.zip | bin | 0 -> 149645 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1557-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 157106 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1557-h/1557-h.htm | 9055 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1557.txt | 7614 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 1557.zip | bin | 0 -> 149038 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/femen10.txt | 8069 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/femen10.zip | bin | 0 -> 150639 bytes |
11 files changed, 32369 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/1557-0.txt b/1557-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..81112a4 --- /dev/null +++ b/1557-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7615 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Men of Iron + +Author: Howard Pyle + +Release Date: February 15, 2006 [EBook #1557] +Last Updated: March 11, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF IRON *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + + + + + +MEN OF IRON + +by Howard Pyle + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +The year 1400 opened with more than usual peacefulness in England. Only +a few months before, Richard II--weak, wicked, and treacherous--had been +dethroned, and Henry IV declared King in his stead. But it was only a +seeming peacefulness, lasting but for a little while; for though King +Henry proved himself a just and a merciful man--as justice and mercy +went with the men of iron of those days--and though he did not care +to shed blood needlessly, there were many noble families who had been +benefited by King Richard during his reign, and who had lost somewhat of +their power and prestige from the coming in of the new King. + +Among these were a number of great lords--the Dukes of Albemarle, +Surrey, and Exeter, the Marquis of Dorset, the Earl of Gloucester, and +others--who had been degraded to their former titles and estates, from +which King Richard had lifted them. These and others brewed a secret +plot to take King Henry's life, which plot might have succeeded had not +one of their own number betrayed them. + +Their plan had been to fall upon the King and his adherents, and to +massacre them during a great tournament, to be held at Oxford. But Henry +did not appear at the lists; whereupon, knowing that he had been lodging +at Windsor with only a few attendants, the conspirators marched thither +against him. In the mean time the King had been warned of the plot, +so that, instead of finding him in the royal castle, they discovered +through their scouts that he had hurried to London, whence he was +even then marching against them at the head of a considerable army. So +nothing was left them but flight. Some betook themselves one way, some +another; some sought sanctuary here, some there; but one and another, +they were all of them caught and killed. + +The Earl of Kent--one time Duke of Surrey--and the Earl of +Salisbury were beheaded in the market-place at Cirencester; Lord Le +Despencer--once the Earl of Gloucester--and Lord Lumley met the same +fate at Bristol; the Earl of Huntingdon was taken in the Essex fens, +carried to the castle of the Duke of Gloucester, whom he had betrayed +to his death in King Richard's time, and was there killed by the castle +people. Those few who found friends faithful and bold enough to afford +them shelter, dragged those friends down in their own ruin. + +Just such a case was that of the father of the boy hero of this +story, the blind Lord Gilbert Reginald Falworth, Baron of Falworth and +Easterbridge, who, though having no part in the plot, suffered through +it ruin, utter and complete. + +He had been a faithful counsellor and adviser to King Richard, and +perhaps it was this, as much and more than his roundabout connection +with the plot, that brought upon him the punishment he suffered. + + + +CHAPTER 1 + +Myles Falworth was but eight years of age at that time, and it was only +afterwards, and when he grew old enough to know more of the ins and outs +of the matter, that he could remember by bits and pieces the things that +afterwards happened; how one evening a knight came clattering into the +court-yard upon a horse, red-nostrilled and smeared with the sweat and +foam of a desperate ride--Sir John Dale, a dear friend of the blind +Lord. + +Even though so young, Myles knew that something very serious had +happened to make Sir John so pale and haggard, and he dimly remembered +leaning against the knight's iron-covered knees, looking up into his +gloomy face, and asking him if he was sick to look so strange. Thereupon +those who had been too troubled before to notice him, bethought +themselves of him, and sent him to bed, rebellious at having to go so +early. + +He remembered how the next morning, looking out of a window high up +under the eaves, he saw a great troop of horsemen come riding into the +courtyard beneath, where a powdering of snow had whitened everything, +and of how the leader, a knight clad in black armor, dismounted and +entered the great hall door-way below, followed by several of the band. + +He remembered how some of the castle women were standing in a frightened +group upon the landing of the stairs, talking together in low voices +about a matter he did not understand, excepting that the armed men who +had ridden into the courtyard had come for Sir John Dale. None of the +women paid any attention to him; so, shunning their notice, he ran off +down the winding stairs, expecting every moment to be called back again +by some one of them. + +A crowd of castle people, all very serious and quiet, were gathered +in the hall, where a number of strange men-at-arms lounged upon the +benches, while two billmen in steel caps and leathern jacks stood +guarding the great door, the butts of their weapons resting upon the +ground, and the staves crossed, barring the door-way. + +In the anteroom was the knight in black armor whom Myles had seen from +the window. He was sitting at the table, his great helmet lying upon +the bench beside him, and a quart beaker of spiced wine at his elbow. A +clerk sat at the other end of the same table, with inkhorn in one hand +and pen in the other, and a parchment spread in front of him. + +Master Robert, the castle steward, stood before the knight, who every +now and then put to him a question, which the other would answer, and +the clerk write the answer down upon the parchment. + +His father stood with his back to the fireplace, looking down upon the +floor with his blind eyes, his brows drawn moodily together, and the +scar of the great wound that he had received at the tournament at +York--the wound that had made him blind--showing red across his +forehead, as it always did when he was angered or troubled. + +There was something about it all that frightened Myles, who crept to his +father's side, and slid his little hand into the palm that hung limp and +inert. In answer to the touch, his father grasped the hand tightly, +but did not seem otherwise to notice that he was there. Neither did +the black knight pay any attention to him, but continued putting his +questions to Master Robert. + +Then, suddenly, there was a commotion in the hall without, loud voices, +and a hurrying here and there. The black knight half arose, grasping a +heavy iron mace that lay upon the bench beside him, and the next moment +Sir John Dale himself, as pale as death, walked into the antechamber. He +stopped in the very middle of the room. “I yield me to my Lord's grace +and mercy,” said he to the black knight, and they were the last words he +ever uttered in this world. + +The black knight shouted out some words of command, and swinging up the +iron mace in his hand, strode forward clanking towards Sir John, who +raised his arm as though to shield himself from the blow. Two or three +of those who stood in the hall without came running into the room with +drawn swords and bills, and little Myles, crying out with terror, hid +his face in his father's long gown. + +The next instant came the sound of a heavy blow and of a groan, then +another blow and the sound of one falling upon the ground. Then the +clashing of steel, and in the midst Lord Falworth crying, in a dreadful +voice, “Thou traitor! thou coward! thou murderer!” + +Master Robert snatched Myles away from his father, and bore him out of +the room in spite of his screams and struggles, and he remembered just +one instant's sight of Sir John lying still and silent upon his face, +and of the black knight standing above him, with the terrible mace in +his hand stained a dreadful red. + +It was the next day that Lord and Lady Falworth and little Myles, +together with three of the more faithful of their people, left the +castle. + +His memory of past things held a picture for Myles of old Diccon Bowman +standing over him in the silence of midnight with a lighted lamp in his +hand, and with it a recollection of being bidden to hush when he would +have spoken, and of being dressed by Diccon and one of the women, +bewildered with sleep, shuddering and chattering with cold. + +He remembered being wrapped in the sheepskin that lay at the foot of +his bed, and of being carried in Diccon Bowman's arms down the silent +darkness of the winding stair-way, with the great black giant shadows +swaying and flickering upon the stone wall as the dull flame of the lamp +swayed and flickered in the cold breathing of the night air. + +Below were his father and mother and two or three others. A stranger +stood warming his hands at a newly-made fire, and little Myles, as he +peeped from out the warm sheepskin, saw that he was in riding-boots and +was covered with mud. He did not know till long years afterwards that +the stranger was a messenger sent by a friend at the King's court, +bidding his father fly for safety. + +They who stood there by the red blaze of the fire were all very still, +talking in whispers and walking on tiptoes, and Myles's mother hugged +him in her arms, sheepskin and all, kissing him, with the tears +streaming down her cheeks, and whispering to him, as though he could +understand their trouble, that they were about to leave their home +forever. + +Then Diccon Bowman carried him out into the strangeness of the winter +midnight. + +Outside, beyond the frozen moat, where the osiers, stood stark and stiff +in their winter nakedness, was a group of dark figures waiting for them +with horses. In the pallid moonlight Myles recognized the well-known +face of Father Edward, the Prior of St. Mary's. + +After that came a long ride through that silent night upon the +saddle-bow in front of Diccon Bowman; then a deep, heavy sleep, that +fell upon him in spite of the galloping of the horses. + +When next he woke the sun was shining, and his home and his whole life +were changed. + + + +CHAPTER 2 + +From the time the family escaped from Falworth Castle that midwinter +night to the time Myles was sixteen years old he knew nothing of the +great world beyond Crosbey-Dale. A fair was held twice in a twelvemonth +at the market-town of Wisebey, and three times in the seven years old +Diccon Bowman took the lad to see the sights at that place. Beyond these +three glimpses of the outer world he lived almost as secluded a life as +one of the neighboring monks of St. Mary's Priory. + +Crosbey-Holt, their new home, was different enough from Falworth or +Easterbridge Castle, the former baronial seats of Lord Falworth. It was +a long, low, straw-thatched farm-house, once, when the church lands were +divided into two holdings, one of the bailiff's houses. All around were +the fruitful farms of the priory, tilled by well-to-do tenant holders, +and rich with fields of waving grain, and meadow-lands where sheep and +cattle grazed in flocks and herds; for in those days the church lands +were under church rule, and were governed by church laws, and there, +when war and famine and waste and sloth blighted the outside world, +harvests flourished and were gathered, and sheep were sheared and cows +were milked in peace and quietness. + +The Prior of St. Mary's owed much if not all of the church's prosperity +to the blind Lord Falworth, and now he was paying it back with a haven +of refuge from the ruin that his former patron had brought upon himself +by giving shelter to Sir John Dale. + +I fancy that most boys do not love the grinding of school life--the +lessons to be conned, the close application during study hours. It is +not often pleasant to brisk, lively lads to be so cooped up. I wonder +what the boys of to-day would have thought of Myles's training. With him +that training was not only of the mind, but of the body as well, and for +seven years it was almost unremitting. “Thou hast thine own way to +make in the world, sirrah,” his father said more than once when the boy +complained of the grinding hardness of his life, and to make one's way +in those days meant a thousand times more than it does now; it meant not +only a heart to feel and a brain to think, but a hand quick and strong +to strike in battle, and a body tough to endure the wounds and blows in +return. And so it was that Myles's body as well as his mind had to be +trained to meet the needs of the dark age in which he lived. + +Every morning, winter or summer, rain or shine he tramped away six long +miles to the priory school, and in the evenings his mother taught him +French. + +Myles, being prejudiced in the school of thought of his day, rebelled +not a little at that last branch of his studies. “Why must I learn that +vile tongue?” said he. + +“Call it not vile,” said the blind old Lord, grimly; “belike, when thou +art grown a man, thou'lt have to seek thy fortune in France land, for +England is haply no place for such as be of Falworth blood.” And in +after-years, true to his father's prediction, the “vile tongue” served +him well. + +As for his physical training, that pretty well filled up the hours +between his morning studies at the monastery and his evening studies +at home. Then it was that old Diccon Bowman took him in hand, than whom +none could be better fitted to shape his young body to strength and his +hands to skill in arms. The old bowman had served with Lord Falworth's +father under the Black Prince both in France and Spain, and in long +years of war had gained a practical knowledge of arms that few could +surpass. Besides the use of the broadsword, the short sword, the +quarter-staff, and the cudgel, he taught Myles to shoot so skilfully +with the long-bow and the cross-bow that not a lad in the country-side +was his match at the village butts. Attack and defence with the lance, +and throwing the knife and dagger were also part of his training. + +Then, in addition to this more regular part of his physical training, +Myles was taught in another branch not so often included in the military +education of the day--the art of wrestling. It happened that a fellow +lived in Crosbey village, by name Ralph-the-Smith, who was the greatest +wrestler in the country-side, and had worn the champion belt for three +years. Every Sunday afternoon, in fair weather, he came to teach Myles +the art, and being wonderfully adept in bodily feats, he soon grew so +quick and active and firm-footed that he could cast any lad under twenty +years of age living within a range of five miles. + +“It is main ungentle armscraft that he learneth,” said Lord Falworth one +day to Prior Edward. “Saving only the broadsword, the dagger, and the +lance, there is but little that a gentleman of his strain may use. +Neth'less, he gaineth quickness and suppleness, and if he hath true +blood in his veins he will acquire knightly arts shrewdly quick when the +time cometh to learn them.” + +But hard and grinding as Myles's life was, it was not entirely without +pleasures. There were many boys living in Crosbey-Dale and the village; +yeomen's and farmers' sons, to be sure, but, nevertheless, lads of his +own age, and that, after all, is the main requirement for friendship in +boyhood's world. Then there was the river to bathe in; there were the +hills and valleys to roam over, and the wold and woodland, with their +wealth of nuts and birds'-nests and what not of boyhood's treasures. + +Once he gained a triumph that for many a day was very sweet under the +tongue of his memory. As was said before, he had been three times to the +market-town at fair-time, and upon the last of these occasions he had +fought a bout of quarterstaff with a young fellow of twenty, and had +been the conqueror. He was then only a little over fourteen years old. + +Old Diccon, who had gone with him to the fair, had met some cronies of +his own, with whom he had sat gossiping in the ale-booth, leaving Myles +for the nonce to shift for himself. By-and-by the old man had noticed +a crowd gathered at one part of the fair-ground, and, snuffing a fight, +had gone running, ale-pot in hand. Then, peering over the shoulders of +the crowd, he had seen his young master, stripped to the waist, fighting +like a gladiator with a fellow a head taller than himself. Diccon was +about to force his way through the crowd and drag them asunder, but a +second look had showed his practised eye that Myles was not only holding +his own, but was in the way of winning the victory. So he had stood with +the others looking on, withholding himself from any interference and +whatever upbraiding might be necessary until the fight had been brought +to a triumphant close. Lord Falworth never heard directly of the +redoubtable affair, but old Diccon was not so silent with the common +folk of Crosbey-Dale, and so no doubt the father had some inkling of +what had happened. It was shortly after this notable event that Myles +was formally initiated into squirehood. His father and mother, as was +the custom, stood sponsors for him. By them, each bearing a lighted +taper, he was escorted to the altar. It was at St. Mary's Priory, and +Prior Edward blessed the sword and girded it to the lad's side. No +one was present but the four, and when the good Prior had given the +benediction and had signed the cross upon his forehead, Myles's mother +stooped and kissed his brow just where the priest's finger had drawn the +holy sign. Her eyes brimmed bright with tears as she did so. Poor +lady! perhaps she only then and for the first time realized how big her +fledgling was growing for his nest. Henceforth Myles had the right to +wear a sword. + + +Myles had ended his fifteenth year. He was a bonny lad, with brown face, +curling hair, a square, strong chin, and a pair of merry laughing +blue eyes; his shoulders were broad; his chest was thick of girth; his +muscles and thews were as tough as oak. + +The day upon which he was sixteen years old, as he came whistling home +from the monastery school he was met by Diccon Bowman. + +“Master Myles,” said the old man, with a snuffle in his voice--“Master +Myles, thy father would see thee in his chamber, and bade me send thee +to him as soon as thou didst come home. Oh, Master Myles, I fear me that +belike thou art going to leave home to-morrow day.” + +Myles stopped short. “To leave home!” he cried. + +“Aye,” said old Diccon, “belike thou goest to some grand castle to +live there, and be a page there and what not, and then, haply, a +gentleman-at-arms in some great lord's pay.” + +“What coil is this about castles and lords and gentlemen-at-arms?” said +Myles. “What talkest thou of, Diccon? Art thou jesting?” + +“Nay,” said Diccon, “I am not jesting. But go to thy father, and then +thou wilt presently know all. Only this I do say, that it is like thou +leavest us to-morrow day.” + +And so it was as Diccon had said; Myles was to leave home the very +next morning. He found his father and mother and Prior Edward together, +waiting for his coming. + +“We three have been talking it over this morning,” said his father, “and +so think each one that the time hath come for thee to quit this poor +home of ours. An thou stay here ten years longer, thou'lt be no more fit +to go then than now. To-morrow I will give thee a letter to my kinsman, +the Earl of Mackworth. He has thriven in these days and I have fallen +away, but time was that he and I were true sworn companions, and +plighted together in friendship never to be sundered. Methinks, as I +remember him, he will abide by his plighted troth, and will give thee +his aid to rise in the world. So, as I said, to-morrow morning thou +shalt set forth with Diccon Bowman, and shall go to Castle Devlen, and +there deliver this letter which prayeth him to give thee a place in his +household. Thou mayst have this afternoon to thyself to make read such +things as thou shalt take with thee. And bid me Diccon to take the gray +horse to the village and have it shod.” + +Prior Edward had been standing looking out of the window. As Lord +Falworth ended he turned. + +“And, Myles,” said he, “thou wilt need some money, so I will give thee +as a loan forty shillings, which some day thou mayst return to me an +thou wilt. For this know, Myles, a man cannot do in the world without +money. Thy father hath it ready for thee in the chest, and will give it +thee to-morrow ere thou goest.” + +Lord Falworth had the grim strength of manhood's hard sense to upbear +him in sending his son into the world, but the poor lady mother had +nothing of that to uphold her. No doubt it was as hard then as it is +now for the mother to see the nestling thrust from the nest to shift for +itself. What tears were shed, what words of love were spoken to the only +man-child, none but the mother and the son ever knew. + +The next morning Myles and the old bowman rode away, and no doubt to +the boy himself the dark shadows of leave-taking were lost in the golden +light of hope as he rode out into the great world to seek his fortune. + + + +CHAPTER 3 + +WHAT MYLES remembered of Falworth loomed great and grand and big, as +things do in the memory of childhood, but even memory could not make +Falworth the equal of Devlen Castle, when, as he and Diccon Bowman rode +out of Devlentown across the great, rude stone bridge that spanned the +river, he first saw, rising above the crowns of the trees, those +huge hoary walls, and the steep roofs and chimneys clustered thickly +together, like the roofs and chimneys of a town. + +The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which was +enclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides by a +loop-like bend of the river, and on the fourth was protected by a deep, +broad, artificial moat, almost as wide as the stream from which it was +fed. The road from the town wound for a little distance along by the +edge of this moat. As Myles and the old bowman galloped by, with the +answering echo of their horses' hoof-beats rattling back from the smooth +stone face of the walls, the lad looked up, wondering at the height and +strength of the great ancient fortress. In his air-castle building Myles +had pictured the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time comrade +in arms--receiving him, perhaps, with somewhat of the rustic warmth that +he knew at Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared at those massive walls +from below, and realized his own insignificance and the greatness of +this great Earl, he felt the first keen, helpless ache of homesickness +shoot through his breast, and his heart yearned for Crosbey-Holt again. + +Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and through +the dark shadows of the great gaping gate-way, and Diccon, bidding him +stay for a moment, rode forward to bespeak the gate-keeper. + +The gate-keeper gave the two in charge of one of the men-at-arms who +were lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave them into +the care of one of the house-servants in the outer court-yard. So, +having been passed from one to another, and having answered many +questions, Myles in due time found himself in the outer waiting-room +sitting beside Diccon Bowman upon a wooden bench that stood along the +wall under the great arch of a glazed window. + +For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was aware +of people coming and going; he was aware of talk and laughter sounding +around him; but he thought of nothing but his aching homesickness and +the oppression of his utter littleness in the busy life of this great +castle. + +Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge interest, +every now and then nudging his young master, calling his attention now +to this and now to that, until at last the lad began to awaken somewhat +from his despondency to the things around. Besides those servants and +others who came and went, and a knot of six or eight men-at-arms with +bills and pole-axes, who stood at the farther door-way talking together +in low tones, now and then broken by a stifled laugh, was a group of +four young squires, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden by +an arras, and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. Three +of the four were about his own age, one was a year or two older, and +all four were dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform of the house of +Beaumont. + +Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. “Be they squires, Diccon?” said +he, nodding towards the door. + +“Eh?” said Diccon. “Aye; they be squires.” + +“And will my station be with them?” asked the boy. + +“Aye; an the Earl take thee to service, thou'lt haply be taken as +squire.” + +Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the young men +were talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed him askance, and +spoke now and then in one another's ears. One of the four, a gay young +fellow, with long riding-boots laced with green laces, said a few words, +the others gave a laugh, and poor Myles, knowing how ungainly he must +seem to them, felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned his +head. + +Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had just +created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across the +room to where Myles and the bowman sat. + +“Give thee good-den,” said he. “What be'st thy name and whence comest +thou, an I may make bold so to ask?” + +“My name is Myles Falworth,” said Myles; “and I come from Crosbey-Dale +bearing a letter to my Lord.” + +“Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale,” said the squire. “But what seekest +here, if so be I may ask that much?” + +“I come seeking service,” said Myles, “and would enter as an esquire +such as ye be in my Lord's household.” + +Myles's new acquaintance grinned. “Thou'lt make a droll squire to wait +in a Lord's household,” said he. “Hast ever been in such service?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, “I have only been at school, and learned Latin and +French and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me use of arms.” + +The young squire laughed outright. “By'r Lady, thy talk doth tickle +me, friend Myles,” said he. “Think'st thou such matters will gain thee +footing here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that thou hadst a letter to +my Lord. From whom is it?” + +“It is from my father,” said Myles. “He is of noble blood, but fallen in +estate. He is a kinsman of my Lord's, and one time his comrade in arms.” + +“Sayst so?” said the other. “Then mayhap thy chances are not so +ill, after all.” Then, after a moment, he added: “My name is Francis +Gascoyne, and I will stand thy friend in this matter. Get thy letter +ready, for my Lord and his Grace of York are within and come forth anon. +The Archbishop is on his way to Dalworth, and my Lord escorts him so far +as Uppingham. I and those others are to go along. Dost thou know my Lord +by sight?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, “I know him not.” + +“Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!” said he, as a confused +clattering sounded in the court-yard without. “Yonder are the horses +now. They come presently. Busk thee with thy letter, friend Myles.” + +The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went more +hurriedly, and Myles knew that the Earl must be about to come forth. +He had hardly time to untie his pouch, take out the letter, and tie the +strings again when the arras at the door-way was thrust suddenly aside, +and a tall thin squire of about twenty came forth, said some words to +the young men upon the bench, and then withdrew again. Instantly the +squires arose and took their station beside the door-way. A sudden hush +fell upon all in the room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line against +the wall, stiff and erect as though all at once transformed to figures +of iron. Once more the arras was drawn back, and in the hush Myles heard +voices in the other room. + +“My Lord cometh,” whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt his +heart leap in answer. + +The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a crowd +of gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a dignitary of the +Church; the other Myles instantly singled out as the Earl of Mackworth. + + + +CHAPTER 4 + +He was a tall man, taller even than Myles's father. He had a thin +face, deep-set bushy eyebrows, and a hawk nose. His upper lip was clean +shaven, but from his chin a flowing beard of iron-gray hung nearly to +his waist. He was clad in a riding-gown of black velvet that hung a +little lower than the knee, trimmed with otter fur and embroidered with +silver goshawks--the crest of the family of Beaumont. + +A light shirt of link mail showed beneath the gown as he walked, and a +pair of soft undressed leather riding-boots were laced as high as the +knee, protecting his scarlet hose from mud and dirt. Over his shoulders +he wore a collar of enamelled gold, from which hung a magnificent +jewelled pendant, and upon his fist he carried a beautiful Iceland +falcon. + +As Myles stood staring, he suddenly heard Gascoyne's voice whisper in +his ear, “Yon is my Lord; go forward and give him thy letter.” + +Scarcely knowing what he did, he walked towards the Earl like a machine, +his heart pounding within him and a great humming in his ears. As he +drew near, the nobleman stopped for a moment and stared at him, and +Myles, as in a dream, kneeled, and presented the letter. The Earl took +it in his hand, turned it this way and that, looked first at the bearer, +then at the packet, and then at the bearer again. + +“Who art thou?” said he; “and what is the matter thou wouldst have of +me?” + +“I am Myles Falworth,” said the lad, in a low voice; “and I come seeking +service with you.” + +The Earl drew his thick eyebrows quickly together, and shot a keen +look at the lad. “Falworth?” said he, sharply--“Falworth? I know no +Falworth!” + +“The letter will tell you,” said Myles. “It is from one once dear to +you.” + +The Earl took the letter, and handing it to a gentleman who stood near, +bade him break the seal. “Thou mayst stand,” said he to Myles; “needst +not kneel there forever.” Then, taking the opened parchment again, he +glanced first at the face and then at the back, and, seeing its length, +looked vexed. Then he read for an earnest moment or two, skipping from +line to line. Presently he folded the letter and thrust it into the +pouch at his side. “So it is, your Grace,” said he to the lordly +prelate, “that we who have luck to rise in the world must ever suffer by +being plagued at all times and seasons. Here is one I chanced to know a +dozen years ago, who thinks he hath a claim upon me, and saddles me +with his son. I must e'en take the lad, too, for the sake of peace and +quietness.” He glanced around, and seeing Gascoyne, who had drawn near, +beckoned to him. “Take me this fellow,” said he, “to the buttery, and +see him fed; and then to Sir James Lee, and have his name entered in the +castle books. And stay, sirrah,” he added; “bid me Sir James, if it may +be so done, to enter him as a squire-at-arms. Methinks he will be better +serving so than in the household, for he appeareth a soothly rough cub +for a page.” + +Myles did look rustic enough, standing clad in frieze in the midst of +that gay company, and a murmur of laughter sounded around, though he +was too bewildered to fully understand that he was the cause of the +merriment. Then some hand drew him back--it was Gascoyne's--there was a +bustle of people passing, and the next minute they were gone, and +Myles and old Diccon Bowman and the young squire were left alone in the +anteroom. + +Gascoyne looked very sour and put out. “Murrain upon it!” said he; “here +is good sport spoiled for me to see thee fed. I wish no ill to thee, +friend, but I would thou hadst come this afternoon or to-morrow.” + +“Methinks I bring trouble and dole to every one,” said Myles, somewhat +bitterly. “It would have been better had I never come to this place, +methinks.” + +His words and tone softened Gascoyne a little. “Ne'er mind,” said the +squire; “it was not thy fault, and is past mending now. So come and fill +thy stomach, in Heaven's name.” + +Perhaps not the least hard part of the whole trying day for Myles +was his parting with Diccon. Gascoyne and he had accompanied the old +retainer to the outer gate, in the archway of which they now stood; for +without a permit they could go no farther. The old bowman led by the +bridle-rein the horse upon which Myles had ridden that morning. His own +nag, a vicious brute, was restive to be gone, but Diccon held him in +with tight rein. He reached down, and took Myles's sturdy brown hand in +his crooked, knotted grasp. + +“Farewell, young master,” he croaked, tremulously, with a watery glimmer +in his pale eyes. “Thou wilt not forget me when I am gone?” + +“Nay,” said Myles; “I will not forget thee.” + +“Aye, aye,” said the old man, looking down at him, and shaking his head +slowly from side to side; “thou art a great tall sturdy fellow now, yet +have I held thee on my knee many and many's the time, and dandled thee +when thou wert only a little weeny babe. Be still, thou devil's limb!” + he suddenly broke off, reining back his restive raw-boned steed, +which began again to caper and prance. Myles was not sorry for the +interruption; he felt awkward and abashed at the parting, and at the old +man's reminiscences, knowing that Gascoyne's eyes were resting amusedly +upon the scene, and that the men-at-arms were looking on. Certainly +old Diccon did look droll as he struggled vainly with his vicious +high-necked nag. “Nay, a murrain on thee! an' thou wilt go, go!” cried +he at last, with a savage dig of his heels into the animal's ribs, +and away they clattered, the led-horse kicking up its heels as a final +parting, setting Gascoyne fairly alaughing. At the bend of the road the +old man turned and nodded his head; the next moment he had disappeared +around the angle of the wall, and it seemed to Myles, as he stood +looking after him, as though the last thread that bound him to his +old life had snapped and broken. As he turned he saw that Gascoyne was +looking at him. + +“Dost feel downhearted?” said the young squire, curiously. + +“Nay,” said Myles, brusquely. Nevertheless his throat was tight and dry, +and the word came huskily in spite of himself. + + + +CHAPTER 5 + +THE EARL of Mackworth, as was customary among the great lords in those +days, maintained a small army of knights, gentlemen, men-at-arms, and +retainers, who were expected to serve him upon all occasions of need, +and from whom were supplied his quota of recruits to fill such levies as +might be made upon him by the King in time of war. + +The knights and gentlemen of this little army of horse and foot soldiers +were largely recruited from the company of squires and bachelors, as the +young novitiate soldiers of the castle were called. + +This company of esquires consisted of from eighty to ninety lads, +ranging in age from eight to twenty years. Those under fourteen years +were termed pages, and served chiefly the Countess and her waiting +gentlewomen, in whose company they acquired the graces and polish of the +times, such as they were. After reaching the age of fourteen the lads +were entitled to the name of esquire or squire. + +In most of the great houses of the time the esquires were the especial +attendants upon the Lord and Lady of the house, holding such positions +as body-squires, cup-bearers, carvers, and sometimes the office of +chamberlain. But Devlen, like some other of the princely castles of the +greatest nobles, was more like a military post or a fortress than an +ordinary household. Only comparatively few of the esquires could be +used in personal attendance upon the Earl; the others were trained +more strictly in arms, and served rather in the capacity of a sort of +body-guard than as ordinary squires. For, as the Earl rose in power and +influence, and as it so became well worth while for the lower nobility +and gentry to enter their sons in his family, the body of squires became +almost cumbersomely large. Accordingly, that part which comprised the +squires proper, as separate from the younger pages, was divided into +three classes--first, squires of the body, who were those just past +pagehood, and who waited upon the Earl in personal service; second, +squires of the household, who, having regular hours assigned for +exercise in the manual of arms, were relieved from personal service +excepting upon especial occasions; and thirdly and lastly, at the head +of the whole body of lads, a class called bachelors--young men ranging +from eighteen to twenty years of age. This class was supposed to +exercise a sort of government over the other and younger squires--to +keep them in order as much as possible, to marshal them upon occasions +of importance, to see that their arms and equipments were kept in good +order, to call the roll for chapel in the morning, and to see that those +not upon duty in the house were present at the daily exercise at arms. +Orders to the squires were generally transmitted through the bachelors, +and the head of that body was expected to make weekly reports of affairs +in their quarters to the chief captain of the body. + +From this overlordship of the bachelors there had gradually risen a +system of fagging, such as is or was practised in the great English +public schools--enforced services exacted from the younger lads--which +at the time Myles came to Devlen had, in the five or six years it had +been in practice, grown to be an absolute though unwritten law of the +body--a law supported by all the prestige of long-continued usage. At +that time the bachelors numbered but thirteen, yet they exercised over +the rest of the sixty-four squires and pages a rule of iron, and were +taskmasters, hard, exacting, and oftentimes cruel. + +The whole company of squires and pages was under the supreme command of +a certain one-eyed knight, by name Sir James Lee; a soldier seasoned by +the fire of a dozen battles, bearing a score of wounds won in fight and +tourney, and withered by hardship and labor to a leather-like toughness. +He had fought upon the King's side in all the late wars, and had at +Shrewsbury received a wound that unfitted him for active service, so +that now he was fallen to the post of Captain of Esquires at Devlen +Castle--a man disappointed in life, and with a temper imbittered by that +failure as well as by cankering pain. + +Yet Perhaps no one could have been better fitted for the place he held +than Sir James Lee. The lads under his charge were a rude, rough, unruly +set, quick, like their elders, to quarrel, and to quarrel fiercely, even +to the drawing of sword or dagger. But there was a cold, iron sternness +about the grim old man that quelled them, as the trainer with a lash of +steel might quell a den of young wolves. The apartments in which he was +lodged, with his clerk, were next in the dormitory of the lads, and +even in the midst of the most excited brawlings the distant sound of his +harsh voice, “Silence, messieurs!” would bring an instant hush to the +loudest uproar. + +It was into his grim presence that Myles was introduced by Gascoyne. +Sir James was in his office, a room bare of ornament or adornment or +superfluous comfort of any sort--without even so much as a mat of rushes +upon the cold stone pavement to make it less cheerless. The old one-eyed +knight sat gnawing his bristling mustaches. To anyone who knew him it +would have been apparent that, as the castle phrase went, “the devil sat +astride of his neck,” which meant that some one of his blind wounds was +aching more sorely than usual. + +His clerk sat beside him, with account-books and parchment spread upon +the table, and the head squire, Walter Blunt, a lad some three or four +years older than Myles, and half a head taller, black-browed, powerfully +built, and with cheek and chin darkened by the soft budding of his +adolescent beard, stood making his report. + +Sir James listened in grim silence while Gascoyne told his errand. + +“So, then, pardee, I am bid to take another one of ye, am I?” he +snarled. “As though ye caused me not trouble enow; and this one a cub, +looking a very boor in carriage and breeding. Mayhap the Earl thinketh I +am to train boys to his dilly-dally household service as well as to use +of arms.” + +“Sir,” said Gascoyne, timidly, “my Lord sayeth he would have this one +entered direct as a squire of the body, so that he need not serve in the +household.” + +“Sayest so?” cried Sir James, harshly. “Then take thou my message back +again to thy Lord. Not for Mackworth--no, nor a better man than he--will +I make any changes in my government. An I be set to rule a pack of boys, +I will rule them as I list, and not according to any man's bidding. +Tell him, sirrah, that I will enter no lad as squire of the body without +first testing an he be fit at arms to hold that place.” He sat for a +while glowering at Myles and gnawing his mustaches, and for the time +no one dared to break the grim silence. “What is thy name?” said he, +suddenly. And then, almost before Myles could answer, he asked the head +squire whether he could find a place to lodge him. + +“There is Gillis Whitlock's cot empty,” said Blunt. “He is in the +infirmary, and belike goeth home again when he cometh thence. The fever +hath gotten into his bones, and--” + +“That will do,” said the knight, interrupting him impatiently. “Let him +take that place, or any other that thou hast. And thou, Jerome,” said he +to his clerk, “thou mayst enter him upon the roll, though whether it be +as page or squire or bachelor shall be as I please, and not as Mackworth +biddeth me. Now get ye gone.” + +“Old Bruin's wound smarteth him sore,” Gascoyne observed, as the two +lads walked across the armory court. He had good-naturedly offered to +show the new-comer the many sights of interest around the castle, and in +the hour or so of ramble that followed, the two grew from acquaintances +to friends with a quickness that boyhood alone can bring about. They +visited the armory, the chapel, the stables, the great hall, the Painted +Chamber, the guard-house, the mess-room, and even the scullery and the +kitchen, with its great range of boilers and furnaces and ovens. Last of +all Myles's new friend introduced him to the armor-smithy. + +“My Lord hath sent a piece of Milan armor thither to be repaired,” said +he. “Belike thou would like to see it.” + +“Aye,” said Myles, eagerly, “that would I.” + +The smith was a gruff, good-natured fellow, and showed the piece of +armor to Myles readily and willingly enough. It was a beautiful bascinet +of inlaid workmanship, and was edged with a rim of gold. Myles scarcely +dared touch it; he gazed at it with an unconcealed delight that warmed +the smith's honest heart. + +“I have another piece of Milan here,” said he. “Did I ever show thee my +dagger, Master Gascoyne?” + +“Nay,” said the squire. + +The smith unlocked a great oaken chest in the corner of the shop, lifted +the lid, and brought thence a beautiful dagger with the handle of ebony +and silver-gilt, and a sheath of Spanish leather, embossed and gilt. +The keen, well-tempered blade was beautifully engraved and inlaid +with niello-work, representing a group of figures in a then popular +subject--the dance of Death. It was a weapon at once unique and +beautiful, and even Gascoyne showed an admiration scarcely less keen +than Myles's openly-expressed delight. + +“To whom doth it belong?” said he, trying the point upon his thumb nail. + +“There,” said the smith, “is the jest of the whole, for it belongeth +to me. Sir William Beauclerk bade me order the weapon through Master +Gildersworthy, of London town, and by the time it came hither, lo! he +had died, and so it fell to my hands. No one here payeth the price for +the trinket, and so I must e'en keep it myself, though I be but a poor +man.” + +“How much dost thou hold it for?” said Gascoyne. + +“Seventeen shillings buyeth it,” said the armorer, carelessly. + +“Aye, aye,” said Gascoyne, with a sigh; “so it is to be poor, and not be +able to have such things as one loveth and would fain possess. Seventeen +shillings is nigh as much by half again as all my yearly wage.” + +Then a sudden thought came to Myles, and as it came his cheeks glowed +as hot as fire “Master Gascoyne,” said he, with gruff awkwardness, +“thou hast been a very good, true friend to me since I have come to this +place, and hast befriended me in all ways thou mightest do, and I, as +well I know, but a poor rustic clod. Now I have forty shillings by me +which I may spend as I list, and so I do beseech thee that thou wilt +take yon dagger of me as a love-gift, and have and hold it for thy very +own.” + +Gascoyne stared open-mouthed at Myles. “Dost mean it?” said he, at last. + +“Aye,” said Myles, “I do mean it. Master Smith, give him the blade.” + +At first the smith grinned, thinking it all a jest; but he soon saw that +Myles was serious enough, and when the seventeen shillings were produced +and counted down upon the anvil, he took off his cap and made Myles a +low bow as he swept them into his pouch. “Now, by my faith and troth,” + quoth he, “that I do call a true lordly gift. Is it not so, Master +Gascoyne?” + +“Aye,” said Gascoyne, with a gulp, “it is, in soothly earnest.” And +thereupon, to Myles's great wonderment, he suddenly flung his arms about +his neck, and, giving him a great hug, kissed him upon the cheek. “Dear +Myles,” said he, “I tell thee truly and of a verity I did feel warm +towards thee from the very first time I saw thee sitting like a poor oaf +upon the bench up yonder in the anteroom, and now of a sooth I give thee +assurance that I do love thee as my own brother. Yea, I will take the +dagger, and will stand by thee as a true friend from this time forth. +Mayhap thou mayst need a true friend in this place ere thou livest long +with us, for some of us esquires be soothly rough, and knocks are more +plenty here than broad pennies, so that one new come is like to have a +hard time gaining a footing.” + +“I thank thee,” said Myles, “for thy offer of love and friendship, and +do tell thee, upon my part, that I also of all the world would like best +to have thee for my friend.” + +Such was the manner In which Myles formed the first great friendship of +his life, a friendship that was destined to last him through many years +to come. As the two walked back across the great quadrangle, upon which +fronted the main buildings of the castle, their arms were wound across +one another's shoulders, after the manner, as a certain great writer +says, of boys and lovers. + + + +CHAPTER 6 + +A boy's life is of a very flexible sort. It takes but a little while for +it to shape itself to any new surroundings in which it may be thrown, to +make itself new friends, to settle itself to new habits; and so it was +that Myles fell directly into the ways of the lads of Devlen. On his +first morning, as he washed his face and hands with the other squires +and pages in a great tank of water in the armory court-yard, he +presently found himself splashing and dashing with the others, laughing +and shouting as loud as any, and calling some by their Christian names +as though he had known them for years instead of overnight. During +chapel he watched with sympathetic delight the covert pranks of the +youngsters during the half-hour that Father Emmanuel droned his Latin, +and with his dagger point he carved his own name among the many cut +deep into the back of the bench before him. When, after breakfast, the +squires poured like school-boys into the great armory to answer to the +roll-call for daily exercise, he came storming in with the rest, beating +the lad in front of him with his cap. + +Boys are very keen to feel the influence of a forceful character. A lad +with a strong will is quick to reach his proper level as a greater or +lesser leader among the others, and Myles was of just the masterful +nature to make his individuality felt among the Devlen squires. He was +quick enough to yield obedience upon all occasions to proper authority, +but would never bend an inch to the usurpation of tyranny. In the school +at St. Mary's Priory at Crosbey-Dale he would submit without a murmur or +offer of resistance to chastisement by old Father Ambrose, the +regular teacher; but once, when the fat old monk was sick, and a great +long-legged strapping young friar, who had temporarily taken his place, +undertook to administer punishment, Myles, with a wrestling trip, flung +him sprawling backward over a bench into the midst of a shoal of small +boys amid a hubbub of riotous confusion. He had been flogged soundly +for it under the supervision of Prior Edward himself; but so soon as +his punishment was over, he assured the prior very seriously that should +like occasion again happen he would act in the same manner, flogging or +no flogging. + +It was this bold, outspoken spirit that gained him at once friends and +enemies at Devlen, and though it first showed itself in what was but a +little matter, nevertheless it set a mark upon him that singled him out +from the rest, and, although he did not suspect it at the time, called +to him the attention of Sir James Lee himself, who regarded him as a lad +of free and frank spirit. + +The first morning after the roll-call in the armory, as Walter Blunt, +the head bachelor, rolled up the slip of parchment, and the temporary +silence burst forth into redoubled noise and confusion, each lad arming +himself from a row of racks that stood along the wall, he beckoned Myles +to him. + +“My Lord himself hath spoken to Sir James Lee concerning thee,” said he. +“Sir James maintaineth that he will not enter thee into the body till +thou hast first practised for a while at the pels, and shown what thou +canst do at broadsword. Hast ever fought at the pel?” + +“Aye,” answered Myles, “and that every day of my life sin I became +esquire four years ago, saving only Sundays and holy days.” + +“With shield and broadsword?” + +“Sometimes,” said Myles, “and sometimes with the short sword.” + +“Sir James would have thee come to the tilt-yard this morn; he himself +will take thee in hand to try what thou canst do. Thou mayst take the +arms upon yonder rack, and use them until otherwise bidden. Thou seest +that the number painted above it on the wall is seventeen; that will be +thy number for the nonce.” + +So Myles armed himself from his rack as the others were doing from +theirs. The armor was rude and heavy, used to accustom the body to the +weight of the iron plates rather than for any defence. It consisted of +a cuirass, or breastplate of iron, opening at the side with hinges, and +catching with hooks and eyes; epauliers, or shoulder-plates; arm-plates +and leg-pieces; and a bascinet, or open-faced helmet. A great triangular +shield covered with leather and studded with bosses of iron, and a heavy +broadsword, pointed and dulled at the edges, completed the equipment. + +The practice at the pels which Myles was bidden to attend comprised the +chief exercise of the day with the esquires of young cadet soldiers of +that time, and in it they learned not only all the strokes, cuts, and +thrusts of sword-play then in vogue, but also toughness, endurance, and +elastic quickness. The pels themselves consisted of upright posts of +ash or oak, about five feet six inches in height, and in girth somewhat +thicker than a man's thigh. They were firmly planted in the ground, and +upon them the strokes of the broadsword were directed. + +At Devlen the pels stood just back of the open and covered tilting +courts and the archery ranges, and thither those lads not upon household +duty were marched every morning excepting Fridays and Sundays, and were +there exercised under the direction of Sir James Lee and two assistants. +The whole company was divided into two, sometimes into three parties, +each of which took its turn at the exercise, delivering at the word +of command the various strokes, feints, attacks, and retreats as the +instructors ordered. + +After five minutes of this mock battle the perspiration began to pour +down the faces, and the breath to come thick and short; but it was not +until the lads could absolutely endure no more that the order was given +to rest, and they were allowed to fling themselves panting upon the +ground, while another company took its place at the triple row of posts. + +As Myles struck and hacked at the pel assigned to him, Sir James Lee +stood beside him watching him in grim silence. The lad did his best to +show the knight all that he knew of upper cut, under cut, thrust, and +back-hand stroke, but it did not seem to him that Sir James was very +well satisfied with his skill. + +“Thou fightest like a clodpole,” said the old man. “Ha, that stroke +was but ill-recovered. Strike me it again, and get thou in guard more +quickly.” + +Myles repeated the stroke. + +“Pest!” cried Sir James. “Thou art too slow by a week. Here, strike thou +the blow at me.” + +Myles hesitated. Sir James held a stout staff in his hand, but otherwise +he was unarmed. + +“Strike, I say!” said Sir James. “What stayest thou for? Art afeard?” + +It was Myles's answer that set the seal of individuality upon him. +“Nay,” said he, boldly, “I am not afeard. I fear not thee nor any man!” + So saying, he delivered the stroke at Sir James with might and main. It +was met with a jarring blow that made his wrist and arm tingle, and the +next instant he received a stroke upon the bascinet that caused his ears +to ring and the sparks to dance and fly before his eyes. + +“Pardee!” said Sir James, grimly. “An I had had a mace in my hand, I +would have knocked thy cockerel brains out that time. Thou mayst take +that blow for answering me so pertly. And now we are quits. Now strike +me the stroke again an thou art not afeard.” + +Myles's eyes watered in spite of himself, and he shut the lids tight to +wink the dimness away. Nevertheless he spoke up undauntedly as before. +“Aye, marry, will I strike it again,” said he; and this time he was +able to recover guard quickly enough to turn Sir James's blow with his +shield, instead of receiving it upon his head. + +“So!” said Sir James. “Now mind thee of this, that when thou strikest +that lower cut at the legs, recover thyself more quickly. Now, then, +strike me it at the pel.” + +Gascoyne and other of the lads who were just then lying stretched out +upon the grass beneath, a tree at the edge of the open court where stood +the pels, were interested spectators of the whole scene. Not one of them +in their memory had heard Sir James so answered face to face as Myles +had answered him, and, after all, perhaps the lad himself would not +have done so had he been longer a resident in the squires' quarters at +Devlen. + +“By 'r Lady! thou art a cool blade, Myles,” said Gascoyne, as they +marched back to the armory again. “Never heard I one bespeak Sir James +as thou hast done this day.” + +“And, after all,” said another of the young squires, “old Bruin was not +so ill-pleased, methinks. That was a shrewd blow he fetched thee on the +crown, Falworth. Marry, I would not have had it on my own skull for a +silver penny.” + + + +CHAPTER 7 + +So little does it take to make a body's reputation. + +That night all the squires' quarters buzzed with the story of how the +new boy, Falworth, had answered Sir James Lee to his face without fear, +and had exchanged blows with him hand to hand. Walter Blunt himself was +moved to some show of interest. + +“What said he to thee, Falworth?” asked he. + +“He said naught,” said Myles, brusquely. “He only sought to show me how +to recover from the under cut.” + +“It is passing strange that he should take so much notice of thee as to +exchange blows with thee with his own hand. Haply thou art either very +quick or parlous slow at arms.” + +“It is quick that he is,” said Gascoyne, speaking up in his friend's +behalf. “For the second time that Falworth delivered the stroke, Sir +James could not reach him to return; so I saw with mine own eyes.” + +But that very sterling independence that had brought Myles so creditably +through this adventure was certain to embroil him with the rude, +half-savage lads about him, some of whom, especially among the +bachelors, were his superiors as well in age as in skill and training. +As said before, the bachelors had enforced from the younger boys a +fagging sort of attendance on their various personal needs, and it was +upon this point that Myles first came to grief. As it chanced, several +days passed before any demand was made upon him for service to the heads +of the squirehood, but when that demand was made, the bachelors were +very quick to see that the boy who was bold enough to speak up to Sir +James Lee was not likely to be a willing fag for them. + +“I tell thee, Francis,” he said, as Gascoyne and he talked over the +matter one day--“I tell thee I will never serve them. Prithee, what +shame can be fouler than to do such menial service, saving for one's +rightful Lord?” + +“Marry!” quoth Gascoyne; “I reason not of shame at this or that. All I +know is that others serve them who are haply as good and maybe better +than I be, and that if I do not serve them I get knocked i' th' head +therefore, which same goeth soothly against my stomach.” + +“I judge not for thee,” said Myles. “Thou art used to these castle +ways, but only I know that I will not serve them, though they be thirty +against me instead of thirteen.” + +“Then thou art a fool,” said Gascoyne, dryly. + +Now in this matter of service there was one thing above all others that +stirred Myles Falworth's ill-liking. The winter before he had come to +Devlen, Walter Blunt, who was somewhat of a Sybarite in his way, and who +had a repugnance to bathing in the general tank in the open armory court +in frosty weather, had had Dick Carpenter build a trough in the corner +of the dormitory for the use of the bachelors, and every morning it was +the duty of two of the younger squires to bring three pails of water to +fill this private tank for the use of the head esquires. It was seeing +two of his fellow-esquires fetching and carrying this water that Myles +disliked so heartily, and every morning his bile was stirred anew at the +sight. + +“Sooner would I die than yield to such vile service,” said he. + +He did not know how soon his protestations would be put to the test. + +One night--it was a week or two after Myles had come to Devlen--Blunt +was called to attend the Earl at livery. The livery was the last meal of +the day, and was served with great pomp and ceremony about nine o'clock +at night to the head of the house as he lay in bed. Curfew had not yet +rung, and the lads in the squires' quarters were still wrestling and +sparring and romping boisterously in and out around the long row of rude +cots in the great dormitory as they made ready for the night. Six or +eight flaring links in wrought-iron brackets that stood out from the +wall threw a great ruddy glare through the barrack-like room--a light of +all others to romp by. Myles and Gascoyne were engaged in defending the +passage-way between their two cots against the attack of three other +lads, and Myles held his sheepskin coverlet rolled up into a ball and +balanced in his hand, ready for launching at the head of one of the +others so soon as it should rise from behind the shelter of a cot. Just +then Walter Blunt, dressed with more than usual care, passed by on his +way to the Earl's house. He stopped for a moment and said, “Mayhaps I +will not be in until late to-night. Thou and Falworth, Gascoyne, may +fetch water to-morrow.” + +Then he was gone. Myles stood staring after his retreating figure with +eyes open and mouth agape, still holding the ball of sheepskin balanced +in his hand. Gascoyne burst into a helpless laugh at his blank, +stupefied face, but the next moment he laid his hand on his friend's +shoulder. + +“Myles,” he said, “thou wilt not make trouble, wilt thou?” + +Myles made no answer. He flung down his sheepskin and sat him gloomily +down upon the side of the cot. + +“I said that I would sooner die than fetch water for them,” said he. + +“Aye, aye,” said Gascoyne; “but that was spoken in haste.” + +Myles said nothing, but shook his head. + +But, after all, circumstances shape themselves. The next morning when he +rose up through the dark waters of sleep it was to feel some one shaking +him violently by the shoulder. + +“Come!” cried Gascoyne, as Myles opened his eyes--“come, time passeth, +and we are late.” + +Myles, bewildered with his sudden awakening, and still fuddled with the +fumes of sleep, huddled into his doublet and hose, hardly knowing what +he was doing; tying a point here and a point there, and slipping +his feet into his shoes. Then he hurried after Gascoyne, frowzy, +half-dressed, and even yet only half-awake. It was not until he was +fairly out into the fresh air and saw Gascoyne filling the three +leathern buckets at the tank, that he fully awakened to the fact that he +was actually doing that hateful service for the bachelors which he had +protested he would sooner die than render. + +The sun was just rising, gilding the crown of the donjon-keep with a +flame of ruddy light. Below, among the lesser buildings, the day was +still gray and misty. Only an occasional noise broke the silence of the +early morning: a cough from one of the rooms; the rattle of a pot or +a pan, stirred by some sleepy scullion; the clapping of a door or a +shutter, and now and then the crowing of a cock back of the long row of +stables--all sounding loud and startling in the fresh dewy stillness. + +“Thou hast betrayed me,” said Myles, harshly, breaking the silence at +last. “I knew not what I was doing, or else I would never have come +hither. Ne'theless, even though I be come, I will not carry the water +for them.” + +“So be it,” said Gascoyne, tartly. “An thou canst not stomach it, +let be, and I will e'en carry all three myself. It will make me two +journeys, but, thank Heaven, I am not so proud as to wish to get me +hard knocks for naught.” So saying, he picked up two of the buckets and +started away across the court for the dormitory. + +Then Myles, with a lowering face, snatched up the third, and, hurrying +after, gave him his hand with the extra pail. So it was that he came to +do service, after all. + +“Why tarried ye so long?” said one of the older bachelors, roughly, as +the two lads emptied the water into the wooden trough. He sat on the +edge of the cot, blowzed and untrussed, with his long hair tumbled and +disordered. + +His dictatorial tone stung Myles to fury. “We tarried no longer than +need be,” answered he, savagely. “Have we wings to fly withal at your +bidding?” + +He spoke so loudly that all in the room heard him; the younger squires +who were dressing stared in blank amazement, and Blunt sat up suddenly +in his cot. + +“Why, how now?” he cried. “Answerest thou back thy betters so pertly, +sirrah? By my soul, I have a mind to crack thy head with this clog for +thy unruly talk.” + +He glared at Myles as he spoke, and Myles glared back again with right +good-will. Matters might have come to a crisis, only that Gascoyne and +Wilkes dragged their friend away before he had opportunity to answer. + +“An ill-conditioned knave as ever I did see,” growled Blunt, glaring +after him. + +“Myles, Myles,” said Gascoyne, almost despairingly, “why wilt thou +breed such mischief for thyself? Seest thou not thou hast got thee +the ill-will of every one of the bachelors, from Wat Blunt to Robin de +Ramsey?” + +“I care not,” said Myles, fiercely, recurring to his grievance. “Heard +ye not how the dogs upbraided me before the whole room? That Blunt +called me an ill-conditioned knave.” + +“Marry!” said Gascoyne, laughing, “and so thou art.” + +Thus it is that boldness may breed one enemies as well as gain one +friends. My own notion is that one's enemies are more quick to act than +one's friends. + + + +CHAPTER 8 + +Every one knows the disagreeable, lurking discomfort that follows a +quarrel--a discomfort that imbitters the very taste of life for the time +being. Such was the dull distaste that Myles felt that morning after +what had passed in the dormitory. Every one in the proximity of such +an open quarrel feels a reflected constraint, and in Myles's mind was a +disagreeable doubt whether that constraint meant disapproval of him or +of his late enemies. + +It seemed to him that Gascoyne added the last bitter twang to his +unpleasant feelings when, half an hour later, they marched with the +others to chapel. + +“Why dost thou breed such trouble for thyself, Myles?” said he, +recurring to what he had already said. “Is it not foolish for thee to +come hither to this place, and then not submit to the ways thereof, as +the rest of us do?” + +“Thou talkest not like a true friend to chide me thus,” said Myles, +sullenly; and he withdrew his arm from his friend's. + +“Marry, come up!” said Gascoyne; “an I were not thy friend, I would let +thee jog thine own way. It aches not my bones to have thine drubbed.” + +Just then they entered the chapel, and words that might have led to a +quarrel were brought to a close. + +Myles was not slow to see that he had the ill will of the head of their +company. That morning in the armory he had occasion to ask some question +of Blunt; the head squire stared coldly at him for a moment, gave him a +short, gruff answer, and then, turning his back abruptly, began talking +with one of the other bachelors. Myles flushed hot at the other's +insulting manner, and looked quickly around to see if any of the others +had observed what had passed. It was a comfort to him to see that all +were too busy arming themselves to think of anything else; nevertheless, +his face was very lowering as he turned away. + +“Some day I will show him that I am as good a man as he,” he muttered to +himself. “An evil-hearted dog to put shame upon me!” + +The storm was brewing and ready to break. + + +That day was exceptionally hot and close, and permission had been asked +by and granted to those squires not on duty to go down to the river for +a bath after exercise at the pels. But as Myles replaced his arms in +the rack, a little page came with a bidding to come to Sir James in his +office. + +“Look now,” said Myles, “here is just my ill-fortune. Why might he not +have waited an hour longer rather than cause me to miss going with ye?” + +“Nay,” said Gascoyne, “let not that grieve thee, Myles. Wilkes and I +will wait for thee in the dormitory--will we not, Edmund? Make thou +haste and go to Sir James.” + +Sir James was sitting at the table studying over a scroll of parchment, +when Myles entered his office and stood before him at the table. + +“Well, boy,” said he, laying aside the parchment and looking up at the +lad, “I have tried thee fairly for these few days, and may say that I +have found thee worthy to be entered upon the rolls as esquire of the +body.” + +“I give thee thanks, sir,” said Myles. + +The knight nodded his head in acknowledgement, but did not at once give +the word of dismissal that Myles had expected. “Dost mean to write thee +a letter home soon?” said he, suddenly. + +“Aye,” said Myles, gaping in great wonderment at the strangeness of the +question. + +“Then when thou dost so write,” said Sir James, “give thou my deep +regards to thy father.” Then he continued, after a brief pause. “Him did +I know well in times gone by, and we were right true friends in hearty +love, and for his sake I would befriend thee--that is, in so much as is +fitting.” + +“Sir,” said Myles; but Sir James held up his hand, and he stopped short +in his thanks. + +“But, boy,” said he, “that which I sent for thee for to tell thee was of +more import than these. Dost thou know that thy father is an attainted +outlaw?” + +“Nay,” cried Myles, his cheeks blazing up as red as fire; “who sayeth +that of him lieth in his teeth.” + +“Thou dost mistake me,” said Sir James, quietly. “It is sometimes no +shame to be outlawed and banned. Had it been so, I would not have told +thee thereof, nor have bidden thee send my true love to thy father, as +I did but now. But, boy, certes he standest continually in great +danger--greater than thou wottest of. Were it known where he lieth hid, +it might be to his undoing and utter ruin. Methought that belike thou +mightest not know that; and so I sent for thee for to tell thee that it +behoovest thee to say not one single word concerning him to any of these +new friends of thine, nor who he is, nor what he is.” + +“But how came my father to be so banned?” said Myles, in a constrained +and husky voice, and after a long time of silence. + +“That I may not tell thee just now,” said the old knight, “only +this--that I have been bidden to make it known to thee that thy father +hath an enemy full as powerful as my Lord the Earl himself, and +that through that enemy all his ill-fortune--his blindness and +everything--hath come. Moreover, did this enemy know where thy father +lieth, he would slay him right speedily.” + +“Sir,” cried Myles, violently smiting his open palm upon the table, +“tell me who this man is, and I will kill him!” + +Sir James smiled grimly. “Thou talkest like a boy,” said he. “Wait until +thou art grown to be a man. Mayhap then thou mayst repent thee of these +bold words, for one time this enemy of thy father's was reckoned the +foremost knight in England, and he is now the King's dear friend and a +great lord.” + +“But,” said Myles, after another long time of heavy silence, “will not +my Lord then befriend me for the sake of my father, who was one time his +dear comrade?” + +Sir James shook his head. “It may not be,” said he. “Neither thou nor +thy father must look for open favor from the Earl. An he befriended +Falworth, and it came to be known that he had given him aid or succor, +it might belike be to his own undoing. No, boy; thou must not even look +to be taken into the household to serve with gentlemen as the other +squires do serve, but must even live thine own life here and fight thine +own way.” + +Myles's eyes blazed. “Then,” cried he, fiercely, “it is shame and +attaint upon my Lord the Earl, and cowardice as well, and never will I +ask favor of him who is so untrue a friend as to turn his back upon a +comrade in trouble as he turneth his back upon my father.” + +“Thou art a foolish boy,” said Sir James with a bitter smile, “and +knowest naught of the world. An thou wouldst look for man to befriend +man to his own danger, thou must look elsewhere than on this earth. Was +I not one time Mackworth's dear friend as well as thy father? It could +cost him naught to honor me, and here am I fallen to be a teacher of +boys. Go to! thou art a fool.” + +Then, after a little pause of brooding silence, he went on to say that +the Earl was no better or worse than the rest of the world. That men of +his position had many jealous enemies, ever seeking their ruin, and +that such must look first of all each to himself, or else be certainly +ruined, and drag down others in that ruin. Myles was silenced, but the +bitterness had entered his heart, and abided with him for many a day +afterwards. + +Perhaps Sir James read his feelings in his frank face, for he sat +looking curiously at him, twirling his grizzled mustache the while. +“Thou art like to have hard knocks of it, lad, ere thou hast gotten thee +safe through the world,” said he, with more kindness in his harsh voice +than was usual. “But get thee not into fights before thy time.” Then he +charged the boy very seriously to live at peace with his fellow-squires, +and for his father's sake as well as his own to enter into none of the +broils that were so frequent in their quarters. + +It was with this special admonition against brawling that Myles was +dismissed, to enter, before five minutes had passed, into the first +really great fight of his life. + + +Besides Gascoyne and Wilkes, he found gathered in the dormitory six +or eight of the company of squires who were to serve that day upon +household duty; among others, Walter Blunt and three other bachelors, +who were changing their coarse service clothes for others more fit for +the household. + +“Why didst thou tarry so long, Myles?” said Gascoyne, as he entered. +“Methought thou wert never coming.” + +“Where goest thou, Falworth?” called Blunt from the other end of the +room, where he was lacing his doublet. + +Just now Myles had no heart in the swimming or sport of any sort, but he +answered, shortly, “I go to the river to swim.” + +“Nay,” said Blunt, “thou goest not forth from the castle to-day. Hast +thou forgot how thou didst answer me back about fetching the water +this morning? This day thou must do penance, so go thou straight to the +armory and scour thou up my breastplate.” + +From the time he had arisen that morning everything had gone wrong with +Myles. He had felt himself already outrated in rendering service to +the bachelors, he had quarrelled with the head of the esquires, he had +nearly quarrelled with Gascoyne, and then had come the bitterest and +worst of all, the knowledge that his father was an outlaw, and that +the Earl would not stretch out a hand to aid him or to give him any +countenance. Blunt's words brought the last bitter cut to his heart, +and they stung him to fury. For a while he could not answer, but stood +glaring with a face fairly convulsed with passion at the young man, who +continued his toilet, unconscious of the wrath of the new recruit. + +Gascoyne and Wilkes, accepting Myles's punishment as a thing of course, +were about to leave the dormitory when Myles checked them. + +“Stop, Francis!” he cried, hoarsely. “Thinkest thou that I will stay +behind to do yon dog's dirty work? No; I go with ye.” + +A moment or two of dumb, silent amazement followed his bold words; then +Blunt cried, “Art thou mad?” + +“Nay,” answered Myles in the same hoarse voice, “I am not mad. I tell +thee a better man than thou shouldst not stay me from going an I list to +go. + +“I will break thy cockerel head for that speech,” said Blunt, furiously. +He stooped as he spoke, and picked up a heavy clog that lay at his feet. + +It was no insignificant weapon either. The shoes of those days were +sometimes made of cloth, and had long pointed toes stuffed with tow or +wool. In muddy weather thick heavy clogs or wooden soles were strapped, +like a skate, to the bottom of the foot. That clog which Blunt had +seized was perhaps eighteen or twenty inches long, two or two and a half +inches thick at the heel, tapering to a point at the toe. As the older +lad advanced, Gascoyne stepped between him and his victim. + +“Do not harm him, Blunt,” he pleaded. “Bear thou in mind how new-come he +is among us. He knoweth not our ways as yet.” + +“Stand thou back, Gascoyne,” said Blunt, harshly, as he thrust him +aside. “I will teach him our ways so that he will not soon forget them.” + +Close to Myles's feet was another clog like that one which Blunt held. +He snatched it up, and set his back against the wall, with a white face +and a heart beating heavily and tumultuously, but with courage steeled +to meet the coming encounter. There was a hard, grim look in his blue +eyes that, for a moment perhaps, quelled the elder lad. He hesitated. +“Tom! Wat! Ned!” he called to the other bachelors, “come hither, and +lend me a hand with this knave.” + +“An ye come nigh me,” panted Myles, “I will brain the first within +reach.” + +Then Gascoyne dodged behind the others, and, without being seen, slipped +out of the room for help. + +The battle that followed was quick, sharp, and short. As Blunt strode +forward, Myles struck, and struck with might and main, but he was too +excited to deliver his blow with calculation. Blunt parried it with the +clog he held, and the next instant, dropping his weapon, gripped Myles +tight about the body, pinning his arms to his sides. + +Myles also dropped the clog he held, and, wrenching out his right +arm with a sudden heave, struck Blunt full in the face, and then with +another blow sent him staggering back. It all passed in an instant; the +next the three other bachelors were upon him, catching him by the body, +the arms, the legs. For a moment or two they swayed and stumbled hither +and thither, and then down they fell in a struggling heap. + +Myles fought like a wild-cat, kicking, struggling, scratching; striking +with elbows and fists. He caught one of the three by his collar, and +tore his jacket open from the neck to the waist; he drove his foot into +the pit of the stomach of another, and knocked him breathless. The other +lads not in the fight stood upon the benches and the beds around, but +such was the awe inspired by the prestige of the bachelors that not one +of them dared to lend hand to help him, and so Myles fought his fierce +battle alone. + +But four to one were odds too great, and though Myles struggled as +fiercely as ever, by-and-by it was with less and less resistance. + +Blunt had picked up the clog he had dropped when he first attacked the +lad, and now stood over the struggling heap, white with rage, the blood +running from his lip, cut and puffed where Myles had struck him, and +murder looking out from his face, if ever it looked out of the face of +any mortal being. + +“Hold him a little,” said he, fiercely, “and I will still him for you.” + +Even yet it was no easy matter for the others to do his bidding, but +presently he got his chance and struck a heavy, cruel blow at Myles's +head. Myles only partly warded it with his arm. Hitherto he had fought +in silence, now he gave a harsh cry. + +“Holy Saints!” cried Edmund Wilkes. “They will kill him.” + +Blunt struck two more blows, both of them upon the body, and then at +last they had the poor boy down, with his face upon the ground and his +arms pinned to his sides, and Blunt, bracing himself for the stroke, +with a grin of rage raised a heavy clog for one terrible blow that +should finish the fight. + + + +CHAPTER 9 + +“How now, messieurs?” said a harsh voice, that fell upon the turmoil +like a thunder-clap, and there stood Sir James Lee. Instantly the +struggle ceased, and the combatants scrambled to their feet. + +The older lads stood silent before their chief, but Myles was deaf and +blind and mad with passion, he knew not where he stood or what he said +or did. White as death, he stood for a while glaring about him, catching +his breath convulsively. Then he screamed hoarsely. + +“Who struck me? Who struck me when I was down? I will have his blood +that struck me!” He caught sight of Blunt. “It was he that struck me!” + he cried. “Thou foul traitor! thou coward!” and thereupon leaped at his +enemy like a wild-cat. + +“Stop!” cried Sir James Lee, clutching him by the arm. + +Myles was too blinded by his fury to see who it was that held him. “I +will not stop!” he cried, struggling and striking at the knight. “Let me +go! I will have his life that struck me when I was down!” + +The next moment he found himself pinned close against the wall, and +then, as though his sight came back, he saw the grim face of the old +one-eyed knight looking into his. + +“Dost thou know who I am?” said a stern, harsh voice. + +Instantly Myles ceased struggling, and his arms fell at his side. “Aye,” + he said, in a gasping voice, “I know thee.” He swallowed spasmodically +for a moment or two, and then, in the sudden revulsion of feeling, burst +out sobbing convulsively. + +Sir James marched the two off to his office, he himself walking +between them, holding an arm of each, the other lads following behind, +awe-struck and silent. Entering the office, Sir James shut the door +behind him, leaving the group of squires clustered outside about the +stone steps, speculating in whispers as to what would be the outcome of +the matter. + +After Sir James had seated himself, the two standing facing him, he +regarded them for a while in silence. “How now, Walter Blunt,” said he +at last, “what is to do?” + +“Why, this,” said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip. “That fellow, Myles +Falworth, hath been breeding mutiny and revolt ever sin he came hither +among us, and because he was thus mutinous I would punish him therefor.” + +“In that thou liest!” burst out Myles. “Never have I been mutinous in my +life.” + +“Be silent, sir,” said Sir James, sternly. “I will hear thee anon.” + +“Nay,” said Myles, with his lips twitching and writhing, “I will not be +silent. I am friendless here, and ye are all against me, but I will not +be silent, and brook to have lies spoken of me.” + +Even Blunt stood aghast at Myles's boldness. Never had he heard any one +so speak to Sir James before. He did not dare for the moment even to +look up. Second after second of dead stillness passed, while Sir James +sat looking at Myles with a stern, terrifying calmness that chilled him +in spite of the heat of his passion. + +“Sir,” said the old man at last, in a hard, quiet voice, “thou dost know +naught of rules and laws of such a place as this. Nevertheless, it +is time for thee to learn them. So I will tell thee now that if thou +openest thy lips to say only one single word more except at my bidding, +I will send thee to the black vault of the donjon to cool thy hot +spirits on bread and water for a week.” There was something in the +measured quietness of the old knight's tone that quelled Myles utterly +and entirely. A little space of silence followed. “Now, then, Blunt,” + said Sir James, turning to the bachelor, “tell me all the ins and outs +of this business without any more underdealing.” + +This time Blunt's story, though naturally prejudiced in his own favor, +was fairly true. Then Myles told his side of the case, the old knight +listening attentively. + +“Why, how now, Blunt,” said Sir James, when Myles had ended, “I myself +gave the lads leave to go to the river to bathe. Wherefore shouldst thou +forbid one of them?” + +“I did it but to punish this fellow for his mutiny,” said the bachelor. +“Methought we at their head were to have oversight concerning them.” + +“So ye are,” said the knight; “but only to a degree. Ere ye take it upon +ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye first to me. Dost +thou understand?” + +“Aye,” answered Blunt, sullenly. + +“So be it, and now get thee gone,” said the knight; “and let me hear no +more of beating out brains with wooden clogs. An ye fight your battles, +let there not be murder in them. This is twice that the like hath +happed; gin I hear more of such doings--” He did utter his threat, but +stopped short, and fixed his one eye sternly upon the head squire. “Now +shake hands, and be ye friends,” said he, abruptly. + +Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him. + +“Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck me while I was down.” + +“So be it,” said the knight, grimly. “Now thou mayst go, Blunt. Thou, +Falworth, stay; I would bespeak thee further.” + +“Tell me,” said he, when the elder lad had left them, “why wilt thou not +serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is the custom here. +Why wilt thou not obey it?” + +“Because,” said Myles, “I cannot stomach it, and they shall not make me +serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but not at their +command.” + +“Nay,” said the knight, “I do not bid thee do them service. That lieth +with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But how canst thou hope +to fight single-handed against the commands of a dozen lads all older +and mightier than thou?” + +“I know not,” said Myles; “but were they an hundred, instead of +thirteen, they should not make me serve them.” + +“Thou art a fool!” said the old knight, smiling faintly, “for that be'st +not courage, but folly. When one setteth about righting a wrong, one +driveth not full head against it, for in so doing one getteth naught but +hard knocks. Nay, go deftly about it, and then, when the time is ripe, +strike the blow. Now our beloved King Henry, when he was the Earl of +Derby, what could he have gained had he stood so against the old King +Richard, brooking the King face to face? I tell thee he would have been +knocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day. Now were +I thee, and had to fight a fight against odds, I would first get me +friends behind me, and then--” He stopped short, but Myles understood +him well enough. + +“Sir,” said he, with a gulp, “I do thank thee for thy friendship, and +ask thy pardon for doing as I did anon.” + +“I grant thee pardon,” said the knight, “but tell thee plainly, an thou +dost face me so again, I will truly send thee to the black cell for a +week. Now get thee away.” + +All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth, save only the +faithful Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay with his +friend; and perhaps that little act of self-denial moved Myles more than +many a great thing might have done. + +“It was right kind of thee, Francis,” said he, laying his hand +affectionately on his friend's shoulder. “I know not why thou lovest me +so.” + +“Why, for one thing, this matter,” answered his friend; “because +methinks thou art the best fighter and the bravest one of all of us +squires.” + +Myles laughed. Nevertheless Gascoyne's words were a soothing balm for +much that had happened that day. “I will fight me no more just now,” + said he; and then he told his friend all that Sir James had advised +about biding his time. + +Gascoyne blew a long whistle. “Beshrew me!” quoth he, “but methinks old +Bruin is on thy side of the quarrel, Myles. An that be so, I am with +thee also, and others that I can name as well.” + +“So be it,” said Myles. “Then am I content to abide the time when we may +become strong enough to stand against them.” + + + +CHAPTER 10 + +Perhaps there is nothing more delightful in the romance of boyhood than +the finding of some secret hiding-place whither a body may creep away +from the bustle of the world's life, to nestle in quietness for an hour +or two. More especially is such delightful if it happen that, by +peeping from out it, one may look down upon the bustling matters of +busy every-day life, while one lies snugly hidden away unseen by any, as +though one were in some strange invisible world of one's own. + +Such a hiding-place as would have filled the heart of almost any boy +with sweet delight Myles and Gascoyne found one summer afternoon. They +called it their Eyry, and the name suited well for the roosting-place +of the young hawks that rested in its windy stillness, looking down upon +the shifting castle life in the courts below. + +Behind the north stable, a great, long, rambling building, thick-walled, +and black with age, lay an older part of the castle than that peopled +by the better class of life--a cluster of great thick walls, rudely but +strongly built, now the dwelling-place of stable-lads and hinds, swine +and poultry. From one part of these ancient walls, and fronting an inner +court of the castle, arose a tall, circular, heavy-buttressed tower, +considerably higher than the other buildings, and so mantled with a +dense growth of aged ivy as to stand a shaft of solid green. Above its +crumbling crown circled hundreds of pigeons, white and pied, clapping +and clattering in noisy flight through the sunny air. Several windows, +some closed with shutters, peeped here and there from out the leaves, +and near the top of the pile was a row of arched openings, as though of +a balcony or an airy gallery. + +Myles had more than once felt an idle curiosity about this tower, and +one day, as he and Gascoyne sat together, he pointed his finger and +said, “What is yon place?” + +“That,” answered Gascoyne, looking over his shoulder--“that they call +Brutus Tower, for why they do say that Brutus he built it when he came +hither to Britain. I believe not the tale mine own self; ne'theless, it +is marvellous ancient, and old Robin-the-Fletcher telleth me that there +be stairways built in the wall and passage-ways, and a maze wherein +a body may get lost, an he know not the way aright, and never see the +blessed light of day again.” + +“Marry,” said Myles, “those same be strange sayings. Who liveth there +now?” + +“No one liveth there,” said Gascoyne, “saving only some of the stable +villains, and that half-witted goose-herd who flung stones at us +yesterday when we mocked him down in the paddock. He and his wife and +those others dwell in the vaults beneath, like rabbits in any warren. No +one else hath lived there since Earl Robert's day, which belike was +an hundred years agone. The story goeth that Earl Robert's brother--or +step-brother--was murdered there, and some men say by the Earl himself. +Sin that day it hath been tight shut.” + +Myles stared at the tower for a while in silence. “It is a +strange-seeming place from without,” said he, at last, “and mayhap it +may be even more strange inside. Hast ever been within, Francis?” + +“Nay,” said Gascoyne; “said I not it hath been fast locked since Earl +Robert's day?” + +“By'r Lady,” said Myles, “an I had lived here in this place so long as +thou, I wot I would have been within it ere this.” + +“Beshrew me,” said Gascoyne, “but I have never thought of such a +matter.” He turned and looked at the tall crown rising into the warm +sunlight with a new interest, for the thought of entering it smacked +pleasantly of adventure. “How wouldst thou set about getting within?” + said he, presently. + +“Why, look,” said Myles; “seest thou not yon hole in the ivy branches? +Methinks there is a window at that place. An I mistake not, it is in +reach of the stable eaves. A body might come up by the fagot pile to the +roof of the hen-house, and then by the long stable to the north stable, +and so to that hole.” + +Gascoyne looked thoughtfully at the Brutus Tower, and then suddenly +inquired, “Wouldst go there?” + +“Aye,” said Myles, briefly. + +“So be it. Lead thou the way in the venture, I will follow after thee,” + said Gascoyne. + +As Myles had said, the climbing from roof to roof was a matter easy +enough to an active pair of lads like themselves; but when, by-and-by, +they reached the wall of the tower itself, they found the hidden window +much higher from the roof than they had judged from below--perhaps ten +or twelve feet--and it was, besides, beyond the eaves and out of their +reach. + +Myles looked up and looked down. Above was the bushy thickness of the +ivy, the branches as thick as a woman's wrist, knotted and intertwined; +below was the stone pavement of a narrow inner court between two of the +stable buildings. + +“Methinks I can climb to yon place,” said he. + +“Thou'lt break thy neck an thou tryest,” said Gascoyne, hastily. + +“Nay,” quoth Myles, “I trust not; but break or make, we get not there +without trying. So here goeth for the venture.” + +“Thou art a hare-brained knave as ever drew breath of life,” quoth +Gascoyne, “and will cause me to come to grief some of these fine days. +Ne'theless, an thou be Jack Fool and lead the way, go, and I will be Tom +Fool and follow anon. If thy neck is worth so little, mine is worth no +more.” + +It was indeed a perilous climb, but that special providence which guards +reckless lads befriended them, as it has thousands of their kind before +and since. So, by climbing from one knotted, clinging stem to another, +they were presently seated snugly in the ivied niche in the window. It +was barred from within by a crumbling shutter, the rusty fastening of +which, after some little effort upon the part of the two, gave way, and +entering the narrow opening, they found themselves in a small triangular +passage-way, from which a steep flight of stone steps led down through a +hollow in the massive wall to the room below. + +At the bottom of the steps was a heavy oaken door, which stood ajar, +hanging upon a single rusty hinge, and from the room within a dull, gray +light glimmered faintly. Myles pushed the door farther open; it creaked +and grated horribly on its rusty hinge, and, as in instant answer to +the discordant shriek, came a faint piping squeaking, a rustling and a +pattering of soft footsteps. + +“The ghosts!” cried Gascoyne, in a quavering whisper, and for a moment +Myles felt the chill of goose-flesh creep up and down his spine. But the +next moment he laughed. + +“Nay,” said he, “they be rats. Look at yon fellow, Francis! Be'st as big +as Mother Joan's kitten. Give me that stone.” He flung it at the rat, +and it flew clattering across the floor. There was another pattering +rustle of hundreds of feet, and then a breathless silence. + +The boys stood looking around them, and a strange enough sight it was. +The room was a perfect circle of about twenty feet across, and was +piled high with an indistinguishable mass of lumber--rude tables, ruder +chairs, ancient chests, bits and remnants of cloth and sacking and +leather, old helmets and pieces of armor of a by-gone time, broken +spears and pole-axes, pots and pans and kitchen furniture of all sorts +and kinds. + +A straight beam of sunlight fell through a broken shutter like a bar of +gold, and fell upon the floor in a long streak of dazzling light that +illuminated the whole room with a yellow glow. + +“By 'r Lady!” said Gascoyne at last, in a hushed voice, “here is Father +Time's garret for sure. Didst ever see the like, Myles? Look at yon +arbalist; sure Brutus himself used such an one!” + +“Nay,” said Myles; “but look at this saddle. Marry, here be'st a rat's +nest in it.” + +Clouds of dust rose as they rummaged among the mouldering mass, setting +them coughing and sneezing. Now and then a great gray rat would shoot +out beneath their very feet, and disappear, like a sudden shadow, into +some hole or cranny in the wall. + +“Come,” said Myles at last, brushing the dust from his jacket, “an we +tarry here longer we will have chance to see no other sights; the sun is +falling low.” + +An arched stair-way upon the opposite side of the room from which they +had entered wound upward through the wall, the stone steps being lighted +by narrow slits of windows cut through the massive masonry. Above the +room they had just left was another of the same shape and size, but with +an oak floor, sagging and rising into hollows and hills, where the joist +had rotted away beneath. It was bare and empty, and not even a rat +was to be seen. Above was another room; above that, another; all the +passages and stairways which connected the one story with the other +being built in the wall, which was, where solid, perhaps fifteen feet +thick. + +From the third floor a straight flight of steps led upward to a closed +door, from the other side of which shone the dazzling brightness of +sunlight, and whence came a strange noise--a soft rustling, a melodious +murmur. The boys put their shoulders against the door, which was +fastened, and pushed with might and main--once, twice; suddenly the +lock gave way, and out they pitched headlong into a blaze of sunlight. +A deafening clapping and uproar sounded in their ears, and scores of +pigeons, suddenly disturbed, rose in stormy flight. + +They sat up and looked around them in silent wonder. They were in a +bower of leafy green. It was the top story of the tower, the roof of +which had crumbled and toppled in, leaving it open to the sky, with only +here and there a slanting beam or two supporting a portion of the tiled +roof, affording shelter for the nests of the pigeons crowded closely +together. Over everything the ivy had grown in a mantling sheet--a +net-work of shimmering green, through which the sunlight fell +flickering. + +“This passeth wonder,” said Gascoyne, at last breaking the silence. + +“Aye,” said Myles, “I did never see the like in all my life.” Then, +“Look, yonder is a room beyond; let us see what it is, Francis.” + +Entering an arched door-way, the two found themselves in a beautiful +little vaulted chapel, about eighteen feet long and twelve or fifteen +wide. It comprised the crown of one of the large massive buttresses, and +from it opened the row of arched windows which could be seen from below +through the green shimmering of the ivy leaves. The boys pushed aside +the trailing tendrils and looked out and down. The whole castle lay +spread below them, with the busy people unconsciously intent upon the +matters of their daily work. They could see the gardener, with bowed +back, patiently working among the flowers in the garden, the stable-boys +below grooming the horses, a bevy of ladies in the privy garden playing +at shuttlecock with battledoors of wood, a group of gentlemen walking +up and down in front of the Earl's house. They could see the household +servants hurrying hither and thither, two little scullions at +fisticuffs, and a kitchen girl standing in the door-way scratching her +frowzy head. + +It was all like a puppetshow of real life, each acting unconsciously a +part in the play. The cool wind came in through the rustling leaves and +fanned their cheeks, hot with the climb up the winding stair-way. + +“We will call it our Eyry,” said Gascoyne “and we will be the hawks that +live here.” And that was how it got its name. + +The next day Myles had the armorer make him a score of large spikes, +which he and Gascoyne drove between the ivy branches and into the cement +of the wall, and so made a safe passageway by which to reach the window +niche in the wall. + + + +CHAPTER 11 + +THE TWO friends kept the secret of the Eyry to themselves for a little +while, now and then visiting the old tower to rummage among the lumber +stored in the lower room, or to loiter away the afternoon in the windy +solitudes of the upper heights. And in that little time, when the +ancient keep was to them a small world unknown to any but themselves--a +world far away above all the dull matters of every-day life--they talked +of many things that might else never have been known to one another. +Mostly they spoke the crude romantic thoughts and desires of boyhood's +time--chaff thrown to the wind, in which, however, lay a few stray +seeds, fated to fall to good earth, and to ripen to fruition in +manhood's day. + +In the intimate talks of that time Myles imparted something of his +honest solidity to Gascoyne's somewhat weathercock nature, and to +Myles's ruder and more uncouth character Gascoyne lent a tone of his +gentler manners, learned in his pagehood service as attendant upon the +Countess and her ladies. + +In other things, also, the character and experience of the one lad +helped to supply what was lacking in the other. Myles was replete with +old Latin gestes, fables, and sermons picked up during his school life, +in those intervals of his more serious studies when Prior Edward had +permitted him to browse in the greener pastures of the Gesta Romanorum +and the Disciplina Clericalis of the monastery library, and Gascoyne was +never weary of hearing him tell those marvellous stories culled from the +crabbed Latin of the old manuscript volumes. + +Upon his part Gascoyne was full of the lore of the waiting-room and +the antechamber, and Myles, who in all his life had never known a lady, +young or old, excepting his mother, was never tired of lying silently +listening to Gascoyne's chatter of the gay doings of the castle +gentle-life, in which he had taken part so often in the merry days of +his pagehood. + +“I do wonder,” said Myles, quaintly, “that thou couldst ever find the +courage to bespeak a young maid, Francis. Never did I do so, nor ever +could. Rather would I face three strong men than one young damsel.” + +Whereupon Gascoyne burst out laughing. “Marry!” quoth he, “they be +no such terrible things, but gentle and pleasant spoken, and soft and +smooth as any cat.” + +“No matter for that,” said Myles; “I would not face one such for +worlds.” + +It was during the short time when, so to speak, the two owned the +solitude of the Brutus Tower, that Myles told his friend of his father's +outlawry and of the peril in which the family stood. And thus it was. + +“I do marvel,” said Gascoyne one day, as the two lay stretched in the +Eyry, looking down into the castle court-yard below--“I do marvel, now +that thou art 'stablished here this month and more, that my Lord doth +never have thee called to service upon household duty. Canst thou riddle +me why it is so, Myles?” + +The subject was a very sore one with Myles. Until Sir James had told him +of the matter in his office that day he had never known that his father +was attainted and outlawed. He had accepted the change from their +earlier state and the bald poverty of their life at Crosbey-Holt with +the easy carelessness of boyhood, and Sir James's words were the first +to awaken him to a realization of the misfortunes of the house of +Falworth. His was a brooding nature, and in the three or four weeks +that passed he had meditated so much over what had been told him, that +by-and-by it almost seemed as if a shadow of shame rested upon his +father's fair fame, even though the attaint set upon him was unrighteous +and unjust, as Myles knew it must be. He had felt angry and resentful +at the Earl's neglect, and as days passed and he was not noticed in any +way, his heart was at times very bitter. + +So now Gascoyne's innocent question touched a sore spot, and Myles spoke +with a sharp, angry pain in his voice that made the other look quickly +up. “Sooner would my Lord have yonder swineherd serve him in the +household than me,” said he. + +“Why may that be, Myles?” said Gascoyne. + +“Because,” answered Myles, with the same angry bitterness in his voice, +“either the Earl is a coward that feareth to befriend me, or else he is +a caitiff, ashamed of his own flesh and blood, and of me, the son of his +one-time comrade.” + +Gascoyne raised himself upon his elbow, and opened his eyes wide in +wonder. “Afeard of thee, Myles!” quoth he. “Why should he be afeared to +befriend thee? Who art thou that the Earl should fear thee?” + +Myles hesitated for a moment or two; wisdom bade him remain silent +upon the dangerous topic, but his heart yearned for sympathy and +companionship in his trouble. “I will tell thee,” said he, suddenly, +and therewith poured out all of the story, so far as he knew it, to his +listening, wondering friend, and his heart felt lighter to be thus eased +of its burden. “And now,” said he, as he concluded, “is not this Earl +a mean-hearted caitiff to leave me, the son of his one-time friend and +kinsman, thus to stand or to fall alone among strangers and in a +strange place without once stretching me a helping hand?” He waited, and +Gascoyne knew that he expected an answer. + +“I know not that he is a mean-hearted caitiff, Myles,” said he at last, +hesitatingly. “The Earl hath many enemies, and I have heard that he hath +stood more than once in peril, having been accused of dealings with +the King's foes. He was cousin to the Earl of Kent, and I do remember +hearing that he had a narrow escape at that time from ruin. There be +more reasons than thou wottest of why he should not have dealings with +thy father.” + +“I had not thought,” said Myles, bitterly, after a little pause, “that +thou wouldst stand up for him and against me in this quarrel, Gascoyne. +Him will I never forgive so long as I may live, and I had thought that +thou wouldst have stood by me.” + +“So I do,” said Gascoyne, hastily, “and do love thee more than any one +in all the world, Myles; but I had thought that it would make thee feel +more easy, to think that the Earl was not against thee. And, indeed, +from all thou has told me, I do soothly think that he and Sir James mean +to befriend thee and hold thee privily in kind regard.” + +“Then why doth he not stand forth like a man and befriend me and my +father openly, even if it be to his own peril?” said Myles, reverting +stubbornly to what he had first spoken. + +Gascoyne did not answer, but lay for a long while in silence. “Knowest +thou,” he suddenly asked, after a while, “who is this great enemy of +whom Sir James speaketh, and who seeketh so to drive thy father to +ruin?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, “I know not, for my father hath never spoken of these +things, and Sir James would not tell me. But this I know,” said he, +suddenly, grinding his teeth together, “an I do not hunt him out some +day and slay him like a dog--” He stopped abruptly, and Gascoyne, +looking askance at him, saw that his eyes were full of tears, whereupon +he turned his looks away again quickly, and fell to shooting pebbles out +through the open window with his finger and thumb. + +“Thou wilt tell no one of these things that I have said?” said Myles, +after a while. + +“Not I,” said Gascoyne. “Thinkest thou I could do such a thing?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, briefly. + +Perhaps this talk more than anything else that had ever passed between +them knit the two friends the closer together, for, as I have said, +Myles felt easier now that he had poured out his bitter thoughts and +words; and as for Gascoyne, I think that there is nothing so flattering +to one's soul as to be made the confidant of a stronger nature. + + +But the old tower served another purpose than that of a spot in which +to pass away a few idle hours, or in which to indulge the confidences of +friendship, for it was there that Myles gathered a backing of strength +for resistance against the tyranny of the bachelors, and it is for that +more than for any other reason that it has been told how they found the +place and of what they did there, feeling secure against interruption. + +Myles Falworth was not of a kind that forgets or neglects a thing upon +which the mind has once been set. Perhaps his chief objective since +the talk with Sir James following his fight in the dormitory had been +successful resistance to the exactions of the head of the body of +squires. He was now (more than a month had passed) looked upon by nearly +if not all of the younger lads as an acknowledged leader in his own +class. So one day he broached a matter to Gascoyne that had for some +time been digesting in his mind. It was the formation of a secret order, +calling themselves the “Knights of the Rose,” their meeting-place to be +the chapel of the Brutus Tower, and their object to be the righting +of wrongs, “as they,” said Myles, “of Arthur his Round-table did right +wrongs.” + +“But, prithee, what wrongs are there to right in this place?” quoth +Gascoyne, after listening intently to the plan which Myles set forth. + +“Why, first of all, this,” said Myles, clinching his fists, as he had a +habit of doing when anything stirred him deeply, “that we set those vile +bachelors to their right place; and that is, that they be no longer our +masters, but our fellows.” + +Gascoyne shook his head. He hated clashing and conflict above all +things, and was for peace. Why should they thus rush to thrust +themselves into trouble? Let matters abide as they were a little longer; +surely life was pleasant enough without turning it all topsy-turvy. +Then, with a sort of indignation, why should Myles, who had only come +among them a month, take such service more to heart than they who had +endured it for years? And, finally, with the hopefulness of so many of +the rest of us, he advised Myles to let matters alone, and they would +right themselves in time. + +But Myles's mind was determined; his active spirit could not brook +resting passively under a wrong; he would endure no longer, and now or +never they must make their stand. + +“But look thee, Myles Falworth,” said Gascoyne, “all this is not to +be done withouten fighting shrewdly. Wilt thou take that fighting upon +thine own self? As for me, I tell thee I love it not.” + +“Why, aye,” said Myles; “I ask no man to do what I will not do myself.” + +Gascoyne shrugged his shoulders. “So be it,” said he. “An thou hast +appetite to run thy head against hard knocks, do it i' mercy's name! I +for one will stand thee back while thou art taking thy raps.” + +There was a spirit of drollery in Gascoyne's speech that rubbed against +Myles's earnestness. + +“Out upon it!” cried he, his patience giving way. “Seest not that I +am in serious earnest? Why then dost thou still jest like Mad Noll, my +Lord's fool? An thou wilt not lend me thine aid in this matter, say so +and ha' done with it, and I will bethink me of somewhere else to turn.” + +Then Gascoyne yielded at once, as he always did when his friend lost his +temper, and having once assented to it, entered into the scheme heart +and soul. Three other lads--one of them that tall thin squire Edmund +Wilkes, before spoken of--were sounded upon the subject. They also +entered into the plan of the secret organization with an enthusiasm +which might perhaps not have been quite so glowing had they realized how +very soon Myles designed embarking upon active practical operations. +One day Myles and Gascoyne showed them the strange things that they +had discovered in the old tower--the inner staircases, the winding +passage-ways, the queer niches and cupboard, and the black shaft of a +well that pierced down into the solid wall, and whence, perhaps, the old +castle folk had one time drawn their supply of water in time of siege, +and with every new wonder of the marvellous place the enthusiasm of the +three recruits rose higher and higher. They rummaged through the lumber +pile in the great circular room as Myles and Gascoyne had done, and at +last, tired out, they ascended to the airy chapel, and there sat cooling +themselves in the rustling freshness of the breeze that came blowing +briskly in through the arched windows. + +It was then and there that the five discussed and finally determined +upon the detailed plans of their organization, canvassing the names of +the squirehood, and selecting from it a sufficient number of bold and +daring spirits to make up a roll of twenty names in all. + +Gascoyne had, as I said, entered into the matter with spirit, and +perhaps it was owing more to him than to any other that the project +caught its delightful flavor of romance. + +“Perchance,” said he, as the five lads lay in the rustling stillness +through which sounded the monotonous and ceaseless cooing of the +pigeons--“perchance there may be dwarfs and giants and dragons and +enchanters and evil knights and what not even nowadays. And who knows +but that if we Knights of the Rose hold together we may go forth into +the world, and do battle with them, and save beautiful ladies, and +have tales and gestes written about us as they are writ about the Seven +Champions and Arthur his Round-table.” + +Perhaps Myles, who lay silently listening to all that was said, was the +only one who looked upon the scheme at all in the light of real utility, +but I think that even with him the fun of the matter outweighed the +serious part of the business. + +So it was that the Sacred Order of the Twenty Knights of the Rose +came to be initiated. They appointed a code of secret passwords and +countersigns which were very difficult to remember, and which were only +used when they might excite the curiosity of the other and uninitiated +boys by their mysterious sound. They elected Myles as their Grand High +Commander, and held secret meetings in the ancient tower, where many +mysteries were soberly enacted. + +Of course in a day or two all the body of squires knew nearly everything +concerning the Knights of the Rose, and of their secret meetings in +the old tower. The lucky twenty were the objects of envy of all not so +fortunate as to be included in this number, and there was a marked air +of secrecy about everything they did that appealed to every romantic +notion of the youngsters looking on. What was the stormy outcome of it +all is now presently to be told. + + + +CHAPTER 12 + +Thus it was that Myles, with an eye to open war with the bachelors, +gathered a following to his support. It was some little while before +matters were brought to a crisis--a week or ten days. Perhaps even Myles +had no great desire to hasten matters. He knew that whenever war was +declared, he himself would have to bear the brunt of the battle, and +even the bravest man hesitates before deliberately thrusting himself +into a fight. + +One morning Myles and Gascoyne and Wilkes sat under the shade of two +trees, between which was a board nailed to the trunks, making a rude +bench--always a favorite lounging-place for the lads in idle moments. +Myles was polishing his bascinet with lard and wood-ashes, rubbing the +metal with a piece of leather, and wiping it clean with a fustian rag. +The other two, who had just been relieved from household duty, lay at +length idly looking on. + +Just then one of the smaller pages, a boy of twelve or thirteen, by name +Robin Ingoldsby, crossed the court. He had been crying; his face was red +and blubbered, and his body was still shaken with convulsive sniffs. + +Myles looked up. “Come hither, Robin,” he called from where he sat. +“What is to do?” + +The little fellow came slowly up to where the three rested in the shade. +“Mowbray beat me with a strap,” said he, rubbing his sleeve across his +eyes, and catching his breath at the recollection. + +“Beat thee, didst say?” said Myles, drawing his brows together. “Why did +he beat thee?” + +“Because,” said Robin, “I tarried overlong in fetching a pot of beer +from the buttery for him and Wyatt.” Then, with a boy's sudden and easy +quickness in forgetting past troubles, “Tell me, Falworth,” said he, +“when wilt thou give me that knife thou promised me--the one thou break +the blade of yesterday?” + +“I know not,” said Myles, bluntly, vexed that the boy did not take +the disgrace of his beating more to heart. “Some time soon, mayhap. Me +thinks thou shouldst think more of thy beating than of a broken knife. +Now get thee gone to thy business.” + +The youngster lingered for a moment or two watching Myles at his work. +“What is that on the leather scrap, Falworth?” said he, curiously. + +“Lard and ashes,” said Myles, testily. “Get thee gone, I say, or I +will crack thy head for thee;” and he picked up a block of wood, with a +threatening gesture. + +The youngster made a hideous grimace, and then scurried away, ducking +his head, lest in spite of Myles's well-known good-nature the block +should come whizzing after him. + +“Hear ye that now!” cried Myles, flinging down the block again and +turning to his two friends. “Beaten with straps because, forsooth, he +would not fetch and carry quickly enough to please the haste of these +bachelors. Oh, this passeth patience, and I for one will bear it no +longer.” + +“Nay, Myles,” said Gascoyne, soothingly, “the little imp is as lazy as a +dormouse and as mischievous as a monkey. I'll warrant the hiding was his +due, and that more of the like would do him good.” + +“Why, how dost thou talk, Francis!” said Myles, turning upon him +indignantly. “Thou knowest that thou likest to see the boy beaten no +more than I.” Then, after a meditative pause, “How many, think ye, we +muster of our company of the Rose today?” + +Wilkes looked doubtfully at Gascoyne. “There be only seventeen of us +here now,” said he at last. “Brinton and Lambourne are away to Roby +Castle in Lord George's train, and will not be back till Saturday next. +And Watt Newton is in the infirmary. + +“Seventeen be'st enou,” said Myles, grimly. “Let us get together this +afternoon, such as may, in the Brutus Tower, for I, as I did say, will +no longer suffer these vile bachelors.” + +Gascoyne and Wilkes exchanged looks, and then the former blew a long +whistle. + +So that afternoon a gloomy set of young faces were gathered together in +the Eyry--fifteen of the Knights of the Rose--and all knew why they were +assembled. The talk which followed was conducted mostly by Myles. He +addressed the others with a straightforward vim and earnestness, but the +response was only half-hearted, and when at last, having heated himself +up with his own fire, he sat down, puffing out his red cheeks and +glaring round, a space of silence followed, the lads looked doubtfully +at one another. Myles felt the chill of their silence strike coldly on +his enthusiasm, and it vexed him. + +“What wouldst thou do, Falworth?” said one of the knights, at last. +“Wouldst have us open a quarrel with the bachelors?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, gruffly. “I had thought that ye would all lend me a +hand in a pitched battle but now I see that ye ha' no stomach for that. +Ne'theless, I tell ye plainly I will not submit longer to the bachelors. +So now I will ask ye not to take any venture upon yourselves, but only +this: that ye will stand by me when I do my fighting, and not let five +or seven of them fall upon me at once. + +“There is Walter Blunt; he is parlous strong,” said one of the others, +after a time of silence. “Methinks he could conquer any two of us.” + +“Nay,” said Myles; “ye do fear him too greatly. I tell ye I fear not to +stand up to try battle with him and will do so, too, if the need arise. +Only say ye that ye will stand by my back.” + +“Marry,” said Gascoyne, quaintly, “an thou wilt dare take the heavy end +upon thee, I for one am willing to stand by and see that thou have thy +fill of fighting.” + +“I too will stand thee by, Myles,” said Edmund Wilkes. + +“And I, and I, and I,” said others, chiming in. + +Those who would still have held back were carried along by the stream, +and so it was settled that if the need should arise for Myles to do +a bit of fighting, the others should stand by to see that he had fair +play. + +“When thinkest thou that thou wilt take thy stand against them, Myles?” + asked Wilkes. + +Myles hesitated a moment. “To-morrow,” said he, grimly. + +Several of the lads whistled softly. + +Gascoyne was prepared for an early opening of the war, but perhaps not +for such an early opening as this. “By 'r Lady, Myles, thou art hungry +for brawling,” said he. + + + +CHAPTER 13 + +After the first excitement of meeting, discussing, and deciding had +passed, Myles began to feel the weight of the load he had so boldly +taken upon himself. He began to reckon what a serious thing it was for +him to stand as a single champion against the tyranny that had grown +so strong through years of custom. Had he let himself do so, he might +almost have repented, but it was too late now for repentance. He had +laid his hand to the plough, and he must drive the furrow. + +Somehow the news of impending battle had leaked out among the rest of +the body of squires, and a buzz of suppressed excitement hummed through +the dormitory that evening. The bachelors, to whom, no doubt, vague +rumors had been blown, looked lowering, and talked together in low +voices, standing apart in a group. Some of them made a rather marked +show of secreting knives in the straw of their beds, and no doubt it had +its effect upon more than one young heart that secretly thrilled at the +sight of the shining blades. However, all was undisturbed that evening. +The lights were put out, and the lads retired with more than usual +quietness, only for the murmur of whispering. + +All night Myles's sleep was more or less disturbed by dreams in which he +was now conquering, now being conquered, and before the day had fairly +broken he was awake. He lay upon his cot, keying himself up for the +encounter which he had set upon himself to face, and it would not be +the truth to say that the sight of those knives hidden in the straw +the night before had made no impression upon him. By-and-by he knew the +others were beginning to awake, for he heard them softly stirring, and +as the light grew broad and strong, saw them arise, one by one, and +begin dressing in the gray morning. Then he himself arose and put on his +doublet and hose, strapping his belt tightly about his waist; then he +sat down on the side of his cot. + +Presently that happened for which he was waiting; two of the younger +squires started to bring the bachelors' morning supply of water. As they +crossed the room Myles called to them in a loud voice--a little uneven, +perhaps: “Stop! We draw no more water for any one in this house, saving +only for ourselves. Set ye down those buckets, and go back to your +places!” + +The two lads stopped, half turned, and then stood still, holding the +three buckets undecidedly. + +In a moment all was uproar and confusion, for by this time every one +of the lads had arisen, some sitting on the edge of their beds, some +nearly, others quite dressed. A half-dozen of the Knights of the Rose +came over to where Myles stood, gathering in a body behind him and the +others followed, one after another. + +The bachelors were hardly prepared for such prompt and vigorous action. + +“What is to do?” cried one of them, who stood near the two lads with the +buckets. “Why fetch ye not the water?” + +“Falworth says we shall not fetch it,” answered one of the lads, a boy +by the name of Gosse. + +“What mean ye by that, Falworth?” the young man called to Myles. + +Myles's heart was beating thickly and heavily within him, but +nevertheless he spoke up boldly enough. “I mean,” said he, “that from +henceforth ye shall fetch and carry for yourselves.” + +“Look'ee, Blunt,” called the bachelor; “here is Falworth says they +squires will fetch no more water for us.” + +The head bachelor had heard all that had passed, and was even then +hastily slipping on his doublet and hose. “Now, then, Falworth,” said he +at last, striding forward, “what is to do? Ye will fetch no more water, +eh? By 'r Lady, I will know the reason why.” + +He was still advancing towards Myles, with two or three of the older +bachelors at his heels, when Gascoyne spoke. + +“Thou hadst best stand back, Blunt,” said he, “else thou mayst be hurt. +We will not have ye bang Falworth again as ye once did, so stand thou +back!” + +Blunt stopped short and looked upon the lads standing behind Myles, some +of them with faces a trifle pale perhaps, but all grim and determined +looking enough. Then he turned upon his heel suddenly, and walked back +to the far end of the dormitory, where the bachelors were presently +clustered together. A few words passed between them, and then the +thirteen began at once arming themselves, some with wooden clogs, +and some with the knives which they had so openly concealed the +night before. At the sign of imminent battle, all those not actively +interested scuttled away to right and left, climbing up on the benches +and cots, and leaving a free field to the combatants. The next moment +would have brought bloodshed. + +Now Myles, thanks to the training of the Crosbey-Dale smith, felt +tolerably sure that in a wrestling bout he was a match--perhaps more +than a match--for any one of the body of squires, and he had determined, +if possible, to bring the battle to a single-handed encounter upon that +footing. Accordingly he suddenly stepped forward before the others. + +“Look'ee, fellow,” he called to Blunt, “thou art he who struck me whilst +I was down some while since. Wilt thou let this quarrel stand between +thee and me, and meet me man to man without weapon? See, I throw me +down mine own, and will meet thee with bare hands.” And as he spoke, he +tossed the clog he held in his hand back upon the cot. + +“So be it,” said Blunt, with great readiness, tossing down a similar +weapon which he himself held. + +“Do not go, Myles,” cried Gascoyne, “he is a villain and a traitor, and +would betray thee to thy death. I saw him when he first gat from bed +hide a knife in his doublet.” + +“Thou liest!” said Blunt. “I swear, by my faith, I be barehanded as ye +see me! Thy friend accuses me, Myles Falworth, because he knoweth thou +art afraid of me.” + +“There thou liest most vilely!” exclaimed Myles. “Swear that thou hast +no knife, and I will meet thee.” + +“Hast thou not heard me say that I have no knife?” said Blunt. “What +more wouldst thou have?” + +“Then I will meet thee halfway,” said Myles. + +Gascoyne caught him by the sleeve, and would have withheld him, assuring +him that he had seen the bachelor conceal a knife. But Myles, hot for +the fight, broke away from his friend without listening to him. + +As the two advanced steadily towards one another a breathless silence +fell upon the dormitory in sharp contrast to the uproar and confusion +that had filled it a moment before. The lads, standing some upon +benches, some upon beds, all watched with breathless interest the +meeting of the two champions. + +As they approached one another they stopped and stood for a moment a +little apart, glaring the one upon the other. They seemed ill enough +matched; Blunt was fully half a head taller than Myles, and was +thick-set and close-knit in young manhood. Nothing but Myles's undaunted +pluck could have led him to dare to face an enemy so much older and +stouter than himself. + +The pause was only for a moment. They who looked saw Blunt slide his +hand furtively towards his bosom. Myles saw too, and in the flash of an +instant knew what the gesture meant, and sprang upon the other before +the hand could grasp what it sought. As he clutched his enemy he felt +what he had in that instant expected to feel--the handle of a dagger. +The next moment he cried, in a loud voice: “Oh, thou villain! Help, +Gascoyne! He hath a knife under his doublet!” + +In answer to his cry for help, Myles's friends started to his aid. But +the bachelors shouted, “Stand back and let them fight it out alone, else +we will knife ye too.” And as they spoke, some of them leaped from the +benches whereon they stood, drawing their knives and flourishing them. + +For just a few seconds Myles's friends stood cowed, and in those few +seconds the fight came to an end with a suddenness unexpected to all. + +A struggle fierce and silent followed between the two; Blunt striving +to draw his knife, and Myles, with the energy of despair, holding him +tightly by the wrist. It was in vain the elder lad writhed and twisted; +he was strong enough to overbear Myles, but still was not able to clutch +the haft of his knife. + +“Thou shalt not draw it!” gasped Myles at last. “Thou shalt not stab +me!” + +Then again some of his friends started forward to his aid, but they were +not needed, for before they came, the fight was over. + +Blunt, finding that he was not able to draw the weapon, suddenly ceased +his endeavors, and flung his arms around Myles, trying to bear him down +upon the ground, and in that moment his battle was lost. + +In an instant--so quick, so sudden, so unexpected that no one could see +how it happened--his feet were whirled away from under him, he spun with +flying arms across Myles's loins, and pitched with a thud upon the stone +pavement, where he lay still, motionless, while Myles, his face white +with passion and his eyes gleaming, stood glaring around like a young +wild-boar beset by the dogs. + +The next moment the silence was broken, and the uproar broke forth +with redoubled violence. The bachelors, leaping from the benches, came +hurrying forward on one side, and Myles's friends from the other. + +“Thou shalt smart for this, Falworth,” said one of the older lads. +“Belike thou hast slain him!” + +Myles turned upon the speaker like a flash, and with such a passion of +fury in his face that the other, a fellow nearly a head taller than he, +shrank back, cowed in spite of himself. Then Gascoyne came and laid his +hand on his friend's shoulder. + +“Who touches me?” cried Myles, hoarsely, turning sharply upon him; and +then, seeing who it was, “Oh, Francis, they would ha' killed me!” + +“Come away, Myles,” said Gascoyne; “thou knowest not what thou doest; +thou art mad; come away. What if thou hadst killed him?” + +The words called Myles somewhat to himself. “I care not!” said he, but +sullenly and not passionately, and then he suffered Gascoyne and Wilkes +to lead him away. + +Meantime Blunt's friends had turned him over, and, after feeling his +temples, his wrist, and his heart, bore him away to a bench at the far +end of the room. There they fell to chafing his hands and sprinkling +water in his face, a crowd of the others gathering about. Blunt was +hidden from Myles by those who stood around, and the lad listened to the +broken talk that filled the room with its confusion, his anxiety growing +keener as he became cooler. But at last, with a heartfelt joy, he +gathered from the confused buzz of words that the other lad had opened +his eyes and, after a while, he saw him sit up, leaning his head upon +the shoulder of one of his fellow-bachelors, white and faint and sick as +death. + +“Thank Heaven that thou didst not kill him!” said Edmund Wilkes, who +had been standing with the crowd looking on at the efforts of Blunt's +friends to revive him, and who had now come and sat down upon the bed +not far from Myles. + +“Aye,” said Myles, gruffly, “I do thank Heaven for that.” + + + +CHAPTER 14 + +If Myles fancied that one single victory over his enemy would cure the +evil against which he fought, he was grievously mistaken; wrongs are not +righted so easily as that. It was only the beginning. Other and far more +bitter battles lay before him ere he could look around him and say, “I +have won the victory.” + +For a day--for two days--the bachelors were demoralized at the fall of +their leader, and the Knights of the Rose were proportionately uplifted. + +The day that Blunt met his fall, the wooden tank in which the water +had been poured every morning was found to have been taken away. The +bachelors made a great show of indignation and inquiry. Who was it stole +their tank? If they did but know, he should smart for it. + +“Ho! ho!” roared Edmund Wilkes, so that the whole dormitory heard him, +“smoke ye not their tricks, lads? See ye not that they have stolen their +own water-tank, so that they might have no need for another fight over +the carrying of the water?” + +The bachelors made an obvious show of not having heard what he said, and +a general laugh went around. No one doubted that Wilkes had spoken the +truth in his taunt, and that the bachelors had indeed stolen their own +tank. So no more water was ever carried for the head squires, but it was +plain to see that the war for the upperhand was not yet over. + +Even if Myles had entertained comforting thoughts to the contrary, he +was speedily undeceived. One morning, about a week after the fight, as +he and Gascoyne were crossing the armory court, they were hailed by +a group of the bachelors standing at the stone steps of the great +building. + +“Holloa, Falworth!” they cried. “Knowest thou that Blunt is nigh well +again?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, “I knew it not. But I am right glad to hear it.” + +“Thou wilt sing a different song anon,” said one of the bachelors. “I +tell thee he is hot against thee, and swears when he cometh again he +will carve thee soothly.” + +“Aye, marry!” said another. “I would not be in thy skin a week hence for +a ducat! Only this morning he told Philip Mowbray that he would have thy +blood for the fall thou gavest him. Look to thyself, Falworth; he cometh +again Wednesday or Thursday next; thou standest in a parlous state.” + +“Myles,” said Gascoyne, as they entered the great quadrangle, “I do +indeed fear me that he meaneth to do thee evil.” + +“I know not,” said Myles, boldly; “but I fear him not.” Nevertheless his +heart was heavy with the weight of impending ill. + +One evening the bachelors were more than usually noisy in their end of +the dormitory, laughing and talking and shouting to one another. + +“Holloa, you sirrah, Falworth!” called one of them along the length of +the room. “Blunt cometh again to-morrow day.” + +Myles saw Gascoyne direct a sharp glance at him; but he answered nothing +either to his enemy's words or his friend's look. + +As the bachelor had said, Blunt came the next morning. It was just after +chapel, and the whole body of squires was gathered in the armory waiting +for the orders of the day and the calling of the roll of those chosen +for household duty. Myles was sitting on a bench along the wall, talking +and jesting with some who stood by, when of a sudden his heart gave a +great leap within him. + +It was Walter Blunt. He came walking in at the door as if nothing had +passed, and at his unexpected coming the hubbub of talk and laughter +was suddenly checked. Even Myles stopped in his speech for a moment, and +then continued with a beating heart and a carelessness of manner that +was altogether assumed. In his hand Blunt carried the house orders for +the day, and without seeming to notice Myles, he opened it and read the +list of those called upon for household service. + +Myles had risen, and was now standing listening with the others. When +Blunt had ended reading the list of names, he rolled up the parchment, +and thrust it into his belt; then swinging suddenly on his heel, he +strode straight up to Myles, facing him front to front. A moment or two +of deep silence followed; not a sound broke the stillness. When Blunt +spoke every one in the armory heard his words. + +“Sirrah!” said he, “thou didst put foul shame upon me some time sin. +Never will I forget or forgive that offence, and will have a reckoning +with thee right soon that thou wilt not forget to the last day of thy +life.” + +When Myles had seen his enemy turn upon him, he did not know at first +what to expect; he would not have been surprised had they come to blows +there and then, and he held himself prepared for any event. He faced +the other pluckily enough and without flinching, and spoke up boldly in +answer. “So be it, Walter Blunt; I fear thee not in whatever way thou +mayst encounter me.” + +“Dost thou not?” said Blunt. “By'r Lady, thou'lt have cause to fear me +ere I am through with thee.” He smiled a baleful, lingering smile, and +then turned slowly and walked away. + +“What thinkest thou, Myles?” said Gascoyne, as the two left the armory +together. + +“I think naught,” said Myles gruffly. “He will not dare to touch me +to harm me. I fear him not.” Nevertheless, he did not speak the full +feelings of his heart. + +“I know not, Myles,” said Gascoyne, shaking his head doubtfully. “Walter +Blunt is a parlous evil-minded knave, and methinks will do whatever evil +he promiseth.” + +“I fear him not,” said Myles again; but his heart foreboded trouble. + +The coming of the head squire made a very great change in the condition +of affairs. Even before that coming the bachelors had somewhat recovered +from their demoralization, and now again they began to pluck up their +confidence and to order the younger squires and pages upon this personal +service or upon that. + +“See ye not,” said Myles one day, when the Knights of the Rose were +gathered in the Brutus Tower--“see ye not that they grow as bad as ever? +An we put not a stop to this overmastery now, it will never stop.” + +“Best let it be, Myles,” said Wilkes. “They will kill thee an thou cease +not troubling them. Thou hast bred mischief enow for thyself already.” + +“No matter for that,” said Myles; “it is not to be borne that they order +others of us about as they do. I mean to speak to them to-night, and +tell them it shall not be.” + +He was as good as his word. That night, as the youngsters were shouting +and romping and skylarking, as they always did before turning in, he +stood upon his cot and shouted: “Silence! List to me a little!” And +then, in the hush that followed--“I want those bachelors to hear this: +that we squires serve them no longer, and if they would ha' some to wait +upon them, they must get them otherwheres than here. There be twenty of +us to stand against them and haply more, and we mean that they shall ha' +service of us no more.” + +Then he jumped down again from his elevated stand, and an uproar of +confusion instantly filled the place. What was the effect of his words +upon the bachelors he could not see. What was the result he was not slow +in discovering. + +The next day Myles and Gascoyne were throwing their daggers for a +wager at a wooden target against the wall back of the armorer's smithy. +Wilkes, Gosse, and one or two others of the squires were sitting on +a bench looking on, and now and then applauding a more than usually +well-aimed cast of the knife. Suddenly that impish little page spoken of +before, Robin Ingoldsby, thrust his shock head around the corner of +the smithy, and said: “Ho, Falworth! Blunt is going to serve thee out +to-day, and I myself heard him say so. He says he is going to slit thine +ears.” And then he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared. + +Myles darted after him, caught him midway in the quadrangle, and brought +him back by the scuff of the neck, squalling and struggling. + +“There!” said he, still panting from the chase and seating the boy by no +means gently upon the bench beside Wilkes. “Sit thou there, thou imp of +evil! And now tell me what thou didst mean by thy words anon--an thou +stop not thine outcry, I will cut thy throat for thee,” and he made a +ferocious gesture with his dagger. + +It was by no means easy to worm the story from the mischievous little +monkey; he knew Myles too well to be in the least afraid of his threats. +But at last, by dint of bribing and coaxing, Myles and his friends +managed to get at the facts. The youngster had been sent to clean the +riding-boots of one of the bachelors, instead of which he had lolled +idly on a cot in the dormitory, until he had at last fallen asleep. He +had been awakened by the opening of the dormitory door and by the sound +of voices--among them was that of his taskmaster. Fearing punishment for +his neglected duty, he had slipped out of the cot, and hidden himself +beneath it. + +Those who had entered were Walter Blunt and three of the older +bachelors. Blunt's companions were trying to persuade him against +something, but without avail. It was--Myles's heart thrilled and his +blood boiled--to lie in wait for him, to overpower him by numbers, +and to mutilate him by slitting his ears--a disgraceful punishment +administered, as a rule, only for thieving and poaching. + +“He would not dare to do such a thing!” cried Myles, with heaving breast +and flashing eyes. + +“Aye, but he would,” said Gascoyne. “His father, Lord Reginald Blunt, +is a great man over Nottingham way, and my Lord would not dare to punish +him even for such a matter as that. But tell me, Robin Ingoldsby, dost +know aught more of this matter? Prithee tell it me, Robin. Where do they +propose to lie in wait for Falworth?” + +“In the gate-way of the Buttery Court, so as to catch him when he passes +by to the armory,” answered the boy. + +“Are they there now?” said Wilkes. + +“Aye, nine of them,” said Robin. “I heard Blunt tell Mowbray to go and +gather the others. He heard thee tell Gosse, Falworth, that thou wert +going thither for thy arbalist this morn to shoot at the rooks withal.” + +“That will do, Robin,” said Myles. “Thou mayst go.” + +And therewith the little imp scurried off, pulling the lobes of his ears +suggestively as he darted around the corner. + +The others looked at one another for a while in silence. + +“So, comrades,” said Myles at last, “what shall we do now?” + +“Go, and tell Sir James,” said Gascoyne, promptly. + +“Nay,” said Myles, “I take no such coward's part as that. I say an they +hunger to fight, give them their stomachful.” + +The others were very reluctant for such extreme measures, but Myles, as +usual, carried his way, and so a pitched battle was decided upon. It was +Gascoyne who suggested the plan which they afterwards followed. + +Then Wilkes started away to gather together those of the Knights of the +Rose not upon household duty, and Myles, with the others, went to the +armor smith to have him make for them a set of knives with which to meet +their enemies--knives with blades a foot long, pointed and double-edged. + +The smith, leaning with his hammer upon the anvil, listened to them as +they described the weapons. + +“Nay, nay, Master Myles,” said he, when Myles had ended by telling the +use to which he intended putting them. “Thou art going all wrong in this +matter. With such blades, ere this battle is ended, some one would be +slain, and so murder done. Then the family of him who was killed would +haply have ye cited, and mayhap it might e'en come to the hanging, for +some of they boys ha' great folkeys behind them. Go ye to Tom Fletcher, +Master Myles, and buy of him good yew staves, such as one might break a +head withal, and with them, gin ye keep your wits, ye may hold your own +against knives or short swords. I tell thee, e'en though my trade be +making of blades, rather would I ha' a good stout cudgel in my hand than +the best dagger that ever was forged.” + +Myles stood thoughtfully for a moment or two; then, looking up, +“Methinks thou speaketh truly, Robin,” said he; “and it were ill done to +have blood upon our hands.” + + + +CHAPTER 15 + +From the long, narrow stone-paved Armory Court, and connecting it with +the inner Buttery Court, ran a narrow arched passage-way, in which was +a picket-gate, closed at night and locked from within. It was in this +arched passage-way that, according to little Robert Ingoldsby's report, +the bachelors were lying in wait for Myles. Gascoyne's plan was that +Myles should enter the court alone, the Knights of the Rose lying +ambushed behind the angle of the armory building until the bachelors +should show themselves. + +It was not without trepidation that Myles walked alone into the court, +which happened then to be silent and empty. His heart beat more quickly +than it was wont, and he gripped his cudgel behind his back, looking +sharply this way and that, so as not to be taken unawares by a flank +movement of his enemies. Midway in the court he stopped and hesitated +for a moment; then he turned as though to enter the armory. The next +moment he saw the bachelors come pouring out from the archway. + +Instantly he turned and rushed back towards where his friends lay +hidden, shouting: “To the rescue! To the rescue!” + +“Stone him!” roared Blunt. “The villain escapes!” + +He stopped and picked up a cobble-stone as he spoke, flinging it after +his escaping prey. It narrowly missed Myles's head; had it struck him, +there might have been no more of this story to tell. + +“To the rescue! To the rescue!” shouted Myles's friends in answer, and +the next moment he was surrounded by them. Then he turned, and swinging +his cudgel, rushed back upon his foes. + +The bachelors stopped short at the unexpected sight of the lads with +their cudgels. For a moment they rallied and drew their knives; then +they turned and fled towards their former place of hiding. + +One of them turned for a moment, and flung his knife at Myles with a +deadly aim; but Myles, quick as a cat, ducked his body, and the weapon +flew clattering across the stony court. Then he who had flung it turned +again to fly, but in his attempt he had delayed one instant too long. +Myles reached him with a long-arm stroke of his cudgel just as he +entered the passage-way, knocking him over like a bottle, stunned and +senseless. + +The next moment the picket-gate was banged in their faces and the bolt +shot in the staples, and the Knights of the Rose were left shouting and +battering with their cudgels against the palings. + +By this time the uproar of fight had aroused those in the rooms and +offices fronting upon the Armory Court; heads were thrust from many of +the windows with the eager interest that a fight always evokes. + +“Beware!” shouted Myles. “Here they come again!” He bore back towards +the entrance of the alley-way as he spoke, those behind him scattering +to right and left, for the bachelors had rallied, and were coming again +to the attack, shouting. + +They were not a moment too soon in this retreat, either, for the next +instant the pickets flew open, and a volley of stones flew after the +retreating Knights of the Rose. One smote Wilkes upon the head, +knocking him down headlong. Another struck Myles upon his left shoulder, +benumbing his arm from the finger-tips to the armpit, so that he thought +at first the limb was broken. + +“Get ye behind the buttresses!” shouted those who looked down upon the +fight from the windows--“get ye behind the buttresses!” And in answer +the lads, scattering like a newly-flushed covey of partridges, fled +to and crouched in the sheltering angles of masonry to escape from the +flying stones. + +And now followed a lull in the battle, the bachelors fearing to leave +the protection of the arched passage-way lest their retreat should be +cut off, and the Knights of the Rose not daring to quit the shelter of +the buttresses and angles of the wall lest they should be knocked down +by the stones. + +The bachelor whom Myles had struck down with his cudgel was sitting up +rubbing the back of his head, and Wilkes had gathered his wits enough to +crawl to the shelter of the nearest buttress. Myles, peeping around the +corner behind which he stood, could see that the bachelors were gathered +into a little group consulting together. Suddenly it broke asunder, and +Blunt turned around. + +“Ho, Falworth!” he cried. “Wilt thou hold truce whiles we parley with +ye?” + +“Aye,” answered Myles. + +“Wilt thou give me thine honor that ye will hold your hands from harming +us whiles we talk together?” + +“Yea,” said Myles, “I will pledge thee mine honor.” + +“I accept thy pledge. See! here we throw aside our stones and lay +down our knives. Lay ye by your clubs, and meet us in parley at the +horse-block yonder.” + +“So be it,” said Myles, and thereupon, standing his cudgel in the angle +of the wall, he stepped boldly out into the open court-yard. Those of +his party came scatteringly from right and left, gathering about him; +and the bachelors advanced in a body, led by the head squire. + +“Now what is it thou wouldst have, Walter Blunt?” said Myles, when both +parties had met at the horse-block. + +“It is to say this to thee, Myles Falworth,” said the other. “One time, +not long sin, thou didst challenge me to meet thee hand to hand in the +dormitory. Then thou didst put a vile affront upon me, for the which I +ha' brought on this battle to-day, for I knew not then that thou wert +going to try thy peasant tricks of wrestling, and so, without guarding +myself, I met thee as thou didst desire.” + +“But thou hadst thy knife, and would have stabbed him couldst thou ha' +done so,” said Gascoyne. + +“Thou liest!” said Blunt. “I had no knife.” And then, without giving +time to answer, “Thou canst not deny that I met thee then at thy +bidding, canst thou, Falworth?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, “nor haply canst thou deny it either.” And at this +covert reminder of his defeat Myles's followers laughed scoffingly and +Blunt bit his lip. + +“Thou hast said it,” said he. “Then sin. I met thee at thy bidding, +I dare to thee to meet me now at mine, and to fight this battle out +between our two selves, with sword and buckler and bascinet as gentles +should, and not in a wrestling match like two country hodges.” + +“Thou art a coward caitiff, Walter Blunt!” burst out Wilkes, who stood +by with a swelling lump upon his head, already as big as a walnut. “Well +thou knowest that Falworth is no match for thee at broadsword play. Is +he not four years younger than thou, and hast thou not had three times +the practice in arms that he hath had? I say thou art a coward to seek +to fight with cutting weapons.” + +Blunt made no answer to Wilkes's speech, but gazed steadfastly at Myles, +with a scornful smile curling the corners of his lips. Myles stood +looking upon the ground without once lifting his eyes, not knowing what +to answer, for he was well aware that he was no match for Blunt with the +broadsword. + +“Thou art afraid to fight me, Myles Falworth,” said Blunt, tauntingly, +and the bachelors gave a jeering laugh in echo. + +Then Myles looked up, and I cannot say that his face was not a trifle +whiter than usual. “Nay,” said he, “I am not afraid, and I will fight +thee, Blunt.” + +“So be it,” said Blunt. “Then let us go at it straightway in the armory +yonder, for they be at dinner in the Great Hall, and just now there +be'st no one by to stay us.” + +“Thou shalt not fight him, Myles!” burst out Gascoyne. “He will murther +thee! Thou shalt not fight him, I say!” + +Myles turned away without answering him. + +“What is to do?” called one of those who were still looking out of the +windows as the crowd of boys passed beneath. + +“Blunt and Falworth are going to fight it out hand to hand in the +armory,” answered one of the bachelors, looking up. + +The brawling of the squires was a jest to all the adjoining part of the +house. So the heads were withdrawn again, some laughing at the “sparring +of the cockerels.” + +But it was no jesting matter to poor Myles. + + + +CHAPTER 16 + +I have no intention to describe the fight between Myles Falworth and +Walter Blunt. Fisticuffs of nowadays are brutal and debasing enough, but +a fight with a sharp-edged broadsword was not only brutal and debasing, +but cruel and bloody as well. + +From the very first of the fight Myles Falworth was palpably and +obviously overmatched. After fifteen minutes had passed, Blunt stood +hale and sound as at first; but poor Myles had more than one red stain +of warm blood upon doublet and hose, and more than one bandage had been +wrapped by Gascoyne and Wilkes about sore wounds. + +He had received no serious injury as yet, for not only was his body +protected by a buckler, or small oblong shield, which he carried upon +his left arm, and his head by a bascinet, or light helmet of steel, but +perhaps, after all, Blunt was not over-anxious to do him any dangerous +harm. Nevertheless, there could be but one opinion as to how the fight +tended, and Myles's friends were gloomy and downcast; the bachelors +proportionately exultant, shouting with laughter, and taunting Myles at +every unsuccessful stroke. + +Once, as he drew back panting, leaning upon Gascoyne's shoulder, the +faithful friend whispered, with trembling lips: “Oh, dear Myles, carry +it no further. Thou hurtest him not, and he will slay thee ere he have +done with thee.” + +Thereupon Blunt, who caught the drift of the speech, put in a word. +“Thou art sore hurt, Myles Falworth,” said he, “and I would do thee no +grievous harm. Yield thee and own thyself beaten, and I will forgive +thee. Thou hast fought a good fight, and there is no shame in yielding +now.” + +“Never!” cried Myles, hoarsely--“never will I yield me! Thou mayst slay +me, Walter Blunt, and I reck not if thou dost do so, but never else wilt +thou conquer me.” + +There was a tone of desperation in his voice that made all look serious. + +“Nay,” said Blunt; “I will fight thee no more, Myles Falworth; thou hast +had enough.” + +“By heavens!” cried Myles, grinding his teeth, “thou shalt fight me, +thou coward! Thou hast brought this fight upon us, and either thou or I +get our quittance here. Let go, Gascoyne!” he cried, shaking loose his +friend's hold; “I tell thee he shall fight me!” + +From that moment Blunt began to lose his head. No doubt he had not +thought of such a serious fight as this when he had given his challenge, +and there was a savage bull-dog tenacity about Myles that could not but +have had a somewhat demoralizing effect upon him. + +A few blows were given and taken, and then Myles's friends gave a shout. +Blunt drew back, and placed his hand to his shoulder. When he drew +it away again it was stained with red, and another red stain grew and +spread rapidly down the sleeve of his jacket. He stared at his hand for +a moment with a half-dazed look, and then glanced quickly to right and +left. + +“I will fight no more,” said he, sullenly. + +“Then yield thee!” cried Myles, exultantly. + +The triumphant shouts of the Knights of the Rose stung Blunt like a +lash, and the battle began again. Perhaps some of the older lads were of +a mind to interfere at this point, certainly some looked very serious, +but before they interposed, the fight was ended. + +Blunt, grinding his teeth, struck one undercut at his opponent--the +same undercut that Myles had that time struck at Sir James Lee at the +knight's bidding when he first practised at the Devlen pels. Myles +met the blow as Sir James had met the blow that he had given, and then +struck in return as Sir James had struck--full and true. The bascinet +that Blunt wore glanced the blow partly, but not entirely. Myles felt +his sword bite through the light steel cap, and Blunt dropped his own +blade clattering upon the floor. It was all over in an instant, but in +that instant what he saw was stamped upon Myles's mind with an indelible +imprint. He saw the young man stagger backward; he saw the eyes roll +upward; and a red streak shoot out from under the cap and run down +across the cheek. + +Blunt reeled half around, and then fell prostrate upon his face; and +Myles stood staring at him with the delirious turmoil of his battle +dissolving rapidly into a dumb fear at that which he had done. + +Once again he had won the victory--but what a victory! “Is he dead?” he +whispered to Gascoyne. + +“I know not,” said Gascoyne, with a very pale face. “But come away, +Myles.” And he led his friend out of the room. + +Some little while later one of the bachelors came to the dormitory where +Myles, his wounds smarting and aching and throbbing, lay stretched upon +his cot, and with a very serious face bade him to go presently to Sir +James, who had just come from dinner, and was then in his office. + +By this time Myles knew that he had not slain his enemy, and his heart +was light in spite of the coming interview. There was no one in +the office but Sir James and himself, and Myles, without concealing +anything, told, point by point, the whole trouble. Sir James sat looking +steadily at him for a while after he had ended. + +“Never,” said he, presently, “did I know any one of ye squires, in all +the time that I have been here, get himself into so many broils as thou, +Myles Falworth. Belike thou sought to take this lad's life.” + +“Nay,” said Myles, earnestly; “God forbid!” + +“Ne'theless,” said Sir James, “thou fetched him a main shrewd blow; and +it is by good hap, and no fault of thine, that he will live to do more +mischief yet. This is thy second venture at him; the third time, haply, +thou wilt end him for good.” Then suddenly assuming his grimmest and +sternest manner: “Now, sirrah, do I put a stop to this, and no more +shall ye fight with edged tools. Get thee to the dormitory, and abide +there a full week without coming forth. Michael shall bring thee bread +and water twice a day for that time. That is all the food thou shalt +have, and we will see if that fare will not cool thy hot humors withal.” + +Myles had expected a punishment so much more severe than that which was +thus meted to him, that in the sudden relief he broke into a convulsive +laugh, and then, with a hasty sweep, wiped a brimming moisture from his +eyes. + +Sir James looked keenly at him for a moment. “Thou art white i' the +face,” said he. “Art thou wounded very sorely?” + +“Nay” said Myles, “it is not much; but I be sick in my stomach.” + +“Aye, aye,” said Sir James; “I know that feeling well. It is thus +that one always feeleth in coming out from a sore battle when one hath +suffered wounds and lost blood. An thou wouldst keep thyself hale, keep +thyself from needless fighting. Now go thou to the dormitory, and, as I +said, come thou not forth again for a week. Stay, sirrah!” he added; “I +will send Georgebarber to thee to look to thy sores. Green wounds are +best drawn and salved ere they grow cold.” + +I wonder what Myles would have thought had he known that so soon as +he had left the office, Sir James had gone straight to the Earl and +recounted the whole matter to him, with a deal of dry gusto, and that +the Earl listened laughing. + +“Aye,” said he, when Sir James had done, “the boy hath mettle, sure. +Nevertheless, we must transplant this fellow Blunt to the office of +gentleman-in-waiting. He must be old enough now, and gin he stayeth in +his present place, either he will do the boy a harm, or the boy will do +him a harm.” + +So Blunt never came again to trouble the squires' quarters; and +thereafter the youngsters rendered no more service to the elders. + +Myles's first great fight in life was won. + + + +CHAPTER 17 + +The summer passed away, and the bleak fall came. Myles had long since +accepted his position as one set apart from the others of his kind, and +had resigned himself to the evident fact that he was never to serve +in the household in waiting upon the Earl. I cannot say that it never +troubled him, but in time there came a compensation of which I shall +have presently to speak. + +And then he had so much the more time to himself. The other lads were +sometimes occupied by their household duties when sports were afoot +in which they would liked to have taken part. Myles was always free +to enter into any matter of the kind after his daily exercise had been +performed at the pels, the butts, or the tilting-court. + +But even though he was never called to do service in “my Lord's house,” + he was not long in gaining a sort of second-hand knowledge of all the +family. My Lady, a thin, sallow, faded dame, not yet past middle age, +but looking ten years older. The Lady Anne, the daughter of the house; +a tall, thin, dark-eyed, dark-haired, handsome young dame of twenty or +twenty-one years of age, hawk-nosed like her father, and silent, proud, +and haughty, Myles heard the squires say. Lady Alice, the Earl of +Mackworth's niece and ward, a great heiress in her own right, a +strikingly pretty black-eyed girl of fourteen or fifteen. + +These composed the Earl's personal family; but besides them was Lord +George Beaumont, his Earl's brother, and him Myles soon came to know +better than any of the chief people of the castle excepting Sir James +Lee. + +For since Myles's great battle in the armory, Lord George had taken a +laughing sort of liking to the lad, encouraging him at times to talk of +his adventures, and of his hopes and aspirations. + +Perhaps the Earl's younger brother--who was himself somewhat a soldier +of fortune, having fought in Spain, France, and Germany--felt a certain +kinship in spirit with the adventurous youngster who had his unfriended +way to make in the world. However that might have been, Lord George was +very kind and friendly to the lad, and the willing service that Myles +rendered him reconciled him not a little to the Earl's obvious neglect. + +Besides these of the more immediate family of the Earl were a number +of knights, ladies, and gentlemen, some of them cadets, some of them +retainers, of the house of Beaumont, for the princely nobles of those +days lived in state little less royal than royalty itself. + +Most of the knights and gentlemen Myles soon came to know by sight, +meeting them in Lord George's apartments in the south wing of the great +house, and some of them, following the lead of Lord George, singled him +out for friendly notice, giving him a nod or a word in passing. + + +Every season has its pleasures for boys, and the constant change that +they bring is one of the greatest delights of boyhood's days. + +All of us, as we grow older, have in our memory pictures of by-gone +times that are somehow more than usually vivid, the colors of some not +blurring by time as others do. One of which, in remembering, always +filled Myles's heart in after-years with an indefinable pleasure, was +the recollection of standing with others of his fellow squires in the +crisp brown autumn grass of the paddock, and shooting with the long-bow +at wildfowl, which, when the east wind was straining, flew low overhead +to pitch to the lake in the forbidden precincts of the deer park beyond +the brow of the hill. More than once a brace or two of these wildfowl, +shot in their southward flight by the lads and cooked by fat, +good-natured Mother Joan, graced the rude mess-table of the squires in +the long hall, and even the toughest and fishiest drake, so the fruit +of their skill, had a savor that, somehow or other, the daintiest fare +lacked in after-years. + +Then fall passed and winter came, bleak, cold, and dreary--not winter as +we know it nowadays, with warm fires and bright lights to make the long +nights sweet and cheerful with comfort, but winter with all its grimness +and sternness. In the great cold stone-walled castles of those days the +only fire and almost the only light were those from the huge blazing +logs that roared and crackled in the great open stone fireplace, around +which the folks gathered, sheltering their faces as best they could from +the scorching heat, and cloaking their shoulders from the biting cold, +for at the farther end of the room, where giant shadows swayed and +bowed and danced huge and black against the high walls, the white frost +glistened in the moonlight on the stone pavements, and the breath went +up like smoke. + +In those days were no books to read, but at the best only rude stories +and jests, recited by some strolling mummer or minstrel to the listening +circle, gathered around the blaze and welcoming the coarse, gross jests, +and coarser, grosser songs with roars of boisterous laughter. + +Yet bleak and dreary as was the winter in those days, and cold and +biting as was the frost in the cheerless, windy halls and corridors of +the castle, it was not without its joys to the young lads; for then, as +now, boys could find pleasure even in slushy weather, when the sodden +snow is fit for nothing but to make snowballs of. + +Thrice that bitter winter the moat was frozen over, and the lads, making +themselves skates of marrow-bones, which they bought from the hall cook +at a groat a pair, went skimming over the smooth surface, red-checked +and shouting, while the crows and the jackdaws looked down at them from +the top of the bleak gray walls. + +Then at Yule-tide, which was somewhat of a rude semblance to the Merry +Christmas season of our day, a great feast was held in the hall, and all +the castle folk were fed in the presence of the Earl and the Countess. +Oxen and sheep were roasted whole; huge suet puddings, made of barley +meal sweetened with honey and stuffed with plums, were boiled in great +caldrons in the open courtyard; whole barrels of ale and malmsey were +broached, and all the folk, gentle and simple, were bidden to the feast. +Afterwards the minstrels danced and played a rude play, and in the +evening a miracle show was performed on a raised platform in the north +hall. + +For a week afterwards the castle was fed upon the remains of the good +things left from that great feast, until everyone grew to loathe fine +victuals, and longed for honest beef and mustard again. + +Then at last in that constant change the winter was gone, and even the +lads who had enjoyed its passing were glad when the winds blew warm once +more, and the grass showed green in sunny places, and the leader of the +wild-fowl blew his horn, as they who in the fall had flown to the south +flew, arrow-like, northward again; when the buds swelled and the leaves +burst forth once more, and crocuses and then daffodils gleamed in the +green grass, like sparks and flames of gold. + +With the spring came the out-door sports of the season; among others +that of ball--for boys were boys, and played at ball even in those +faraway days--a game called trap-ball. Even yet in some parts of England +it is played just as it was in Myles Falworth's day, and enjoyed just as +Myles and his friends enjoyed it. + +So now that the sun was warm and the weather pleasant the game of +trap-ball was in full swing every afternoon, the play-ground being an +open space between the wall that surrounded the castle grounds and that +of the privy garden--the pleasance in which the ladies of the Earl's +family took the air every day, and upon which their apartments opened. + +Now one fine breezy afternoon, when the lads were shouting and playing +at this, then their favorite game, Myles himself was at the trap +barehanded and barearmed. The wind was blowing from behind him, and, +aided perhaps by it, he had already struck three of four balls nearly +the whole length of the court--an unusual distance--and several of the +lads had gone back almost as far as the wall of the privy garden to +catch any ball that might chance to fly as far as that. Then once more +Myles struck, throwing all his strength into the blow. The ball shot up +into the air, and when it fell, it was to drop within the privy garden. + +The shouts of the young players were instantly stilled, and Gascoyne, +who stood nearest Myles, thrust his hands into his belt, giving a long +shrill whistle. + +“This time thou hast struck us all out, Myles,” said he. “There be no +more play for us until we get another ball.” + +The outfielders came slowly trooping in until they had gathered in a +little circle around Myles. + +“I could not help it,” said Myles, in answer to their grumbling. “How +knew I the ball would fly so far? But if I ha' lost the ball, I can get +it again. I will climb the wall for it.” + +“Thou shalt do naught of the kind, Myles,” said Gascoyne, hastily. +“Thou art as mad as a March hare to think of such a venture! Wouldst get +thyself shot with a bolt betwixt the ribs, like poor Diccon Cook?” + +Of all places about the castle the privy garden was perhaps the most +sacred. It was a small plot of ground, only a few rods long and wide, +and was kept absolutely private for the use of the Countess and her +family. Only a little while before Myles had first come to Devlen, +one of the cook's men had been found climbing the wall, whereupon the +soldier who saw him shot him with his cross bow. The poor fellow dropped +from the wall into the garden, and when they found him, he still held +a bunch of flowers in his hand, which he had perhaps been gathering for +his sweetheart. + +Had Myles seen him carried on a litter to the infirmary as Gascoyne +and some of the others had done, he might have thought twice before +venturing to enter the ladies' private garden. As it was, he only shook +his stubborn head, and said again, “I will climb the wall and fetch it.” + +Now at the lower extremity of the court, and about twelve or fifteen +feet distant from the garden wall, there grew a pear-tree, some of the +branches of which overhung into the garden beyond. So, first making sure +that no one was looking that way, and bidding the others keep a sharp +lookout, Myles shinned up this tree, and choosing one of the thicker +limbs, climbed out upon it for some little distance. Then lowering his +body, he hung at arm's-length, the branch bending with his weight, and +slowly let himself down hand under hand, until at last he hung directly +over the top of the wall, and perhaps a foot above it. Below him he +could see the leafy top of an arbor covered with a thick growth of +clematis, and even as he hung there he noticed the broad smooth +walks, the grassy terrace in front of the Countess's apartments in the +distance, the quaint flower-beds, the yew-trees trimmed into odd shapes, +and even the deaf old gardener working bare-armed in the sunlight at a +flower-bed in the far corner by the tool-house. + +The top of the wall was pointed like a house roof, and immediately below +him was covered by a thick growth of green moss, and it flashed through +his mind as he hung there that maybe it would offer a very slippery +foothold for one dropping upon the steep slopes of the top. But it was +too late to draw back now. + +Bracing himself for a moment, he loosed his hold upon the limb above. +The branch flew back with a rush, and he dropped, striving to grasp the +sloping angle with his feet. Instantly the treacherous slippery moss +slid away from beneath him; he made a vain clutch at the wall, his +fingers sliding over the cold stones, then, with a sharp exclamation, +down he pitched bodily into the garden beneath! A thousand thoughts +flew through his brain like a cloud of flies, and then a leafy greenness +seemed to strike up against him. A splintering crash sounded in his +ears as the lattice top of the arbor broke under him, and with one final +clutch at the empty air he fell heavily upon the ground beneath. + +He heard a shrill scream that seemed to find an instant echo; even as +he fell he had a vision of faces and bright colors, and when he sat up, +dazed and bewildered, he found himself face to face with the Lady Anne, +the daughter of the house, and her cousin, the Lady Alice, who clutching +one another tightly, stood staring at him with wide scared eyes. + + + +CHAPTER 18 + +For a little time there was a pause of deep silence, during which the +fluttering leaves came drifting down from the broken arbor above. + +It was the Lady Anne who first spoke. “Who art thou, and whence comest +thou?” said she, tremulously. + +Then Myles gathered himself up sheepishly. “My name is Myles Falworth,” + said he, “and I am one of the squires of the body.” + +“Oh! aye!” said the Lady Alice, suddenly. “Me thought I knew thy face. +Art thou not the young man that I have seen in Lord George's train?” + +“Yes, lady,” said Myles, wrapping and twining a piece of the broken vine +in and out among his fingers. “Lord George hath often had me of late +about his person.” + +“And what dost thou do here, sirrah?” said Lady Anne, angrily. “How +darest thou come so into our garden?” + +“I meant not to come as I did,” said Myles, clumsily, and with a face +hot and red. “But I slipped over the top of the wall and fell hastily +into the garden. Truly, lady, I meant ye no harm or fright thereby.” + +He looked so drolly abashed as he stood before them, with his clothes +torn and soiled from the fall, his face red, and his eyes downcast, all +the while industriously twisting the piece of clematis in and around his +fingers, that Lady Anne's half-frightened anger could not last. She and +her cousin exchanged glances, and smiled at one another. + +“But,” said she at last, trying to draw her pretty brows together into a +frown, “tell me; why didst thou seek to climb the wall?” + +“I came to seek a ball,” said Myles, “which I struck over hither from +the court beyond.” + +“And wouldst thou come into our privy garden for no better reason than +to find a ball?” said the young lady. + +“Nay,” said Myles; “it was not so much to find the ball, but, in good +sooth, I did truly strike it harder than need be, and so, gin I lost the +ball, I could do no less than come and find it again, else our sport is +done for the day. So it was I came hither.” + +The two young ladies had by now recovered from their fright. The Lady +Anne slyly nudged her cousin with her elbow, and the younger could not +suppress a half-nervous laugh. Myles heard it, and felt his face grow +hotter and redder than ever. + +“Nay,” said Lady Anne, “I do believe Master Giles--” + +“My name be'st Myles,” corrected Myles. + +“Very well, then, Master Myles, I say I do believe that thou meanest +no harm in coming hither; ne'theless it was ill of thee so to do. An my +father should find thee here, he would have thee shrewdly punished for +such trespassing. Dost thou not know that no one is permitted to enter +this place--no, not even my uncle George? One fellow who came hither to +steal apples once had his ears shaven close to his head, and not more +than a year ago one of the cook's men who climbed the wall early one +morning was shot by the watchman.” + +“Aye,” said Myles, “I knew of him who was shot, and it did go somewhat +against my stomach to venture, knowing what had happed to him. +Ne'theless, an I gat not the ball, how were we to play more to-day at +the trap?” + +“Marry, thou art a bold fellow, I do believe me,” said the young lady, +“and sin thou hast come in the face of such peril to get thy ball, thou +shalt not go away empty. Whither didst thou strike it?” + +“Over yonder by the cherry-tree,” said Myles, jerking his head in that +direction. “An I may go get it, I will trouble ye no more.” As he spoke +he made a motion to leave them. + +“Stay!” said the Lady Anne, hastily; “remain where thou art. An thou +cross the open, some one may haply see thee from the house, and will +give the alarm, and thou wilt be lost. I will go get thy ball.” + +And so she left Myles and her cousin, crossing the little plots of grass +and skirting the rosebushes to the cherry-tree. + +When Myles found himself alone with Lady Alice, he knew not where to +look or what to do, but twisted the piece of clematis which he still +held in and out more industriously than ever. + +Lady Alice watched him with dancing eyes for a little while. “Haply thou +wilt spoil that poor vine,” said she by-and-by, breaking the silence and +laughing, then turning suddenly serious again. “Didst thou hurt thyself +by thy fall?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, looking up, “such a fall as that was no great matter. +Many and many a time I have had worse.” + +“Hast thou so?” said the Lady Alice. “Thou didst fright me parlously, +and my coz likewise.” + +Myles hesitated for a moment, and then blurted out, “Thereat I grieve, +for thee I would not fright for all the world.” + +The young lady laughed and blushed. “All the world is a great matter,” + said she. + +“Yea,” said he, “it is a great matter; but it is a greater matter to +fright thee, and so I would not do it for that, and more.” + +The young lady laughed again, but she did not say anything further, and +a space of silence fell so long that by-and-by she forced herself to +say, “My cousin findeth not the ball presently.” + +“Nay,” said Myles, briefly, and then again neither spoke, until +by-and-by the Lady Anne came, bringing the ball. Myles felt a great +sense of relief at that coming, and yet was somehow sorry. Then he took +the ball, and knew enough to bow his acknowledgment in a manner neither +ill nor awkward. + +“Didst thou hurt thyself?” asked Lady Anne. + +“Nay,” said Myles, giving himself a shake; “seest thou not I be whole, +limb and bone? Nay, I have had shrewdly worse falls than that. Once I +fell out of an oak-tree down by the river and upon a root, and bethought +me I did break a rib or more. And then one time when I was a boy in +Crosbey-Dale--that was where I lived before I came hither--I did catch +me hold of the blade of the windmill, thinking it was moving slowly, and +that I would have a ride i' th' air, and so was like to have had a fall +ten thousand times worse than this.” + +“Oh, tell us more of that!” said the Lady Anne, eagerly. “I did never +hear of such an adventure as that. Come, coz, and sit down here upon the +bench, and let us have him tell us all of that happening.” + +Now the lads upon the other side of the wall had been whistling +furtively for some time, not knowing whether Myles had broken his neck +or had come off scot-free from his fall. “I would like right well to +stay with ye,” said he, irresolutely, “and would gladly tell ye that and +more an ye would have me to do so; but hear ye not my friends call me +from beyond? Mayhap they think I break my back, and are calling to see +whether I be alive or no. An I might whistle them answer and toss me +this ball to them, all would then be well, and they would know that I +was not hurt, and so, haply, would go away.” + +“Then answer them,” said the Lady Anne, “and tell us of that thing thou +spokest of anon--how thou tookest a ride upon the windmill. We young +ladies do hear little of such matters, not being allowed to talk with +lads. All that we hear of perils are of knights and ladies and jousting, +and such like. It would pleasure us right well to have thee tell of thy +adventures.” + +So Myles tossed back the ball, and whistled in answer to his friends. + +Then he told the two young ladies not only of his adventure upon the +windmill, but also of other boyish escapades, and told them well, with +a straightforward smack and vigor, for he enjoyed adventure and loved to +talk of it. In a little while he had regained his ease; his shyness and +awkwardness left him, and nothing remained but the delightful fact that +he was really and actually talking to two young ladies, and that with +just as much ease and infinitely more pleasure than could be had in +discourse with his fellow-squires. But at last it was time for him to +go. “Marry,” said he, with a half-sigh, “methinks I did never ha' so +sweet and pleasant a time in all my life before. Never did I know a +real lady to talk with, saving only my mother, and I do tell ye +plain methinks I would rather talk with ye than with any he in +Christendom--saving, perhaps, only my friend Gascoyne. I would I might +come hither again.” + +The honest frankness of his speech was irresistible; the two girls +exchanged glances and then began laughing. “Truly,” said Lady Anne, who, +as was said before, was some three or four years older than Myles, +“thou art a bold lad to ask such a thing. How wouldst thou come hither? +Wouldst tumble through our clematis arbor again, as thou didst this +day?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, “I would not do that again, but if ye will bid me do +so, I will find the means to come hither.” + +“Nay,” said Lady Anne, “I dare not bid thee do such a foolhardy thing. +Nevertheless, if thou hast the courage to come--” + +“Yea,” said Myles, eagerly, “I have the courage.” + +“Then, if thou hast so, we will be here in the garden on Saturday next +at this hour. I would like right well to hear more of thy adventures. +But what didst thou say was thy name? I have forgot it again.” + +“It is Myles Falworth.” + +“Then we shall yclep thee Sir Myles, for thou art a soothly +errant-knight. And stay! Every knight must have a lady to serve. How +wouldst thou like my Cousin Alice here for thy true lady?” + +“Aye,” said Myles, eagerly, “I would like it right well.” And then he +blushed fiery red at his boldness. + +“I want no errant-knight to serve me,” said the Lady Alice, blushing, +in answer. “Thou dost ill tease me, coz! An thou art so free in choosing +him a lady to serve, thou mayst choose him thyself for thy pains.” + +“Nay,” said the Lady Anne, laughing; “I say thou shalt be his true lady, +and he shall be thy true knight. Who knows? Perchance he may serven thee +in some wondrous adventure, like as Chaucer telleth of. But now, Sir +Errant-Knight, thou must take thy leave of us, and I must e'en let thee +privily out by the postern-wicket. And if thou wilt take the risk upon +thee and come hither again, prithee be wary in that coming, lest in +venturing thou have thine ears clipped in most unknightly fashion.” + +That evening, as he and Gascoyne sat together on a bench under the trees +in the great quadrangle, Myles told of his adventure of the afternoon, +and his friend listened with breathless interest. + +“But, Myles,” cried Gascoyne, “did the Lady Anne never once seem proud +and unkind?” + +“Nay,” said Myles; “only at first, when she chid me for falling through +the roof of their arbor. And to think, Francis! Lady Anne herself +bade me hold the Lady Alice as my true lady, and to serve her in all +knightliness!” Then he told his friend that he was going to the privy +garden again on the next Saturday, and that the Lady Anne had given him +permission so to do. + +Gascoyne gave a long, wondering whistle, and then sat quite still, +staring into the sky. By-and-by he turned to his friend and said, “I +give thee my pledge, Myles Falworth, that never in all my life did I +hear of any one that had such marvellous strange happenings befall him +as thou.” + + +Whenever the opportunity occurred for sending a letter to Crosbey-Holt, +Myles wrote one to his mother; and one can guess how they were treasured +by the good lady, and read over and over again to the blind old Lord as +he sat staring into darkness with his sightless eyes. + +About the time of this escapade he wrote a letter telling of those +doings, wherein, after speaking of his misadventure of falling from the +wall, and of his acquaintance with the young ladies, he went on to speak +of the matter in which he repeated his visits. The letter was worded +in the English of that day--the quaint and crabbed language in which +Chaucer wrote. Perhaps few boys could read it nowadays, so, modernizing +it somewhat, it ran thus: + +“And now to let ye weet that thing that followed that happening that +made me acquaint with they two young Damoiselles. I take me to the south +wall of that garden one day four and twenty great spikes, which Peter +Smith did forge for me and for which I pay him fivepence, and that all +the money that I had left of my half-year's wage, and wot not where I +may get more at these present, withouten I do betake me to Sir James, +who, as I did tell ye, hath consented to hold those moneys that Prior +Edward gave me till I need them. + +“Now these same spikes, I say, I take me them down behind the corner of +the wall, and there drave them betwixt the stones, my very dear comrade +and true friend Gascoyne holping me thereto to do. And so come Saturday, +I climb me over the wall and to the roof of the tool-house below, +seeking a fitting opportunity when I might so do without being in too +great jeopardy. + +“Yea; and who should be there but they two ladies, biding my coming, +who, seeing me, made as though they had expected me not, and gave me +greatest rebuke for adventuring so moughtily. Yet, methinks, were they +right well pleasured that I should so aventure, which indeed I might not +otherwise do, seeing as I have telled to thee, that one of them is mine +own true lady for to serven, and so was the only way that I might come +to speech with her.” + +Such was Myles's own quaint way of telling how he accomplished his aim +of visiting the forbidden garden, and no doubt the smack of adventure +and the savor of danger in the undertaking recommended him not a little +to the favor of the young ladies. + +After this first acquaintance perhaps a month passed, during which Myles +had climbed the wall some half a dozen times (for the Lady Anne +would not permit of too frequent visits), and during which the first +acquaintance of the three ripened rapidly to an honest, pleasant +friendship. More than once Myles, when in Lord George's train, caught +a covert smile or half nod from one or both of the girls, not a little +delightful in its very secret friendliness. + + + +CHAPTER 19 + +As was said, perhaps a month passed; then Myles's visits came to an +abrupt termination, and with it ended, in a certain sense, a chapter of +his life. + +One Saturday afternoon he climbed the garden wall, and skirting behind +a long row of rosebushes that screened him from the Countess's terrace, +came to a little summer-house where the two young ladies had appointed +to meet him that day. + +A pleasant half-hour or so was passed, and then it was time for Myles +to go. He lingered for a while before he took his final leave, leaning +against the door-post, and laughingly telling how he and some of his +brother squires had made a figure of straw dressed in men's clothes, and +had played a trick with it one night upon a watchman against whom they +bore a grudge. + +The young ladies were listening with laughing faces, when suddenly, as +Myles looked, he saw the smile vanish from Lady Alice's eyes and a wide +terror take its place. She gave a half-articulate cry, and rose abruptly +from the bench upon which she was sitting. + +Myles turned sharply, and then his very heart seemed to stand still +within him; for there, standing in the broad sunlight without, and +glaring in upon the party with baleful eyes, was the Earl of Mackworth +himself. + +How long was the breathless silence that followed, Myles could never +tell. He knew that the Lady Anne had also risen, and that she and her +cousin were standing as still as statues. Presently the Earl pointed to +the house with his staff, and Myles noted stupidly how it trembled in +his hand. + +“Ye wenches,” said he at last, in a hard, harsh voice--“ye wenches, what +meaneth this? Would ye deceive me so, and hold parlance thus secretly +with this fellow? I will settle with him anon. Meantime get ye +straightway to the house and to your rooms, and there abide until I give +ye leave to come forth again. Go, I say!” + +“Father,” said Lady Anne, in a breathless voice--she was as white as +death, and moistened her lips with her tongue before she spoke--“father, +thou wilt not do harm to this young man. Spare him, I do beseech thee, +for truly it was I who bade him come hither. I know that he would not +have come but at our bidding.” + +The Earl stamped his foot upon the gravel. “Did ye not hear me?” said +he, still pointing towards the house with his trembling staff. “I bade +ye go to your rooms. I will settle with this fellow, I say, as I deem +fitting.” + +“Father,” began Lady Anne again; but the Earl made such a savage gesture +that poor Lady Alice uttered a faint shriek, and Lady Anne stopped +abruptly, trembling. Then she turned and passed out the farther door of +the summerhouse, poor little Lady Alice following, holding her tight +by the skirts, and trembling and shuddering as though with a fit of the +ague. + +The Earl stood looking grimly after them from under his shaggy eyebrows, +until they passed away behind the yew-trees, appeared again upon the +terrace behind, entered the open doors of the women's house, and were +gone. Myles heard their footsteps growing fainter and fainter, but he +never raised his eyes. Upon the ground at his feet were four pebbles, +and he noticed how they almost made a square, and would do so if he +pushed one of them with his toe, and then it seemed strange to him that +he should think of such a little foolish thing at that dreadful time. + +He knew that the Earl was looking gloomily at him, and that his face +must be very pale. Suddenly Lord Mackworth spoke. “What hast thou to +say?” said he, harshly. + +Then Myles raised his eyes, and the Earl smiled grimly as he looked his +victim over. “I have naught to say,” said the lad, huskily. + +“Didst thou not hear what my daughter spake but now?” said the Earl. +“She said that thou came not of thy own free-will; what sayst thou to +that, sirrah--is it true?” + +Myles hesitated for a moment or two; his throat was tight and dry. +“Nay,” said he at last, “she belieth herself. It was I who first came +into the garden. I fell by chance from the tree yonder--I was seeking +a ball--then I asked those two if I might not come hither again, and so +have done some several times in all. But as for her--nay; it was not at +her bidding that I came, but through mine own asking.” + +The Earl gave a little grunt in his throat. “And how often hast thou +been here?” said he, presently. + +Myles thought a moment or two. “This maketh the seventh time,” said he. + +Another pause of silence followed, and Myles began to pluck up some +heart that maybe all would yet be well. The Earl's next speech dashed +that hope into a thousand fragments. “Well thou knowest,” said he, “that +it is forbid for any to come here. Well thou knowest that twice have men +been punished for this thing that thou hast done, and yet thou camest in +spite of all. Now dost thou know what thou wilt suffer?” + +Myles picked with nervous fingers at a crack in the oaken post against +which he leaned. “Mayhap thou wilt kill me,” said he at last, in a dull, +choking voice. + +Again the Earl smiled a grim smile. “Nay,” said he, “I would not slay +thee, for thou hast gentle blood. But what sayest thou should I shear +thine ears from thine head, or perchance have thee scourged in the great +court?” + +The sting of the words sent the blood flying back to Myles's face again, +and he looked quickly up. “Nay,” said he, with a boldness that surprised +himself; “thou shalt do no such unlordly thing upon me as that. I be thy +peer, sir, in blood; and though thou mayst kill me, thou hast no right +to shame me.” + +Lord Mackworth bowed with a mocking courtesy. “Marry!” said he. +“Methought it was one of mine own saucy popinjay squires that I caught +sneaking here and talking to those two foolish young lasses, and lo! it +is a young Lord--or mayhap thou art a young Prince--and commandeth +me that I shall not do this and I shall not do that. I crave your +Lordship's honorable pardon, if I have said aught that may have galled +you.” + +The fear Myles had felt was now beginning to dissolve in rising wrath. +“Nay,” said he, stoutly, “I be no Lord and I be no Prince, but I be as +good as thou. For am I not the son of thy onetime very true comrade and +thy kinsman--to wit, the Lord Falworth, whom, as thou knowest, is poor +and broken, and blind, and helpless, and outlawed, and banned? Yet,” + cried he, grinding his teeth, as the thought of it all rushed in upon +him, “I would rather be in his place than in yours; for though he be +ruined, you--” + +He had just sense enough to stop there. + +The Earl, gripping his staff behind his back, and with his head a little +bent, was looking keenly at the lad from under his shaggy gray brows. +“Well,” said he, as Myles stopped, “thou hast gone too far now to draw +back. Say thy say to the end. Why wouldst thou rather be in thy father's +stead than in mine?” + +Myles did not answer. + +“Thou shalt finish thy speech, or else show thyself a coward. Though thy +father is ruined, thou didst say I am--what?” + +Myles keyed himself up to the effort, and then blurted out, “Thou art +attainted with shame.” + +A long breathless silence followed. + +“Myles Falworth,” said the Earl at last (and even in the whirling of his +wits Myles wondered that he had the name so pat)--“Myles Falworth, of +all the bold, mad, hare-brained fools, thou art the most foolish. How +dost thou dare say such words to me? Dost thou not know that thou makest +thy coming punishment ten times more bitter by such a speech?” + +“Aye!” cried Myles, desperately; “but what else could I do? An I did not +say the words, thou callest me coward, and coward I am not.” + +“By 'r Lady!” said the Earl, “I do believe thee. Thou art a bold, +impudent varlet as ever lived--to beard me so, forsooth! Hark'ee; thou +sayst I think naught of mine old comrade. I will show thee that thou +dost belie me. I will suffer what thou hast said to me for his sake, and +for his sake will forgive thee thy coming hither--which I would not do +in another case to any other man. Now get thee gone straightway, and +come hither no more. Yonder is the postern-gate; mayhap thou knowest the +way. But stay! How camest thou hither?” + +Myles told him of the spikes he had driven in the wall, and the Earl +listened, stroking his beard. When the lad had ended, he fixed a sharp +look upon him. “But thou drove not those spikes alone,” said he; “who +helped thee do it?” + +“That I may not tell,” said Myles, firmly. + +“So be it,” said the Earl. “I will not ask thee to tell his name. Now +get thee gone! And as for those spikes, thou mayst e'en knock them out +of the wall, sin thou drave them in. Play no more pranks an thou wouldst +keep thy skin whole. And now go, I say!” + +Myles needed no further bidding, but turned and left the Earl without +another word. As he went out the postern-gate he looked over his +shoulder, and saw the tall figure, in its long fur-trimmed gown, still +standing in the middle of the path, looking after him from under the +shaggy eyebrows. + +As he ran across the quadrangle, his heart still fluttering in his +breast, he muttered to himself, “The old grizzle-beard; an I had not +faced him a bold front, mayhap he would have put such shame upon me +as he said. I wonder why he stood so staring after me as I left the +garden.” + +Then for the time the matter slipped from his mind, saving only that +part that smacked of adventure. + + + +CHAPTER 20 + +So for a little while Myles was disposed to congratulate himself upon +having come off so well from his adventure with the Earl. But after a +day or two had passed, and he had time for second thought, he began to +misdoubt whether, after all, he might not have carried it with a better +air if he had shown more chivalrous boldness in the presence of his true +lady; whether it would not have redounded more to his credit if he had +in some way asserted his rights as the young dame's knight-errant and +defender. Was it not ignominious to resign his rights and privileges so +easily and tamely at a signal from the Earl? + +“For, in sooth,” said he to Gascoyne, as the two talked the matter over, +“she hath, in a certain way, accepted me for her knight, and yet I stood +me there without saying so much as one single word in her behalf.” + +“Nay,” said Gascoyne, “I would not trouble me on that score. Methinks +that thou didst come off wondrous well out of the business. I would not +have thought it possible that my Lord could ha' been so patient with +thee as he showed himself. Methinks, forsooth, he must hold thee privily +in right high esteem.” + +“Truly,” said Myles, after a little pause of meditative silence, “I know +not of any esteem, yet I do think he was passing patient with me in this +matter. But ne'theless, Francis, that changeth not my stand in the case. +Yea, I did shamefully, so to resign my lady without speaking one word; +nor will I so resign her even yet. I have bethought me much of this +matter of late, Francis, and now I come to thee to help me from my evil +case. I would have thee act the part of a true friend to me--like that +one I have told thee of in the story of the Emperor Justinian. I would +have thee, when next thou servest in the house, to so contrive that my +Lady Alice shall get a letter which I shall presently write, and wherein +I may set all that is crooked straight again.” + +“Heaven forbid,” said Gascoyne, hastily, “that I should be such a fool +as to burn my fingers in drawing thy nuts from the fire! Deliver thy +letter thyself, good fellow!” + +So spoke Gascoyne, yet after all he ended, as he usually did, by +yielding to Myles's superior will and persistence. So the letter was +written and one day the good-natured Gascoyne carried it with him to the +house, and the opportunity offering, gave it to one of the young ladies +attendant upon the Countess's family--a lass with whom he had friendly +intimacy--to be delivered to Lady Alice. + +But if Myles congratulated himself upon the success of this new +adventure, it was not for long. That night, as the crowd of pages and +squires were making themselves ready for bed, the call came through the +uproar for “Myles Falworth! Myles Falworth!” + +“Here I be,” cried Myles, standing up on his cot. “Who calleth me?” + +It was the groom of the Earl's bedchamber, and seeing Myles standing +thus raised above the others, he came walking down the length of the +room towards him, the wonted hubbub gradually silencing as he advanced +and the youngsters turning, staring, and wondering. + +“My Lord would speak with thee, Myles Falworth,” said the groom, when he +had come close enough to where Myles stood. “Busk thee and make ready; +he is at livery even now.” + +The groom's words fell upon Myles like a blow. He stood for a while +staring wide-eyed. “My Lord speak with me, sayst thou!” he ejaculated at +last. + +“Aye,” said the other, impatiently; “get thee ready quickly. I must +return anon.” + +Myles's head was in a whirl as he hastily changed his clothes for a +better suit, Gascoyne helping him. What could the Earl want with him at +this hour? He knew in his heart what it was; the interview could concern +nothing but the letter that he had sent to Lady Alice that day. As he +followed the groom through the now dark and silent courts, and across +the corner of the great quadrangle, and so to the Earl's house, he tried +to brace his failing courage to meet the coming interview. Nevertheless, +his heart beat tumultuously as he followed the other down the long +corridor, lit only by a flaring link set in a wrought-iron bracket. Then +his conductor lifted the arras at the door of the bedchamber, whence +came the murmuring sound of many voices, and holding it aside, beckoned +him to enter, and Myles passed within. At the first, he was conscious +of nothing but a crowd of people, and of the brightness of many lighted +candles; then he saw that he stood in a great airy room spread with a +woven mat of rushes. On three sides the walls were hung with tapestry +representing hunting and battle scenes, at the farther end, where the +bed stood, the stone wall of the fourth side was covered with cloth of +blue, embroidered with silver goshawks. Even now, in the ripe springtime +of May, the room was still chilly, and a great fire roared and crackled +in the huge gaping mouth of the stone fireplace. Not far from the blaze +were clustered the greater part of those present, buzzing in talk, now +and then swelled by murmuring laughter. Some of those who knew Myles +nodded to him, and two or three spoke to him as he stood waiting, whilst +the groom went forward to speak to the Earl; though what they said and +what he answered, Myles, in his bewilderment and trepidation, hardly +knew. + +As was said before, the livery was the last meal of the day, and was +taken in bed. It was a simple repast--a manchette, or small loaf of +bread of pure white flour, a loaf of household bread, sometimes a lump +of cheese, and either a great flagon of ale or of sweet wine, warm +and spiced. The Earl was sitting upright in bed, dressed in a furred +dressing-gown, and propped up by two cylindrical bolsters of crimson +satin. Upon the coverlet, and spread over his knees, was a large wide +napkin of linen fringed with silver thread, and on it rested a silver +tray containing the bread and some cheese. Two pages and three gentlemen +were waiting upon him, and Mad Noll, the jester, stood at the head of +the bed, now and then jingling his bawble and passing some quaint jest +upon the chance of making his master smile. Upon a table near by were +some dozen or so waxen tapers struck upon as many spiked candlesticks +of silver-gilt, and illuminating that end of the room with their bright +twinkling flames. One of the gentlemen was in the act of serving the +Earl with a goblet of wine, poured from a silver ewer by one of the +squires, as the groom of the chamber came forward and spoke. The Earl, +taking the goblet, turned his head, and as Myles looked, their eyes met. +Then the Earl turned away again and raised the cup to his lips, while +Myles felt his heart beat more rapidly than ever. + +But at last the meal was ended, and the Earl washed his hands and his +mouth and his beard from a silver basin of scented water held by another +one of the squires. Then, leaning back against the pillows, he beckoned +to Myles. + +In answer Myles walked forward the length of the room, conscious that +all eyes were fixed upon him. The Earl said something, and those who +stood near drew back as he came forward. Then Myles found himself +standing beside the bed, looking down upon the quilted counterpane, +feeling that the other was gazing fixedly at him. + +“I sent for thee,” said the Earl at last, still looking steadily at +him, “because this afternoon came a letter to my hand which thou hadst +written to my niece, the Lady Alice. I have it here,” said he, thrusting +his hand under the bolster, “and have just now finished reading it.” + Then, after a moment's pause, whilst he opened the parchment and scanned +it again, “I find no matter of harm in it, but hereafter write no more +such.” He spoke entirely without anger, and Myles looked up in wonder. +“Here, take it,” said the Earl, folding the letter and tossing it to +Myles, who instinctively caught it, “and henceforth trouble thou my +niece no more either by letter or any other way. I thought haply thou +wouldst be at some such saucy trick, and I made Alice promise to let me +know when it happed. Now, I say, let this be an end of the matter. Dost +thou not know thou mayst injure her by such witless folly as that of +meeting her privily, and privily writing to her?” + +“I meant no harm,” said Myles. + +“I believe thee,” said the Earl. “That will do now; thou mayst go.” + +Myles hesitated. + +“What wouldst thou say?” said Lord Mackworth. + +“Only this,” said Myles, “an I have thy leave so to do, that the Lady +Alice hath chosen me to be her knight, and so, whether I may see her or +speak with her or no, the laws of chivalry give me, who am gentle born, +the right to serve her as a true knight may.” + +“As a true fool may,” said the Earl, dryly. “Why, how now, thou art not +a knight yet, nor anything but a raw lump of a boy. What rights do the +laws of chivalry give thee, sirrah? Thou art a fool!” + +Had the Earl been ever so angry, his words would have been less bitter +to Myles than his cool, unmoved patience; it mortified his pride and +galled it to the quick. + +“I know that thou dost hold me in contempt,” he mumbled. + +“Out upon thee!” said the Earl, testily. “Thou dost tease me beyond +patience. I hold thee in contempt, forsooth! Why, look thee, hadst thou +been other than thou art, I would have had thee whipped out of my house +long since. Thinkest thou I would have borne so patiently with another +one of ye squires had such an one held secret meeting with my daughter +and niece, and tampered, as thou hast done, with my household, sending +through one of my people that letter? Go to; thou art a fool, Myles +Falworth!” + +Myles stood staring at the Earl without making an effort to speak. The +words that he had heard suddenly flashed, as it were, a new light into +his mind. In that flash he fully recognized, and for the first time, +the strange and wonderful forbearance the great Earl had shown to him, +a poor obscure boy. What did it mean? Was Lord Mackworth his secret +friend, after all, as Gascoyne had more than once asserted? So Myles +stood silent, thinking many things. + +Meantime the other lay back upon the cylindrical bolsters, looking +thoughtfully at him. “How old art thou?” said he at last. + +“Seventeen last April,” answered Myles. + +“Then thou art old enough to have some of the thoughts of a man, and to +lay aside those of a boy. Haply thou hast had foolish things in thy +head this short time past; it is time that thou put them away. Harkee, +sirrah! the Lady Alice is a great heiress in her own right, and mayst +command the best alliance in England--an Earl--a Duke. She groweth apace +to a woman, and then her kind lieth in Courts and great houses. As for +thee, thou art but a poor lad, penniless and without friends to aid thee +to open advancement. Thy father is attainted, and one whisper of where +he lieth hid would bring him thence to the Tower, and haply to the +block. Besides that, he hath an enemy, as Sir James Lee hath already +told thee--an enemy perhaps more great and powerful than myself. That +enemy watcheth for thy father and for thee; shouldst thou dare raise thy +head or thy fortune ever so little, he would haply crop them both, and +that parlously quick. Myles Falworth, how dost thou dare to lift thine +eyes to the Lady Alice de Mowbray?” + +Poor Myles stood silent and motionless. “Sir,” said he at last, in a +dry choking voice, “thou art right, and I have been a fool. Sir, I will +never raise mine eyes to look upon the Lady Alice more.” + +“I say not that either, boy,” said the Earl; “but ere thou dost so dare, +thou must first place thyself and thy family whence ye fell. Till then, +as thou art an honest man, trouble her not. Now get thee gone.” + +As Myles crossed the dark and silent courtyards, and looked up at the +clear, still twinkle of the stars, he felt a kind of dull wonder that +they and the night and the world should seem so much the same, and he be +so different. + +The first stroke had been given that was to break in pieces his boyhood +life--the second was soon to follow. + + + +CHAPTER 21 + +There are now and then times in the life of every one when new and +strange things occur with such rapidity that one has hardly time to +catch one's breath between the happenings. It is as though the old were +crumbling away--breaking in pieces--to give place to the new that is +soon to take its place. + +So it was with Myles Falworth about this time. The very next day after +this interview in the bed-chamber, word came to him that Sir James Lee +wished to speak with him in the office. He found the lean, grizzled old +knight alone, sitting at the heavy oaken table with a tankard of spiced +ale at his elbow, and a dish of wafers and some fragments of cheese on a +pewter platter before him. He pointed to his clerk's seat--a joint stool +somewhat like a camp-chair, but made of heavy oaken braces and with a +seat of hog-skin--and bade Myles be seated. + +It was the first time that Myles had ever heard of such courtesy being +extended to one of the company of squires, and, much wondering, he +obeyed the invitation, or rather command, and took the seat. + +The old knight sat regarding him for a while in silence, his one eye, +as bright and as steady as that of a hawk, looking keenly from under the +penthouse of its bushy brows, the while he slowly twirled and twisted +his bristling wiry mustaches, as was his wont when in meditation. At +last he broke the silence. “How old art thou?” said he, abruptly. + +“I be turned seventeen last April,” Myles answered, as he had the +evening before to Lord Mackworth. + +“Humph!” said Sir James; “thou be'st big of bone and frame for thine +age. I would that thy heart were more that of a man likewise, and less +that of a giddy, hare-brained boy, thinking continually of naught but +mischief.” + +Again he fell silent, and Myles sat quite still, wondering if it was +on account of any special one of his latest escapades that he had been +summoned to the office--the breaking of the window in the Long Hall by +the stone he had flung at the rook, or the climbing of the South Tower +for the jackdaw's nest. + +“Thou hast a friend,” said Sir James, suddenly breaking into his +speculations, “of such a kind that few in this world possess. Almost +ever since thou hast been here he hath been watching over thee. Canst +thou guess of whom I speak?” + +“Haply it is Lord George Beaumont,” said Myles; “he hath always been +passing kind to me. + +“Nay,” said Sir James, “it is not of him that I speak, though methinks +he liketh thee well enow. Canst thou keep a secret, boy?” he asked, +suddenly. + +“Yea,” answered Myles. + +“And wilt thou do so in this case if I tell thee who it is that is thy +best friend here?” + +“Yea.” + +“Then it is my Lord who is that friend--the Earl himself; but see that +thou breathe not a word of it.” + +Myles sat staring at the old knight in utter and profound amazement, and +presently Sir James continued: “Yea, almost ever since thou hast come +here my Lord hath kept oversight upon all thy doings, upon all thy mad +pranks and thy quarrels and thy fights, thy goings out and comings in. +What thinkest thou of that, Myles Falworth?” + +Again the old knight stopped and regarded the lad, who sat silent, +finding no words to answer. He seemed to find a grim pleasure in the +youngster's bewilderment and wonder. Then a sudden thought came to +Myles. + +“Sir,” said he, “did my Lord know that I went to the privy garden as I +did?” + +“Nay,” said Sir James; “of that he knew naught at first until thy father +bade thy mother write and tell him.” + +“My father!” ejaculated Myles. + +“Aye,” said Sir James, twisting his mustaches more vigorously than ever. +“So soon as thy father heard of that prank, he wrote straightway to +my Lord that he should put a stop to what might in time have bred +mischief.” + +“Sir,” said Myles, in an almost breathless voice, “I know not how to +believe all these things, or whether I be awake or a-dreaming.” + +“Thou be'st surely enough awake,” answered the old man; “but there are +other matters yet to be told. My Lord thinketh, as others of us do--Lord +George and myself--that it is now time for thee to put away thy boyish +follies, and learn those things appertaining to manhood. Thou hast been +here a year now, and hast had freedom to do as thou might list; but, +boy,”--and the old warrior spoke seriously, almost solemnly--“upon thee +doth rest matters of such great import that did I tell them to thee thou +couldst not grasp them. My Lord deems that thou hast, mayhap, promise +beyond the common of men; ne'theless it remaineth yet to be seen an he +be right; it is yet to test whether that promise may be fulfilled. Next +Monday I and Sir Everard Willoughby take thee in hand to begin training +thee in the knowledge and the use of the jousting lance, of arms, and of +horsemanship. Thou art to go to Ralph Smith, and have him fit a suit of +plain armor to thee which he hath been charged to make for thee against +this time. So get thee gone, think well over all these matters, and +prepare thyself by next Monday. But stay, sirrah,” he added, as Myles, +dazed and bewildered, turned to obey; “breathe to no living soul what +I ha' told thee--that my Lord is thy friend--neither speak of anything +concerning him. Such is his own heavy command laid upon thee.” + +Then Myles turned again without a word to leave the room. But as he +reached the door Sir James stopped him a second time. + +“Stay!” he called. “I had nigh missed telling thee somewhat else. My +Lord hath made thee a present this morning that thou wottest not of. It +is”--then he stopped for a few moments, perhaps to enjoy the full flavor +of what he had to say--“it is a great Flemish horse of true breed and +right mettle; a horse such as a knight of the noblest strain might be +proud to call his own. Myles Falworth, thou wert born upon a lucky day!” + +“Sir,” cried Myles, and then stopped short. Then, “Sir,” he cried again, +“didst thou say it--the horse--was to be mine?” + +“Aye, it is to be thine.” + +“My very own?” + +“Thy very own.” + +How Myles Falworth left that place he never knew. He was like one in +some strange, some wonderful dream. He walked upon air, and his heart +was so full of joy and wonder and amazement that it thrilled almost to +agony. Of course his first thought was of Gascoyne. How he ever found +him he never could tell, but find him he did. + +“Come, Francis!” he cried, “I have that to tell thee so marvellous that +had it come upon me from paradise it could not be more strange.” + +Then he dragged him away to their Eyry--it had been many a long day +since they had been there--and to all his friend's speeches, to all his +wondering questions, he answered never a word until they had climbed the +stairs, and so come to their old haunt. Then he spoke. + +“Sit thee down, Francis,” said he, “till I tell thee that which passeth +wonder.” As Gascoyne obeyed, he himself stood looking about him. “This +is the last time I shall ever come hither,” said he. And thereupon he +poured out his heart to his listening friend in the murmuring solitude +of the airy height. He did not speak of the Earl, but of the wonderful +new life that had thus suddenly opened before him, with its golden +future of limitless hopes, of dazzling possibilities, of heroic +ambitions. He told everything, walking up and down the while--for he +could not remain quiet--his cheeks glowing and his eyes sparkling. + +Gascoyne sat quite still, staring straight before him. He knew that his +friend was ruffling eagle pinions for a flight in which he could never +hope to follow, and somehow his heart ached, for he knew that this must +be the beginning of the end of the dear, delightful friendship of the +year past. + + + +CHAPTER 22 + +And so ended Myles Falworth's boyhood. Three years followed, during +which he passed through that state which immediately follows boyhood in +all men's lives--a time when they are neither lads nor grown men, but +youths passing from the one to the other period through what is often an +uncouth and uncomfortable age. + +He had fancied, when he talked with Gascoyne in the Eyry that time, +that he was to become a man all at once; he felt just then that he had +forever done with boyish things. But that is not the way it happens in +men's lives. Changes do not come so suddenly and swiftly as that, but by +little and little. For three or four days, maybe, he went his new way of +life big with the great change that had come upon him, and then, now +in this and now in that, he drifted back very much into his old ways +of boyish doings. As was said, one's young days do not end all at once, +even when they be so suddenly and sharply shaken, and Myles was not +different from others. He had been stirred to the core by that first +wonderful sight of the great and glorious life of manhood opening before +him, but he had yet many a sport to enjoy, many a game to play, many a +boisterous romp to riot in the dormitory, many an expedition to make +to copse and spinney and river on days when he was off duty, and when +permission had been granted. + +Nevertheless, there was a great and vital change in his life; a change +which he hardly felt or realized. Even in resuming his old life there +was no longer the same vitality, the same zest, the same enjoyment in +all these things. It seemed as though they were no longer a part of +himself. The savor had gone from them, and by-and-by it was pleasanter +to sit looking on at the sports and the games of the younger lads than +to take active part in them. + +These three years of his life that had thus passed had been very full; +full mostly of work, grinding and monotonous; of training dull, dry, +laborious. For Sir James Lee was a taskmaster as hard as iron and +seemingly as cold as a stone. For two, perhaps for three, weeks Myles +entered into his new exercises with all the enthusiasm that novelty +brings; but these exercises hardly varied a tittle from day to day, and +soon became a duty, and finally a hard and grinding task. He used, in +the earlier days of his castle life, to hate the dull monotony of the +tri-weekly hacking at the pels with a heavy broadsword as he hated +nothing else; but now, though he still had that exercise to perform, it +was almost a relief from the heavy dulness of riding, riding, riding in +the tilt-yard with shield and lance--couch--recover--en passant. + +But though he had nowadays but little time for boyish plays and +escapades, his life was not altogether without relaxation. Now and +then he was permitted to drive in mock battle with other of the younger +knights and bachelors in the paddock near the outer walls. It was a +still more welcome change in the routine of his life when, occasionally, +he would break a light lance in the tilting-court with Sir Everard +Willoughby; Lord George, perhaps, and maybe one or two others of the +Hall folk, looking on. + +Then one gilded day, when Lord Dudleigh was visiting at Devlen, Myles +ran a course with a heavier lance in the presence of the Earl, who came +down to the tilt-yard with his guest to see the young novitiate ride +against Sir Everard. He did his best, and did it well. Lord Dudleigh +praised his poise and carriage, and Lord George, who was present, gave +him an approving smile and nod. But the Earl of Mackworth only sat +stroking his beard impassively, as was his custom. Myles would have +given much to know his thoughts. + +In all these years Sir James Lee almost never gave any expression either +of approbation or disapproval--excepting when Myles exhibited some +carelessness or oversight. Then his words were sharp and harsh enough. +More than once Myles's heart failed him, and bitter discouragement +took possession of him; then nothing but his bull-dog tenacity and +stubbornness brought him out from the despondency of the dark hours. + +“Sir,” he burst out one day, when his heart was heavy with some failure, +“tell me, I beseech thee, do I get me any of skill at all? Is it in me +ever to make a worthy knight, fit to hold lance and sword with other +men, or am I only soothly a dull heavy block, worth naught of any good?” + +“Thou art a fool, sirrah!” answered Sir James, in his grimmest tones. +“Thinkest thou to learn all of knightly prowess in a year and a half? +Wait until thou art ripe, and then I will tell thee if thou art fit to +couch a lance or ride a course with a right knight.” + +“Thou art an old bear!” muttered Myles to himself, as the old one-eyed +knight turned on his heel and strode away. “Beshrew me! an I show thee +not that I am as worthy to couch a lance as thou one of these fine +days!” + +However, during the last of the three years the grinding routine of his +training had not been quite so severe as at first. His exercises took +him more often out into the fields, and it was during this time of his +knightly education that he sometimes rode against some of the castle +knights in friendly battle with sword or lance or wooden mace. In these +encounters he always held his own; and held it more than well, though, +in his boyish simplicity, he was altogether unconscious of his own +skill, address, and strength. Perhaps it was his very honest modesty +that made him so popular and so heartily liked by all. + +He had by this time risen to the place of head squire or chief bachelor, +holding the same position that Walter Blunt had occupied when he himself +had first come, a raw country boy, to Devlen. The lesser squires +and pages fairly worshipped him as a hero, albeit imposing upon his +good-nature. All took a pride in his practice in knightly exercises, and +fabulous tales were current among the young fry concerning his strength +and skill. + +Yet, although Myles was now at the head of his class, he did not, +as other chief bachelors had done, take a leading position among the +squires in the Earl's household service. Lord Mackworth, for his own +good reasons, relegated him to the position of Lord George's especial +attendant. Nevertheless, the Earl always distinguished him from the +other esquires, giving him a cool nod whenever they met; and Myles, upon +his part--now that he had learned better to appreciate how much his Lord +had done for him--would have shed the last drop of blood in his veins +for the head of the house of Beaumont. + +As for the two young ladies, he often saw them, and sometimes, even +in the presence of the Earl, exchanged a few words with them, and Lord +Mackworth neither forbade it nor seemed to notice it. + +Towards the Lady Anne he felt the steady friendly regard of a lad for a +girl older than himself; towards the Lady Alice, now budding into ripe +young womanhood, there lay deep in his heart the resolve to be some day +her true knight in earnest as he had been her knight in pretence in that +time of boyhood when he had so perilously climbed into the privy garden. + +In body and form he was now a man, and in thought and heart was quickly +ripening to manhood, for, as was said before, men matured quickly in +those days. He was a right comely youth, for the promise of his boyish +body had been fulfilled in a tall, powerful, well-knit frame. His face +was still round and boyish, but on cheek and chin and lip was the curl +of adolescent beard--soft, yellow, and silky. His eyes were as blue +as steel, and quick and sharp in glance as those of a hawk; and as he +walked, his arms swung from his broad, square shoulders, and his body +swayed with pent-up strength ready for action at any moment. + +If little Lady Alice, hearing much talk of his doings and of his promise +in these latter times, thought of him now and then it is a matter not +altogether to be wondered at. + +Such were the changes that three years had wrought. And from now the +story of his manhood really begins. + + +Perhaps in all the history of Devlen Castle, even at this, the high tide +of pride and greatness of the house of Beaumont, the most notable time +was in the early autumn of the year 1411, when for five days King Henry +IV was entertained by the Earl of Mackworth. The King was at that time +making a progress through certain of the midland counties, and with him +travelled the Comte de Vermoise. The Count was the secret emissary of +the Dauphin's faction in France, at that time in the very bitterest +intensity of the struggle with the Duke of Burgundy, and had come to +England seeking aid for his master in his quarrel. + +It was not the first time that royalty had visited Devlen. Once, in Earl +Robert's day, King Edward II had spent a week at the castle during the +period of the Scottish wars. But at that time it was little else than a +military post, and was used by the King as such. Now the Beaumonts were +in the very flower of their prosperity, and preparations were made +for the coming visit of royalty upon a scale of such magnificence and +splendor as Earl Robert, or perhaps even King Edward himself, had never +dreamed. + +For weeks the whole castle had been alive with folk hurrying hither and +thither; and with the daily and almost hourly coming of pack-horses, +laden with bales and boxes, from London. From morning to night one heard +the ceaseless chip-chipping of the masons' hammers, and saw carriers +of stones and mortar ascending and descending the ladders of the +scaffolding that covered the face of the great North Hall. Within, that +part of the building was alive with the scraping of the carpenters' +saws, the clattering of lumber, and the rapping and banging of hammers. + +The North Hall had been assigned as the lodging place for the King and +his court, and St. George's Hall (as the older building adjoining it was +called) had been set apart as the lodging of the Comte de Vermoise and +the knights and gentlemen attendant upon him. + +The great North Hall had been very much altered and changed for the +accommodation of the King and his people; a beautiful gallery of carved +wood-work had been built within and across the south end of the room for +the use of the ladies who were to look down upon the ceremonies below. +Two additional windows had been cut through the wall and glazed, and +passage-ways had been opened connecting with the royal apartments +beyond. In the bedchamber a bed of carved wood and silver had been +built into the wall, and had been draped with hangings of pale blue and +silver, and a magnificent screen of wrought-iron and carved wood had +been erected around the couch; rich and beautiful tapestries brought +from Italy and Flanders were hung upon the walls; cushions of velvets +and silks stuffed with down covered benches and chairs. The floor of +the hall was spread with mats of rushes stained in various colors, woven +into curious patterns, and in the smaller rooms precious carpets of +arras were laid on the cold stones. + +All of the cadets of the House had been assembled; all of the +gentlemen in waiting, retainers and clients. The castle seemed full to +overflowing; even the dormitory of the squires was used as a lodging +place for many of the lesser gentry. + +So at last, in the midst of all this bustle of preparation, came the day +of days when the King was to arrive. The day before a courier had come +bringing the news that he was lodging at Donaster Abbey overnight, and +would make progress the next day to Devlen. + +That morning, as Myles was marshalling the pages and squires, and, with +the list of names in his hand, was striving to evolve some order out +of the confusion, assigning the various individuals their special +duties--these to attend in the household, those to ride in the +escort--one of the gentlemen of Lord George's household came with an +order for him to come immediately to the young nobleman's apartments. +Myles hastily turned over his duties to Gascoyne and Wilkes, and then +hurried after the messenger. He found Lord George in the antechamber, +three gentlemen squires arming him in a magnificent suit of ribbed +Milan. + +He greeted Myles with a nod and a smile as the lad entered. “Sirrah,” + said he, “I have had a talk with Mackworth this morn concerning thee, +and have a mind to do thee an honor in my poor way. How wouldst thou +like to ride to-day as my special squire of escort?” + +Myles flushed to the roots of his hair. “Oh, sir!” he cried, eagerly, +“an I be not too ungainly for thy purpose, no honor in all the world +could be such joy to me as that!” + +Lord George laughed. “A little matter pleases thee hugely,” said he; +“but as to being ungainly, who so sayeth that of thee belieth thee, +Myles; thou art not ungainly, sirrah. But that is not to the point. I +have chosen thee for my equerry to-day; so make thou haste and don thine +armor, and then come hither again, and Hollingwood will fit thee with a +wreathed bascinet I have within, and a juppon embroidered with my arms +and colors.” + +When Myles had made his bow and left his patron, he flew across the +quadrangle, and burst into the armory upon Gascoyne, whom he found still +lingering there, chatting with one or two of the older bachelors. + +“What thinkest thou, Francis?” he cried, wild with excitement. “An honor +hath been done me this day I could never have hoped to enjoy. Out of +all this household, Lord George hath chose me his equerry for the day to +ride to meet the King. Come, hasten to help me to arm! Art thou not glad +of this thing for my sake, Francis?” + +“Aye, glad am I indeed!” cried Gascoyne, that generous friend; “rather +almost would I have this befall thee than myself!” And indeed he was +hardly less jubilant than Myles over the honor. + +Five minutes later he was busy arming him in the little room at the end +of the dormitory which had been lately set apart for the use of the head +bachelor. “And to think,” he said, looking up as he kneeled, strapping +the thigh-plates to his friend's legs, “that he should have chosen thee +before all others of the fine knights and lords and gentlemen of quality +that are here!” + +“Yea,” said Myles, “it passeth wonder. I know not why he should so +single me out for such an honor. It is strangely marvellous.” + +“Nay,” said Gascoyne, “there is no marvel in it, and I know right well +why he chooseth thee. It is because he sees, as we all see, that thou +art the stoutest and the best-skilled in arms, and most easy of carriage +of any man in all this place.” + +Myles laughed. “An thou make sport of me,” said he, “I'll rap thy head +with this dagger hilt. Thou art a silly fellow, Francis, to talk so. But +tell me, hast thou heard who rides with my Lord?” + +“Yea, I heard Wilkes say anon that it was Sir James Lee.” + +“I am right glad of that,” said Myles; “for then he will show me what to +do and how to bear myself. It frights me to think what would hap should +I make some mistake in my awkwardness. Methinks Lord George would never +have me with him more should I do amiss this day.” + +“Never fear,” said Gascoyne; “thou wilt not do amiss.” + +And now, at last, the Earl, Lord George, and all their escort were +ready; then the orders were given to horse, the bugle sounded, and away +they all rode, with clashing of iron hoofs and ringing and jingling +of armor, out into the dewy freshness of the early morning, the slant +yellow sun of autumn blazing and flaming upon polished helmets and +shields, and twinkling like sparks of fire upon spear points. Myles's +heart thrilled within him for pure joy, and he swelled out his sturdy +young breast with great draughts of the sweet fresh air that came +singing across the sunny hill-tops. Sir James Lee, who acted as the +Earl's equerry for the day, rode at a little distance, and there was an +almost pathetic contrast between the grim, steadfast impassiveness of +the tough old warrior and Myles's passionate exuberance of youth. + +At the head of the party rode the Earl and his brother side by side, +each clad cap-a-pie in a suit of Milan armor, the cuirass of each +covered with a velvet juppon embroidered in silver with the arms and +quarterings of the Beaumonts. The Earl wore around his neck an “S S” + collar, with a jewelled St. George hanging from it, and upon his head a +vizored bascinet, ornamented with a wreath covered with black and yellow +velvet and glistening with jewels. + +Lord George, as was said before, was clad in a beautiful suit of ribbed +Milan armor. It was rimmed with a thin thread of gold, and, like his +brother, he wore a bascinet wreathed with black and yellow velvet. + +Behind the two brothers and their equerries rode the rest in their +proper order--knights, gentlemen, esquires, men-at-arms--to the number, +perhaps, of two hundred and fifty; spears and lances aslant, and +banners, permons, and pencels of black and yellow fluttering in the warm +September air. + +From the castle to the town they rode, and then across the bridge, and +thence clattering up through the stony streets, where the folk looked +down upon them from the windows above, or crowded the fronts of the +shops of the tradesmen. Lusty cheers were shouted for the Earl, but the +great Lord rode staring ever straight before him, as unmoved as a stone. +Then out of the town they clattered, and away in a sweeping cloud of +dust across the country-side. + +It was not until they had reached the windy top of Willoughby Croft, ten +miles away, that they met the King and his company. As the two parties +approached to within forty or fifty yards of one another they stopped. + +As they came to a halt, Myles observed that a gentleman dressed in +a plain blue-gray riding-habit, and sitting upon a beautiful white +gelding, stood a little in advance of the rest of the party, and he knew +that that must be the King. Then Sir James nodded to Myles, and leaping +from his horse, flung the reins to one of the attendants. Myles did +the like; and then, still following Sir James's lead as he served +Lord Mackworth, went forward and held Lord George's stirrup while he +dismounted. The two noblemen quickly removed each his bascinet, and +Myles, holding the bridle-rein of Lord George's horse with his left +hand, took the helmet in his right, resting it upon his hip. + +Then the two brothers walked forward bare-headed, the Earl, a little in +advance. Reaching the King he stopped, and then bent his knee--stiffly +in the armored plates--until it touched the ground. Thereupon the King +reached him his hand, and he, rising again, took it, and set it to his +lips. + +Then Lord George, advancing, kneeled as his brother had kneeled, and to +him also the King gave his hand. + +Myles could hear nothing, but he could see that a few words of greeting +passed between the three, and then the King, turning, beckoned to a +knight who stood just behind him and a little in advance of the others +of the troop. In answer, the knight rode forward; the King spoke a few +words of introduction, and the stranger, ceremoniously drawing off his +right gauntlet, clasped the hand, first of the Earl, and then of Lord +George. Myles knew that he must be the great Comte de Vermoise, of whom +he had heard so much of late. + +A few moments of conversation followed, and then the King bowed +slightly. The French nobleman instantly reined back his horse, an order +was given, and then the whole company moved forward, the two brothers +walking upon either side of the King, the Earl lightly touching the +bridle-rein with his bare hand. + +Whilst all this was passing, the Earl of Mackworth's company had been +drawn up in a double line along the road-side, leaving the way open to +the other party. As the King reached the head of the troop, another halt +followed while he spoke a few courteous words of greeting to some of the +lesser nobles attendant upon the Earl whom he knew. + +In that little time he was within a few paces of Myles, who stood +motionless as a statue, holding the bascinet and the bridle-rein of Lord +George's horse. + +What Myles saw was a plain, rather stout man, with a face fat, smooth, +and waxy, with pale-blue eyes, and baggy in the lids; clean shaven, +except for a mustache and tuft covering lips and chin. Somehow he felt +a deep disappointment. He had expected to see something lion-like, +something regal, and, after all, the great King Henry was commonplace, +fat, unwholesome-looking. It came to him with a sort of a shock that, +after all, a King was in nowise different from other men. + +Meanwhile the Earl and his brother replaced their bascinets, and +presently the whole party moved forward upon the way to Mackworth. + + + +CHAPTER 23 + +That same afternoon the squires' quarters were thrown into such a +ferment of excitement as had, perhaps, never before stirred them. About +one o'clock in the afternoon the Earl himself and Lord George came +walking slowly across the Armory Court wrapped in deep conversation, and +entered Sir James Lee's office. + +All the usual hubbub of noise that surrounded the neighborhood of the +dormitory and the armory was stilled at their coming, and when the two +noblemen had entered Sir James's office, the lads and young men gathered +in knots discussing with an almost awesome interest what that visit +might portend. + +After some time Sir James Lee came to the door at the head of the long +flight of stone steps, and whistling, beckoned one of the smaller pages +to him. He gave a short order that sent the little fellow flying on some +mission. In the course of a few minutes he returned, hurrying across +the stony court with Myles Falworth, who presently entered Sir James's +office. It was then and at this sight that the intense half-suppressed +excitement reached its height of fever-heat. What did it all mean? The +air was filled with a thousand vague, wild rumors--but the very wildest +surmises fell short of the real truth. + +Perhaps Myles was somewhat pale when he entered the office; certainly +his nerves were in a tremor, for his heart told him that something very +portentous was about to befall him. The Earl sat at the table, and in +the seat that Sir James Lee usually occupied; Lord George half sat, half +leaned in the window-place. Sir James stood with his back to the +empty fireplace, and his hands clasped behind him. All three were very +serious. + +“Give thee good den, Myles Falworth,” said the Earl, as Myles bowed +first to him and then to the others; “and I would have thee prepare +thyself for a great happening.” Then, continuing directly to the point: +“Thou knowest, sirrah, why we have been training thee so closely these +three years gone; it is that thou shouldst be able to hold thine own +in the world. Nay, not only hold thine own, but to show thyself to be +a knight of prowess shouldst it come to a battle between thee and thy +father's enemy; for there lieth no half-way place for thee, and thou +must be either great or else nothing. Well, sir, the time hath now come +for thee to show thy mettle. I would rather have chosen that thou hadst +labored a twelvemonth longer; but now, as I said, hath come a chance to +prove thyself that may never come again. Sir James tells me that thou +art passably ripe in skill. Thou must now show whether that be so or no. +Hast thou ever heard of the Sieur de la Montaigne?” + +“Yea, my Lord. I have heard of him often,” answered Myles. “It was he +who won the prize at the great tourney at Rochelle last year.” + +“I see that thou hast his fame pat to thy tongue's end,” said the Earl; +“he is the chevalier of whom I speak, and he is reckoned the best knight +of Dauphiny. That one of which thou spokest was the third great tourney +in which he was adjudged the victor. I am glad that thou holdest his +prowess highly. Knowest thou that he is in the train of the Comte de +Vermoise?” + +“Nay,” said Myles, flushing; “I did hear news he was in England, but +knew not that he was in this place.” + +“Yea,” said Lord Mackworth; “he is here.” He paused for a moment; then +said, suddenly. “Tell me, Myles Falworth, an thou wert a knight and of +rank fit to run a joust with the Sieur de la Montaigne, wouldst thou +dare encounter him in the lists?” + +The Earl's question fell upon Myles so suddenly and unexpectedly that +for a moment or so he stood staring at the speaker with mouth agape. +Meanwhile the Earl sat looking calmly back at him, slowly stroking his +beard the while. + +It was Sir James Lee's voice that broke the silence. “Thou heardst thy +Lord speak,” said he, harshly. “Hast thou no tongue to answer, sirrah?” + +“Be silent, Lee,” said Lord Mackworth, quietly. “Let the lad have time +to think before he speaketh.” + +The sound of the words aroused Myles. He advanced to the table, and +rested his hand upon it. “My Lord--my Lord,” said he, “I know not what +to say, I--I am amazed and afeard.” + +“How! how!” cried Sir James Lee, harshly. “Afeard, sayst thou? An thou +art afeard, thou knave, thou needst never look upon my face or speak to +me more! I have done with thee forever an thou art afeard even were the +champion a Sir Alisander.” + +“Peace, peace, Lee,” said the Earl, holding up his hand. “Thou art too +hasty. The lad shall have his will in this matter, and thou and no one +shall constrain him. Methinks, also, thou dost not understand him. Speak +from thy heart, Myles; why art thou afraid?” + +“Because,” said Myles, “I am so young, sir; I am but a raw boy. How +should I dare be so hardy as to venture to set lance against such an one +as the Sieur de la Montaigne? What would I be but a laughing-stock for +all the world who would see me so foolish as to venture me against one +of such prowess and skill?” + +“Nay, Myles,” said Lord George, “thou thinkest not well enough of thine +own skill and prowess. Thinkest thou we would undertake to set thee +against him, an we did not think that thou couldst hold thine own fairly +well?” + +“Hold mine own?” cried Myles, turning to Lord George. “Sir; thou dost +not mean--thou canst not mean, that I may hope or dream to hold mine own +against the Sieur de la Montaigne.” + +“Aye,” said Lord George, “that was what I did mean.” + +“Come, Myles,” said the Earl; “now tell me: wilt thou fight the Sieur de +la Montaigne?” + +“Yea,” said Myles, drawing himself to his full height and throwing out +his chest. “Yea,” and his cheeks and forehead flushed red; “an thou bid +me do so, I will fight him.” + +“There spake my brave lad!” cried Lord George heartily. + +“I give thee joy, Myles,” said the Earl, reaching him his hand, which +Myles took and kissed. “And I give thee double joy. I have talked with +the King concerning thee this morning, and he hath consented to knight +thee--yea, to knight thee with all honors of the Bath--provided thou +wilt match thee against the Sieur de la Montaigne for the honor of +England and Mackworth. Just now the King lieth to sleep for a little +while after his dinner; have thyself in readiness when he cometh forth, +and I will have thee presented.” + +Then the Earl turned to Sir James Lee, and questioned him as to how the +bachelors were fitted with clothes. Myles listened, only half hearing +the words through the tumbling of his thoughts. He had dreamed in his +day-dreams that some time he might be knighted, but that time always +seemed very, very distant. To be knighted now, in his boyhood, by the +King, with the honors of the Bath, and under the patronage of the +Earl of Mackworth; to joust--to actually joust--with the Sieur de la +Montaigne, one of the most famous chevaliers of France! No wonder he +only half heard the words; half heard the Earl's questions concerning +his clothes and the discussion which followed; half heard Lord George +volunteer to array him in fitting garments from his own wardrobe. + +“Thou mayst go now,” said the Earl, at last turning to him. “But be thou +at George's apartments by two of the clock to be dressed fittingly for +the occasion.” + +Then Myles went out stupefied, dazed, bewildered. He looked around, +but he did not see Gascoyne. He said not a word to any of the others in +answer to the eager questions poured upon him by his fellow-squires, +but walked straight away. He hardly knew where he went, but by-and-by +he found himself in a grassy angle below the end of the south stable; a +spot overlooking the outer wall and the river beyond. He looked around; +no one was near, and he flung himself at length, burying his face in +his arms. How long he lay there he did not know, but suddenly some +one touched him upon the shoulder, and he sprang up quickly. It was +Gascoyne. + +“What is to do, Myles?” said his friend, anxiously. “What is all this +talk I hear concerning thee up yonder at the armory?” + +“Oh, Francis!” cried Myles, with a husky choking voice: “I am to be +knighted--by the King--by the King himself; and I--I am to fight the +Sieur de la Montaigne.” + +He reached out his hand, and Gascoyne took it. They stood for a while +quite silent, and when at last the stillness was broken, it was Gascoyne +who spoke, in a choking voice. + +“Thou art going to be great, Myles,” said he. “I always knew that it +must be so with thee, and now the time hath come. Yea, thou wilt be +great, and live at court amongst noble folk, and Kings haply. Presently +thou wilt not be with me any more, and wilt forget me by-and-by.” + +“Nay, Francis, never will I forget thee!” answered Myles, pressing +his friend's hand. “I will always love thee better than any one in the +world, saving only my father and my mother.” + +Gascoyne shook his head and looked away, swallowing at the dry lump in +his throat. Suddenly he turned to Myles. “Wilt thou grant me a boon?” + +“Yea,” answered Myles. “What is it?” + +“That thou wilt choose me for thy squire.” + +“Nay,” said Myles; “how canst thou think to serve me as squire? Thou +wilt be a knight thyself some day, Francis, and why dost thou wish now +to be my squire?” + +“Because,” said Gascoyne, with a short laugh, “I would rather be in thy +company as a squire than in mine own as a knight, even if I might be +banneret.” + +Myles flung his arm around his friend's neck, and kissed him upon the +cheek. “Thou shalt have thy will,” said he; “but whether knight or +squire, thou art ever mine own true friend.” + +Then they went slowly back together, hand in hand, to the castle world +again. + +At two o'clock Myles went to Lord George's apartments, and there his +friend and patron dressed him out in a costume better fitted for the +ceremony of presentation--a fur-trimmed jacket of green brocaded velvet +embroidered with golden thread, a black velvet hood-cap rolled like a +turban and with a jewel in the front, a pair of crimson hose, and a pair +of black velvet shoes trimmed and stitched with gold-thread. Myles had +never worn such splendid clothes in his life before, and he could not +but feel that they became him well. + +“Sir,” said he, as he looked down at himself, “sure it is not lawful for +me to wear such clothes as these.” + +In those days there was a law, known as a sumptuary law, which regulated +by statute the clothes that each class of people were privileged to +wear. It was, as Myles said, against the law for him to wear such +garments as those in which he was clad--either velvet, crimson stuff, +fur or silver or gold embroidery--nevertheless such a solemn ceremony as +presentation to the King excused the temporary overstepping of the law, +and so Lord George told him. As he laid his hand upon the lad's shoulder +and held him off at arm's-length, he added, “And I pledge thee my word, +Myles, that thou art as lusty and handsome a lad as ever mine eyes +beheld.” + +“Thou art very kind to me, sir,” said Myles, in answer. + +Lord George laughed; and then giving him a shake, let go his shoulder. + +It was about three o'clock when little Edmond de Montefort, Lord +Mackworth's favorite page, came with word that the King was then walking +in the Earl's pleasance. + +“Come, Myles,” said Lord George, and then Myles arose from the +seat where he had been sitting, his heart palpitating and throbbing +tumultuously. + +At the wicket-gate of the pleasance two gentlemen-at-arms stood guard in +half-armor; they saluted Lord George, and permitted him to pass with his +protege. As he laid his hand upon the latch of the wicket he paused for +a moment and turned. + +“Myles,” said he, in a low voice, “thou art a thoughtful and cautious +lad; for thy father's sake be thoughtful and cautious now. Do not +speak his name or betray that thou art his son.” Then he opened the +wicket-gate and entered. + +Any lad of Myles's age, even one far more used to the world than he, +would perhaps have felt all the oppression that he experienced under the +weight of such a presentation. He hardly knew what he was doing as +Lord George led him to where the King stood, a little apart from +the attendants, with the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise. Even in his +confusion he knew enough to kneel, and somehow his honest, modest +diffidence became the young fellow very well. He was not awkward, for +one so healthful in mind and body as he could not bear himself very ill, +and he felt the assurance that in Lord George he had a kind friend at +his side, and one well used to court ceremonies to lend him countenance. +Then there is something always pleasing in frank, modest manliness such +as was stamped on Myles's handsome, sturdy face. No doubt the King's +heart warmed towards the fledgling warrior kneeling in the pathway +before him. He smiled very kindly as he gave the lad his hand to kiss, +and that ceremony done, held fast to the hard, brown, sinewy fist of the +young man with his soft white hand, and raised him to his feet. + +“By the mass!” said he, looking Myles over with smiling eyes, “thou art +a right champion in good sooth. Such as thou art haply was Sir Galahad +when he came to Arthur's court. And so they tell me, thou hast stomach +to brook the Sieur de la Montaigne, that tough old boar of Dauphiny. +Hast thou in good sooth the courage to face him? Knowest thou what a +great thing it is that thou hast set upon thyself--to do battle, even in +sport, with him?” + +“Yea, your Majesty,” answered Myles, “well I wot it is a task haply +beyond me. But gladly would I take upon me even a greater venture, and +one more dangerous, to do your Majesty's pleasure!” + +The King looked pleased. “Now that was right well said, young man,” said +he, “and I like it better that it came from such young and honest lips. +Dost thou speak French?” + +“Yea, your Majesty,” answered Myles. “In some small measure do I so.” + +“I am glad of that,” said the King; “for so I may make thee acquainted +with Sieur de la Montaigne.” + +He turned as he ended speaking, and beckoned to a heavy, thick-set, +black-browed chevalier who stood with the other gentlemen attendants at +a little distance. He came instantly forward in answer to the summons, +and the King introduced the two to one another. As each took the other +formally by the hand, he measured his opponent hastily, body and limb, +and perhaps each thought that he had never seen a stronger, stouter, +better-knit man than the one upon whom he looked. But nevertheless +the contrast betwixt the two was very great--Myles, young, boyish, +fresh-faced; the other, bronzed, weather beaten, and seamed with a great +white scar that ran across his forehead and cheek; the one a novice, the +other a warrior seasoned in twoscore battles. + +A few polite phrases passed between the two, the King listening smiling, +but with an absent and far-away look gradually stealing upon his face. +As they ended speaking, a little pause of silence followed, and then the +King suddenly aroused himself. + +“So,” said he, “I am glad that ye two are acquainted. And now we will +leave our youthful champion in thy charge, Beaumont--and in thine, Mon +Sieur, as well--and so soon as the proper ceremonies are ended, we will +dub him knight with our own hands. And now, Mackworth, and thou my Lord +Count, let us walk a little; I have bethought me further concerning +these threescore extra men for Dauphiny.” + +Then Myles withdrew, under the charge of Lord George and the Sieur de +la Montaigne and while the King and the two nobles walked slowly up and +down the gravel path between the tall rose-bushes, Myles stood +talking with the gentlemen attendants, finding himself, with a certain +triumphant exultation, the peer of any and the hero of the hour. + +That night was the last that Myles and Gascoyne spent lodging in the +dormitory in their squirehood service. The next day they were assigned +apartments in Lord George's part of the house, and thither they +transported themselves and their belongings, amid the awestruck wonder +and admiration of their fellow-squires. + + + +CHAPTER 24 + +In Myles Falworth's day one of the greatest ceremonies of courtly life +was that of the bestowal of knighthood by the King, with the honors of +the Bath. By far the greater number of knights were at that time created +by other knights, or by nobles, or by officers of the crown. To be +knighted by the King in person distinguished the recipient for life. It +was this signal honor that the Earl, for his own purposes, wished Myles +to enjoy, and for this end he had laid not a few plans. + +The accolade was the term used for the creation of a knight upon the +field of battle. It was a reward of valor or of meritorious service, and +was generally bestowed in a more or less off-hand way; but the ceremony +of the Bath was an occasion of the greatest courtly moment, and it was +thus that Myles Falworth was to be knighted in addition to the honor of +a royal belting. + +A quaint old book treating of knighthood and chivalry gives a full and +detailed account of all the circumstances of the ceremony of a creation +of a Knight of the Bath. It tells us that the candidate was first +placed under the care of two squires of honor, “grave and well seen in +courtship and nurture, and also in feats of chivalry,” which same were +likewise to be governors in all things relating to the coming honors. + +First of all, the barber shaved him, and cut his hair in a certain +peculiar fashion ordained for the occasion, the squires of honor +supervising the operation. This being concluded, the candidate was +solemnly conducted to the chamber where the bath of tepid water was +prepared, “hung within and without with linen, and likewise covered +with rich cloths and embroidered linen.” While in the bath two “ancient, +grave, and reverend knights” attended the bachelor, giving him “meet +instructions in the order and feats of chivalry.” The candidate was then +examined as to his knowledge and acquirements, and then, all questions +being answered to the satisfaction of his examiners, the elder of the +two dipped a handful of water out from the bath, and poured it upon his +head, at the same time signing his left shoulder with the sign of the +cross. + +As soon as this ceremony was concluded, the two squires of honor helped +their charge from the bath, and conducted him to a plain bed without +hangings, where they let him rest until his body was warm and dry. +Then they clad him in a white linen shirt, and over it a plain robe of +russet, “girdled about the loins with a rope, and having a hood like +unto a hermit.” + +As soon as the candidate had arisen, the two “ancient knights” returned, +and all being in readiness he was escorted to the chapel, the two +walking, one upon either side of him, his squires of honor marching +before, and the whole party preceded by “sundry minstrels making a loud +noise of music.” + +When they came to the chapel, the two knights who escorted him took +leave of the candidate, each saluting him with a kiss upon the cheek. +No one remained with him but his squires of honor, the priest, and the +chandler. + +In the mean time the novitiate's armor, sword, lance, and helmet had +been laid in readiness before the altar. These he watched and guarded +while the others slept, keeping vigil until sunrise, during which time +“he shall,” says the ancient authority, “pass the night in orisons, +prayers, and meditation.” At daylight he confessed to the priest, heard +matins, and communicated in mass, and then presented a lighted candle +at the altar, with a piece of money stuck in it as close to the flame +as could be done, the candle being offered to the honor of God, and the +money to the honor of that person who was to make him a knight. + +So concluded the sacred ceremony, which being ended his squires +conducted the candidate to his chamber, and there made him comfortable, +and left him to repose for a while before the second and final part of +the ordinance. + +Such is a shortened account of the preparatory stages of the ceremonies +through which Myles Falworth passed. + +Matters had come upon him so suddenly one after the other, and had come +with such bewildering rapidity that all that week was to him like some +strange, wonderful, mysterious vision. He went through it all like one +in a dream. Lord George Beaumont was one of his squires of honor; the +other, by way of a fitting complement to the courage of the chivalrous +lad, was the Sieur de la Montaigne, his opponent soon to be. They were +well versed in everything relating to knightcraft, and Myles followed +all their directions with passive obedience. Then Sir James Lee and the +Comte de Vermoise administered the ceremony of the Bath, the old knight +examining him in the laws of chivalry. + +It occurs perhaps once or twice in one's lifetime that one passes +through great happenings--sometimes of joy, sometimes of dreadful +bitterness--in just such a dazed state as Myles passed through this. It +is only afterwards that all comes back to one so sharply and keenly that +the heart thrills almost in agony in living it over again. But perhaps +of all the memory of that time, when it afterwards came back piece by +piece, none was so clear to Myles's back-turned vision as the long +night spent in the chapel, watching his armor, thinking such wonderful +thoughts, and dreaming such wonderful wide-eyed dreams. At such times +Myles saw again the dark mystery of the castle chapel; he saw again the +half-moon gleaming white and silvery through the tall, narrow window, +and throwing a broad form of still whiteness across stone floor, empty +seats, and still, motionless figures of stone effigies. At such times +he stood again in front of the twinkling tapers that lit the altar where +his armor lay piled in a heap, heard again the deep breathing of his +companions of the watch sleeping in some empty stall, wrapped each in +his cloak, and saw the old chandler bestir himself, and rise and come +forward to snuff the candles. At such times he saw again the day growing +clearer and clearer through the tall, glazed windows, saw it change to +a rosy pink, and then to a broad, ruddy glow that threw a halo of light +around Father Thomas's bald head bowed in sleep, and lit up the banners +and trophies hanging motionless against the stony face of the west wall; +heard again the stirring of life without and the sound of his companions +arousing themselves; saw them come forward, and heard them wish him joy +that his long watch was ended. + + +It was nearly noon when Myles was awakened from a fitful sleep by +Gascoyne bringing in his dinner, but, as might be supposed, he had but +little hunger, and ate sparingly. He had hardly ended his frugal meal +before his two squires of honor came in, followed by a servant carrying +the garments for the coming ceremony. He saluted them gravely, and then +arising, washed his face and hands in a basin which Gascoyne held; then +kneeled in prayer, the others standing silent at a little distance. As +he arose, Lord George came forward. + +“The King and the company come presently to the Great Hall, Myles,” said +he; “it is needful for thee to make all the haste that thou art able.” + +Perhaps never had Devlen Castle seen a more brilliant and goodly company +gathered in the great hall than that which came to witness King Henry +create Myles Falworth a knight bachelor. + +At the upper end of the hall was a raised dais, upon which stood +a throne covered with crimson satin and embroidered with lions and +flower-deluces; it was the King's seat. He and his personal attendants +had not yet come, but the rest of the company were gathered. The day +being warm and sultry, the balcony was all aflutter with the feather +fans of the ladies of the family and their attendants, who from this +high place looked down upon the hall below. Up the centre of the hall +was laid a carpet of arras, and the passage was protected by wooden +railings. Upon the one side were tiers of seats for the castle +gentlefolks and the guests. Upon the other stood the burghers from the +town, clad in sober dun and russet, and yeomanry in green and brown. The +whole of the great vaulted hall was full of the dull hum of many people +waiting, and a ceaseless restlessness stirred the crowded throng. But +at last a whisper went around that the King was coming. A momentary hush +fell, and through it was heard the noisy clatter of horses' feet coming +nearer and nearer, and then stopping before the door. The sudden blare +of trumpets broke through the hush; another pause, and then in through +the great door-way of the hall came the royal procession. + +First of all marched, in the order of their rank, and to the number of +a score or more, certain gentlemen, esquires and knights, chosen mostly +from the King's attendants. Behind these came two pursuivants-at-arms +in tabards, and following them a party of a dozen more bannerets +and barons. Behind these again, a little space intervening, came two +heralds, also in tabards, a group of the greater nobles attendant +upon the King following in the order of their rank. Next came the +King-at-arms and, at a little distance and walking with sober slowness, +the King himself, with the Earl and the Count directly attendant upon +him--the one marching upon the right hand and the other upon the left. +A breathless silence filled the whole space as the royal procession +advanced slowly up the hall. Through the stillness could be heard the +muffled sound of the footsteps on the carpet, the dry rustling of +silk and satin garments, and the clear clink and jingle of chains and +jewelled ornaments, but not the sound of a single voice. + +After the moment or two of bustle and confusion of the King taking his +place had passed, another little space of expectant silence fell. At +last there suddenly came the noise of acclamation of those who stood +without the door--cheering and the clapping of hands--sounds heralding +the immediate advent of Myles and his attendants. The next moment the +little party entered the hall. + +First of all, Gascoyne, bearing Myles's sword in both hands, the hilt +resting against his breast, the point elevated at an angle of forty-five +degrees. It was sheathed in a crimson scabbard, and the belt of Spanish +leather studded with silver bosses was wound crosswise around it. From +the hilt of the sword dangled the gilt spurs of his coming knighthood. +At a little distance behind his squire followed Myles, the centre of +all observation. He was clad in a novitiate dress, arranged under Lord +George's personal supervision. It had been made somewhat differently +from the fashion usual at such times, and was intended to indicate in a +manner the candidate's extreme youthfulness and virginity in arms. The +outer garment was a tabard robe of white wool, embroidered at the hem +with fine lines of silver, and gathered loosely at the waist with a belt +of lavender leather stitched with thread of silver. Beneath he was clad +in armor (a present from the Earl), new and polished till it shone with +dazzling brightness, the breastplate covered with a juppon of white +satin, embroidered with silver. Behind Myles, and upon either hand, came +his squires of honor, sponsors, and friends--a little company of +some half-dozen in all. As they advanced slowly up the great, dim, +high-vaulted room, the whole multitude broke forth into a humming buzz +of applause. Then a sudden clapping of hands began near the door-way, +ran down through the length of the room, and was taken up by all with +noisy clatter. + +“Saw I never youth so comely,” whispered one of the Lady Anne's +attendant gentlewomen. “Sure he looketh as Sir Galahad looked when he +came first to King Arthur's court.” + +Myles knew that he was very pale; he felt rather than saw the restless +crowd of faces upon either side, for his eyes were fixed directly before +him, upon the dais whereon sat the King, with the Earl of Mackworth +standing at his right hand, the Comte de Vermoise upon the left, and the +others ranged around and behind the throne. It was with the same tense +feeling of dreamy unreality that Myles walked slowly up the length of +the hall, measuring his steps by those of Gascoyne. Suddenly he +felt Lord George Beaumont touch him lightly upon the arm, and almost +instinctively he stopped short--he was standing just before the covered +steps of the throne. + +He saw Gascoyne mount to the third step, stop short, kneel, and offer +the sword and the spurs he carried to the King, who took the weapon +and laid it across his knees. Then the squire bowed low, and walking +backward withdrew to one side, leaving Myles standing alone facing the +throne. The King unlocked the spur chains from the sword-hilt, and +then, holding the gilt spurs in his hand for a moment, he looked Myles +straight in the eyes and smiled. Then he turned, and gave one of the +spurs to the Earl of Mackworth. + +The Earl took it with a low bow, turned, and came slowly down the steps +to where Myles stood. Kneeling upon one knee, and placing Myles's foot +upon the other, Lord Mackworth set the spur in its place and latched the +chain over the instep. He drew the sign of the cross upon Myles's bended +knee, set the foot back upon the ground, rose with slow dignity, and +bowing to the King, drew a little to one side. + +As soon as the Earl had fulfilled his office the King gave the second +spur to the Comte de Vermoise, who set it to Myles's other foot with the +same ceremony that the Earl had observed, withdrawing as he had done to +one side. + +An instant pause of motionless silence followed, and then the King +slowly arose, and began deliberately to unwind the belt from around the +scabbard of the sword he held. As soon as he stood, the Earl and the +Count advanced, and taking Myles by either hand, led him forward and up +the steps of the dais to the platform above. As they drew a little to +one side, the King stooped and buckled the sword-belt around Myles's +waist, then, rising again, lifted his hand and struck him upon the +shoulder, crying, in a loud voice. + +“Be thou a good knight!” + +Instantly a loud sound of applause and the clapping of hands filled the +whole hall, in the midst of which the King laid both hands upon Myles's +shoulders and kissed him upon the right cheek. So the ceremony ended; +Myles was no longer Myles Falworth, but Sir Myles Falworth, Knight by +Order of the Bath and by grace of the King! + + + +CHAPTER 25 + +It was the custom to conclude the ceremonies of the bestowal of +knighthood by a grand feast given in honor of the newly-created knight. +But in Myles's instance the feast was dispensed with. The Earl of +Mackworth had planned that Myles might be created a Knight of the Bath +with all possible pomp and ceremony; that his personality might be +most favorably impressed upon the King; that he might be so honorably +knighted as to make him the peer of any who wore spurs in all England; +and, finally, that he might celebrate his new honors by jousting with +some knight of high fame and approved valor. All these desiderata chance +had fulfilled in the visit of the King to Devlen. + +As the Earl had said to Myles, he would rather have waited a little +while longer until the lad was riper in years and experience, but the +opportunity was not to be lost. Young as he was, Myles must take +his chances against the years and grim experience of the Sieur de la +Montaigne. But it was also a part of the Earl's purpose that the King +and Myles should not be brought too intimately together just at that +time. Though every particular of circumstance should be fulfilled in the +ceremony, it would have been ruination to the Earl's plans to have the +knowledge come prematurely to the King that Myles was the son of +the attainted Lord Falworth. The Earl knew that Myles was a shrewd, +coolheaded lad; but the King had already hinted that the name was +familiar to his ears, and a single hasty answer or unguarded speech upon +the young knight's part might awaken him to a full knowledge. Such a +mishap was, of all things, to be avoided just then, for, thanks to the +machinations of that enemy of his father of whom Myles had heard so +much, and was soon to hear more, the King had always retained and still +held a bitter and rancorous enmity against the unfortunate nobleman. + +It was no very difficult matter for the Earl to divert the King's +attention from the matter of the feast. His Majesty was very intent +just then upon supplying a quota of troops to the Dauphin, and the chief +object of his visit to Devlen was to open negotiations with the Earl +looking to that end. He was interested--much interested in Myles and in +the coming jousting in which the young warrior was to prove himself, but +he was interested in it by way of a relaxation from the other and more +engrossing matter. So, though he made some passing and half preoccupied +inquiry about the feast he was easily satisfied with the Earl's reasons +for not holding it: which were that he had arranged a consultation for +that morning in regard to the troops for the Dauphin, to which meeting +he had summoned a number of his own more important dependent nobles, +that the King himself needed repose and the hour or so of rest that +his barber-surgeon had ordered him to take after his mid-day meal; that +Father Thomas had laid upon Myles a petty penance--that for the first +three days of his knighthood he should eat his meals without meat and +in his own apartment--and various other reasons equally good and +sufficient. So the King was satisfied, and the feast was dispensed with. + +The next morning had been set for the jousting, and all that day the +workmen were busy erecting the lists in the great quadrangle upon which, +as was said before, looked the main buildings of the castle. The windows +of Myles's apartment opened directly upon the bustling scene--the +carpenters hammering and sawing, the upholsterers snipping, cutting, +and tacking. Myles and Gascoyne stood gazing out from the open casement, +with their arms lying across one another's shoulders in the old boyhood +fashion, and Myles felt his heart shrink with a sudden tight pang as +the realization came sharply and vividly upon him that all these +preparations were being made for him, and that the next day he should, +with almost the certainty of death, meet either glory or failure under +the eyes not only of all the greater and lesser castle folk, but of the +King himself and noble strangers critically used to deeds of chivalry +and prowess. Perhaps he had never fully realized the magnitude of the +reality before. In that tight pang at his heart he drew a deep breath, +almost a sigh. Gascoyne turned his head abruptly, and looked at his +friend, but he did not ask the cause of the sigh. No doubt the same +thoughts that were in Myles's mind were in his also. + + +It was towards the latter part of the afternoon that a message came from +the Earl, bidding Myles attend him in his private closet. After Myles +had bowed and kissed his lordship's hand, the Earl motioned him to +take a seat, telling him that he had some final words to say that might +occupy a considerable time. He talked to the young man for about half +an hour in his quiet, measured voice, only now and then showing a little +agitation by rising and walking up and down the room for a turn or two. +Very many things were disclosed in that talk that had caused Myles +long hours of brooding thought, for the Earl spoke freely, and without +concealment to him concerning his father and the fortunes of the house +of Falworth. + +Myles had surmised many things, but it was not until then that he knew +for a certainty who was his father's malignant and powerful enemy--that +it was the great Earl of Alban, the rival and bitter enemy of the Earl +of Mackworth. It was not until then that he knew that the present Earl +of Alban was the Lord Brookhurst, who had killed Sir John Dale in +the anteroom at Falworth Castle that morning so long ago in his early +childhood. It was not until then that he knew all the circumstances of +his father's blindness; that he had been overthrown in the melee at the +great tournament at York, and that that same Lord Brookhurst had ridden +his iron-shod war-horse twice over his enemy's prostrate body before his +squire could draw him from the press, and had then and there given him +the wound from which he afterwards went blind. The Earl swore to Myles +that Lord Brookhurst had done what he did wilfully, and had afterwards +boasted of it. Then, with some hesitation, he told Myles the reason +of Lord Brookhurst's enmity, and that it had arisen on account of Lady +Falworth, whom he had one time sought in marriage, and that he had sworn +vengeance against the man who had won her. + +Piece by piece the Earl of Mackworth recounted every circumstance and +detail of the revenge that the blind man's enemy had afterwards +wreaked upon him. He told Myles how, when his father was attainted +of high-treason, and his estates forfeited to the crown, the King had +granted the barony of Easterbridge to the then newly-created Earl of +Alban in spite of all the efforts of Lord Falworth's friends to the +contrary; that when he himself had come out from an audience with the +King, with others of his father's friends, the Earl of Alban had boasted +in the anteroom, in a loud voice, evidently intended for them all to +hear, that now that he had Falworth's fat lands, he would never rest +till he had hunted the blind man out from his hiding, and brought his +head to the block. + +“Ever since then,” said the Earl of Mackworth “he hath been striving by +every means to discover thy father's place of concealment. Some time, +haply, he may find it, and then--” + +Myles had felt for a long time that he was being moulded and shaped, and +that the Earl of Mackworth's was the hand that was making him what he +was growing to be; but he had never realized how great were the things +expected of him should he pass the first great test, and show himself +what his friends hoped to see him. Now he knew that all were looking +upon him to act, sometime, as his father's champion, and when that time +should come, to challenge the Earl of Alban to the ordeal of single +combat, to purge his father's name of treason, to restore him to his +rank, and to set the house of Falworth where it stood before misfortune +fell upon it. + +But it was not alone concerning his and his father's affairs that the +Earl of Mackworth talked to Myles. He told him that the Earl of Alban +was the Earl of Mackworth's enemy also; that in his younger days he had +helped Lord Falworth, who was his kinsman, to win his wife, and that +then, Lord Brookhurst had sworn to compass his ruin as he had sworn +to compass the ruin of his friend. He told Myles how, now that Lord +Brookhurst was grown to be Earl of Alban, and great and powerful, he +was forever plotting against him, and showed Myles how, if Lord Falworth +were discovered and arrested for treason, he also would be likely to +suffer for aiding and abetting him. Then it dawned upon Myles that the +Earl looked to him to champion the house of Beaumont as well as that of +Falworth. + +“Mayhap,” said the Earl, “thou didst think that it was all for the +pleasant sport of the matter that I have taken upon me this toil and +endeavor to have thee knighted with honor that thou mightst fight the +Dauphiny knight. Nay, nay, Myles Falworth, I have not labored so +hard for such a small matter as that. I have had the King, unknown to +himself, so knight thee that thou mayst be the peer of Alban himself, +and now I would have thee to hold thine own with the Sieur de la +Montaigne, to try whether thou be'st Alban's match, and to approve +thyself worthy of the honor of thy knighthood. I am sorry, ne'theless,” + he added, after a moment's pause, “that this could not have been put off +for a while longer, for my plans for bringing thee to battle with that +vile Alban are not yet ripe. But such a chance of the King coming hither +haps not often. And then I am glad of this much--that a good occasion +offers to get thee presently away from England. I would have thee out +of the King's sight so soon as may be after this jousting. He taketh +a liking to thee, and I fear me lest he should inquire more nearly +concerning thee and so all be discovered and spoiled. My brother George +goeth upon the first of next month to France to take service with the +Dauphin, having under his command a company of tenscore men--knights and +archers; thou shalt go with him, and there stay till I send for thee to +return.” + +With this, the protracted interview concluded, the Earl charging Myles +to say nothing further about the French expedition for the present--even +to his friend--for it was as yet a matter of secrecy, known only to the +King and a few nobles closely concerned in the venture. + +Then Myles arose to take his leave. He asked and obtained permission for +Gascoyne to accompany him to France. Then he paused for a moment or two, +for it was strongly upon him to speak of a matter that had been lying +in his mind all day--a matter that he had dreamed of much with open eyes +during the long vigil of the night before. + +The Earl looked up inquiringly. “What is it thou wouldst ask?” said he. + +Myles's heart was beating quickly within him at the thought of his own +boldness, and as he spoke his cheeks burned like fire. “Sir,” said he, +mustering his courage at last, “haply thou hast forgot it, but I have +not; ne'theless, a long time since when I spoke of serving the--the Lady +Alice as her true knight, thou didst wisely laugh at my words, and bade +me wait first till I had earned my spurs. But now, sir, I have gotten +my spurs, and--and do now crave thy gracious leave that I may serve that +lady as her true knight.” + +A space of dead silence fell, in which Myles's heart beat tumultuously +within him. + +“I know not what thou meanest,” said the Earl at last, in a somewhat +constrained voice. “How wouldst thou serve her? What wouldst thou have?” + +“I would have only a little matter just now,” answered Myles. “I would +but crave of her a favor for to wear in the morrow's battle, so that she +may know that I hold her for my own true lady, and that I may have the +courage to fight more boldly, having that favor to defend.” + +The Earl sat looking at him for a while in brooding silence, stroking +his beard the while. Suddenly his brow cleared. “So be it,” said he. +“I grant thee my leave to ask the Lady Alice for a favor, and if she +is pleased to give it to thee, I shall not say thee nay. But I set this +upon thee as a provision: that thou shalt not see her without the Lady +Anne be present. Thus it was, as I remember, thou saw her first, and +with it thou must now be satisfied. Go thou to the Long Gallery, and +thither they will come anon if naught hinder them.” + +Myles waited in the Long Gallery perhaps some fifteen or twenty minutes. +No one was there but himself. It was a part of the castle connecting the +Earl's and the Countess's apartments, and was used but little. During +that time he stood looking absently out of the open casement into the +stony court-yard beyond, trying to put into words that which he had +to say; wondering, with anxiety, how soon the young ladies would come; +wondering whether they would come at all. At last the door at the +farther end of the gallery opened, and turning sharply at the sound, he +saw the two young ladies enter, Lady Alice leaning upon Lady Anne's arm. +It was the first time that he had seen them since the ceremony of the +morning, and as he advanced to meet them, the Lady Anne came frankly +forward, and gave him her hand, which Myles raised to his lips. + +“I give thee joy of thy knighthood, Sir Myles,” said she, “and do +believe, in good sooth, that if any one deserveth such an honor, thou +art he.” + +At first little Lady Alice hung back behind her cousin, saying nothing +until the Lady Anne, turning suddenly, said: “Come, coz, has thou naught +to say to our new-made knight? Canst thou not also wish him joy of his +knighthood?” + +Lady Alice hesitated a minute, then gave Myles a timid hand, which he, +with a strange mixture of joy and confusion, took as timidly as it was +offered. He raised the hand, and set it lightly and for an instant +to his lips, as he had done with the Lady Anne's hand, but with very +different emotions. + +“I give you joy of your knighthood, sir,” said Lady Alice, in a voice so +low that Myles could hardly hear it. + +Both flushed red, and as he raised his head again, Myles saw that the +Lady Anne had withdrawn to one side. Then he knew that it was to give +him the opportunity to proffer his request. + +A little space of silence followed, the while he strove to key his +courage to the saying of that which lay at his mind. “Lady,” said he at +last, and then again--“Lady, I--have a favor for to ask thee.” + +“What is it thou wouldst have, Sir Myles?” she murmured, in reply. + +“Lady,” said he, “ever sin I first saw thee I have thought that if I +might choose of all the world, thou only wouldst I choose for--for +my true lady, to serve as a right knight should.” Here he stopped, +frightened at his own boldness. Lady Alice stood quite still, with her +face turned away. “Thou--thou art not angered at what I say?” he said. + +She shook her head. + +“I have longed and longed for the time,” said he, “to ask a boon of thee, +and now hath that time come. Lady, to-morrow I go to meet a right good +knight, and one skilled in arms and in jousting, as thou dost know. Yea, +he is famous in arms, and I be nobody. Ne'theless, I fight for the honor +of England and Mackworth--and--and for thy sake. I--Thou art not angered +at what I say?” + +Again the Lady Alice shook her head. + +“I would that thou--I would that thou would give me some favor for to +wear--thy veil or thy necklace.” + +He waited anxiously for a little while, but Lady Alice did not answer +immediately. + +“I fear me,” said Myles, presently, “that I have in sooth offended thee +in asking this thing. I know that it is a parlous bold matter for one so +raw in chivalry and in courtliness as I am, and one so poor in rank, to +ask thee for thy favor. An I ha' offended, I prithee let it be as though +I had not asked it.” + +Perhaps it was the young man's timidity that brought a sudden courage to +Lady Alice; perhaps it was the graciousness of her gentle breeding that +urged her to relieve Myles's somewhat awkward humility, perhaps it was +something more than either that lent her bravery to speak, even knowing +that the Lady Anne heard all. She turned quickly to him: “Nay, Sir +Myles,” she said, “I am foolish, and do wrong thee by my foolishness +and silence, for, truly, I am proud to have thee wear my favor.” She +unclasped, as she spoke, the thin gold chain from about her neck. “I +give thee this chain,” said she, “and it will bring me joy to have it +honored by thy true knightliness, and, giving it, I do wish thee all +success.” Then she bowed her head, and, turning, left him holding the +necklace in his hand. + +Her cousin left the window to meet her, bowing her head with a smile +to Myles as she took her cousin's arm again and led her away. He stood +looking after them as they left the room, and when they were gone, he +raised the necklace to his lips with a heart beating tumultuously with a +triumphant joy it had never felt before. + + + +CHAPTER 26 + +And now, at last, had come the day of days for Myles Falworth; the day +when he was to put to the test all that he had acquired in the three +years of his training, the day that was to disclose what promise of +future greatness there was in his strong young body. And it was a noble +day; one of those of late September, when the air seems sweeter and +fresher than at other times; the sun bright and as yellow as gold, the +wind lusty and strong, before which the great white clouds go sailing +majestically across the bright blueness of the sky above, while their +dusky shadows skim across the brown face of the rusty earth beneath. + +As was said before, the lists had been set up in the great quadrangle +of the castle, than which, level and smooth as a floor, no more fitting +place could be chosen. The course was of the usual size--sixty paces +long--and separated along its whole length by a barrier about five feet +high. Upon the west side of the course and about twenty paces distant +from it, a scaffolding had been built facing towards the east so as to +avoid the glare of the afternoon sun. In the centre was a raised dais, +hung round with cloth of blue embroidered with lions rampant. Upon the +dais stood a cushioned throne for the King, and upon the steps below, +ranged in the order of their dignity, were seats for the Earl, his +guests, the family, the ladies, knights, and gentlemen of the castle. +In front, the scaffolding was covered with the gayest tapestries and +brightest-colored hangings that the castle could afford. And above, +parti-colored pennants and streamers, surmounted by the royal ensign of +England, waved and fluttered in the brisk wind. + +At either end of the lists stood the pavilions of the knights. That of +Myles was at the southern extremity and was hung, by the Earl's desire, +with cloth of the Beaumont colors (black and yellow), while a wooden +shield bearing three goshawks spread (the crest of the house) was nailed +to the roof, and a long streamer of black and yellow trailed out in the +wind from the staff above. Myles, partly armed, stood at the door-way of +the pavilion, watching the folk gathering at the scaffolding. The ladies +of the house were already seated, and the ushers were bustling hither +and thither, assigning the others their places. A considerable crowd +of common folk and burghers from the town had already gathered at +the barriers opposite, and as he looked at the restless and growing +multitude he felt his heart beat quickly and his flesh grow cold with a +nervous trepidation--just such as the lad of to-day feels when he sees +the auditorium filling with friends and strangers who are to listen +by-and-by to the reading of his prize poem. + +Suddenly there came a loud blast of trumpets. A great gate at the +farther extremity of the lists was thrown open, and the King appeared, +riding upon a white horse, preceded by the King-at-arms and the heralds, +attended by the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise, and followed by a crowd +of attendants. Just then Gascoyne, who, with Wilkes, was busied lacing +some of the armor plates with new thongs, called Myles, and he turned +and entered the pavilion. + +As the two squires were adjusting these last pieces, strapping them in +place and tying the thongs, Lord George and Sir James Lee entered +the pavilion. Lord George took the young man by the hand, and with a +pleasant smile wished him success in the coming encounter. + +Sir James seemed anxious and disturbed. He said nothing, and after +Gascoyne had placed the open bascinet that supports the tilting helm +in its place, he came forward and examined the armor piece by piece, +carefully and critically, testing the various straps and leather points +and thongs to make sure of their strength. + +“Sir,” said Gascoyne, who stood by watching him anxiously, “I do trust +that I have done all meetly and well.” + +“I see nothing amiss, sirrah,” said the old knight, half grudgingly. “So +far as I may know, he is ready to mount.” + +Just then a messenger entered, saying that the King was seated, and Lord +George bade Myles make haste to meet the challenger. + +“Francis,” said Myles, “prithee give me my pouch yonder.” + +Gascoyne handed him the velvet bag, and he opened it, and took out the +necklace that the Lady Alice had given him the day before. + +“Tie me this around my arm,” said he. He looked down, keeping his eyes +studiously fixed on Gascoyne's fingers, as they twined the thin golden +chain around the iron plates of his right arm, knowing that Lord +George's eyes were upon him, and blushing fiery red at the knowledge. + +Sir James was at that moment examining the great tilting helm, and Lord +George watched him, smiling amusedly. “And hast thou then already chosen +thee a lady?” he said, presently. + +“Aye, my Lord,” answered Myles, simply. + +“Marry, I trust we be so honored that she is one of our castle folk,” + said the Earl's brother. + +For a moment Myles did not reply; then he looked up. “My Lord,” said he, +“the favor was given to me by the Lady Alice.” + +Lord George looked grave for the moment; then he laughed. “Marry, thou +art a bold archer to shoot for such high game.” + +Myles did not answer, and at that moment two grooms led his horse up to +the door of the pavilion. Gascoyne and Wilkes helped him to his saddle, +and then, Gascoyne holding his horse by the bridle-rein, he rode slowly +across the lists to the little open space in front of the scaffolding +and the King's seat just as the Sieur de la Montaigne approached from +the opposite direction. + +As soon as the two knights champion had reached each his appointed +station in front of the scaffolding, the Marshal bade the speaker read +the challenge, which, unrolling the parchment, he began to do in a loud, +clear voice, so that all might hear. It was a quaint document, wrapped +up in the tangled heraldic verbiage of the time. + +The pith of the matter was that the Sieur Brian Philip Francis de la +Montaigne proclaimed before all men the greater chivalry and skill at +arms of the knights of France and of Dauphiny, and likewise the greater +fairness of the ladies of France and Dauphiny, and would there defend +those sayings with his body without fear or attaint as to the truth of +the same. As soon as the speaker had ended, the Marshal bade him call +the defendant of the other side. + +Then Myles spoke his part, with a voice trembling somewhat with the +excitement of the moment, but loudly and clearly enough: “I, Myles +Edward Falworth, knight, so created by the hand and by the grace of +his Majesty King Henry IV of England, do take upon me the gage of this +battle, and will defend with my body the chivalry of the knights of +England and the fairness of the ladies thereof!” + +Then, after the speaker ended his proclamation and had retired to his +place, the ceremony of claiming and redeeming the helmet, to which +all young knights were subjected upon first entering the lists, was +performed. + +One of the heralds cried in a loud voice, “I, Gilles Hamerton, herald to +the most noble Clarencieux King-at-arms, do claim the helm of Sir Myles +Edward Falworth by this reason, that he hath never yet entered joust or +tourney.” + +To which Myles answered, “I do acknowledge the right of that claim, and +herewith proffer thee in ransom for the same this purse of one hundred +marks in gold.” + +As he spoke, Gascoyne stepped forward and delivered the purse, with the +money, to the Herald. It was a more than usually considerable ransom, +and had been made up by the Earl and Lord George that morning. + +“Right nobly hast thou redeemed thy helm,” said the Herald, “and +hereafter be thou free to enter any jousting whatsoever, and in whatever +place.” + +So, all being ended, both knights bowed to the King, and then, escorted +each by his squire, returned to his pavilion, saluted by the spectators +with a loud clapping of hands. + +Sir James Lee met Myles in front of his tent. Coming up to the side of +the horse, the old man laid his hand upon the saddle, looking up into +the young man's face. + +“Thou wilt not fail in this venture and bring shame upon me?” said he. + +“Nay, my dear master,” said Myles; “I will do my best.” + +“I doubt it not,” said the old man; “and I believe me thou wilt come off +right well. From what he did say this morning, methinks the Sieur de la +Montaigne meaneth only to break three lances with thee, and will content +himself therewith, without seeking to unhorse thee. Ne'theless, be thou +bold and watchful, and if thou find that he endeavor to cast thee, do +thy best to unhorse him. Remember also those things which I have told +thee ten thousand times before: hold thy toes well down and grip the +stirrup hard, more especially at the moment of meeting; bend thy body +forward, and keep thine elbow close to thy side. Bear thy lance point +one foot above thine adversary's helm until within two lengths of +meeting, and strike thou in the very middle of his shield. So, Myles, +thou mayst hold thine own, and come off with glory.” + +As he ended speaking he drew back, and Gascoyne, mounting upon a stool, +covered his friend's head and bascinet with the great jousting helm, +making fast the leathern points that held it to the iron collar. + +As he was tying the last thong a messenger came from the Herald, saying +that the challenger was ready, and then Myles knew the time had come, +and reaching down and giving Sir James a grip of the hand, he drew on +his gauntlet, took the jousting lance that Wilkes handed him, and turned +his horse's head towards his end of the lists. + + + +CHAPTER 27 + +As Myles took his place at the south end of the lists, he found the +Sieur de la Montaigne already at his station. Through the peep-hole in +the face of the huge helmet, a transverse slit known as the occularium, +he could see, like a strange narrow picture, the farther end of +the lists, the spectators upon either side moving and shifting with +ceaseless restlessness, and in the centre of all, his opponent, sitting +with spear point directed upward, erect, motionless as a statue of iron, +the sunlight gleaming and flashing upon his polished plates of steel, +and the trappings of his horse swaying and fluttering in the rushing of +the fresh breeze. + +Upon that motionless figure his sight gradually centred with every +faculty of mind and soul. He knew the next moment the signal would be +given that was to bring him either glory or shame from that iron statue. +He ground his teeth together with stern resolve to do his best in the +coming encounter, and murmured a brief prayer in the hallow darkness of +his huge helm. Then with a shake he settled himself more firmly in his +saddle, slowly raised his spear point until the shaft reached the exact +angle, and there suffered it to rest motionless. There was a moment of +dead, tense, breathless pause, then he rather felt than saw the Marshal +raise his baton. He gathered himself together, and the next moment a +bugle sounded loud and clear. In one blinding rush he drove his spurs +into the sides of his horse, and in instant answer felt the noble steed +spring forward with a bound. + +Through all the clashing of his armor reverberating in the hollow depths +of his helmet, he saw the mail-clad figure from the other end of the +lists rushing towards him, looming larger and larger as they came +together. He gripped his saddle with his knees, clutched the stirrup +with the soles of his feet, and bent his body still more forward. In the +instant of meeting, with almost the blindness of instinct, he dropped +the point of his spear against the single red flower-de-luce in the +middle of the on-coming shield. There was a thunderous crash that seemed +to rack every joint, he heard the crackle of splintered wood, he felt +the momentary trembling recoil of the horse beneath him, and in the next +instant had passed by. As he checked the onward rush of his horse at the +far end of the course, he heard faintly in the dim hollow recess of the +helm the loud shout and the clapping of hands of those who looked on, +and found himself gripping with nervous intensity the butt of a broken +spear, his mouth clammy with excitement, and his heart thumping in his +throat. + +Then he realized that he had met his opponent, and had borne the meeting +well. As he turned his horse's head towards his own end of the lists, he +saw the other trotting slowly back towards his station, also holding a +broken spear shaft in his hand. + +As he passed the iron figure a voice issued from the helmet, “Well done, +Sir Myles, nobly done!” and his heart bounded in answer to the words of +praise. When he had reached his own end of the lists, he flung away his +broken spear, and Gascoyne came forward with another. + +“Oh, Myles!” he said, with sob in his voice, “it was nobly done. Never +did I see a better ridden course in all my life. I did not believe that +thou couldst do half so well. Oh, Myles, prithee knock him out of his +saddle an thou lovest me!” + +Myles, in his high-keyed nervousness, could not forbear a short +hysterical laugh at his friend's warmth of enthusiasm. He took the fresh +lance in his hand, and then, seeing that his opponent was walking his +horse slowly up and down at his end of the lists, did the same during +the little time of rest before the next encounter. + +When, in answer to the command of the Marshal, he took his place a +second time, he found himself calmer and more collected than before, but +every faculty no less intensely fixed than it had been at first. Once +more the Marshal raised his baton, once more the horn sounded, and once +more the two rushed together with the same thunderous crash, the same +splinter of broken spears, the same momentary trembling recoil of +the horse, and the same onward rush past one another. Once more the +spectators applauded and shouted as the two knights turned their horses +and rode back towards their station. + +This time as they met midway the Sieur de la Montaigne reined in his +horse. “Sir Myles,” said his muffled voice, “I swear to thee, by my +faith, I had not thought to meet in thee such an opponent as thou dost +prove thyself to be. I had thought to find in thee a raw boy, but find +instead a Paladin. Hitherto I have given thee grace as I would +give grace to any mere lad, and thought of nothing but to give thee +opportunity to break thy lance. Now I shall do my endeavor to unhorse +thee as I would an acknowledged peer in arms. Nevertheless, on account +of thy youth, I give thee this warning, so that thou mayst hold thyself +in readiness.” + +“I give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, my Lord,” answered Myles, +speaking in French; “and I will strive to encounter thee as best I may, +and pardon me if I seem forward in so saying, but were I in thy place, +my Lord, I would change me yon breast-piece and over-girth of my saddle; +they are sprung in the stitches.” + +“Nay,” said the Sieur de la Montaigne, laughing, “breast-piece and +over-girth have carried me through more tilts than one, and shall +through this. An thou give me a blow so true as to burst breast-piece +and over-girth, I will own myself fairly conquered by thee.” So saying, +he saluted Myles with the butt of the spear he still held, and passed by +to his end of the lists. + +Myles, with Gascoyne running beside him, rode across to his pavilion, +and called to Edmund Wilkes to bring him a cup of spiced wine. After +Gascoyne had taken off his helmet, and as he sat wiping the perspiration +from his face Sir James came up and took him by the hand. + +“My dear boy,” said he, gripping the hand he held, “never could I hope +to be so overjoyed in mine old age as I am this day. Thou dost bring +honor to me, for I tell thee truly thou dost ride like a knight seasoned +in twenty tourneys.” + +“It doth give me tenfold courage to hear thee so say, dear master,” + answered Myles. “And truly,” he added, “I shall need all my courage +this bout, for the Sieur de la Montaigne telleth me that he will ride to +unhorse me this time.” + +“Did he indeed so say?” said Sir James. “Then belike he meaneth to +strike at thy helm. Thy best chance is to strike also at his. Doth thy +hand tremble?” + +“Not now,” answered Myles. + +“Then keep thy head cool and thine eye true. Set thy trust in God, and +haply thou wilt come out of this bout honorably in spite of the rawness +of thy youth.” + +Just then Edmund Wilkes presented the cup of wine to Myles, who drank it +off at a draught, and thereupon Gascoyne replaced the helm and tied the +thongs. + +The charge that Sir James Lee had given to Myles to strike at his +adversary's helm was a piece of advice he probably would not have given +to so young a knight, excepting as a last resort. A blow perfectly +delivered upon the helm was of all others the most difficult for the +recipient to recover from, but then a blow upon the helm was not one +time in fifty perfectly given. The huge cylindrical tilting helm was so +constructed in front as to slope at an angle in all directions to one +point. That point was the centre of a cross formed by two iron bands +welded to the steel-face plates of the helm where it was weakened by the +opening slit of the occularium, or peephole. In the very centre of +this cross was a little flattened surface where the bands were riveted +together, and it was upon that minute point that the blow must be given +to be perfect, and that stroke Myles determined to attempt. + +As he took his station Edmund Wilkes came running across from the +pavilion with a lance that Sir James had chosen, and Myles, returning +the one that Gascoyne had just given him, took it in his hand. It was +of seasoned oak, somewhat thicker than the other, a tough weapon, not +easily to be broken even in such an encounter as he was like to have. He +balanced the weapon, and found that it fitted perfectly to his grasp. +As he raised the point to rest, his opponent took his station at the +farther extremity of the lists, and again there was a little space of +breathless pause. Myles was surprised at his own coolness; every nervous +tremor was gone. Before, he had been conscious of the critical multitude +looking down upon him; now it was a conflict of man to man, and such a +conflict had no terrors for his young heart of iron. + +The spectators had somehow come to the knowledge that this was to be +a more serious encounter than the two which had preceded it, and a +breathless silence fell for the moment or two that the knights stood in +place. + +Once more he breathed a short prayer, “Holy Mary, guard me!” + +Then again, for the third time, the Marshal raised his baton, and the +horn sounded, and for the third time Myles drove his spurs into his +horse's flanks. Again he saw the iron figure of his opponent rushing +nearer, nearer, nearer. He centred, with a straining intensity, every +faculty of soul, mind, and body upon one point--the cross of the +occularium, the mark he was to strike. He braced himself for the +tremendous shock which he knew must meet him, and then in a flash +dropped lance point straight and true. The next instant there was a +deafening stunning crash--a crash like the stroke of a thunder-bolt. +There was a dazzling blaze of blinding light, and a myriad sparks danced +and flickered and sparkled before his eyes. He felt his horse stagger +under him with the recoil, and hardly knowing what he did, he drove +his spurs deep into its sides with a shout. At the same moment there +resounded in his ears a crashing rattle and clatter, he knew not of +what, and then, as his horse recovered and sprang forward, and as the +stunning bewilderment passed, he found that his helmet had been +struck off. He heard a great shout arise from all, and thought, with a +sickening, bitter disappointment, that it was because he had lost. At +the farther end of the course he turned his horse, and then his heart +gave a leap and a bound as though it would burst, the blood leaped to +his cheeks tingling, and his bosom thrilled with an almost agonizing +pang of triumph, of wonder, of amazement. + +There, in a tangle of his horse's harness and of embroidered trappings, +the Sieur de la Montaigne lay stretched upon the ground, with his saddle +near by, and his riderless horse was trotting aimlessly about at the +farther end of the lists. + +Myles saw the two squires of the fallen knight run across to where their +master lay, he saw the ladies waving their kerchiefs and veils, and the +castle people swinging their hats and shouting in an ecstasy of delight. +Then he rode slowly back to where the squires were now aiding the fallen +knight to arise. The senior squire drew his dagger, cut the leather +points, and drew off the helm, disclosing the knight's face--a face +white as death, and convulsed with rage, mortification, and bitter +humiliation. + +“I was not rightly unhorsed!” he cried, hoarsely and with livid lips, +to the Marshal and his attendants, who had ridden up. “I unhelmed him +fairly enough, but my over-girth and breast-strap burst, and my saddle +slipped. I was not unhorsed, I say, and I lay claim that I unhelmed +him.” + +“Sir,” said the Marshal calmly, and speaking in French, “surely thou +knowest that the loss of helmet does not decide an encounter. I need not +remind thee, my Lord, that it was so awarded by John of Gaunt, Duke of +Lancaster, when in the jousting match between Reynand de Roye and John +de Holland, the Sieur Reynand left every point of his helm loosened, so +that the helm was beaten off at each stroke. If he then was justified in +doing so of his own choice, and wilfully suffering to be unhelmed, how +then can this knight be accused of evil who suffered it by chance?” + +“Nevertheless,” said the Sieur de la Montaigne, in the same hoarse, +breathless voice, “I do affirm, and will make my affirmation good +with my body, that I fell only by the breaking of my girth. Who says +otherwise lies!” + +“It is the truth he speaketh,” said Myles. “I myself saw the stitches +were some little what burst, and warned him thereof before we ran this +course. + +“Sir,” said the Marshal to the Sieur de la Montaigne, “how can you now +complain of that thing which your own enemy advised you of and warned +you against? Was it not right knightly for him so to do?” + +The Sieur de la Montaigne stood quite still for a little while, leaning +on the shoulder of his chief squire, looking moodily upon the ground; +then, without making answer, he turned, and walked slowly away to his +pavilion, still leaning on his squire's shoulder, whilst the other +attendant followed behind, bearing his shield and helmet. + +Gascoyne had picked up Myles's fallen helmet as the Sieur de la +Montaigne moved away, and Lord George and Sir James Lee came walking +across the lists to where Myles still sat. Then, the one taking his +horse by the bridle-rein, and the other walking beside the saddle, they +led him before the raised dais where the King sat. + +Even the Comte de Vermoise, mortified and amazed as he must have been +at the overthrow of his best knight, joined in the praise and +congratulation that poured upon the young conqueror. Myles, his heart +swelling with a passion of triumphant delight, looked up and met the +gaze of Lady Alice fixed intently upon him. A red spot of excitement +still burned in either cheek, and it flamed to a rosier red as he bowed +his head to her before turning away. + +Gascoyne had just removed Myles's breastplate and gorget, when Sir James +Lee burst into the pavilion. All his grim coldness was gone, and he +flung his arms around the young man's neck, hugging him heartily, and +kissing him upon either cheek. + +Ere he let him go, “Mine own dear boy,” he said, holding him off at +arm's-length, and winking his one keen eye rapidly, as though to wink +away a dampness of which he was ashamed--“mine own dear boy, I do tell +thee truly this is as sweet to me as though thou wert mine own son; +sweeter to me than when I first broke mine own lance in triumph, and +felt myself to be a right knight.” + +“Sir,” answered Myles, “what thou sayest doth rejoice my very heart. +Ne'theless, it is but just to say that both his breast-piece and +over-girth were burst in the stitches before he ran his course, for so I +saw with mine own eyes.” + +“Burst in the stitches!” snorted Sir James. “Thinkest thou he did not +know in what condition was his horse's gearing? I tell thee he went down +because thou didst strike fair and true, and he did not so strike thee. +Had he been Guy of Warwick he had gone down all the same under such a +stroke and in such case.” + + + +CHAPTER 28 + +It was not until more than three weeks after the King had left Devlen +Castle that Lord George and his company of knights and archers were +ready for the expedition to France. Two weeks of that time Myles spent +at Crosbey-Dale with his father and mother. It was the first time that +he had seen them since, four years ago, he had quitted the low, narrow, +white-walled farmhouse for the castle of the great Earl of Mackworth. He +had never appreciated before how low and narrow and poor the farm-house +was. Now, with his eyes trained to the bigness of Devlen Castle, +he looked around him with wonder and pity at his father's humble +surroundings. He realized as he never else could have realized how great +was the fall in fortune that had cast the house of Falworth down from +its rightful station to such a level as that upon which it now rested. +And at the same time that he thus recognized how poor was their lot, how +dependent upon the charity of others, he also recognized how generous +was the friendship of Prior Edward, who perilled his own safety so +greatly in affording the family of the attainted Lord an asylum in its +bitter hour of need and peril. + +Myles paid many visits to the gentle old priest during those two weeks' +visit, and had many long and serious talks with him. One warm bright +afternoon, as he and the old man walked together in the priory garden, +after a game or two of draughts, the young knight talked more freely and +openly of his plans, his hopes, his ambitions, than perhaps he had +ever done. He told the old man all that the Earl had disclosed to him +concerning the fallen fortunes of his father's house, and of how all +who knew those circumstances looked to him to set the family in its old +place once more. Prior Edward added many things to those which Myles +already knew--things of which the Earl either did not know, or did not +choose to speak. He told the young man, among other matters, the reason +of the bitter and lasting enmity that the King felt for the blind +nobleman: that Lord Falworth had been one of King Richard's council in +times past; that it was not a little owing to him that King Henry, when +Earl of Derby, had been banished from England, and that though he +was then living in the retirement of private life, he bitterly and +steadfastly opposed King Richard's abdication. He told Myles that at the +time when Sir John Dale found shelter at Falworth Castle, vengeance was +ready to fall upon his father at any moment, and it needed only such a +pretext as that of sheltering so prominent a conspirator as Sir John to +complete his ruin. + +Myles, as he listened intently, could not but confess in his own mind +that the King had many rational, perhaps just, grounds for grievance +against such an ardent opponent as the blind Lord had shown himself to +be. “But, sir,” said he, after a little space of silence, when Prior +Edward had ended, “to hold enmity and to breed treason are very +different matters. Haply my father was Bolingbroke's enemy, but, sure, +thou dost not believe he is justly and rightfully tainted with treason?” + +“Nay,” answered the priest, “how canst thou ask me such a thing? Did I +believe thy father a traitor, thinkest thou I would thus tell his son +thereof? Nay, Myles, I do know thy father well, and have known him for +many years, and this of him, that few men are so honorable in heart and +soul as he. But I have told thee all these things to show that the King +is not without some reason to be thy father's unfriend. Neither, haply, +is the Earl of Alban without cause of enmity against him. So thou, upon +thy part, shouldst not feel bitter rancor against the King for what hath +happed to thy house, nor even against William Brookhurst--I mean the +Earl of Alban--for, I tell thee, the worst of our enemies and the worst +of men believe themselves always to have right and justice upon their +side, even when they most wish evil to others.” + +So spoke the gentle old priest, who looked from his peaceful haven with +dreamy eyes upon the sweat and tussle of the world's battle. Had he +instead been in the thick of the fight, it might have been harder for +him to believe that his enemies ever had right upon their side. + +“But tell me this,” said Myles, presently, “dost thou, then, think that +I do evil in seeking to do a battle of life or death with this wicked +Earl of Alban, who hath so ruined my father in body and fortune?” + +“Nay,” said Prior Edward, thoughtfully, “I say not that thou doest evil. +War and bloodshed seem hard and cruel matters to me; but God hath given +that they be in the world, and may He forbid that such a poor worm as I +should say that they be all wrong and evil. Meseems even an evil thing +is sometimes passing good when rightfully used.” + +Myles did not fully understand what the old man meant, but this much he +gathered, that his spiritual father did not think ill of his fighting +the Earl of Alban for his temporal father's sake. + +So Myles went to France in Lord George's company, a soldier of fortune, +as his Captain was. He was there for only six months, but those six +months wrought a great change in his life. In the fierce factional +battles that raged around the walls of Paris; in the evil life which +he saw at the Burgundian court in Paris itself after the truce--a court +brilliant and wicked, witty and cruel--the wonderful liquor of youth had +evaporated rapidly, and his character had crystallized as rapidly into +the hardness of manhood. The warfare, the blood, the evil pleasures +which he had seen had been a fiery, crucible test to his soul, and I +love my hero that he should have come forth from it so well. He was no +longer the innocent Sir Galahad who had walked in pure white up the +Long Hall to be knighted by the King, but his soul was of that grim, +sterling, rugged sort that looked out calmly from his gray eyes upon the +wickedness and debauchery around him, and loved it not. + +Then one day a courier came, bringing a packet. It was a letter from the +Earl, bidding Myles return straightway to England and to Mackworth House +upon the Strand, nigh to London, without delay, and Myles knew that his +time had come. + +It was a bright day in April when he and Gascoyne rode clattering out +through Temple Bar, leaving behind them quaint old London town, its +blank stone wall, its crooked, dirty streets, its high-gabled wooden +houses, over which rose the sharp spire of St. Paul's, towering high +into the golden air. Before them stretched the straight, broad highway +of the Strand, on one side the great houses and palaces of princely +priests and powerful nobles; on the other the Covent Garden, (or the +Convent Garden, as it was then called), and the rolling country, where +great stone windmills swung their slow-moving arms in the damp, soft +April breeze, and away in the distance the Scottish Palace, the White +Hall, and Westminster. + +It was the first time that Myles had seen famous London town. In that +dim and distant time of his boyhood, six months before, he would +have been wild with delight and enthusiasm. Now he jogged along with +Gascoyne, gazing about him with calm interest at open shops and booths +and tall, gabled houses; at the busy throng of merchants and craftsmen, +jostling and elbowing one another; at townsfolk--men and dames--picking +their way along the muddy kennel of a sidewalk. He had seen so much of +the world that he had lost somewhat of interest in new things. So he +did not care to tarry, but rode, with a mind heavy with graver matters, +through the streets and out through the Temple Bar direct for Mackworth +House, near the Savoy Palace. + +It was with a great deal of interest that Myles and his patron regarded +one another when they met for the first time after that half-year which +the young soldier had spent in France. To Myles it seemed somehow very +strange that his Lordship's familiar face and figure should look so +exactly the same. To Lord Mackworth, perhaps, it seemed even more +strange that six short months should have wrought so great a change in +the young man. The rugged exposure in camp and field during the hard +winter that had passed had roughened the smooth bloom of his boyish +complexion and bronzed his fair skin almost as much as a midsummer's sun +could have done. His beard and mustache had grown again, (now heavier +and more mannish from having been shaved), and the white seam of a scar +over the right temple gave, if not a stern, at least a determined look +to the strong, square-jawed young face. So the two stood for a while +regarding one another. Myles was the first to break the silence. + +“My Lord,” said he, “thou didst send for me to come back to England; +behold, here am I.” + +“When didst thou land, Sir Myles?” said the Earl. + +“I and my squire landed at Dover upon Tuesday last,” answered the young +man. + +The Earl of Mackworth stroked his beard softly. “Thou art marvellous +changed,” said he. “I would not have thought it possible.” + +Myles smiled somewhat grimly. “I have seen such things, my Lord, in +France and in Paris,” said he, quietly, “as, mayhap, may make a lad a +man before his time.” + +“From which I gather,” said the Earl, “that many adventures have +befallen thee. Methought thou wouldst find troublesome times in the +Dauphin's camp, else I would not have sent thee to France.” + +A little space of silence followed, during which the Earl sat musingly, +half absently, regarding the tall, erect, powerful young figure standing +before him, awaiting his pleasure in motionless, patient, almost dogged +silence. The strong, sinewy hands were clasped and rested upon the long +heavy sword, around the scabbard of which the belt was loosely wrapped, +and the plates of mail caught and reflected in flashing, broken pieces, +the bright sunlight from the window behind. + +“Sir Myles,” said the Earl, suddenly, breaking the silence at last, +“dost thou know why I sent for thee hither?” + +“Aye,” said Myles, calmly, “how can I else? Thou wouldst not have called +me from Paris but for one thing. Methinks thou hast sent for me to fight +the Earl of Alban, and lo! I am here.” + +“Thou speakest very boldly,” said the Earl. “I do hope that thy deeds be +as bold as thy words.” + +“That,” said Myles, “thou must ask other men. Methinks no one may justly +call me coward.” + +“By my troth!” said the Earl, smiling, “looking upon thee--limbs and +girth, bone and sinew--I would not like to be the he that would dare +accuse thee of such a thing. As for thy surmise, I may tell thee plain +that thou art right, and that it was to fight the Earl of Alban I sent +for thee hither. The time is now nearly ripe, and I will straightway +send for thy father to come to London. Meantime it would not be safe +either for thee or for me to keep thee in my service. I have spoken to +his Highness the Prince of Wales, who, with other of the Princes, is +upon our side in this quarrel. He hath promised to take thee into his +service until the fitting time comes to bring thee and thine enemy +together, and to-morrow I shall take thee to Scotland Yard, where his +Highness is now lodging.” + +As the Earl ended his speech, Myles bowed, but did not speak. The Earl +waited for a little while, as though to give him the opportunity to +answer. + +“Well, sirrah,” said he at last, with a shade of impatience, “hast thou +naught to say? Meseems thou takest all this with marvellous coolness.” + +“Have I then my Lord's permission to speak my mind?” + +“Aye,” said the Earl, “say thy say.” + +“Sir,” said Myles, “I have thought and pondered this matter much while +abroad, and would now ask thee a plain question in all honest an I ha' +thy leave.” + +The Earl nodded his head. + +“Sir, am I not right in believing that thou hast certain weighty +purposes and aims of thine own to gain an I win this battle against the +Earl of Alban?” + +“Has my brother George been telling thee aught to such a purpose?” said +the Earl, after a moment or two of silence. + +Myles did not answer. + +“No matter,” added Lord Mackworth. “I will not ask thee who told thee +such a thing. As for thy question--well, sin thou ask it frankly, I will +be frank with thee. Yea, I have certain ends to gain in having the Earl +of Alban overthrown.” + +Myles bowed. “Sir,” said he, “haply thine ends are as much beyond aught +that I can comprehend as though I were a little child; only this I know, +that they must be very great. Thou knowest well that in any case I would +fight me this battle for my father's sake and for the honor of my house; +nevertheless, in return for all that it will so greatly advantage thee, +wilt thou not grant me a boon in return should I overcome mine enemy?” + +“What is thy boon, Sir Myles?” + +“That thou wilt grant me thy favor to seek the Lady Alice de Mowbray for +my wife.” + +The Earl of Mackworth started up from his seat. “Sir Myles Falworth”--he +began, violently, and then stopped short, drawing his bushy eyebrows +together into a frown stern, if not sinister. + +Myles withstood his look calmly and impassively, and presently the Earl +turned on his heel, and strode to the open window. A long time passed in +silence while he stood there, gazing out of the window into the garden +beyond with his back to the young man. + +Suddenly he swung around again. “Sir Myles,” said he, “the family of +Falworth is as good as any in Derbyshire. Just now it is poor and fallen +in estate, but if it is again placed in credit and honor, thou, who art +the son of the house, shalt have thy suit weighed with as much respect +and consideration as though thou wert my peer in all things, Such is my +answer. Art thou satisfied?” + +“I could ask no more,” answered Myles. + + + +CHAPTER 29 + +That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House. The next morning, as soon +as he had broken his fast, which he did in the privacy of his own +apartments, the Earl bade him and Gascoyne to make ready for the barge, +which was then waiting at the river stairs to take them to Scotland +Yard. + +The Earl himself accompanied them, and as the heavy snub-nosed boat, +rowed by the six oarsmen in Mackworth livery, slid slowly and heavily +up against the stream, the Earl, leaning back in his cushioned seat, +pointed out the various inns of the great priests or nobles; palatial +town residences standing mostly a little distance back from the water +behind terraced high-walled gardens and lawns. Yon was the Bishop of +Exeter's Close; yon was the Bishop of Bath's; that was York House; and +that Chester Inn. So passing by gardens and lawns and palaces, they came +at last to Scotland Yard stairs, a broad flight of marble steps that led +upward to a stone platform above, upon which opened the gate-way of the +garden beyond. + +The Scotland Yard of Myles Falworth's day was one of the more +pretentious and commodious of the palaces of the Strand. It took its +name from having been from ancient times the London inn which the +tributary Kings of Scotland occupied when on their periodical visits of +homage to England. Now, during this time of Scotland's independence, the +Prince of Wales had taken up his lodging in the old palace, and made it +noisy with the mad, boisterous mirth of his court. + +As the watermen drew the barge close to the landing-place of the stairs, +the Earl stepped ashore, and followed by Myles and Gascoyne, ascended +to the broad gate-way of the river wall of the garden. Three men-at-arms +who lounged upon a bench under the shade of the little pent roof of a +guard-house beside the wall, arose and saluted as the well-known figure +of the Earl mounted the steps. The Earl nodded a cool answer, and +passing unchallenged through the gate, led the way up a pleached walk, +beyond which, as Myles could see, there stretched a little grassy lawn +and a stone-paved terrace. As the Earl and the two young men approached +the end of the walk, they were met by the sound of voices and laughter, +the clinking of glasses and the rattle of dishes. Turning a corner, +they came suddenly upon a party of young gentlemen, who sat at a late +breakfast under the shade of a wide-spreading lime-tree. They had +evidently just left the tilt-yard, for two of the guests--sturdy, +thick-set young knights--yet wore a part of their tilting armor. + +Behind the merry scene stood the gray, hoary old palace, a steep flight +of stone steps, and a long, open, stone-arched gallery, which evidently +led to the kitchen beyond, for along it hurried serving-men, running up +and down the tall flight of steps, and bearing trays and dishes and cups +and flagons. It was a merry sight and a pleasant one. The day was warm +and balmy, and the yellow sunlight fell in waving uncertain patches of +light, dappling the table-cloth, and twinkling and sparkling upon the +dishes, cups, and flagons. + +At the head of the table sat a young man some three or four years +older than Myles, dressed in a full suit of rich blue brocaded velvet, +embroidered with gold-thread and trimmed with black fur. His face, which +was turned towards them as they mounted from the lawn to the little +stone-flagged terrace, was frank and open; the cheeks smooth and fair; +the eyes dark and blue. He was tall and rather slight, and wore his +thick yellow hair hanging to his shoulders, where it was cut square +across, after the manner of the times. Myles did not need to be told +that it was the Prince of Wales. + +“Ho, Gaffer Fox!” he cried, as soon as he caught sight of the Earl of +Mackworth, “what wind blows thee hither among us wild mallard drakes? +I warrant it is not for love of us, but only to fill thine own larder +after the manner of Sir Fox among the drakes. Whom hast thou with thee? +Some gosling thou art about to pluck?” + +A sudden hush fell upon the company, and all faces were turned towards +the visitors. + +The Earl bowed with a soft smile. “Your Highness,” said he, smoothly, +“is pleased to be pleasant. Sir, I bring you the young knight of whom I +spoke to you some time since--Sir Myles Falworth. You may be pleased to +bring to mind that you so condescended as to promise to take him into +your train until the fitting time arrived for that certain matter of +which we spoke.” + +“Sir Myles,” said the Prince of Wales, with a frank, pleasant smile, “I +have heard great reports of thy skill and prowess in France, both from +Mackworth and from others. It will pleasure me greatly to have thee in +my household; more especially,” he added, “as it will get thee, callow +as thou art, out of my Lord Fox's clutches. Our faction cannot do +without the Earl of Mackworth's cunning wits, Sir Myles; ne'theless I +would not like to put all my fate and fortune into his hands without +bond. I hope that thou dost not rest thy fortunes entirely upon his aid +and countenance.” + +All who were present felt the discomfort of the Prince's speech, It was +evident that one of his mad, wild humors was upon him. In another case +the hare-brained young courtiers around might have taken their cue +from him, but the Earl of Mackworth was no subject for their gibes +and witticisms. A constrained silence fell, in which the Earl alone +maintained a perfect ease of manner. + +Myles bowed to hide his own embarrassment. “Your Highness,” said he, +evasively, “I rest my fortune, first of all, upon God, His strength and +justice.” + +“Thou wilt find safer dependence there than upon the Lord of Mackworth,” + said the Prince, dryly. “But come,” he added, with a sudden change of +voice and manner, “these be jests that border too closely upon bitter +earnest for a merry breakfast. It is ill to idle with edged tools. Wilt +thou not stay and break thy fast with us, my Lord?” + +“Pardon me, your Highness,” said the Earl, bowing, and smiling the same +smooth smile his lips had worn from the first--such a smile as Myles +had never thought to have seen upon his haughty face; “I crave your good +leave to decline. I must return home presently, for even now, haply, +your uncle, his Grace of Winchester, is awaiting my coming upon the +business you wot of. Haply your Highness will find more joyance in a +lusty young knight like Sir Myles than in an old fox like myself. So I +leave him with you, in your good care.” + +Such was Myles's introduction to the wild young madcap Prince of Wales, +afterwards the famous Henry V, the conqueror of France. + +For a month or more thereafter he was a member of the princely +household, and, after a little while, a trusted and honored member. +Perhaps it was the calm sturdy strength, the courage of the young +knight, that first appealed to the Prince's royal heart; perhaps +afterwards it was the more sterling qualities that underlaid that +courage that drew him to the young man; certain it was that in two weeks +Myles was the acknowledged favorite. He made no protestation of virtue; +he always accompanied the Prince in those madcap ventures to London, +where he beheld all manner of wild revelry; he never held himself aloof +from his gay comrades, but he looked upon all their mad sports with the +same calm gaze that had carried him without taint through the courts of +Burgundy and the Dauphin. The gay, roistering young lords and gentlemen +dubbed him Saint Myles, and jested with him about hair-cloth shirts +and flagellations, but witticism and jest alike failed to move Myles's +patient virtue; he went his own gait in the habits of his life, and in +so going knew as little as the others of the mad court that the Prince's +growing liking for him was, perhaps, more than all else, on account of +that very temperance. + +Then, by-and-by, the Prince began to confide in him as he did in none of +the others. There was no great love betwixt the King and his son; it has +happened very often that the Kings of England have felt bitter jealousy +towards the heirs-apparent as they have grown in power, and such was the +case with the great King Henry IV. The Prince often spoke to Myles of +the clashing and jarring between himself and his father, and the thought +began to come to Myles's mind by degrees that maybe the King's jealousy +accounted not a little for the Prince's reckless intemperance. + +Once, for instance, as the Prince leaned upon, his shoulder waiting, +whilst the attendants made ready the barge that was to carry them down +the river to the city, he said, abruptly: “Myles, what thinkest thou of +us all? Doth not thy honesty hold us in contempt?” + +“Nay, Highness,” said Myles. “How could I hold contempt?” + +“Marry,” said the Prince, “I myself hold contempt, and am not as honest +a man as thou. But, prithee, have patience with me, Myles. Some day, +perhaps, I too will live a clean life. Now, an I live seriously, the +King will be more jealous of me than ever, and that is not a little. +Maybe I live thus so that he may not know what I really am in soothly +earnest.” + +The Prince also often talked to Myles concerning his own affairs; of +the battle he was to fight for his father's honor, of how the Earl of +Mackworth had plotted and planned to bring him face to face with the +Earl of Alban. He spoke to Myles more than once of the many great +changes of state and party that hung upon the downfall of the enemy +of the house of Falworth, and showed him how no hand but his own could +strike that enemy down; if he fell, it must be through the son of +Falworth. Sometimes it seemed to Myles as though he and his blind father +were the centre of a great web of plot and intrigue, stretching far and +wide, that included not only the greatest houses of England, but royalty +and the political balance of the country as well, and even before the +greatness of it all he did not flinch. + +Then, at last, came the beginning of the time for action. It was in the +early part of May, and Myles had been a member of the Prince's household +for a little over a month. One morning he was ordered to attend the +Prince in his privy cabinet, and, obeying the summons, he found the +Prince, his younger brother, the Duke of Bedford, and his uncle, the +Bishop of Winchester, seated at a table, where they had just been +refreshing themselves with a flagon of wine and a plate of wafers. + +“My poor Myles,” said the Prince, smiling, as the young knight bowed to +the three, and then stood erect, as though on duty. “It shames my heart, +brother--and thou, uncle--it shames my heart to be one privy to this +thing which we are set upon to do. Here be we, the greatest Lords of +England, making a cat's-paw of this lad--for he is only yet a boy--and +of his blind father, for to achieve our ends against Alban's faction. It +seemeth not over-honorable to my mind.” + +“Pardon me, your Highness,” said Myles, blushing to the roots of his +hair; “but, an I may be so bold as to speak, I reck nothing of what your +aims may be; I only look to restoring my father's honor and the honor of +our house.” + +“Truly,” said the Prince, smiling, “that is the only matter that maketh +me willing to lay my hands to this business. Dost thou know why I have +sent for thee? It is because this day thou must challenge the Duke of +Alban before the King. The Earl of Mackworth has laid all his plans and +the time is now ripe. Knowest that thy father is at Mackworth House?” + +“Nay,” said Myles; “I knew it not.” + +“He hath been there for nearly two days,” said the Prince. “Just now the +Earl hath sent for us to come first to Mackworth House. Then to go +to the palace, for he hath gained audience with the King, and hath so +arranged it that the Earl of Alban is to be there as well. We all go +straightway; so get thyself ready as soon as may be.” + +Perhaps Myles's heart began beating more quickly within him at the +nearness of that great happening which he had looked forward to for so +long. If it did, he made no sign of his emotion, but only asked, “How +must I clothe myself, your Highness?” + +“Wear thy light armor,” said the Prince, “but no helmet, a juppon +bearing the arms and colors that the Earl gave thee when thou wert +knighted, and carry thy right-hand gauntlet under thy belt for thy +challenge. Now make haste, for time passes.” + + + +CHAPTER 30 + +Adjoining the ancient palace of Westminster, where King Henry IV was +then holding his court, was a no less ancient stone building known as +the Painted Room. Upon the walls were depicted a series of battle scenes +in long bands reaching around this room, one above another. Some of +these pictures had been painted as far back as the days of Henry III, +others had been added since his time. They chronicled the various wars +of the King of England, and it was from them that the little hall took +its name of the Painted Room. + +This ancient wing, or offshoot, of the main buildings was more retired +from the hurly-burly of outer life than other parts of the palace, and +thither the sick King was very fond of retiring from the business of +State, which ever rested more and more heavily upon his shoulders, +sometimes to squander in quietness a spare hour or two; sometimes to +idle over a favorite book; sometimes to play a game of chess with a +favorite courtier. The cold painted walls had been hung with tapestry, +and its floor had been spread with arras carpet. These and the cushioned +couches and chairs that stood around gave its gloomy antiquity an air of +comfort--an air even of luxury. + +It was to this favorite retreat of the King's that Myles was brought +that morning with his father to face the great Earl of Alban. + +In the anteroom the little party of Princes and nobles who escorted +the father and son had held a brief consultation. Then the others had +entered, leaving Myles and his blind father in charge of Lord Lumley and +two knights of the court, Sir Reginald Hallowell and Sir Piers Averell. + +Myles, as he stood patiently waiting, with his father's arm resting in +his, could hear the muffled sound of voices from beyond the arras. Among +others, he recognized the well-remembered tones of the King. He fancied +that he heard his own name mentioned more than once, and then the sound +of talking ceased. The next moment the arras was drawn aside, and the +Earl entered the antechamber again. + +“All is ready, cousin,” said he to Lord Falworth, in a suppressed voice. +“Essex hath done as he promised, and Alban is within there now.” Then, +turning to Myles, speaking in the same low voice, and betraying more +agitation than Myles had thought it possible for him to show, “Sir +Myles,” said he, “remember all that hath been told thee. Thou knowest +what thou hast to say and do.” Then, without further word, he took Lord +Falworth by the hand, and led the way into the room, Myles following +close behind. + +The King half sat, half inclined, upon a cushioned seat close to which +stood the two Princes. There were some dozen others present, mostly +priests and noblemen of high quality who clustered in a group at a +little distance. Myles knew most of them at a glance having seen them +come and go at Scotland Yard. But among them all, he singled out only +one--the Earl of Alban. He had not seen that face since he was a little +child eight years old, but now that he beheld it again, it fitted +instantly and vividly into the remembrance of the time of that terrible +scene at Falworth Castle, when he had beheld the then Lord Brookhurst +standing above the dead body of Sir John Dale, with the bloody mace +clinched in his hand. There were the same heavy black brows, sinister +and gloomy, the same hooked nose, the same swarthy cheeks. He even +remembered the deep dent in the forehead, where the brows met in +perpetual frown. So it was that upon that face his looks centred and +rested. + +The Earl of Alban had just been speaking to some Lord who stood beside +him, and a half-smile still hung about the corners of his lips. At +first, as he looked up at the entrance of the newcomers, there was no +other expression; then suddenly came a flash of recognition, a look of +wide-eyed amazement; then the blood left the cheeks and the lips, and +the face grew very pale. No doubt he saw at a flash that some great +danger overhung him in this sudden coming of his old enemy, for he was +as keen and as astute a politician as he was a famous warrior. At least +he knew that the eyes of most of those present were fixed keenly and +searchingly upon him. After the first start of recognition, his left +hand, hanging at his side, gradually closed around the scabbard of his +sword, clutching it in a vice-like grip. + +Meantime the Earl of Mackworth had led the blind Lord to the King, where +both kneeled. + +“Why, how now, my Lord?” said the King. “Methought it was our young +Paladin whom we knighted at Devlen that was to be presented, and here +thou bringest this old man. A blind man, ha! What is the meaning of +this?” + +“Majesty,” said the Earl, “I have taken this chance to bring to thy +merciful consideration one who hath most wofully and unjustly suffered +from thine anger. Yonder stands the young knight of whom we spake; this +is his father, Gilbert Reginald, whilom Lord Falworth, who craves mercy +and justice at thy hands.” + +“Falworth,” said the King, placing his hand to his head. “The name is +not strange to mine ears, but I cannot place it. My head hath troubled +me sorely to-day, and I cannot remember.” + +At this point the Earl of Alban came quietly and deliberately forward. +“Sire,” said he, “pardon my boldness in so venturing to address you, but +haply I may bring the name more clearly to your mind. He is, as my Lord +of Mackworth said, the whilom Baron Falworth, the outlawed, attainted +traitor; so declared for the harboring of Sir John Dale, who was one of +those who sought your Majesty's life at Windsor eleven years ago. +Sire, he is mine enemy as well, and is brought hither by my proclaimed +enemies. Should aught occur to my harm, I rest my case in your gracious +hands.” + +The dusty red flamed into the King's pale, sickly face in answer, and he +rose hastily from his seat. + +“Aye,” said he, “I remember me now--I remember me the man and the name! +Who hath dared bring him here before us?” All the dull heaviness of +sickness was gone for the moment, and King Henry was the King Henry of +ten years ago as he rolled his eyes balefully from one to another of the +courtiers who stood silently around. + +The Earl of Mackworth shot a covert glance at the Bishop of Winchester, +who came forward in answer. + +“Your Majesty,” said he, “here am I, your brother, who beseech you as +your brother not to judge over-hastily in this matter. It is true +that this man has been adjudged a traitor, but he has been so adjudged +without a hearing. I beseech thee to listen patiently to whatsoever he +may have to say.” + +The King fixed the Bishop with a look of the bitterest, deepest anger, +holding his nether lip tightly under his teeth--a trick he had when +strongly moved with anger--and the Bishop's eyes fell under the look. +Meantime the Earl of Alban stood calm and silent. No doubt he saw that +the King's anger was likely to befriend him more than any words that he +himself could say, and he perilled his case with no more speech which +could only prove superfluous. + +At last the King turned a face red and swollen with anger to the blind +Lord, who still kneeled before him. + +“What hast thou to say?” he said, in a deep and sullen voice. + +“Gracious and merciful Lord,” said the blind nobleman, “I come to thee, +the fountain-head of justice, craving justice. Sire, I do now and here +deny my treason, which denial I could not before make, being blind and +helpless, and mine enemies strong and malignant. But now, sire, Heaven +hath sent me help, and therefore I do acclaim before thee that my +accuser, William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, is a foul and an +attainted liar in all that he hath accused me of. To uphold which +allegation, and to defend me, who am blinded by his unknightliness, I do +offer a champion to prove all that I say with his body in combat.” + +The Earl of Mackworth darted a quick look at Myles, who came forward the +moment his father had ended, and kneeled beside him. The King offered no +interruption to his speech, but he bent a look heavy with anger upon the +young man. + +“My gracious Lord and King,” said Myles, “I, the son of the accused, do +offer myself as his champion in this cause, beseeching thee of thy grace +leave to prove the truth of the same, being a belted knight by thy grace +and of thy creation and the peer of any who weareth spurs.” Thereupon, +rising, he drew his iron gauntlet from his girdle, and flung it clashing +down upon the floor, and with his heart swelling within him with anger +and indignation and pity of his blind father, he cried, in a loud +voice, “I do accuse thee, William of Alban, that thou liest vilely as +aforesaid, and here cast down my gage, daring thee to take it up.” + +The Earl of Alban made as though he would accept the challenge, but the +King stopped him hastily. + +“Stop!” he cried, harshly. “Touch not the gage! Let it lie--let it lie, +I tell thee, my Lord! Now then,” said he, turning to the others, “tell +me what meaneth all this coil? Who brought this man hither?” + +He looked from one to another of those who stood silently around, but no +one answered. + +“I see,” said he, “ye all have had to do with it. It is as my Lord of +Alban sayeth; ye are his enemies, and ye are my enemies as well. In this +I do smell a vile plot. I cannot undo what I have done, and since I have +made this young man a knight with mine own hands, I cannot deny that +he is fit to challenge my Lord of Alban. Ne'theless, the High Court of +Chivalry shall adjudge this case. Meantime,” said he, turning to the +Earl Marshal, who was present, “I give thee this attainted Lord in +charge. Convey him presently to the Tower, and let him abide our +pleasure there. Also, thou mayst take up yon gage, and keep it till it +is redeemed according to our pleasure.” + +He stood thoughtfully for a moment, and then raising his eyes, looked +fixedly at the Earl of Mackworth. “I know,” he said, “that I be a right +sick man, and there be some who are already plotting to overthrow those +who have held up my hand with their own strength for all these years.” + Then speaking more directly: “My Lord Earl of Mackworth, I see your hand +in this before all others. It was thou who so played upon me as to get +me to knight this young man, and thus make him worthy to challenge my +Lord of Alban. It was thy doings that brought him here to-day, backed +by mine own sons and my brother and by these noblemen.” Then turning +suddenly to the Earl of Alban: “Come, my Lord,” said he; “I am aweary +with all this coil. Lend me thine arm to leave this place.” So it +was that he left the room, leaning upon the Earl of Alban's arm, and +followed by the two or three of the Alban faction who were present. + +“Your Royal Highness,” said the Earl Marshal, “I must e'en do the King's +bidding, and take this gentleman into arrest.” + +“Do thy duty,” said the Prince. “We knew it must come to this. Meanwhile +he is to be a prisoner of honor, and see that he be well lodged and +cared for. Thou wilt find my barge at the stairs to convey him down the +river, and I myself will come this afternoon to visit him.” + + + +CHAPTER 31 + +It was not until the end of July that the High Court of Chivalry +rendered its judgment. There were many unusual points in the case, some +of which bore heavily against Lord Falworth, some of which were in +his favor. He was very ably defended by the lawyers whom the Earl +of Mackworth had engaged upon his side; nevertheless, under ordinary +circumstances, the judgment, no doubt, would have been quickly rendered +against him. As it was, however, the circumstances were not ordinary, +and it was rendered in his favor. The Court besought the King to grant +the ordeal by battle, to accept Lord Falworth's champion, and to appoint +the time and place for the meeting. + +The decision must have been a most bitter, galling one for the sick +King. He was naturally of a generous, forgiving nature, but Lord +Falworth in his time of power had been an unrelenting and fearless +opponent, and his Majesty who, like most generous men, could on +occasions be very cruel and intolerant, had never forgiven him. He had +steadily thrown the might of his influence with the Court against the +Falworths' case, but that influence was no longer all-powerful for good +or ill. He was failing in health, and it could only be a matter of a few +years, probably of only a few months, before his successor sat upon the +throne. + +Upon the other hand, the Prince of Wales's faction had been steadily, +and of late rapidly, increasing in power, and in the Earl of Mackworth, +its virtual head, it possessed one of the most capable politicians and +astute intriguers in Europe. So, as the outcome of all the plotting and +counter-plotting, scheming and counter-scheming, the case was decided in +Lord Falworth's favor. The knowledge of the ultimate result was known +to the Prince of Wales's circle almost a week before it was finally +decided. Indeed, the Earl of Mackworth had made pretty sure of that +result before he had summoned Myles from France, but upon the King it +fell like the shock of a sudden blow. All that day he kept himself in +moody seclusion, nursing his silent, bitter anger, and making only +one outbreak, in which he swore by the Holy Rood that should Myles be +worsted in the encounter, he would not take the battle into his own +hands, but would suffer him to be slain, and furthermore, that should +the Earl show signs of failing at any time, he would do all in his power +to save him. One of the courtiers who had been present, and who was +secretly inclined to the Prince of Wales's faction, had repeated this +speech at Scotland Yard, and the Prince had said, “That meaneth, Myles, +that thou must either win or die.” + +“And so I would have it to be, my Lord,” Myles had answered. + +It was not until nearly a fortnight after the decision of the Court of +Chivalry had been rendered that the King announced the time and place +of battle--the time to be the 3d of September, the place to be +Smithfield--a spot much used for such encounters. + +During the three weeks or so that intervened between this announcement +and the time of combat, Myles went nearly every day to visit the lists +in course of erection. Often the Prince went with him; always two or +three of his friends of the Scotland Yard court accompanied him. + +The lists were laid out in the usual form. The true or principal list in +which the combatants were to engage was sixty yards long and forty yards +wide; this rectangular space being surrounded by a fence about six feet +high, painted vermilion. Between the fence and the stand where the King +and the spectators sat, and surrounding the central space, was the +outer or false list, also surrounded by a fence. In the false list the +Constable and the Marshal and their followers and attendants were to be +stationed at the time of battle to preserve the general peace during the +contest between the principals. + +One day as Myles, his princely patron, and his friends entered the +barriers, leaving their horses at the outer gate, they met the Earl of +Alban and his followers, who were just quitting the lists, which they +also were in the habit of visiting nearly every day. As the two parties +passed one another, the Earl spoke to a gentleman walking beside him and +in a voice loud enough to be clearly overheard by the others: “Yonder +is the young sprig of Falworth,” said he. “His father, my Lords, is +not content with forfeiting his own life for his treason, but must, +forsooth, throw away his son's also. I have faced and overthrown many a +better knight than that boy.” + +Myles heard the speech, and knew that it was intended for him to hear +it; but he paid no attention to it, walking composedly at the Prince's +side. The Prince had also overheard it, and after a little space of +silence asked, “Dost thou not feel anxiety for thy coming battle, +Myles?” + +“Yea, my Lord,” said Myles; “sometimes I do feel anxiety, but not such +as my Lord of Alban would have me feel in uttering the speech that he +spake anon. It is anxiety for my father's sake and my mother's sake that +I feel, for truly there are great matters for them pending upon this +fight. Ne'theless, I do know that God will not desert me in my cause, +for verily my father is no traitor.” + +“But the Earl of Alban,” said the Prince, gravely, “is reputed one of +the best-skilled knights in all England; moreover, he is merciless and +without generosity, so that an he gain aught advantage over thee, he +will surely slay thee.” + +“I am not afraid, my Lord,” said Myles, still calmly and composedly. + +“Nor am I afraid for thee, Myles,” said the Prince, heartily, putting +his arm, as he spoke, around the young man's shoulder; “for truly, wert +thou a knight of forty years, instead of one of twenty, thou couldst not +bear thyself with more courage.” + +As the time for the duel approached, the days seemed to drag themselves +along upon leaden feet; nevertheless, the days came and went, as all +days do, bringing with them, at last, the fateful 3d of September. + +Early in the morning, while the sun was still level and red, the Prince +himself, unattended, came to Myles's apartment, in the outer room of +which Gascoyne was bustling busily about arranging the armor piece by +piece; renewing straps and thongs, but not whistling over his work as he +usually did. The Prince nodded to him, and then passed silently through +to the inner chamber. Myles was upon his knees, and Father Ambrose, +the Prince's chaplain, was beside him. The Prince stood silently at the +door, until Myles, having told his last bead, rose and turned towards +him. + +“My dear Lord,” said the young knight, “I give you gramercy for the +great honor you do me in coming so early for to visit me.” + +“Nay, Myles, give me no thanks,” said the Prince, frankly reaching him +his hand, which Myles took and set to his lips. “I lay bethinking me of +thee this morning, while yet in bed, and so, as I could not sleep any +more, I was moved to come hither to see thee.” + +Quite a number of the Prince's faction were at the breakfast at Scotland +Yard that morning; among others, the Earl of Mackworth. All were more or +less oppressed with anxiety, for nearly all of them had staked much upon +the coming battle. If Alban conquered, he would be more powerful to harm +them and to revenge himself upon them than ever, and Myles was a very +young champion upon whom to depend. Myles himself, perhaps, showed as +little anxiety as any; he certainly ate more heartily of his breakfast +that morning than many of the others. + +After the meal was ended, the Prince rose. “The boat is ready at the +stairs,” said he; “if thou wouldst go to the Tower to visit thy father, +Myles, before hearing mass, I and Cholmondeley and Vere and Poins will +go with thee, if ye, Lords and gentlemen, will grant me your pardon +for leaving you. Are there any others that thou wouldst have accompany +thee?” + +“I would have Sir James Lee and my squire, Master Gascoyne, if thou art +so pleased to give them leave to go,” answered Myles. + +“So be it,” said the Prince. “We will stop at Mackworth stairs for the +knight.” + +The barge landed at the west stairs of the Tower wharf, and the whole +party were received with more than usual civilities by the Governor, who +conducted them at once to the Tower where Lord Falworth was lodged. Lady +Falworth met them at the head of the stairs; her eyes were very red and +her face pale, and as Myles raised her hand and set a long kiss upon it, +her lips trembled, and she turned her face quickly away, pressing +her handkerchief for one moment to her eyes. Poor lady! What agony of +anxiety and dread did she not suffer for her boy's sake that day! Myles +had not hidden both from her and his father that he must either win or +die. + +As Myles turned from his mother, Prior Edward came out from the inner +chamber, and was greeted warmly by him. The old priest had arrived in +London only the day before, having come down from Crosbey Priory to be +with his friend's family during this their time of terrible anxiety. + +After a little while of general talk, the Prince and his attendants +retired, leaving the family together, only Sir James Lee and Gascoyne +remaining behind. + +Many matters that had been discussed before were now finally settled, +the chief of which was the disposition of Lady Falworth in case the +battle should go against them. Then Myles took his leave, kissing his +mother, who began crying, and comforting her with brave assurances. +Prior Edward accompanied him as far as the head of the Tower stairs, +where Myles kneeled upon the stone steps, while the good priest blessed +him and signed the cross upon his forehead. The Prince was waiting in +the walled garden adjoining, and as they rowed back again up the river +to Scotland Yard, all were thoughtful and serious, even Poins' and +Vere's merry tongues being stilled from their usual quips and jesting. + +It was about the quarter of the hour before eleven o'clock when Myles, +with Gascoyne, set forth for the lists. The Prince of Wales, together +with most of his court, had already gone on to Smithfield, leaving +behind him six young knights of his household to act as escort to the +young champion. Then at last the order to horse was given; the great +gate swung open, and out they rode, clattering and jingling, the +sunlight gleaming and flaming and flashing upon their polished armor. +They drew rein to the right, and so rode in a little cloud of dust along +the Strand Street towards London town, with the breeze blowing merrily, +and the sunlight shining as sweetly and blithesomely as though they were +riding to a wedding rather than to a grim and dreadful ordeal that meant +either victory or death. + + + +CHAPTER 32 + +In the days of King Edward III a code of laws relating to trial by +battle had been compiled for one of his sons, Thomas of Woodstock. In +this work each and every detail, to the most minute, had been arranged +and fixed, and from that time judicial combats had been regulated in +accordance with its mandates. + +It was in obedience to this code that Myles Falworth appeared at the +east gate of the lists (the east gate being assigned by law to the +challenger), clad in full armor of proof, attended by Gascoyne, and +accompanied by two of the young knights who had acted as his escort from +Scotland Yard. + +At the barriers he was met by the attorney Willingwood, the chief lawyer +who had conducted the Falworth case before the High Court of Chivalry, +and who was to attend him during the administration of the oaths before +the King. + +As Myles presented himself at the gate he was met by the Constable, the +Marshal, and their immediate attendants. The Constable, laying his hand +upon the bridle-rein, said, in a loud voice: “Stand, Sir Knight, and +tell me why thou art come thus armed to the gates of the lists. What is +thy name? Wherefore art thou come?” + +Myles answered, “I am Myles Falworth, a Knight of the Bath by grace of +his Majesty King Henry IV and by his creation, and do come hither to +defend my challenge upon the body of William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of +Alban, proclaiming him an unknightly knight and a false and perjured +liar, in that he hath accused Gilbert Reginald, Lord Falworth, of +treason against our beloved Lord, his Majesty the King, and may God +defend the right!” + +As he ended speaking, the Constable advanced close to his side, and +formally raising the umbril of the helmet, looked him in the face. +Thereupon, having approved his identity, he ordered the gates to be +opened, and bade Myles enter the lists with his squire and his friends. + +At the south side of the lists a raised scaffolding had been built for +the King and those who looked on. It was not unlike that which had +been erected at Devlen Castle when Myles had first jousted as belted +knight--here were the same raised seat for the King, the tapestries, the +hangings, the fluttering pennons, and the royal standard floating above; +only here were no fair-faced ladies looking down upon him, but instead, +stern-browed Lords and knights in armor and squires, and here were no +merry laughing and buzz of talk and flutter of fans and kerchiefs, but +all was very quiet and serious. + +Myles riding upon his horse, with Gascoyne holding the bridle-rein, +and his attorney walking beside him with his hand upon the stirrups, +followed the Constable across the lists to an open space in front of the +seat where the King sat. Then, having reached his appointed station, he +stopped, and the Constable, advancing to the foot of the stair-way that +led to the dais above, announced in a loud voice that the challenger had +entered the lists. + +“Then called the defendant straightway,” said the King, “for noon +draweth nigh.” + +The day was very warm, and the sun, bright and unclouded, shone fiercely +down upon the open lists. Perhaps few men nowadays could bear the +scorching heat of iron plates such as Myles wore, from which the body +was only protected by a leathern jacket and hose. But men's bodies in +those days were tougher and more seasoned to hardships of weather than +they are in these our times. Myles thought no more of the burning +iron plates that incased him than a modern soldier thinks of his dress +uniform in warm weather. Nevertheless, he raised the umbril of his +helmet to cool his face as he waited the coming of his opponent. He +turned his eyes upward to the row of seats on the scaffolding above, +and even in the restless, bewildering multitude of strange faces turned +towards him recognized those that he knew: the Prince of Wales, his +companions of the Scotland Yard household, the Duke of Clarence, +the Bishop of Winchester, and some of the noblemen of the Earl of +Mackworth's party, who had been buzzing about the Prince for the past +month or so. But his glance swept over all these, rather perceiving +than seeing them, and then rested upon a square box-like compartment not +unlike a prisoner's dock in the courtroom of our day, for in the box sat +his father, with the Earl of Mackworth upon one side and Sir James Lee +upon the other. The blind man's face was very pale, but still wore its +usual expression of calm serenity--the calm serenity of a blind face. +The Earl was also very pale, and he kept his eyes fixed steadfastly upon +Myles with a keen and searching look, as though to pierce to the very +bottom of the young man's heart, and discover if indeed not one little +fragment of dryrot of fear or uncertainty tainted the solid courage of +his knighthood. + +Then he heard the criers calling the defendant at the four corners of +the list: “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, +come to this combat, in which you be enterprised this day to discharge +your sureties before the King, the Constable, and the Marshal, and to +encounter in your defence Myles Falworth, knight, the accepted champion +upon behalf of Gilbert Reginald Falworth, the challenger! Oyez! Oyez! +Oyez! Let the defendant come!” + +So they continued calling, until, by the sudden turning of all faces, +Myles knew that his enemy was at hand. + +Then presently he saw the Earl and his attendants enter the outer gate +at the west end of the barrier; he saw the Constable and Marshal meet +him; he saw the formal words of greeting pass; he saw the Constable +raise the umbril of the helmet. Then the gate opened, and the Earl of +Alban entered, clad cap-a-pie in a full suit of magnificent Milan armor +without juppon or adornment of any kind. As he approached across the +lists, Myles closed the umbril of his helmet, and then sat quite still +and motionless, for the time was come. + +So he sat, erect and motionless as a statue of iron, half hearing the +reading of the long intricately-worded bills, absorbed in many thoughts +of past and present things. At last the reading ended, and then he +calmly and composedly obeyed, under the direction of his attorney, +the several forms and ceremonies that followed; answered the various +official questions, took the various oaths. Then Gascoyne, leading the +horse by the bridle-rein, conducted him back to his station at the east +end of the lists. + +As the faithful friend and squire made one last and searching +examination of arms and armor, the Marshal and the clerk came to the +young champion and administered the final oath by which he swore that he +carried no concealed weapons. + +The weapons allowed by the High Court were then measured and attested. +They consisted of the long sword, the short sword, the dagger, the mace, +and a weapon known as the hand-gisarm, or glave-lot--a heavy swordlike +blade eight palms long, a palm in breadth, and riveted to a stout handle +of wood three feet long. + +The usual lance had not been included in the list of arms, the +hand-gisarm being substituted in its place. It was a fearful and +murderous weapon, though cumbersome, Unhandy, and ill adapted for quick +or dexterous stroke; nevertheless, the Earl of Alban had petitioned +the King to have it included in the list, and in answer to the King's +expressed desire the Court had adopted it in the stead of the lance, +yielding thus much to the royal wishes. Nor was it a small concession. +The hand-gisarm had been a weapon very much in vogue in King Richard's +day, and was now nearly if not entirely out of fashion with the younger +generation of warriors. The Earl of Alban was, of course, well used to +the blade; with Myles it was strange and new, either for attack or in +defence. + +With the administration of the final oath and the examination of the +weapons, the preliminary ceremonies came to an end, and presently Myles +heard the criers calling to clear the lists. As those around him moved +to withdraw, the young knight drew off his mailed gauntlet, and gave +Gascoyne's hand one last final clasp, strong, earnest, and intense with +the close friendship of young manhood, and poor Gascoyne looked up at +him with a face ghastly white. + +Then all were gone; the gates of the principal list and that of the +false list were closed clashing, and Myles was alone, face to face, with +his mortal enemy. + + + +CHAPTER 33 + +There was a little while of restless, rustling silence, during which the +Constable took his place in the seat appointed for him directly in +front of and below the King's throne. A moment or two when even the +restlessness and the rustling were quieted, and then the King leaned +forward and spoke to the Constable, who immediately called out, in a +loud, clear voice. + +“Let them go!” Then again, “Let them go!” Then, for the third and last +time, “Let them go and do their endeavor, in God's name!” + +At this third command the combatants, each of whom had till that moment +been sitting as motionless as a statue of iron, tightened rein, and rode +slowly and deliberately forward without haste, yet without hesitation, +until they met in the very middle of the lists. + +In the battle which followed, Myles fought with the long sword, the Earl +with the hand-gisarm for which he had asked. The moment they met, the +combat was opened, and for a time nothing was heard but the thunderous +clashing and clamor of blows, now and then beating intermittently, now +and then pausing. Occasionally, as the combatants spurred together, +checked, wheeled, and recovered, they would be hidden for a moment in +a misty veil of dust, which, again drifting down the wind, perhaps +revealed them drawn a little apart, resting their panting horses. Then, +again, they would spur together, striking as they passed, wheeling and +striking again. + +Upon the scaffolding all was still, only now and then for the buzz of +muffled exclamations or applause of those who looked on. Mostly the +applause was from Myles's friends, for from the very first he showed and +steadily maintained his advantage over the older man. “Hah! well struck! +well recovered!” “Look ye! the sword bit that time!” “Nay, look, saw ye +him pass the point of the gisarm?” Then, “Falworth! Falworth!” as some +more than usually skilful stroke or parry occurred. + +Meantime Myles's father sat straining his sightless eyeballs, as though +to pierce his body's darkness with one ray of light that would show him +how his boy held his own in the fight, and Lord Mackworth, leaning with +his lips close to the blind man's ear, told him point by point how the +battle stood. + +“Fear not, Gilbert,” said he at each pause in the fight. “He holdeth his +own right well.” Then, after a while: “God is with us, Gilbert. Alban +is twice wounded and his horse faileth. One little while longer and the +victory is ours!” + +A longer and more continuous interval of combat followed this +last assurance, during which Myles drove the assault fiercely and +unrelentingly as though to overbear his enemy by the very power +and violence of the blows he delivered. The Earl defended himself +desperately, but was borne back, back, back, farther and farther. Every +nerve of those who looked on was stretched to breathless tensity, when, +almost as his enemy was against the barriers, Myles paused and rested. + +“Out upon it!” exclaimed the Earl of Mackworth, almost shrilly in his +excitement, as the sudden lull followed the crashing of blows. “Why doth +the boy spare him? That is thrice he hath given him grace to recover; +an he had pushed the battle that time he had driven him back against the +barriers.” + +It was as the Earl had said; Myles had three times given his enemy grace +when victory was almost in his very grasp. He had three times spared +him, in spite of all he and those dear to him must suffer should his +cruel and merciless enemy gain the victory. It was a false and foolish +generosity, partly the fault of his impulsive youth--more largely of +his romantic training in the artificial code of French chivalry. He felt +that the battle was his, and so he gave his enemy these three chances to +recover, as some chevalier or knight-errant of romance might have +done, instead of pushing the combat to a mercifully speedy end--and his +foolish generosity cost him dear. + +In the momentary pause that had thus stirred the Earl of Mackworth to +a sudden outbreak, the Earl of Alban sat upon his panting, sweating +war-horse, facing his powerful young enemy at about twelve paces +distant. He sat as still as a rock, holding his gisarm poised in front +of him. He had, as the Earl of Mackworth had said, been wounded twice, +and each time with the point of the sword, so much more dangerous than a +direct cut with the weapon. One wound was beneath his armor, and no one +but he knew how serious it might be; the other was under the overlapping +of the epauhere, and from it a finger's-breadth of blood ran straight +down his side and over the housings of his horse. From without, the +still motionless iron figure appeared calm and expressionless; within, +who knows what consuming blasts of hate, rage, and despair swept his +heart as with a fiery whirlwind. + +As Myles looked at the motionless, bleeding figure, his breast swelled +with pity. “My Lord,” said he, “thou art sore wounded and the fight is +against thee; wilt thou not yield thee?” + +No one but that other heard the speech, and no one but Myles heard the +answer that came back, hollow, cavernous, “Never, thou dog! Never!” + +Then in an instant, as quick as a flash, his enemy spurred straight upon +Myles, and as he spurred he struck a last desperate, swinging blow, in +which he threw in one final effort all the strength of hate, of fury, +and of despair. Myles whirled his horse backward, warding the blow with +his shield as he did so. The blade glanced from the smooth face of the +shield, and, whether by mistake or not, fell straight and true, and with +almost undiminished force, upon the neck of Myles's war-horse, and just +behind the ears. The animal staggered forward, and then fell upon its +knees, and at the same instant the other, as though by the impetus of +the rush, dashed full upon it with all the momentum lent by the weight +of iron it carried. The shock was irresistible, and the stunned and +wounded horse was flung upon the ground, rolling over and over. As his +horse fell, Myles wrenched one of his feet out of the stirrup; the other +caught for an instant, and he was flung headlong with stunning violence, +his armor crashing as he fell. In the cloud of dust that arose no +one could see just what happened, but that what was done was done +deliberately no one doubted. The earl, at once checking and spurring +his foaming charger, drove the iron-shod war-horse directly over Myles's +prostrate body. Then, checking him fiercely with the curb, reined him +back, the hoofs clashing and crashing, over the figure beneath. So +he had ridden over the father at York, and so he rode over the son at +Smithfield. + +Myles, as he lay prostrate and half stunned by his fall, had seen his +enemy thus driving his rearing horse down upon him, but was not able to +defend himself. A fallen knight in full armor was utterly powerless to +rise without assistance; Myles lay helpless in the clutch of the very +iron that was his defence. He closed his eyes involuntarily, and then +horse and rider were upon him. There was a deafening, sparkling crash, +a glimmering faintness, then another crash as the horse was reined +furiously back again, and then a humming stillness. + +In a moment, upon the scaffolding all was a tumult of uproar and +confusion, shouting and gesticulation; only the King sat calm, sullen, +impassive. The Earl wheeled his horse and sat for a moment or two as +though to make quite sure that he knew the King's mind. The blow that +had been given was foul, unknightly, but the King gave no sign either of +acquiescence or rebuke; he had willed that Myles was to die. + +Then the Earl turned again, and rode deliberately up to his prostrate +enemy. + +When Myles opened his eyes after that moment of stunning silence, it was +to see the other looming above him on his war-horse, swinging his gisarm +for one last mortal blow--pitiless, merciless. + +The sight of that looming peril brought back Myles's wandering senses +like a flash of lightning. He flung up his shield, and met the blow even +as it descended, turning it aside. It only protracted the end. + +Once more the Earl of Alban raised the gisarm, swinging it twice around +his head before he struck. This time, though the shield glanced it, the +blow fell upon the shoulder-piece, biting through the steel plate and +leathern jack beneath even to the bone. Then Myles covered his head with +his shield as a last protecting chance for life. + +For the third time the Earl swung the blade flashing, and then it fell, +straight and true, upon the defenceless body, just below the left arm, +biting deep through the armor plates. For an instant the blade stuck +fast, and that instant was Myles's salvation. Under the agony of the +blow he gave a muffled cry, and almost instinctively grasped the shaft +of the weapon with both hands. Had the Earl let go his end of the +weapon, he would have won the battle at his leisure and most easily; as +it was, he struggled violently to wrench the gisarm away from Myles. In +that short, fierce struggle Myles was dragged to his knees, and then, +still holding the weapon with one hand, he clutched the trappings of the +Earl's horse with the other. The next moment he was upon his feet. The +other struggled to thrust him away, but Myles, letting go the gisarm, +which he held with his left hand, clutched him tightly by the sword-belt +in the intense, vise-like grip of despair. In vain the Earl strove to +beat him loose with the shaft of the gisarm, in vain he spurred and +reared his horse to shake him off; Myles held him tight, in spite of all +his struggles. + +He felt neither the streaming blood nor the throbbing agony of his +wounds; every faculty of soul, mind, body, every power of life, was +centered in one intense, burning effort. He neither felt, thought, nor +reasoned, but clutching, with the blindness of instinct, the heavy, +spiked, iron-headed mace that hung at the Earl's saddle-bow, he gave it +one tremendous wrench that snapped the plaited leathern thongs that held +it as though they were skeins of thread. Then, grinding his teeth as +with a spasm, he struck as he had never struck before--once, twice, +thrice full upon the front of the helmet. Crash! crash! And then, even +as the Earl toppled sidelong, crash! And the iron plates split and +crackled under the third blow. Myles had one flashing glimpse of an +awful face, and then the saddle was empty. + +Then, as he held tight to the horse, panting, dizzy, sick to death, he +felt the hot blood gushing from his side, filling his body armor, and +staining the ground upon which he stood. Still he held tightly to the +saddle-bow of the fallen man's horse until, through his glimmering +sight, he saw the Marshal, the Lieutenant, and the attendants gather +around him. He heard the Marshal ask him, in a voice that sounded faint +and distant, if he was dangerously wounded. He did not answer, and one +of the attendants, leaping from his horse, opened the umbril of his +helmet, disclosing the dull, hollow eyes, the ashy, colorless lips, and +the waxy forehead, upon which stood great beads of sweat. + +“Water! water!” he cried, hoarsely; “give me to drink!” Then, quitting +his hold upon the horse, he started blindly across the lists towards the +gate of the barrier. A shadow that chilled his heart seemed to fall upon +him. “It is death,” he muttered; then he stopped, then swayed for an +instant, and then toppled headlong, crashing as he fell. + + + +CONCLUSION + +But Myles was not dead. Those who had seen his face when the umbril of +the helmet was raised, and then saw him fall as he tottered across the +lists, had at first thought so. But his faintness was more from loss +of blood and the sudden unstringing of nerve and sense from the intense +furious strain of the last few moments of battle than from the vital +nature of the wound. Indeed, after Myles had been carried out of the +lists and laid upon the ground in the shade between the barriers, +Master Thomas, the Prince's barber-surgeon, having examined the wounds, +declared that he might be even carried on a covered litter to Scotland +Yard without serious danger. The Prince was extremely desirous of having +him under his care, and so the venture was tried. Myles was carried to +Scotland Yard, and perhaps was none the worse therefore. The Prince, the +Earl of Mackworth, and two or three others stood silently watching as +the worthy shaver and leecher, assisted by his apprentice and Gascoyne, +washed and bathed the great gaping wound in the side, and bound it with +linen bandages. Myles lay with closed eyelids, still, pallid, weak as +a little child. Presently he opened his eyes and turned them, dull and +languid, to the Prince. + +“What hath happed my father, my Lord?” said he, in a faint, whispering +voice. + +“Thou hath saved his life and honor, Myles,” the Prince answered. “He +is here now, and thy mother hath been sent for, and cometh anon with the +priest who was with them this morn.” + +Myles dropped his eyelids again; his lips moved, but he made no sound, +and then two bright tears trickled across his white cheek. + +“He maketh a woman of me,” the Prince muttered through his teeth, and +then, swinging on his heel, he stood for a long time looking out of the +window into the garden beneath. + +“May I see my father?” said Myles, presently, without opening his eyes. + +The Prince turned around and looked inquiringly at the surgeon. + +The good man shook his head. “Not to-day,” said he; “haply to-morrow he +may see him and his mother. The bleeding is but new stanched, and such +matters as seeing his father and mother may make the heart to swell, and +so maybe the wound burst afresh and he die. An he would hope to live, he +must rest quiet until to-morrow day.” + +But though Myles's wound was not mortal, it was very serious. The fever +which followed lingered longer than common--perhaps because of the hot +weather--and the days stretched to weeks, and the weeks to months, and +still he lay there, nursed by his mother and Gascoyne and Prior Edward, +and now and again by Sir James Lee. + +One day, a little before the good priest returned to Saint Mary's +Priory, as he sat by Myles's bedside, his hands folded, and his sight +turned inward, the young man suddenly said, “Tell me, holy father, is it +always wrong for man to slay man?” + +The good priest sat silent for so long a time that Myles began to think +he had not heard the question. But by-and-by he answered, almost with a +sigh, “It is a hard question, my son, but I must in truth say, meseems +it is not always wrong.” + +“Sir,” said Myles, “I have been in battle when men were slain, but never +did I think thereon as I have upon this matter. Did I sin in so slaying +my father's enemy?” + +“Nay,” said Prior Edward, quietly, “thou didst not sin. It was for +others thou didst fight, my son, and for others it is pardonable to do +battle. Had it been thine own quarrel, it might haply have been more +hard to have answered thee.” + +Who can gainsay, even in these days of light, the truth of this that the +good priest said to the sick lad so far away in the past? + + +One day the Earl of Mackworth came to visit Myles. At that time the +young knight was mending, and was sitting propped up with pillows, and +was wrapped in Sir James Lee's cloak, for the day was chilly. After a +little time of talk, a pause of silence fell. + +“My Lord,” said Myles, suddenly, “dost thou remember one part of a +matter we spoke of when I first came from France?” + +The Earl made no pretence of ignorance. “I remember,” said he, quietly, +looking straight into the young man's thin white face. + +“And have I yet won the right to ask for the Lady Alice de Mowbray to +wife?” said Myles, the red rising faintly to his cheeks. + +“Thou hast won it,” said the Earl, with a smile. + +Myles's eyes shone and his lips trembled with the pang of sudden joy +and triumph, for he was still very weak. “My Lord,” said he, presently +“belike thou camest here to see me for this very matter?” + +The Earl smiled again without answering, and Myles knew that he had +guessed aright. He reached out one of his weak, pallid hands from +beneath the cloak. The Earl of Mackworth took it with a firm pressure, +then instantly quitting it again, rose, as if ashamed of his emotion, +stamped his feet, as though in pretence of being chilled, and then +crossed the room to where the fire crackled brightly in the great stone +fireplace. + + +Little else remains to be told; only a few loose strands to tie, and the +story is complete. + +Though Lord Falworth was saved from death at the block, though his honor +was cleansed from stain, he was yet as poor and needy as ever. The +King, in spite of all the pressure brought to bear upon him, refused to +restore the estates of Falworth and Easterbridge--the latter of which +had again reverted to the crown upon the death of the Earl of Alban +without issue--upon the grounds that they had been forfeited not because +of the attaint of treason, but because of Lord Falworth having refused +to respond to the citation of the courts. So the business dragged along +for month after month, until in January the King died suddenly in the +Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster. Then matters went smoothly enough, and +Falworth and Mackworth swam upon the flood-tide of fortune. + + +So Myles was married, for how else should the story end? And one day +he brought his beautiful young wife home to Falworth Castle, which his +father had given him for his own, and at the gateway of which he was met +by Sir James Lee and by the newly-knighted Sir Francis Gascoyne. + +One day, soon after this home-coming, as he stood with her at an open +window into which came blowing the pleasant May-time breeze, he suddenly +said, “What didst thou think of me when I first fell almost into thy +lap, like an apple from heaven?” + +“I thought thou wert a great, good-hearted boy, as I think thou art +now,” said she, twisting his strong, sinewy fingers in and out. + +“If thou thoughtst me so then, what a very fool I must have looked to +thee when I so clumsily besought thee for thy favor for my jousting at +Devlen. Did I not so?” + +“Thou didst look to me the most noble, handsome young knight that did +ever live; thou didst look to me Sir Galahad, as they did call thee, +withouten taint or stain.” + +Myles did not even smile in answer, but looked at his wife with such a +look that she blushed a rosy red. Then, laughing, she slipped from his +hold, and before he could catch her again was gone. + +I am glad that he was to be rich and happy and honored and beloved after +all his hard and noble fighting. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF IRON *** + +***** This file should be named 1557-0.txt or 1557-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/5/1557/ + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project +Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” + or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project +Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +“Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.” + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +“Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right +of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/1557-0.zip b/1557-0.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e812c63 --- /dev/null +++ b/1557-0.zip diff --git a/1557-h.zip b/1557-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d38014 --- /dev/null +++ b/1557-h.zip diff --git a/1557-h/1557-h.htm b/1557-h/1557-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4fe2b87 --- /dev/null +++ b/1557-h/1557-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9055 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Men of Iron + +Author: Howard Pyle + +Release Date: February 15, 2006 [EBook #1557] +Last Updated: March 11, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF IRON *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + MEN OF IRON + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by Howard Pyle + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER 1 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER 2 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER 3 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER 4 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER 5 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER 6 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER 7 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER 8 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER 9 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER 10 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER 11 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER 12 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER 13 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER 14 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER 15 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER 16 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER 17 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER 18 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER 19 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER 20 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER 21 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER 22 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0023"> CHAPTER 23 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0024"> CHAPTER 24 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0025"> CHAPTER 25 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0026"> CHAPTER 26 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0027"> CHAPTER 27 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0028"> CHAPTER 28 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0029"> CHAPTER 29 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0030"> CHAPTER 30 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0031"> CHAPTER 31 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0032"> CHAPTER 32 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0033"> CHAPTER 33 </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_CONC"> CONCLUSION </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> + <p> + The year 1400 opened with more than usual peacefulness in England. Only a + few months before, Richard II—weak, wicked, and treacherous—had + been dethroned, and Henry IV declared King in his stead. But it was only a + seeming peacefulness, lasting but for a little while; for though King + Henry proved himself a just and a merciful man—as justice and mercy + went with the men of iron of those days—and though he did not care + to shed blood needlessly, there were many noble families who had been + benefited by King Richard during his reign, and who had lost somewhat of + their power and prestige from the coming in of the new King. + </p> + <p> + Among these were a number of great lords—the Dukes of Albemarle, + Surrey, and Exeter, the Marquis of Dorset, the Earl of Gloucester, and + others—who had been degraded to their former titles and estates, + from which King Richard had lifted them. These and others brewed a secret + plot to take King Henry's life, which plot might have succeeded had not + one of their own number betrayed them. + </p> + <p> + Their plan had been to fall upon the King and his adherents, and to + massacre them during a great tournament, to be held at Oxford. But Henry + did not appear at the lists; whereupon, knowing that he had been lodging + at Windsor with only a few attendants, the conspirators marched thither + against him. In the mean time the King had been warned of the plot, so + that, instead of finding him in the royal castle, they discovered through + their scouts that he had hurried to London, whence he was even then + marching against them at the head of a considerable army. So nothing was + left them but flight. Some betook themselves one way, some another; some + sought sanctuary here, some there; but one and another, they were all of + them caught and killed. + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Kent—one time Duke of Surrey—and the Earl of + Salisbury were beheaded in the market-place at Cirencester; Lord Le + Despencer—once the Earl of Gloucester—and Lord Lumley met the + same fate at Bristol; the Earl of Huntingdon was taken in the Essex fens, + carried to the castle of the Duke of Gloucester, whom he had betrayed to + his death in King Richard's time, and was there killed by the castle + people. Those few who found friends faithful and bold enough to afford + them shelter, dragged those friends down in their own ruin. + </p> + <p> + Just such a case was that of the father of the boy hero of this story, the + blind Lord Gilbert Reginald Falworth, Baron of Falworth and Easterbridge, + who, though having no part in the plot, suffered through it ruin, utter + and complete. + </p> + <p> + He had been a faithful counsellor and adviser to King Richard, and perhaps + it was this, as much and more than his roundabout connection with the + plot, that brought upon him the punishment he suffered. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 1 + </h2> + <p> + Myles Falworth was but eight years of age at that time, and it was only + afterwards, and when he grew old enough to know more of the ins and outs + of the matter, that he could remember by bits and pieces the things that + afterwards happened; how one evening a knight came clattering into the + court-yard upon a horse, red-nostrilled and smeared with the sweat and + foam of a desperate ride—Sir John Dale, a dear friend of the blind + Lord. + </p> + <p> + Even though so young, Myles knew that something very serious had happened + to make Sir John so pale and haggard, and he dimly remembered leaning + against the knight's iron-covered knees, looking up into his gloomy face, + and asking him if he was sick to look so strange. Thereupon those who had + been too troubled before to notice him, bethought themselves of him, and + sent him to bed, rebellious at having to go so early. + </p> + <p> + He remembered how the next morning, looking out of a window high up under + the eaves, he saw a great troop of horsemen come riding into the courtyard + beneath, where a powdering of snow had whitened everything, and of how the + leader, a knight clad in black armor, dismounted and entered the great + hall door-way below, followed by several of the band. + </p> + <p> + He remembered how some of the castle women were standing in a frightened + group upon the landing of the stairs, talking together in low voices about + a matter he did not understand, excepting that the armed men who had + ridden into the courtyard had come for Sir John Dale. None of the women + paid any attention to him; so, shunning their notice, he ran off down the + winding stairs, expecting every moment to be called back again by some one + of them. + </p> + <p> + A crowd of castle people, all very serious and quiet, were gathered in the + hall, where a number of strange men-at-arms lounged upon the benches, + while two billmen in steel caps and leathern jacks stood guarding the + great door, the butts of their weapons resting upon the ground, and the + staves crossed, barring the door-way. + </p> + <p> + In the anteroom was the knight in black armor whom Myles had seen from the + window. He was sitting at the table, his great helmet lying upon the bench + beside him, and a quart beaker of spiced wine at his elbow. A clerk sat at + the other end of the same table, with inkhorn in one hand and pen in the + other, and a parchment spread in front of him. + </p> + <p> + Master Robert, the castle steward, stood before the knight, who every now + and then put to him a question, which the other would answer, and the + clerk write the answer down upon the parchment. + </p> + <p> + His father stood with his back to the fireplace, looking down upon the + floor with his blind eyes, his brows drawn moodily together, and the scar + of the great wound that he had received at the tournament at York—the + wound that had made him blind—showing red across his forehead, as it + always did when he was angered or troubled. + </p> + <p> + There was something about it all that frightened Myles, who crept to his + father's side, and slid his little hand into the palm that hung limp and + inert. In answer to the touch, his father grasped the hand tightly, but + did not seem otherwise to notice that he was there. Neither did the black + knight pay any attention to him, but continued putting his questions to + Master Robert. + </p> + <p> + Then, suddenly, there was a commotion in the hall without, loud voices, + and a hurrying here and there. The black knight half arose, grasping a + heavy iron mace that lay upon the bench beside him, and the next moment + Sir John Dale himself, as pale as death, walked into the antechamber. He + stopped in the very middle of the room. “I yield me to my Lord's grace and + mercy,” said he to the black knight, and they were the last words he ever + uttered in this world. + </p> + <p> + The black knight shouted out some words of command, and swinging up the + iron mace in his hand, strode forward clanking towards Sir John, who + raised his arm as though to shield himself from the blow. Two or three of + those who stood in the hall without came running into the room with drawn + swords and bills, and little Myles, crying out with terror, hid his face + in his father's long gown. + </p> + <p> + The next instant came the sound of a heavy blow and of a groan, then + another blow and the sound of one falling upon the ground. Then the + clashing of steel, and in the midst Lord Falworth crying, in a dreadful + voice, “Thou traitor! thou coward! thou murderer!” + </p> + <p> + Master Robert snatched Myles away from his father, and bore him out of the + room in spite of his screams and struggles, and he remembered just one + instant's sight of Sir John lying still and silent upon his face, and of + the black knight standing above him, with the terrible mace in his hand + stained a dreadful red. + </p> + <p> + It was the next day that Lord and Lady Falworth and little Myles, together + with three of the more faithful of their people, left the castle. + </p> + <p> + His memory of past things held a picture for Myles of old Diccon Bowman + standing over him in the silence of midnight with a lighted lamp in his + hand, and with it a recollection of being bidden to hush when he would + have spoken, and of being dressed by Diccon and one of the women, + bewildered with sleep, shuddering and chattering with cold. + </p> + <p> + He remembered being wrapped in the sheepskin that lay at the foot of his + bed, and of being carried in Diccon Bowman's arms down the silent darkness + of the winding stair-way, with the great black giant shadows swaying and + flickering upon the stone wall as the dull flame of the lamp swayed and + flickered in the cold breathing of the night air. + </p> + <p> + Below were his father and mother and two or three others. A stranger stood + warming his hands at a newly-made fire, and little Myles, as he peeped + from out the warm sheepskin, saw that he was in riding-boots and was + covered with mud. He did not know till long years afterwards that the + stranger was a messenger sent by a friend at the King's court, bidding his + father fly for safety. + </p> + <p> + They who stood there by the red blaze of the fire were all very still, + talking in whispers and walking on tiptoes, and Myles's mother hugged him + in her arms, sheepskin and all, kissing him, with the tears streaming down + her cheeks, and whispering to him, as though he could understand their + trouble, that they were about to leave their home forever. + </p> + <p> + Then Diccon Bowman carried him out into the strangeness of the winter + midnight. + </p> + <p> + Outside, beyond the frozen moat, where the osiers, stood stark and stiff + in their winter nakedness, was a group of dark figures waiting for them + with horses. In the pallid moonlight Myles recognized the well-known face + of Father Edward, the Prior of St. Mary's. + </p> + <p> + After that came a long ride through that silent night upon the saddle-bow + in front of Diccon Bowman; then a deep, heavy sleep, that fell upon him in + spite of the galloping of the horses. + </p> + <p> + When next he woke the sun was shining, and his home and his whole life + were changed. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 2 + </h2> + <p> + From the time the family escaped from Falworth Castle that midwinter night + to the time Myles was sixteen years old he knew nothing of the great world + beyond Crosbey-Dale. A fair was held twice in a twelvemonth at the + market-town of Wisebey, and three times in the seven years old Diccon + Bowman took the lad to see the sights at that place. Beyond these three + glimpses of the outer world he lived almost as secluded a life as one of + the neighboring monks of St. Mary's Priory. + </p> + <p> + Crosbey-Holt, their new home, was different enough from Falworth or + Easterbridge Castle, the former baronial seats of Lord Falworth. It was a + long, low, straw-thatched farm-house, once, when the church lands were + divided into two holdings, one of the bailiff's houses. All around were + the fruitful farms of the priory, tilled by well-to-do tenant holders, and + rich with fields of waving grain, and meadow-lands where sheep and cattle + grazed in flocks and herds; for in those days the church lands were under + church rule, and were governed by church laws, and there, when war and + famine and waste and sloth blighted the outside world, harvests flourished + and were gathered, and sheep were sheared and cows were milked in peace + and quietness. + </p> + <p> + The Prior of St. Mary's owed much if not all of the church's prosperity to + the blind Lord Falworth, and now he was paying it back with a haven of + refuge from the ruin that his former patron had brought upon himself by + giving shelter to Sir John Dale. + </p> + <p> + I fancy that most boys do not love the grinding of school life—the + lessons to be conned, the close application during study hours. It is not + often pleasant to brisk, lively lads to be so cooped up. I wonder what the + boys of to-day would have thought of Myles's training. With him that + training was not only of the mind, but of the body as well, and for seven + years it was almost unremitting. “Thou hast thine own way to make in the + world, sirrah,” his father said more than once when the boy complained of + the grinding hardness of his life, and to make one's way in those days + meant a thousand times more than it does now; it meant not only a heart to + feel and a brain to think, but a hand quick and strong to strike in + battle, and a body tough to endure the wounds and blows in return. And so + it was that Myles's body as well as his mind had to be trained to meet the + needs of the dark age in which he lived. + </p> + <p> + Every morning, winter or summer, rain or shine he tramped away six long + miles to the priory school, and in the evenings his mother taught him + French. + </p> + <p> + Myles, being prejudiced in the school of thought of his day, rebelled not + a little at that last branch of his studies. “Why must I learn that vile + tongue?” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Call it not vile,” said the blind old Lord, grimly; “belike, when thou + art grown a man, thou'lt have to seek thy fortune in France land, for + England is haply no place for such as be of Falworth blood.” And in + after-years, true to his father's prediction, the “vile tongue” served him + well. + </p> + <p> + As for his physical training, that pretty well filled up the hours between + his morning studies at the monastery and his evening studies at home. Then + it was that old Diccon Bowman took him in hand, than whom none could be + better fitted to shape his young body to strength and his hands to skill + in arms. The old bowman had served with Lord Falworth's father under the + Black Prince both in France and Spain, and in long years of war had gained + a practical knowledge of arms that few could surpass. Besides the use of + the broadsword, the short sword, the quarter-staff, and the cudgel, he + taught Myles to shoot so skilfully with the long-bow and the cross-bow + that not a lad in the country-side was his match at the village butts. + Attack and defence with the lance, and throwing the knife and dagger were + also part of his training. + </p> + <p> + Then, in addition to this more regular part of his physical training, + Myles was taught in another branch not so often included in the military + education of the day—the art of wrestling. It happened that a fellow + lived in Crosbey village, by name Ralph-the-Smith, who was the greatest + wrestler in the country-side, and had worn the champion belt for three + years. Every Sunday afternoon, in fair weather, he came to teach Myles the + art, and being wonderfully adept in bodily feats, he soon grew so quick + and active and firm-footed that he could cast any lad under twenty years + of age living within a range of five miles. + </p> + <p> + “It is main ungentle armscraft that he learneth,” said Lord Falworth one + day to Prior Edward. “Saving only the broadsword, the dagger, and the + lance, there is but little that a gentleman of his strain may use. + Neth'less, he gaineth quickness and suppleness, and if he hath true blood + in his veins he will acquire knightly arts shrewdly quick when the time + cometh to learn them.” + </p> + <p> + But hard and grinding as Myles's life was, it was not entirely without + pleasures. There were many boys living in Crosbey-Dale and the village; + yeomen's and farmers' sons, to be sure, but, nevertheless, lads of his own + age, and that, after all, is the main requirement for friendship in + boyhood's world. Then there was the river to bathe in; there were the + hills and valleys to roam over, and the wold and woodland, with their + wealth of nuts and birds'-nests and what not of boyhood's treasures. + </p> + <p> + Once he gained a triumph that for many a day was very sweet under the + tongue of his memory. As was said before, he had been three times to the + market-town at fair-time, and upon the last of these occasions he had + fought a bout of quarterstaff with a young fellow of twenty, and had been + the conqueror. He was then only a little over fourteen years old. + </p> + <p> + Old Diccon, who had gone with him to the fair, had met some cronies of his + own, with whom he had sat gossiping in the ale-booth, leaving Myles for + the nonce to shift for himself. By-and-by the old man had noticed a crowd + gathered at one part of the fair-ground, and, snuffing a fight, had gone + running, ale-pot in hand. Then, peering over the shoulders of the crowd, + he had seen his young master, stripped to the waist, fighting like a + gladiator with a fellow a head taller than himself. Diccon was about to + force his way through the crowd and drag them asunder, but a second look + had showed his practised eye that Myles was not only holding his own, but + was in the way of winning the victory. So he had stood with the others + looking on, withholding himself from any interference and whatever + upbraiding might be necessary until the fight had been brought to a + triumphant close. Lord Falworth never heard directly of the redoubtable + affair, but old Diccon was not so silent with the common folk of + Crosbey-Dale, and so no doubt the father had some inkling of what had + happened. It was shortly after this notable event that Myles was formally + initiated into squirehood. His father and mother, as was the custom, stood + sponsors for him. By them, each bearing a lighted taper, he was escorted + to the altar. It was at St. Mary's Priory, and Prior Edward blessed the + sword and girded it to the lad's side. No one was present but the four, + and when the good Prior had given the benediction and had signed the cross + upon his forehead, Myles's mother stooped and kissed his brow just where + the priest's finger had drawn the holy sign. Her eyes brimmed bright with + tears as she did so. Poor lady! perhaps she only then and for the first + time realized how big her fledgling was growing for his nest. Henceforth + Myles had the right to wear a sword. + </p> + <p> + Myles had ended his fifteenth year. He was a bonny lad, with brown face, + curling hair, a square, strong chin, and a pair of merry laughing blue + eyes; his shoulders were broad; his chest was thick of girth; his muscles + and thews were as tough as oak. + </p> + <p> + The day upon which he was sixteen years old, as he came whistling home + from the monastery school he was met by Diccon Bowman. + </p> + <p> + “Master Myles,” said the old man, with a snuffle in his voice—“Master + Myles, thy father would see thee in his chamber, and bade me send thee to + him as soon as thou didst come home. Oh, Master Myles, I fear me that + belike thou art going to leave home to-morrow day.” + </p> + <p> + Myles stopped short. “To leave home!” he cried. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said old Diccon, “belike thou goest to some grand castle to live + there, and be a page there and what not, and then, haply, a + gentleman-at-arms in some great lord's pay.” + </p> + <p> + “What coil is this about castles and lords and gentlemen-at-arms?” said + Myles. “What talkest thou of, Diccon? Art thou jesting?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Diccon, “I am not jesting. But go to thy father, and then thou + wilt presently know all. Only this I do say, that it is like thou leavest + us to-morrow day.” + </p> + <p> + And so it was as Diccon had said; Myles was to leave home the very next + morning. He found his father and mother and Prior Edward together, waiting + for his coming. + </p> + <p> + “We three have been talking it over this morning,” said his father, “and + so think each one that the time hath come for thee to quit this poor home + of ours. An thou stay here ten years longer, thou'lt be no more fit to go + then than now. To-morrow I will give thee a letter to my kinsman, the Earl + of Mackworth. He has thriven in these days and I have fallen away, but + time was that he and I were true sworn companions, and plighted together + in friendship never to be sundered. Methinks, as I remember him, he will + abide by his plighted troth, and will give thee his aid to rise in the + world. So, as I said, to-morrow morning thou shalt set forth with Diccon + Bowman, and shall go to Castle Devlen, and there deliver this letter which + prayeth him to give thee a place in his household. Thou mayst have this + afternoon to thyself to make read such things as thou shalt take with + thee. And bid me Diccon to take the gray horse to the village and have it + shod.” + </p> + <p> + Prior Edward had been standing looking out of the window. As Lord Falworth + ended he turned. + </p> + <p> + “And, Myles,” said he, “thou wilt need some money, so I will give thee as + a loan forty shillings, which some day thou mayst return to me an thou + wilt. For this know, Myles, a man cannot do in the world without money. + Thy father hath it ready for thee in the chest, and will give it thee + to-morrow ere thou goest.” + </p> + <p> + Lord Falworth had the grim strength of manhood's hard sense to upbear him + in sending his son into the world, but the poor lady mother had nothing of + that to uphold her. No doubt it was as hard then as it is now for the + mother to see the nestling thrust from the nest to shift for itself. What + tears were shed, what words of love were spoken to the only man-child, + none but the mother and the son ever knew. + </p> + <p> + The next morning Myles and the old bowman rode away, and no doubt to the + boy himself the dark shadows of leave-taking were lost in the golden light + of hope as he rode out into the great world to seek his fortune. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 3 + </h2> + <p> + WHAT MYLES remembered of Falworth loomed great and grand and big, as + things do in the memory of childhood, but even memory could not make + Falworth the equal of Devlen Castle, when, as he and Diccon Bowman rode + out of Devlentown across the great, rude stone bridge that spanned the + river, he first saw, rising above the crowns of the trees, those huge + hoary walls, and the steep roofs and chimneys clustered thickly together, + like the roofs and chimneys of a town. + </p> + <p> + The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which was + enclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides by a + loop-like bend of the river, and on the fourth was protected by a deep, + broad, artificial moat, almost as wide as the stream from which it was + fed. The road from the town wound for a little distance along by the edge + of this moat. As Myles and the old bowman galloped by, with the answering + echo of their horses' hoof-beats rattling back from the smooth stone face + of the walls, the lad looked up, wondering at the height and strength of + the great ancient fortress. In his air-castle building Myles had pictured + the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time comrade in arms—receiving + him, perhaps, with somewhat of the rustic warmth that he knew at + Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared at those massive walls from below, and + realized his own insignificance and the greatness of this great Earl, he + felt the first keen, helpless ache of homesickness shoot through his + breast, and his heart yearned for Crosbey-Holt again. + </p> + <p> + Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and through + the dark shadows of the great gaping gate-way, and Diccon, bidding him + stay for a moment, rode forward to bespeak the gate-keeper. + </p> + <p> + The gate-keeper gave the two in charge of one of the men-at-arms who were + lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave them into the care + of one of the house-servants in the outer court-yard. So, having been + passed from one to another, and having answered many questions, Myles in + due time found himself in the outer waiting-room sitting beside Diccon + Bowman upon a wooden bench that stood along the wall under the great arch + of a glazed window. + </p> + <p> + For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was aware of + people coming and going; he was aware of talk and laughter sounding around + him; but he thought of nothing but his aching homesickness and the + oppression of his utter littleness in the busy life of this great castle. + </p> + <p> + Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge interest, every + now and then nudging his young master, calling his attention now to this + and now to that, until at last the lad began to awaken somewhat from his + despondency to the things around. Besides those servants and others who + came and went, and a knot of six or eight men-at-arms with bills and + pole-axes, who stood at the farther door-way talking together in low + tones, now and then broken by a stifled laugh, was a group of four young + squires, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden by an arras, + and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. Three of the four + were about his own age, one was a year or two older, and all four were + dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform of the house of Beaumont. + </p> + <p> + Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. “Be they squires, Diccon?” said + he, nodding towards the door. + </p> + <p> + “Eh?” said Diccon. “Aye; they be squires.” + </p> + <p> + “And will my station be with them?” asked the boy. + </p> + <p> + “Aye; an the Earl take thee to service, thou'lt haply be taken as squire.” + </p> + <p> + Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the young men + were talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed him askance, and + spoke now and then in one another's ears. One of the four, a gay young + fellow, with long riding-boots laced with green laces, said a few words, + the others gave a laugh, and poor Myles, knowing how ungainly he must seem + to them, felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned his head. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had just + created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across the room + to where Myles and the bowman sat. + </p> + <p> + “Give thee good-den,” said he. “What be'st thy name and whence comest + thou, an I may make bold so to ask?” + </p> + <p> + “My name is Myles Falworth,” said Myles; “and I come from Crosbey-Dale + bearing a letter to my Lord.” + </p> + <p> + “Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale,” said the squire. “But what seekest + here, if so be I may ask that much?” + </p> + <p> + “I come seeking service,” said Myles, “and would enter as an esquire such + as ye be in my Lord's household.” + </p> + <p> + Myles's new acquaintance grinned. “Thou'lt make a droll squire to wait in + a Lord's household,” said he. “Hast ever been in such service?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “I have only been at school, and learned Latin and + French and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me use of arms.” + </p> + <p> + The young squire laughed outright. “By'r Lady, thy talk doth tickle me, + friend Myles,” said he. “Think'st thou such matters will gain thee footing + here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that thou hadst a letter to my Lord. + From whom is it?” + </p> + <p> + “It is from my father,” said Myles. “He is of noble blood, but fallen in + estate. He is a kinsman of my Lord's, and one time his comrade in arms.” + </p> + <p> + “Sayst so?” said the other. “Then mayhap thy chances are not so ill, after + all.” Then, after a moment, he added: “My name is Francis Gascoyne, and I + will stand thy friend in this matter. Get thy letter ready, for my Lord + and his Grace of York are within and come forth anon. The Archbishop is on + his way to Dalworth, and my Lord escorts him so far as Uppingham. I and + those others are to go along. Dost thou know my Lord by sight?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “I know him not.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!” said he, as a confused + clattering sounded in the court-yard without. “Yonder are the horses now. + They come presently. Busk thee with thy letter, friend Myles.” + </p> + <p> + The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went more + hurriedly, and Myles knew that the Earl must be about to come forth. He + had hardly time to untie his pouch, take out the letter, and tie the + strings again when the arras at the door-way was thrust suddenly aside, + and a tall thin squire of about twenty came forth, said some words to the + young men upon the bench, and then withdrew again. Instantly the squires + arose and took their station beside the door-way. A sudden hush fell upon + all in the room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line against the wall, + stiff and erect as though all at once transformed to figures of iron. Once + more the arras was drawn back, and in the hush Myles heard voices in the + other room. + </p> + <p> + “My Lord cometh,” whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt his heart + leap in answer. + </p> + <p> + The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a crowd of + gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a dignitary of the + Church; the other Myles instantly singled out as the Earl of Mackworth. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 4 + </h2> + <p> + He was a tall man, taller even than Myles's father. He had a thin face, + deep-set bushy eyebrows, and a hawk nose. His upper lip was clean shaven, + but from his chin a flowing beard of iron-gray hung nearly to his waist. + He was clad in a riding-gown of black velvet that hung a little lower than + the knee, trimmed with otter fur and embroidered with silver goshawks—the + crest of the family of Beaumont. + </p> + <p> + A light shirt of link mail showed beneath the gown as he walked, and a + pair of soft undressed leather riding-boots were laced as high as the + knee, protecting his scarlet hose from mud and dirt. Over his shoulders he + wore a collar of enamelled gold, from which hung a magnificent jewelled + pendant, and upon his fist he carried a beautiful Iceland falcon. + </p> + <p> + As Myles stood staring, he suddenly heard Gascoyne's voice whisper in his + ear, “Yon is my Lord; go forward and give him thy letter.” + </p> + <p> + Scarcely knowing what he did, he walked towards the Earl like a machine, + his heart pounding within him and a great humming in his ears. As he drew + near, the nobleman stopped for a moment and stared at him, and Myles, as + in a dream, kneeled, and presented the letter. The Earl took it in his + hand, turned it this way and that, looked first at the bearer, then at the + packet, and then at the bearer again. + </p> + <p> + “Who art thou?” said he; “and what is the matter thou wouldst have of me?” + </p> + <p> + “I am Myles Falworth,” said the lad, in a low voice; “and I come seeking + service with you.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl drew his thick eyebrows quickly together, and shot a keen look at + the lad. “Falworth?” said he, sharply—“Falworth? I know no + Falworth!” + </p> + <p> + “The letter will tell you,” said Myles. “It is from one once dear to you.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl took the letter, and handing it to a gentleman who stood near, + bade him break the seal. “Thou mayst stand,” said he to Myles; “needst not + kneel there forever.” Then, taking the opened parchment again, he glanced + first at the face and then at the back, and, seeing its length, looked + vexed. Then he read for an earnest moment or two, skipping from line to + line. Presently he folded the letter and thrust it into the pouch at his + side. “So it is, your Grace,” said he to the lordly prelate, “that we who + have luck to rise in the world must ever suffer by being plagued at all + times and seasons. Here is one I chanced to know a dozen years ago, who + thinks he hath a claim upon me, and saddles me with his son. I must e'en + take the lad, too, for the sake of peace and quietness.” He glanced + around, and seeing Gascoyne, who had drawn near, beckoned to him. “Take me + this fellow,” said he, “to the buttery, and see him fed; and then to Sir + James Lee, and have his name entered in the castle books. And stay, + sirrah,” he added; “bid me Sir James, if it may be so done, to enter him + as a squire-at-arms. Methinks he will be better serving so than in the + household, for he appeareth a soothly rough cub for a page.” + </p> + <p> + Myles did look rustic enough, standing clad in frieze in the midst of that + gay company, and a murmur of laughter sounded around, though he was too + bewildered to fully understand that he was the cause of the merriment. + Then some hand drew him back—it was Gascoyne's—there was a + bustle of people passing, and the next minute they were gone, and Myles + and old Diccon Bowman and the young squire were left alone in the + anteroom. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne looked very sour and put out. “Murrain upon it!” said he; “here + is good sport spoiled for me to see thee fed. I wish no ill to thee, + friend, but I would thou hadst come this afternoon or to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “Methinks I bring trouble and dole to every one,” said Myles, somewhat + bitterly. “It would have been better had I never come to this place, + methinks.” + </p> + <p> + His words and tone softened Gascoyne a little. “Ne'er mind,” said the + squire; “it was not thy fault, and is past mending now. So come and fill + thy stomach, in Heaven's name.” + </p> + <p> + Perhaps not the least hard part of the whole trying day for Myles was his + parting with Diccon. Gascoyne and he had accompanied the old retainer to + the outer gate, in the archway of which they now stood; for without a + permit they could go no farther. The old bowman led by the bridle-rein the + horse upon which Myles had ridden that morning. His own nag, a vicious + brute, was restive to be gone, but Diccon held him in with tight rein. He + reached down, and took Myles's sturdy brown hand in his crooked, knotted + grasp. + </p> + <p> + “Farewell, young master,” he croaked, tremulously, with a watery glimmer + in his pale eyes. “Thou wilt not forget me when I am gone?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “I will not forget thee.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye,” said the old man, looking down at him, and shaking his head + slowly from side to side; “thou art a great tall sturdy fellow now, yet + have I held thee on my knee many and many's the time, and dandled thee + when thou wert only a little weeny babe. Be still, thou devil's limb!” he + suddenly broke off, reining back his restive raw-boned steed, which began + again to caper and prance. Myles was not sorry for the interruption; he + felt awkward and abashed at the parting, and at the old man's + reminiscences, knowing that Gascoyne's eyes were resting amusedly upon the + scene, and that the men-at-arms were looking on. Certainly old Diccon did + look droll as he struggled vainly with his vicious high-necked nag. “Nay, + a murrain on thee! an' thou wilt go, go!” cried he at last, with a savage + dig of his heels into the animal's ribs, and away they clattered, the + led-horse kicking up its heels as a final parting, setting Gascoyne fairly + alaughing. At the bend of the road the old man turned and nodded his head; + the next moment he had disappeared around the angle of the wall, and it + seemed to Myles, as he stood looking after him, as though the last thread + that bound him to his old life had snapped and broken. As he turned he saw + that Gascoyne was looking at him. + </p> + <p> + “Dost feel downhearted?” said the young squire, curiously. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, brusquely. Nevertheless his throat was tight and dry, + and the word came huskily in spite of himself. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 5 + </h2> + <p> + THE EARL of Mackworth, as was customary among the great lords in those + days, maintained a small army of knights, gentlemen, men-at-arms, and + retainers, who were expected to serve him upon all occasions of need, and + from whom were supplied his quota of recruits to fill such levies as might + be made upon him by the King in time of war. + </p> + <p> + The knights and gentlemen of this little army of horse and foot soldiers + were largely recruited from the company of squires and bachelors, as the + young novitiate soldiers of the castle were called. + </p> + <p> + This company of esquires consisted of from eighty to ninety lads, ranging + in age from eight to twenty years. Those under fourteen years were termed + pages, and served chiefly the Countess and her waiting gentlewomen, in + whose company they acquired the graces and polish of the times, such as + they were. After reaching the age of fourteen the lads were entitled to + the name of esquire or squire. + </p> + <p> + In most of the great houses of the time the esquires were the especial + attendants upon the Lord and Lady of the house, holding such positions as + body-squires, cup-bearers, carvers, and sometimes the office of + chamberlain. But Devlen, like some other of the princely castles of the + greatest nobles, was more like a military post or a fortress than an + ordinary household. Only comparatively few of the esquires could be used + in personal attendance upon the Earl; the others were trained more + strictly in arms, and served rather in the capacity of a sort of + body-guard than as ordinary squires. For, as the Earl rose in power and + influence, and as it so became well worth while for the lower nobility and + gentry to enter their sons in his family, the body of squires became + almost cumbersomely large. Accordingly, that part which comprised the + squires proper, as separate from the younger pages, was divided into three + classes—first, squires of the body, who were those just past + pagehood, and who waited upon the Earl in personal service; second, + squires of the household, who, having regular hours assigned for exercise + in the manual of arms, were relieved from personal service excepting upon + especial occasions; and thirdly and lastly, at the head of the whole body + of lads, a class called bachelors—young men ranging from eighteen to + twenty years of age. This class was supposed to exercise a sort of + government over the other and younger squires—to keep them in order + as much as possible, to marshal them upon occasions of importance, to see + that their arms and equipments were kept in good order, to call the roll + for chapel in the morning, and to see that those not upon duty in the + house were present at the daily exercise at arms. Orders to the squires + were generally transmitted through the bachelors, and the head of that + body was expected to make weekly reports of affairs in their quarters to + the chief captain of the body. + </p> + <p> + From this overlordship of the bachelors there had gradually risen a system + of fagging, such as is or was practised in the great English public + schools—enforced services exacted from the younger lads—which + at the time Myles came to Devlen had, in the five or six years it had been + in practice, grown to be an absolute though unwritten law of the body—a + law supported by all the prestige of long-continued usage. At that time + the bachelors numbered but thirteen, yet they exercised over the rest of + the sixty-four squires and pages a rule of iron, and were taskmasters, + hard, exacting, and oftentimes cruel. + </p> + <p> + The whole company of squires and pages was under the supreme command of a + certain one-eyed knight, by name Sir James Lee; a soldier seasoned by the + fire of a dozen battles, bearing a score of wounds won in fight and + tourney, and withered by hardship and labor to a leather-like toughness. + He had fought upon the King's side in all the late wars, and had at + Shrewsbury received a wound that unfitted him for active service, so that + now he was fallen to the post of Captain of Esquires at Devlen Castle—a + man disappointed in life, and with a temper imbittered by that failure as + well as by cankering pain. + </p> + <p> + Yet Perhaps no one could have been better fitted for the place he held + than Sir James Lee. The lads under his charge were a rude, rough, unruly + set, quick, like their elders, to quarrel, and to quarrel fiercely, even + to the drawing of sword or dagger. But there was a cold, iron sternness + about the grim old man that quelled them, as the trainer with a lash of + steel might quell a den of young wolves. The apartments in which he was + lodged, with his clerk, were next in the dormitory of the lads, and even + in the midst of the most excited brawlings the distant sound of his harsh + voice, “Silence, messieurs!” would bring an instant hush to the loudest + uproar. + </p> + <p> + It was into his grim presence that Myles was introduced by Gascoyne. Sir + James was in his office, a room bare of ornament or adornment or + superfluous comfort of any sort—without even so much as a mat of + rushes upon the cold stone pavement to make it less cheerless. The old + one-eyed knight sat gnawing his bristling mustaches. To anyone who knew + him it would have been apparent that, as the castle phrase went, “the + devil sat astride of his neck,” which meant that some one of his blind + wounds was aching more sorely than usual. + </p> + <p> + His clerk sat beside him, with account-books and parchment spread upon the + table, and the head squire, Walter Blunt, a lad some three or four years + older than Myles, and half a head taller, black-browed, powerfully built, + and with cheek and chin darkened by the soft budding of his adolescent + beard, stood making his report. + </p> + <p> + Sir James listened in grim silence while Gascoyne told his errand. + </p> + <p> + “So, then, pardee, I am bid to take another one of ye, am I?” he snarled. + “As though ye caused me not trouble enow; and this one a cub, looking a + very boor in carriage and breeding. Mayhap the Earl thinketh I am to train + boys to his dilly-dally household service as well as to use of arms.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said Gascoyne, timidly, “my Lord sayeth he would have this one + entered direct as a squire of the body, so that he need not serve in the + household.” + </p> + <p> + “Sayest so?” cried Sir James, harshly. “Then take thou my message back + again to thy Lord. Not for Mackworth—no, nor a better man than he—will + I make any changes in my government. An I be set to rule a pack of boys, I + will rule them as I list, and not according to any man's bidding. Tell + him, sirrah, that I will enter no lad as squire of the body without first + testing an he be fit at arms to hold that place.” He sat for a while + glowering at Myles and gnawing his mustaches, and for the time no one + dared to break the grim silence. “What is thy name?” said he, suddenly. + And then, almost before Myles could answer, he asked the head squire + whether he could find a place to lodge him. + </p> + <p> + “There is Gillis Whitlock's cot empty,” said Blunt. “He is in the + infirmary, and belike goeth home again when he cometh thence. The fever + hath gotten into his bones, and—” + </p> + <p> + “That will do,” said the knight, interrupting him impatiently. “Let him + take that place, or any other that thou hast. And thou, Jerome,” said he + to his clerk, “thou mayst enter him upon the roll, though whether it be as + page or squire or bachelor shall be as I please, and not as Mackworth + biddeth me. Now get ye gone.” + </p> + <p> + “Old Bruin's wound smarteth him sore,” Gascoyne observed, as the two lads + walked across the armory court. He had good-naturedly offered to show the + new-comer the many sights of interest around the castle, and in the hour + or so of ramble that followed, the two grew from acquaintances to friends + with a quickness that boyhood alone can bring about. They visited the + armory, the chapel, the stables, the great hall, the Painted Chamber, the + guard-house, the mess-room, and even the scullery and the kitchen, with + its great range of boilers and furnaces and ovens. Last of all Myles's new + friend introduced him to the armor-smithy. + </p> + <p> + “My Lord hath sent a piece of Milan armor thither to be repaired,” said + he. “Belike thou would like to see it.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, eagerly, “that would I.” + </p> + <p> + The smith was a gruff, good-natured fellow, and showed the piece of armor + to Myles readily and willingly enough. It was a beautiful bascinet of + inlaid workmanship, and was edged with a rim of gold. Myles scarcely dared + touch it; he gazed at it with an unconcealed delight that warmed the + smith's honest heart. + </p> + <p> + “I have another piece of Milan here,” said he. “Did I ever show thee my + dagger, Master Gascoyne?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said the squire. + </p> + <p> + The smith unlocked a great oaken chest in the corner of the shop, lifted + the lid, and brought thence a beautiful dagger with the handle of ebony + and silver-gilt, and a sheath of Spanish leather, embossed and gilt. The + keen, well-tempered blade was beautifully engraved and inlaid with + niello-work, representing a group of figures in a then popular subject—the + dance of Death. It was a weapon at once unique and beautiful, and even + Gascoyne showed an admiration scarcely less keen than Myles's + openly-expressed delight. + </p> + <p> + “To whom doth it belong?” said he, trying the point upon his thumb nail. + </p> + <p> + “There,” said the smith, “is the jest of the whole, for it belongeth to + me. Sir William Beauclerk bade me order the weapon through Master + Gildersworthy, of London town, and by the time it came hither, lo! he had + died, and so it fell to my hands. No one here payeth the price for the + trinket, and so I must e'en keep it myself, though I be but a poor man.” + </p> + <p> + “How much dost thou hold it for?” said Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + “Seventeen shillings buyeth it,” said the armorer, carelessly. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye,” said Gascoyne, with a sigh; “so it is to be poor, and not be + able to have such things as one loveth and would fain possess. Seventeen + shillings is nigh as much by half again as all my yearly wage.” + </p> + <p> + Then a sudden thought came to Myles, and as it came his cheeks glowed as + hot as fire “Master Gascoyne,” said he, with gruff awkwardness, “thou hast + been a very good, true friend to me since I have come to this place, and + hast befriended me in all ways thou mightest do, and I, as well I know, + but a poor rustic clod. Now I have forty shillings by me which I may spend + as I list, and so I do beseech thee that thou wilt take yon dagger of me + as a love-gift, and have and hold it for thy very own.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne stared open-mouthed at Myles. “Dost mean it?” said he, at last. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, “I do mean it. Master Smith, give him the blade.” + </p> + <p> + At first the smith grinned, thinking it all a jest; but he soon saw that + Myles was serious enough, and when the seventeen shillings were produced + and counted down upon the anvil, he took off his cap and made Myles a low + bow as he swept them into his pouch. “Now, by my faith and troth,” quoth + he, “that I do call a true lordly gift. Is it not so, Master Gascoyne?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Gascoyne, with a gulp, “it is, in soothly earnest.” And + thereupon, to Myles's great wonderment, he suddenly flung his arms about + his neck, and, giving him a great hug, kissed him upon the cheek. “Dear + Myles,” said he, “I tell thee truly and of a verity I did feel warm + towards thee from the very first time I saw thee sitting like a poor oaf + upon the bench up yonder in the anteroom, and now of a sooth I give thee + assurance that I do love thee as my own brother. Yea, I will take the + dagger, and will stand by thee as a true friend from this time forth. + Mayhap thou mayst need a true friend in this place ere thou livest long + with us, for some of us esquires be soothly rough, and knocks are more + plenty here than broad pennies, so that one new come is like to have a + hard time gaining a footing.” + </p> + <p> + “I thank thee,” said Myles, “for thy offer of love and friendship, and do + tell thee, upon my part, that I also of all the world would like best to + have thee for my friend.” + </p> + <p> + Such was the manner In which Myles formed the first great friendship of + his life, a friendship that was destined to last him through many years to + come. As the two walked back across the great quadrangle, upon which + fronted the main buildings of the castle, their arms were wound across one + another's shoulders, after the manner, as a certain great writer says, of + boys and lovers. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 6 + </h2> + <p> + A boy's life is of a very flexible sort. It takes but a little while for + it to shape itself to any new surroundings in which it may be thrown, to + make itself new friends, to settle itself to new habits; and so it was + that Myles fell directly into the ways of the lads of Devlen. On his first + morning, as he washed his face and hands with the other squires and pages + in a great tank of water in the armory court-yard, he presently found + himself splashing and dashing with the others, laughing and shouting as + loud as any, and calling some by their Christian names as though he had + known them for years instead of overnight. During chapel he watched with + sympathetic delight the covert pranks of the youngsters during the + half-hour that Father Emmanuel droned his Latin, and with his dagger point + he carved his own name among the many cut deep into the back of the bench + before him. When, after breakfast, the squires poured like school-boys + into the great armory to answer to the roll-call for daily exercise, he + came storming in with the rest, beating the lad in front of him with his + cap. + </p> + <p> + Boys are very keen to feel the influence of a forceful character. A lad + with a strong will is quick to reach his proper level as a greater or + lesser leader among the others, and Myles was of just the masterful nature + to make his individuality felt among the Devlen squires. He was quick + enough to yield obedience upon all occasions to proper authority, but + would never bend an inch to the usurpation of tyranny. In the school at + St. Mary's Priory at Crosbey-Dale he would submit without a murmur or + offer of resistance to chastisement by old Father Ambrose, the regular + teacher; but once, when the fat old monk was sick, and a great long-legged + strapping young friar, who had temporarily taken his place, undertook to + administer punishment, Myles, with a wrestling trip, flung him sprawling + backward over a bench into the midst of a shoal of small boys amid a + hubbub of riotous confusion. He had been flogged soundly for it under the + supervision of Prior Edward himself; but so soon as his punishment was + over, he assured the prior very seriously that should like occasion again + happen he would act in the same manner, flogging or no flogging. + </p> + <p> + It was this bold, outspoken spirit that gained him at once friends and + enemies at Devlen, and though it first showed itself in what was but a + little matter, nevertheless it set a mark upon him that singled him out + from the rest, and, although he did not suspect it at the time, called to + him the attention of Sir James Lee himself, who regarded him as a lad of + free and frank spirit. + </p> + <p> + The first morning after the roll-call in the armory, as Walter Blunt, the + head bachelor, rolled up the slip of parchment, and the temporary silence + burst forth into redoubled noise and confusion, each lad arming himself + from a row of racks that stood along the wall, he beckoned Myles to him. + </p> + <p> + “My Lord himself hath spoken to Sir James Lee concerning thee,” said he. + “Sir James maintaineth that he will not enter thee into the body till thou + hast first practised for a while at the pels, and shown what thou canst do + at broadsword. Hast ever fought at the pel?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” answered Myles, “and that every day of my life sin I became esquire + four years ago, saving only Sundays and holy days.” + </p> + <p> + “With shield and broadsword?” + </p> + <p> + “Sometimes,” said Myles, “and sometimes with the short sword.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir James would have thee come to the tilt-yard this morn; he himself + will take thee in hand to try what thou canst do. Thou mayst take the arms + upon yonder rack, and use them until otherwise bidden. Thou seest that the + number painted above it on the wall is seventeen; that will be thy number + for the nonce.” + </p> + <p> + So Myles armed himself from his rack as the others were doing from theirs. + The armor was rude and heavy, used to accustom the body to the weight of + the iron plates rather than for any defence. It consisted of a cuirass, or + breastplate of iron, opening at the side with hinges, and catching with + hooks and eyes; epauliers, or shoulder-plates; arm-plates and leg-pieces; + and a bascinet, or open-faced helmet. A great triangular shield covered + with leather and studded with bosses of iron, and a heavy broadsword, + pointed and dulled at the edges, completed the equipment. + </p> + <p> + The practice at the pels which Myles was bidden to attend comprised the + chief exercise of the day with the esquires of young cadet soldiers of + that time, and in it they learned not only all the strokes, cuts, and + thrusts of sword-play then in vogue, but also toughness, endurance, and + elastic quickness. The pels themselves consisted of upright posts of ash + or oak, about five feet six inches in height, and in girth somewhat + thicker than a man's thigh. They were firmly planted in the ground, and + upon them the strokes of the broadsword were directed. + </p> + <p> + At Devlen the pels stood just back of the open and covered tilting courts + and the archery ranges, and thither those lads not upon household duty + were marched every morning excepting Fridays and Sundays, and were there + exercised under the direction of Sir James Lee and two assistants. The + whole company was divided into two, sometimes into three parties, each of + which took its turn at the exercise, delivering at the word of command the + various strokes, feints, attacks, and retreats as the instructors ordered. + </p> + <p> + After five minutes of this mock battle the perspiration began to pour down + the faces, and the breath to come thick and short; but it was not until + the lads could absolutely endure no more that the order was given to rest, + and they were allowed to fling themselves panting upon the ground, while + another company took its place at the triple row of posts. + </p> + <p> + As Myles struck and hacked at the pel assigned to him, Sir James Lee stood + beside him watching him in grim silence. The lad did his best to show the + knight all that he knew of upper cut, under cut, thrust, and back-hand + stroke, but it did not seem to him that Sir James was very well satisfied + with his skill. + </p> + <p> + “Thou fightest like a clodpole,” said the old man. “Ha, that stroke was + but ill-recovered. Strike me it again, and get thou in guard more + quickly.” + </p> + <p> + Myles repeated the stroke. + </p> + <p> + “Pest!” cried Sir James. “Thou art too slow by a week. Here, strike thou + the blow at me.” + </p> + <p> + Myles hesitated. Sir James held a stout staff in his hand, but otherwise + he was unarmed. + </p> + <p> + “Strike, I say!” said Sir James. “What stayest thou for? Art afeard?” + </p> + <p> + It was Myles's answer that set the seal of individuality upon him. “Nay,” + said he, boldly, “I am not afeard. I fear not thee nor any man!” So + saying, he delivered the stroke at Sir James with might and main. It was + met with a jarring blow that made his wrist and arm tingle, and the next + instant he received a stroke upon the bascinet that caused his ears to + ring and the sparks to dance and fly before his eyes. + </p> + <p> + “Pardee!” said Sir James, grimly. “An I had had a mace in my hand, I would + have knocked thy cockerel brains out that time. Thou mayst take that blow + for answering me so pertly. And now we are quits. Now strike me the stroke + again an thou art not afeard.” + </p> + <p> + Myles's eyes watered in spite of himself, and he shut the lids tight to + wink the dimness away. Nevertheless he spoke up undauntedly as before. + “Aye, marry, will I strike it again,” said he; and this time he was able + to recover guard quickly enough to turn Sir James's blow with his shield, + instead of receiving it upon his head. + </p> + <p> + “So!” said Sir James. “Now mind thee of this, that when thou strikest that + lower cut at the legs, recover thyself more quickly. Now, then, strike me + it at the pel.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne and other of the lads who were just then lying stretched out upon + the grass beneath, a tree at the edge of the open court where stood the + pels, were interested spectators of the whole scene. Not one of them in + their memory had heard Sir James so answered face to face as Myles had + answered him, and, after all, perhaps the lad himself would not have done + so had he been longer a resident in the squires' quarters at Devlen. + </p> + <p> + “By 'r Lady! thou art a cool blade, Myles,” said Gascoyne, as they marched + back to the armory again. “Never heard I one bespeak Sir James as thou + hast done this day.” + </p> + <p> + “And, after all,” said another of the young squires, “old Bruin was not so + ill-pleased, methinks. That was a shrewd blow he fetched thee on the + crown, Falworth. Marry, I would not have had it on my own skull for a + silver penny.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 7 + </h2> + <h3> + So little does it take to make a body's reputation. + </h3> + <p> + That night all the squires' quarters buzzed with the story of how the new + boy, Falworth, had answered Sir James Lee to his face without fear, and + had exchanged blows with him hand to hand. Walter Blunt himself was moved + to some show of interest. + </p> + <p> + “What said he to thee, Falworth?” asked he. + </p> + <p> + “He said naught,” said Myles, brusquely. “He only sought to show me how to + recover from the under cut.” + </p> + <p> + “It is passing strange that he should take so much notice of thee as to + exchange blows with thee with his own hand. Haply thou art either very + quick or parlous slow at arms.” + </p> + <p> + “It is quick that he is,” said Gascoyne, speaking up in his friend's + behalf. “For the second time that Falworth delivered the stroke, Sir James + could not reach him to return; so I saw with mine own eyes.” + </p> + <p> + But that very sterling independence that had brought Myles so creditably + through this adventure was certain to embroil him with the rude, + half-savage lads about him, some of whom, especially among the bachelors, + were his superiors as well in age as in skill and training. As said + before, the bachelors had enforced from the younger boys a fagging sort of + attendance on their various personal needs, and it was upon this point + that Myles first came to grief. As it chanced, several days passed before + any demand was made upon him for service to the heads of the squirehood, + but when that demand was made, the bachelors were very quick to see that + the boy who was bold enough to speak up to Sir James Lee was not likely to + be a willing fag for them. + </p> + <p> + “I tell thee, Francis,” he said, as Gascoyne and he talked over the matter + one day—“I tell thee I will never serve them. Prithee, what shame + can be fouler than to do such menial service, saving for one's rightful + Lord?” + </p> + <p> + “Marry!” quoth Gascoyne; “I reason not of shame at this or that. All I + know is that others serve them who are haply as good and maybe better than + I be, and that if I do not serve them I get knocked i' th' head therefore, + which same goeth soothly against my stomach.” + </p> + <p> + “I judge not for thee,” said Myles. “Thou art used to these castle ways, + but only I know that I will not serve them, though they be thirty against + me instead of thirteen.” + </p> + <p> + “Then thou art a fool,” said Gascoyne, dryly. + </p> + <p> + Now in this matter of service there was one thing above all others that + stirred Myles Falworth's ill-liking. The winter before he had come to + Devlen, Walter Blunt, who was somewhat of a Sybarite in his way, and who + had a repugnance to bathing in the general tank in the open armory court + in frosty weather, had had Dick Carpenter build a trough in the corner of + the dormitory for the use of the bachelors, and every morning it was the + duty of two of the younger squires to bring three pails of water to fill + this private tank for the use of the head esquires. It was seeing two of + his fellow-esquires fetching and carrying this water that Myles disliked + so heartily, and every morning his bile was stirred anew at the sight. + </p> + <p> + “Sooner would I die than yield to such vile service,” said he. + </p> + <p> + He did not know how soon his protestations would be put to the test. + </p> + <p> + One night—it was a week or two after Myles had come to Devlen—Blunt + was called to attend the Earl at livery. The livery was the last meal of + the day, and was served with great pomp and ceremony about nine o'clock at + night to the head of the house as he lay in bed. Curfew had not yet rung, + and the lads in the squires' quarters were still wrestling and sparring + and romping boisterously in and out around the long row of rude cots in + the great dormitory as they made ready for the night. Six or eight flaring + links in wrought-iron brackets that stood out from the wall threw a great + ruddy glare through the barrack-like room—a light of all others to + romp by. Myles and Gascoyne were engaged in defending the passage-way + between their two cots against the attack of three other lads, and Myles + held his sheepskin coverlet rolled up into a ball and balanced in his + hand, ready for launching at the head of one of the others so soon as it + should rise from behind the shelter of a cot. Just then Walter Blunt, + dressed with more than usual care, passed by on his way to the Earl's + house. He stopped for a moment and said, “Mayhaps I will not be in until + late to-night. Thou and Falworth, Gascoyne, may fetch water to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + Then he was gone. Myles stood staring after his retreating figure with + eyes open and mouth agape, still holding the ball of sheepskin balanced in + his hand. Gascoyne burst into a helpless laugh at his blank, stupefied + face, but the next moment he laid his hand on his friend's shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “Myles,” he said, “thou wilt not make trouble, wilt thou?” + </p> + <p> + Myles made no answer. He flung down his sheepskin and sat him gloomily + down upon the side of the cot. + </p> + <p> + “I said that I would sooner die than fetch water for them,” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye,” said Gascoyne; “but that was spoken in haste.” + </p> + <p> + Myles said nothing, but shook his head. + </p> + <p> + But, after all, circumstances shape themselves. The next morning when he + rose up through the dark waters of sleep it was to feel some one shaking + him violently by the shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “Come!” cried Gascoyne, as Myles opened his eyes—“come, time + passeth, and we are late.” + </p> + <p> + Myles, bewildered with his sudden awakening, and still fuddled with the + fumes of sleep, huddled into his doublet and hose, hardly knowing what he + was doing; tying a point here and a point there, and slipping his feet + into his shoes. Then he hurried after Gascoyne, frowzy, half-dressed, and + even yet only half-awake. It was not until he was fairly out into the + fresh air and saw Gascoyne filling the three leathern buckets at the tank, + that he fully awakened to the fact that he was actually doing that hateful + service for the bachelors which he had protested he would sooner die than + render. + </p> + <p> + The sun was just rising, gilding the crown of the donjon-keep with a flame + of ruddy light. Below, among the lesser buildings, the day was still gray + and misty. Only an occasional noise broke the silence of the early + morning: a cough from one of the rooms; the rattle of a pot or a pan, + stirred by some sleepy scullion; the clapping of a door or a shutter, and + now and then the crowing of a cock back of the long row of stables—all + sounding loud and startling in the fresh dewy stillness. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hast betrayed me,” said Myles, harshly, breaking the silence at + last. “I knew not what I was doing, or else I would never have come + hither. Ne'theless, even though I be come, I will not carry the water for + them.” + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said Gascoyne, tartly. “An thou canst not stomach it, let be, + and I will e'en carry all three myself. It will make me two journeys, but, + thank Heaven, I am not so proud as to wish to get me hard knocks for + naught.” So saying, he picked up two of the buckets and started away + across the court for the dormitory. + </p> + <p> + Then Myles, with a lowering face, snatched up the third, and, hurrying + after, gave him his hand with the extra pail. So it was that he came to do + service, after all. + </p> + <p> + “Why tarried ye so long?” said one of the older bachelors, roughly, as the + two lads emptied the water into the wooden trough. He sat on the edge of + the cot, blowzed and untrussed, with his long hair tumbled and disordered. + </p> + <p> + His dictatorial tone stung Myles to fury. “We tarried no longer than need + be,” answered he, savagely. “Have we wings to fly withal at your bidding?” + </p> + <p> + He spoke so loudly that all in the room heard him; the younger squires who + were dressing stared in blank amazement, and Blunt sat up suddenly in his + cot. + </p> + <p> + “Why, how now?” he cried. “Answerest thou back thy betters so pertly, + sirrah? By my soul, I have a mind to crack thy head with this clog for thy + unruly talk.” + </p> + <p> + He glared at Myles as he spoke, and Myles glared back again with right + good-will. Matters might have come to a crisis, only that Gascoyne and + Wilkes dragged their friend away before he had opportunity to answer. + </p> + <p> + “An ill-conditioned knave as ever I did see,” growled Blunt, glaring after + him. + </p> + <p> + “Myles, Myles,” said Gascoyne, almost despairingly, “why wilt thou breed + such mischief for thyself? Seest thou not thou hast got thee the ill-will + of every one of the bachelors, from Wat Blunt to Robin de Ramsey?” + </p> + <p> + “I care not,” said Myles, fiercely, recurring to his grievance. “Heard ye + not how the dogs upbraided me before the whole room? That Blunt called me + an ill-conditioned knave.” + </p> + <p> + “Marry!” said Gascoyne, laughing, “and so thou art.” + </p> + <p> + Thus it is that boldness may breed one enemies as well as gain one + friends. My own notion is that one's enemies are more quick to act than + one's friends. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 8 + </h2> + <p> + Every one knows the disagreeable, lurking discomfort that follows a + quarrel—a discomfort that imbitters the very taste of life for the + time being. Such was the dull distaste that Myles felt that morning after + what had passed in the dormitory. Every one in the proximity of such an + open quarrel feels a reflected constraint, and in Myles's mind was a + disagreeable doubt whether that constraint meant disapproval of him or of + his late enemies. + </p> + <p> + It seemed to him that Gascoyne added the last bitter twang to his + unpleasant feelings when, half an hour later, they marched with the others + to chapel. + </p> + <p> + “Why dost thou breed such trouble for thyself, Myles?” said he, recurring + to what he had already said. “Is it not foolish for thee to come hither to + this place, and then not submit to the ways thereof, as the rest of us + do?” + </p> + <p> + “Thou talkest not like a true friend to chide me thus,” said Myles, + sullenly; and he withdrew his arm from his friend's. + </p> + <p> + “Marry, come up!” said Gascoyne; “an I were not thy friend, I would let + thee jog thine own way. It aches not my bones to have thine drubbed.” + </p> + <p> + Just then they entered the chapel, and words that might have led to a + quarrel were brought to a close. + </p> + <p> + Myles was not slow to see that he had the ill will of the head of their + company. That morning in the armory he had occasion to ask some question + of Blunt; the head squire stared coldly at him for a moment, gave him a + short, gruff answer, and then, turning his back abruptly, began talking + with one of the other bachelors. Myles flushed hot at the other's + insulting manner, and looked quickly around to see if any of the others + had observed what had passed. It was a comfort to him to see that all were + too busy arming themselves to think of anything else; nevertheless, his + face was very lowering as he turned away. + </p> + <p> + “Some day I will show him that I am as good a man as he,” he muttered to + himself. “An evil-hearted dog to put shame upon me!” + </p> + <p> + The storm was brewing and ready to break. + </p> + <p> + That day was exceptionally hot and close, and permission had been asked by + and granted to those squires not on duty to go down to the river for a + bath after exercise at the pels. But as Myles replaced his arms in the + rack, a little page came with a bidding to come to Sir James in his + office. + </p> + <p> + “Look now,” said Myles, “here is just my ill-fortune. Why might he not + have waited an hour longer rather than cause me to miss going with ye?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Gascoyne, “let not that grieve thee, Myles. Wilkes and I will + wait for thee in the dormitory—will we not, Edmund? Make thou haste + and go to Sir James.” + </p> + <p> + Sir James was sitting at the table studying over a scroll of parchment, + when Myles entered his office and stood before him at the table. + </p> + <p> + “Well, boy,” said he, laying aside the parchment and looking up at the + lad, “I have tried thee fairly for these few days, and may say that I have + found thee worthy to be entered upon the rolls as esquire of the body.” + </p> + <p> + “I give thee thanks, sir,” said Myles. + </p> + <p> + The knight nodded his head in acknowledgement, but did not at once give + the word of dismissal that Myles had expected. “Dost mean to write thee a + letter home soon?” said he, suddenly. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, gaping in great wonderment at the strangeness of the + question. + </p> + <p> + “Then when thou dost so write,” said Sir James, “give thou my deep regards + to thy father.” Then he continued, after a brief pause. “Him did I know + well in times gone by, and we were right true friends in hearty love, and + for his sake I would befriend thee—that is, in so much as is + fitting.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said Myles; but Sir James held up his hand, and he stopped short in + his thanks. + </p> + <p> + “But, boy,” said he, “that which I sent for thee for to tell thee was of + more import than these. Dost thou know that thy father is an attainted + outlaw?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” cried Myles, his cheeks blazing up as red as fire; “who sayeth that + of him lieth in his teeth.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou dost mistake me,” said Sir James, quietly. “It is sometimes no shame + to be outlawed and banned. Had it been so, I would not have told thee + thereof, nor have bidden thee send my true love to thy father, as I did + but now. But, boy, certes he standest continually in great danger—greater + than thou wottest of. Were it known where he lieth hid, it might be to his + undoing and utter ruin. Methought that belike thou mightest not know that; + and so I sent for thee for to tell thee that it behoovest thee to say not + one single word concerning him to any of these new friends of thine, nor + who he is, nor what he is.” + </p> + <p> + “But how came my father to be so banned?” said Myles, in a constrained and + husky voice, and after a long time of silence. + </p> + <p> + “That I may not tell thee just now,” said the old knight, “only this—that + I have been bidden to make it known to thee that thy father hath an enemy + full as powerful as my Lord the Earl himself, and that through that enemy + all his ill-fortune—his blindness and everything—hath come. + Moreover, did this enemy know where thy father lieth, he would slay him + right speedily.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” cried Myles, violently smiting his open palm upon the table, “tell + me who this man is, and I will kill him!” + </p> + <p> + Sir James smiled grimly. “Thou talkest like a boy,” said he. “Wait until + thou art grown to be a man. Mayhap then thou mayst repent thee of these + bold words, for one time this enemy of thy father's was reckoned the + foremost knight in England, and he is now the King's dear friend and a + great lord.” + </p> + <p> + “But,” said Myles, after another long time of heavy silence, “will not my + Lord then befriend me for the sake of my father, who was one time his dear + comrade?” + </p> + <p> + Sir James shook his head. “It may not be,” said he. “Neither thou nor thy + father must look for open favor from the Earl. An he befriended Falworth, + and it came to be known that he had given him aid or succor, it might + belike be to his own undoing. No, boy; thou must not even look to be taken + into the household to serve with gentlemen as the other squires do serve, + but must even live thine own life here and fight thine own way.” + </p> + <p> + Myles's eyes blazed. “Then,” cried he, fiercely, “it is shame and attaint + upon my Lord the Earl, and cowardice as well, and never will I ask favor + of him who is so untrue a friend as to turn his back upon a comrade in + trouble as he turneth his back upon my father.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art a foolish boy,” said Sir James with a bitter smile, “and knowest + naught of the world. An thou wouldst look for man to befriend man to his + own danger, thou must look elsewhere than on this earth. Was I not one + time Mackworth's dear friend as well as thy father? It could cost him + naught to honor me, and here am I fallen to be a teacher of boys. Go to! + thou art a fool.” + </p> + <p> + Then, after a little pause of brooding silence, he went on to say that the + Earl was no better or worse than the rest of the world. That men of his + position had many jealous enemies, ever seeking their ruin, and that such + must look first of all each to himself, or else be certainly ruined, and + drag down others in that ruin. Myles was silenced, but the bitterness had + entered his heart, and abided with him for many a day afterwards. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps Sir James read his feelings in his frank face, for he sat looking + curiously at him, twirling his grizzled mustache the while. “Thou art like + to have hard knocks of it, lad, ere thou hast gotten thee safe through the + world,” said he, with more kindness in his harsh voice than was usual. + “But get thee not into fights before thy time.” Then he charged the boy + very seriously to live at peace with his fellow-squires, and for his + father's sake as well as his own to enter into none of the broils that + were so frequent in their quarters. + </p> + <p> + It was with this special admonition against brawling that Myles was + dismissed, to enter, before five minutes had passed, into the first really + great fight of his life. + </p> + <p> + Besides Gascoyne and Wilkes, he found gathered in the dormitory six or + eight of the company of squires who were to serve that day upon household + duty; among others, Walter Blunt and three other bachelors, who were + changing their coarse service clothes for others more fit for the + household. + </p> + <p> + “Why didst thou tarry so long, Myles?” said Gascoyne, as he entered. + “Methought thou wert never coming.” + </p> + <p> + “Where goest thou, Falworth?” called Blunt from the other end of the room, + where he was lacing his doublet. + </p> + <p> + Just now Myles had no heart in the swimming or sport of any sort, but he + answered, shortly, “I go to the river to swim.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Blunt, “thou goest not forth from the castle to-day. Hast thou + forgot how thou didst answer me back about fetching the water this + morning? This day thou must do penance, so go thou straight to the armory + and scour thou up my breastplate.” + </p> + <p> + From the time he had arisen that morning everything had gone wrong with + Myles. He had felt himself already outrated in rendering service to the + bachelors, he had quarrelled with the head of the esquires, he had nearly + quarrelled with Gascoyne, and then had come the bitterest and worst of + all, the knowledge that his father was an outlaw, and that the Earl would + not stretch out a hand to aid him or to give him any countenance. Blunt's + words brought the last bitter cut to his heart, and they stung him to + fury. For a while he could not answer, but stood glaring with a face + fairly convulsed with passion at the young man, who continued his toilet, + unconscious of the wrath of the new recruit. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne and Wilkes, accepting Myles's punishment as a thing of course, + were about to leave the dormitory when Myles checked them. + </p> + <p> + “Stop, Francis!” he cried, hoarsely. “Thinkest thou that I will stay + behind to do yon dog's dirty work? No; I go with ye.” + </p> + <p> + A moment or two of dumb, silent amazement followed his bold words; then + Blunt cried, “Art thou mad?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” answered Myles in the same hoarse voice, “I am not mad. I tell thee + a better man than thou shouldst not stay me from going an I list to go. + </p> + <p> + “I will break thy cockerel head for that speech,” said Blunt, furiously. + He stooped as he spoke, and picked up a heavy clog that lay at his feet. + </p> + <p> + It was no insignificant weapon either. The shoes of those days were + sometimes made of cloth, and had long pointed toes stuffed with tow or + wool. In muddy weather thick heavy clogs or wooden soles were strapped, + like a skate, to the bottom of the foot. That clog which Blunt had seized + was perhaps eighteen or twenty inches long, two or two and a half inches + thick at the heel, tapering to a point at the toe. As the older lad + advanced, Gascoyne stepped between him and his victim. + </p> + <p> + “Do not harm him, Blunt,” he pleaded. “Bear thou in mind how new-come he + is among us. He knoweth not our ways as yet.” + </p> + <p> + “Stand thou back, Gascoyne,” said Blunt, harshly, as he thrust him aside. + “I will teach him our ways so that he will not soon forget them.” + </p> + <p> + Close to Myles's feet was another clog like that one which Blunt held. He + snatched it up, and set his back against the wall, with a white face and a + heart beating heavily and tumultuously, but with courage steeled to meet + the coming encounter. There was a hard, grim look in his blue eyes that, + for a moment perhaps, quelled the elder lad. He hesitated. “Tom! Wat! + Ned!” he called to the other bachelors, “come hither, and lend me a hand + with this knave.” + </p> + <p> + “An ye come nigh me,” panted Myles, “I will brain the first within reach.” + </p> + <p> + Then Gascoyne dodged behind the others, and, without being seen, slipped + out of the room for help. + </p> + <p> + The battle that followed was quick, sharp, and short. As Blunt strode + forward, Myles struck, and struck with might and main, but he was too + excited to deliver his blow with calculation. Blunt parried it with the + clog he held, and the next instant, dropping his weapon, gripped Myles + tight about the body, pinning his arms to his sides. + </p> + <p> + Myles also dropped the clog he held, and, wrenching out his right arm with + a sudden heave, struck Blunt full in the face, and then with another blow + sent him staggering back. It all passed in an instant; the next the three + other bachelors were upon him, catching him by the body, the arms, the + legs. For a moment or two they swayed and stumbled hither and thither, and + then down they fell in a struggling heap. + </p> + <p> + Myles fought like a wild-cat, kicking, struggling, scratching; striking + with elbows and fists. He caught one of the three by his collar, and tore + his jacket open from the neck to the waist; he drove his foot into the pit + of the stomach of another, and knocked him breathless. The other lads not + in the fight stood upon the benches and the beds around, but such was the + awe inspired by the prestige of the bachelors that not one of them dared + to lend hand to help him, and so Myles fought his fierce battle alone. + </p> + <p> + But four to one were odds too great, and though Myles struggled as + fiercely as ever, by-and-by it was with less and less resistance. + </p> + <p> + Blunt had picked up the clog he had dropped when he first attacked the + lad, and now stood over the struggling heap, white with rage, the blood + running from his lip, cut and puffed where Myles had struck him, and + murder looking out from his face, if ever it looked out of the face of any + mortal being. + </p> + <p> + “Hold him a little,” said he, fiercely, “and I will still him for you.” + </p> + <p> + Even yet it was no easy matter for the others to do his bidding, but + presently he got his chance and struck a heavy, cruel blow at Myles's + head. Myles only partly warded it with his arm. Hitherto he had fought in + silence, now he gave a harsh cry. + </p> + <p> + “Holy Saints!” cried Edmund Wilkes. “They will kill him.” + </p> + <p> + Blunt struck two more blows, both of them upon the body, and then at last + they had the poor boy down, with his face upon the ground and his arms + pinned to his sides, and Blunt, bracing himself for the stroke, with a + grin of rage raised a heavy clog for one terrible blow that should finish + the fight. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 9 + </h2> + <p> + “How now, messieurs?” said a harsh voice, that fell upon the turmoil like + a thunder-clap, and there stood Sir James Lee. Instantly the struggle + ceased, and the combatants scrambled to their feet. + </p> + <p> + The older lads stood silent before their chief, but Myles was deaf and + blind and mad with passion, he knew not where he stood or what he said or + did. White as death, he stood for a while glaring about him, catching his + breath convulsively. Then he screamed hoarsely. + </p> + <p> + “Who struck me? Who struck me when I was down? I will have his blood that + struck me!” He caught sight of Blunt. “It was he that struck me!” he + cried. “Thou foul traitor! thou coward!” and thereupon leaped at his enemy + like a wild-cat. + </p> + <p> + “Stop!” cried Sir James Lee, clutching him by the arm. + </p> + <p> + Myles was too blinded by his fury to see who it was that held him. “I will + not stop!” he cried, struggling and striking at the knight. “Let me go! I + will have his life that struck me when I was down!” + </p> + <p> + The next moment he found himself pinned close against the wall, and then, + as though his sight came back, he saw the grim face of the old one-eyed + knight looking into his. + </p> + <p> + “Dost thou know who I am?” said a stern, harsh voice. + </p> + <p> + Instantly Myles ceased struggling, and his arms fell at his side. “Aye,” + he said, in a gasping voice, “I know thee.” He swallowed spasmodically for + a moment or two, and then, in the sudden revulsion of feeling, burst out + sobbing convulsively. + </p> + <p> + Sir James marched the two off to his office, he himself walking between + them, holding an arm of each, the other lads following behind, awe-struck + and silent. Entering the office, Sir James shut the door behind him, + leaving the group of squires clustered outside about the stone steps, + speculating in whispers as to what would be the outcome of the matter. + </p> + <p> + After Sir James had seated himself, the two standing facing him, he + regarded them for a while in silence. “How now, Walter Blunt,” said he at + last, “what is to do?” + </p> + <p> + “Why, this,” said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip. “That fellow, Myles + Falworth, hath been breeding mutiny and revolt ever sin he came hither + among us, and because he was thus mutinous I would punish him therefor.” + </p> + <p> + “In that thou liest!” burst out Myles. “Never have I been mutinous in my + life.” + </p> + <p> + “Be silent, sir,” said Sir James, sternly. “I will hear thee anon.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, with his lips twitching and writhing, “I will not be + silent. I am friendless here, and ye are all against me, but I will not be + silent, and brook to have lies spoken of me.” + </p> + <p> + Even Blunt stood aghast at Myles's boldness. Never had he heard any one so + speak to Sir James before. He did not dare for the moment even to look up. + Second after second of dead stillness passed, while Sir James sat looking + at Myles with a stern, terrifying calmness that chilled him in spite of + the heat of his passion. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said the old man at last, in a hard, quiet voice, “thou dost know + naught of rules and laws of such a place as this. Nevertheless, it is time + for thee to learn them. So I will tell thee now that if thou openest thy + lips to say only one single word more except at my bidding, I will send + thee to the black vault of the donjon to cool thy hot spirits on bread and + water for a week.” There was something in the measured quietness of the + old knight's tone that quelled Myles utterly and entirely. A little space + of silence followed. “Now, then, Blunt,” said Sir James, turning to the + bachelor, “tell me all the ins and outs of this business without any more + underdealing.” + </p> + <p> + This time Blunt's story, though naturally prejudiced in his own favor, was + fairly true. Then Myles told his side of the case, the old knight + listening attentively. + </p> + <p> + “Why, how now, Blunt,” said Sir James, when Myles had ended, “I myself + gave the lads leave to go to the river to bathe. Wherefore shouldst thou + forbid one of them?” + </p> + <p> + “I did it but to punish this fellow for his mutiny,” said the bachelor. + “Methought we at their head were to have oversight concerning them.” + </p> + <p> + “So ye are,” said the knight; “but only to a degree. Ere ye take it upon + ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye first to me. Dost thou + understand?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” answered Blunt, sullenly. + </p> + <p> + “So be it, and now get thee gone,” said the knight; “and let me hear no + more of beating out brains with wooden clogs. An ye fight your battles, + let there not be murder in them. This is twice that the like hath happed; + gin I hear more of such doings—” He did utter his threat, but + stopped short, and fixed his one eye sternly upon the head squire. “Now + shake hands, and be ye friends,” said he, abruptly. + </p> + <p> + Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him. + </p> + <p> + “Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck me while I was down.” + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said the knight, grimly. “Now thou mayst go, Blunt. Thou, + Falworth, stay; I would bespeak thee further.” + </p> + <p> + “Tell me,” said he, when the elder lad had left them, “why wilt thou not + serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is the custom here. + Why wilt thou not obey it?” + </p> + <p> + “Because,” said Myles, “I cannot stomach it, and they shall not make me + serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but not at their + command.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said the knight, “I do not bid thee do them service. That lieth + with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But how canst thou hope to + fight single-handed against the commands of a dozen lads all older and + mightier than thou?” + </p> + <p> + “I know not,” said Myles; “but were they an hundred, instead of thirteen, + they should not make me serve them.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art a fool!” said the old knight, smiling faintly, “for that be'st + not courage, but folly. When one setteth about righting a wrong, one + driveth not full head against it, for in so doing one getteth naught but + hard knocks. Nay, go deftly about it, and then, when the time is ripe, + strike the blow. Now our beloved King Henry, when he was the Earl of + Derby, what could he have gained had he stood so against the old King + Richard, brooking the King face to face? I tell thee he would have been + knocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day. Now were I + thee, and had to fight a fight against odds, I would first get me friends + behind me, and then—” He stopped short, but Myles understood him + well enough. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said he, with a gulp, “I do thank thee for thy friendship, and ask + thy pardon for doing as I did anon.” + </p> + <p> + “I grant thee pardon,” said the knight, “but tell thee plainly, an thou + dost face me so again, I will truly send thee to the black cell for a + week. Now get thee away.” + </p> + <p> + All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth, save only the faithful + Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay with his friend; and + perhaps that little act of self-denial moved Myles more than many a great + thing might have done. + </p> + <p> + “It was right kind of thee, Francis,” said he, laying his hand + affectionately on his friend's shoulder. “I know not why thou lovest me + so.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, for one thing, this matter,” answered his friend; “because methinks + thou art the best fighter and the bravest one of all of us squires.” + </p> + <p> + Myles laughed. Nevertheless Gascoyne's words were a soothing balm for much + that had happened that day. “I will fight me no more just now,” said he; + and then he told his friend all that Sir James had advised about biding + his time. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne blew a long whistle. “Beshrew me!” quoth he, “but methinks old + Bruin is on thy side of the quarrel, Myles. An that be so, I am with thee + also, and others that I can name as well.” + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said Myles. “Then am I content to abide the time when we may + become strong enough to stand against them.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 10 + </h2> + <p> + Perhaps there is nothing more delightful in the romance of boyhood than + the finding of some secret hiding-place whither a body may creep away from + the bustle of the world's life, to nestle in quietness for an hour or two. + More especially is such delightful if it happen that, by peeping from out + it, one may look down upon the bustling matters of busy every-day life, + while one lies snugly hidden away unseen by any, as though one were in + some strange invisible world of one's own. + </p> + <p> + Such a hiding-place as would have filled the heart of almost any boy with + sweet delight Myles and Gascoyne found one summer afternoon. They called + it their Eyry, and the name suited well for the roosting-place of the + young hawks that rested in its windy stillness, looking down upon the + shifting castle life in the courts below. + </p> + <p> + Behind the north stable, a great, long, rambling building, thick-walled, + and black with age, lay an older part of the castle than that peopled by + the better class of life—a cluster of great thick walls, rudely but + strongly built, now the dwelling-place of stable-lads and hinds, swine and + poultry. From one part of these ancient walls, and fronting an inner court + of the castle, arose a tall, circular, heavy-buttressed tower, + considerably higher than the other buildings, and so mantled with a dense + growth of aged ivy as to stand a shaft of solid green. Above its crumbling + crown circled hundreds of pigeons, white and pied, clapping and clattering + in noisy flight through the sunny air. Several windows, some closed with + shutters, peeped here and there from out the leaves, and near the top of + the pile was a row of arched openings, as though of a balcony or an airy + gallery. + </p> + <p> + Myles had more than once felt an idle curiosity about this tower, and one + day, as he and Gascoyne sat together, he pointed his finger and said, + “What is yon place?” + </p> + <p> + “That,” answered Gascoyne, looking over his shoulder—“that they call + Brutus Tower, for why they do say that Brutus he built it when he came + hither to Britain. I believe not the tale mine own self; ne'theless, it is + marvellous ancient, and old Robin-the-Fletcher telleth me that there be + stairways built in the wall and passage-ways, and a maze wherein a body + may get lost, an he know not the way aright, and never see the blessed + light of day again.” + </p> + <p> + “Marry,” said Myles, “those same be strange sayings. Who liveth there + now?” + </p> + <p> + “No one liveth there,” said Gascoyne, “saving only some of the stable + villains, and that half-witted goose-herd who flung stones at us yesterday + when we mocked him down in the paddock. He and his wife and those others + dwell in the vaults beneath, like rabbits in any warren. No one else hath + lived there since Earl Robert's day, which belike was an hundred years + agone. The story goeth that Earl Robert's brother—or step-brother—was + murdered there, and some men say by the Earl himself. Sin that day it hath + been tight shut.” + </p> + <p> + Myles stared at the tower for a while in silence. “It is a strange-seeming + place from without,” said he, at last, “and mayhap it may be even more + strange inside. Hast ever been within, Francis?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Gascoyne; “said I not it hath been fast locked since Earl + Robert's day?” + </p> + <p> + “By'r Lady,” said Myles, “an I had lived here in this place so long as + thou, I wot I would have been within it ere this.” + </p> + <p> + “Beshrew me,” said Gascoyne, “but I have never thought of such a matter.” + He turned and looked at the tall crown rising into the warm sunlight with + a new interest, for the thought of entering it smacked pleasantly of + adventure. “How wouldst thou set about getting within?” said he, + presently. + </p> + <p> + “Why, look,” said Myles; “seest thou not yon hole in the ivy branches? + Methinks there is a window at that place. An I mistake not, it is in reach + of the stable eaves. A body might come up by the fagot pile to the roof of + the hen-house, and then by the long stable to the north stable, and so to + that hole.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne looked thoughtfully at the Brutus Tower, and then suddenly + inquired, “Wouldst go there?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, briefly. + </p> + <p> + “So be it. Lead thou the way in the venture, I will follow after thee,” + said Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + As Myles had said, the climbing from roof to roof was a matter easy enough + to an active pair of lads like themselves; but when, by-and-by, they + reached the wall of the tower itself, they found the hidden window much + higher from the roof than they had judged from below—perhaps ten or + twelve feet—and it was, besides, beyond the eaves and out of their + reach. + </p> + <p> + Myles looked up and looked down. Above was the bushy thickness of the ivy, + the branches as thick as a woman's wrist, knotted and intertwined; below + was the stone pavement of a narrow inner court between two of the stable + buildings. + </p> + <p> + “Methinks I can climb to yon place,” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Thou'lt break thy neck an thou tryest,” said Gascoyne, hastily. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” quoth Myles, “I trust not; but break or make, we get not there + without trying. So here goeth for the venture.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art a hare-brained knave as ever drew breath of life,” quoth + Gascoyne, “and will cause me to come to grief some of these fine days. + Ne'theless, an thou be Jack Fool and lead the way, go, and I will be Tom + Fool and follow anon. If thy neck is worth so little, mine is worth no + more.” + </p> + <p> + It was indeed a perilous climb, but that special providence which guards + reckless lads befriended them, as it has thousands of their kind before + and since. So, by climbing from one knotted, clinging stem to another, + they were presently seated snugly in the ivied niche in the window. It was + barred from within by a crumbling shutter, the rusty fastening of which, + after some little effort upon the part of the two, gave way, and entering + the narrow opening, they found themselves in a small triangular + passage-way, from which a steep flight of stone steps led down through a + hollow in the massive wall to the room below. + </p> + <p> + At the bottom of the steps was a heavy oaken door, which stood ajar, + hanging upon a single rusty hinge, and from the room within a dull, gray + light glimmered faintly. Myles pushed the door farther open; it creaked + and grated horribly on its rusty hinge, and, as in instant answer to the + discordant shriek, came a faint piping squeaking, a rustling and a + pattering of soft footsteps. + </p> + <p> + “The ghosts!” cried Gascoyne, in a quavering whisper, and for a moment + Myles felt the chill of goose-flesh creep up and down his spine. But the + next moment he laughed. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said he, “they be rats. Look at yon fellow, Francis! Be'st as big + as Mother Joan's kitten. Give me that stone.” He flung it at the rat, and + it flew clattering across the floor. There was another pattering rustle of + hundreds of feet, and then a breathless silence. + </p> + <p> + The boys stood looking around them, and a strange enough sight it was. The + room was a perfect circle of about twenty feet across, and was piled high + with an indistinguishable mass of lumber—rude tables, ruder chairs, + ancient chests, bits and remnants of cloth and sacking and leather, old + helmets and pieces of armor of a by-gone time, broken spears and + pole-axes, pots and pans and kitchen furniture of all sorts and kinds. + </p> + <p> + A straight beam of sunlight fell through a broken shutter like a bar of + gold, and fell upon the floor in a long streak of dazzling light that + illuminated the whole room with a yellow glow. + </p> + <p> + “By 'r Lady!” said Gascoyne at last, in a hushed voice, “here is Father + Time's garret for sure. Didst ever see the like, Myles? Look at yon + arbalist; sure Brutus himself used such an one!” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “but look at this saddle. Marry, here be'st a rat's + nest in it.” + </p> + <p> + Clouds of dust rose as they rummaged among the mouldering mass, setting + them coughing and sneezing. Now and then a great gray rat would shoot out + beneath their very feet, and disappear, like a sudden shadow, into some + hole or cranny in the wall. + </p> + <p> + “Come,” said Myles at last, brushing the dust from his jacket, “an we + tarry here longer we will have chance to see no other sights; the sun is + falling low.” + </p> + <p> + An arched stair-way upon the opposite side of the room from which they had + entered wound upward through the wall, the stone steps being lighted by + narrow slits of windows cut through the massive masonry. Above the room + they had just left was another of the same shape and size, but with an oak + floor, sagging and rising into hollows and hills, where the joist had + rotted away beneath. It was bare and empty, and not even a rat was to be + seen. Above was another room; above that, another; all the passages and + stairways which connected the one story with the other being built in the + wall, which was, where solid, perhaps fifteen feet thick. + </p> + <p> + From the third floor a straight flight of steps led upward to a closed + door, from the other side of which shone the dazzling brightness of + sunlight, and whence came a strange noise—a soft rustling, a + melodious murmur. The boys put their shoulders against the door, which was + fastened, and pushed with might and main—once, twice; suddenly the + lock gave way, and out they pitched headlong into a blaze of sunlight. A + deafening clapping and uproar sounded in their ears, and scores of + pigeons, suddenly disturbed, rose in stormy flight. + </p> + <p> + They sat up and looked around them in silent wonder. They were in a bower + of leafy green. It was the top story of the tower, the roof of which had + crumbled and toppled in, leaving it open to the sky, with only here and + there a slanting beam or two supporting a portion of the tiled roof, + affording shelter for the nests of the pigeons crowded closely together. + Over everything the ivy had grown in a mantling sheet—a net-work of + shimmering green, through which the sunlight fell flickering. + </p> + <p> + “This passeth wonder,” said Gascoyne, at last breaking the silence. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, “I did never see the like in all my life.” Then, “Look, + yonder is a room beyond; let us see what it is, Francis.” + </p> + <p> + Entering an arched door-way, the two found themselves in a beautiful + little vaulted chapel, about eighteen feet long and twelve or fifteen + wide. It comprised the crown of one of the large massive buttresses, and + from it opened the row of arched windows which could be seen from below + through the green shimmering of the ivy leaves. The boys pushed aside the + trailing tendrils and looked out and down. The whole castle lay spread + below them, with the busy people unconsciously intent upon the matters of + their daily work. They could see the gardener, with bowed back, patiently + working among the flowers in the garden, the stable-boys below grooming + the horses, a bevy of ladies in the privy garden playing at shuttlecock + with battledoors of wood, a group of gentlemen walking up and down in + front of the Earl's house. They could see the household servants hurrying + hither and thither, two little scullions at fisticuffs, and a kitchen girl + standing in the door-way scratching her frowzy head. + </p> + <p> + It was all like a puppetshow of real life, each acting unconsciously a + part in the play. The cool wind came in through the rustling leaves and + fanned their cheeks, hot with the climb up the winding stair-way. + </p> + <p> + “We will call it our Eyry,” said Gascoyne “and we will be the hawks that + live here.” And that was how it got its name. + </p> + <p> + The next day Myles had the armorer make him a score of large spikes, which + he and Gascoyne drove between the ivy branches and into the cement of the + wall, and so made a safe passageway by which to reach the window niche in + the wall. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 11 + </h2> + <p> + THE TWO friends kept the secret of the Eyry to themselves for a little + while, now and then visiting the old tower to rummage among the lumber + stored in the lower room, or to loiter away the afternoon in the windy + solitudes of the upper heights. And in that little time, when the ancient + keep was to them a small world unknown to any but themselves—a world + far away above all the dull matters of every-day life—they talked of + many things that might else never have been known to one another. Mostly + they spoke the crude romantic thoughts and desires of boyhood's time—chaff + thrown to the wind, in which, however, lay a few stray seeds, fated to + fall to good earth, and to ripen to fruition in manhood's day. + </p> + <p> + In the intimate talks of that time Myles imparted something of his honest + solidity to Gascoyne's somewhat weathercock nature, and to Myles's ruder + and more uncouth character Gascoyne lent a tone of his gentler manners, + learned in his pagehood service as attendant upon the Countess and her + ladies. + </p> + <p> + In other things, also, the character and experience of the one lad helped + to supply what was lacking in the other. Myles was replete with old Latin + gestes, fables, and sermons picked up during his school life, in those + intervals of his more serious studies when Prior Edward had permitted him + to browse in the greener pastures of the Gesta Romanorum and the + Disciplina Clericalis of the monastery library, and Gascoyne was never + weary of hearing him tell those marvellous stories culled from the crabbed + Latin of the old manuscript volumes. + </p> + <p> + Upon his part Gascoyne was full of the lore of the waiting-room and the + antechamber, and Myles, who in all his life had never known a lady, young + or old, excepting his mother, was never tired of lying silently listening + to Gascoyne's chatter of the gay doings of the castle gentle-life, in + which he had taken part so often in the merry days of his pagehood. + </p> + <p> + “I do wonder,” said Myles, quaintly, “that thou couldst ever find the + courage to bespeak a young maid, Francis. Never did I do so, nor ever + could. Rather would I face three strong men than one young damsel.” + </p> + <p> + Whereupon Gascoyne burst out laughing. “Marry!” quoth he, “they be no such + terrible things, but gentle and pleasant spoken, and soft and smooth as + any cat.” + </p> + <p> + “No matter for that,” said Myles; “I would not face one such for worlds.” + </p> + <p> + It was during the short time when, so to speak, the two owned the solitude + of the Brutus Tower, that Myles told his friend of his father's outlawry + and of the peril in which the family stood. And thus it was. + </p> + <p> + “I do marvel,” said Gascoyne one day, as the two lay stretched in the + Eyry, looking down into the castle court-yard below—“I do marvel, + now that thou art 'stablished here this month and more, that my Lord doth + never have thee called to service upon household duty. Canst thou riddle + me why it is so, Myles?” + </p> + <p> + The subject was a very sore one with Myles. Until Sir James had told him + of the matter in his office that day he had never known that his father + was attainted and outlawed. He had accepted the change from their earlier + state and the bald poverty of their life at Crosbey-Holt with the easy + carelessness of boyhood, and Sir James's words were the first to awaken + him to a realization of the misfortunes of the house of Falworth. His was + a brooding nature, and in the three or four weeks that passed he had + meditated so much over what had been told him, that by-and-by it almost + seemed as if a shadow of shame rested upon his father's fair fame, even + though the attaint set upon him was unrighteous and unjust, as Myles knew + it must be. He had felt angry and resentful at the Earl's neglect, and as + days passed and he was not noticed in any way, his heart was at times very + bitter. + </p> + <p> + So now Gascoyne's innocent question touched a sore spot, and Myles spoke + with a sharp, angry pain in his voice that made the other look quickly up. + “Sooner would my Lord have yonder swineherd serve him in the household + than me,” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Why may that be, Myles?” said Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + “Because,” answered Myles, with the same angry bitterness in his voice, + “either the Earl is a coward that feareth to befriend me, or else he is a + caitiff, ashamed of his own flesh and blood, and of me, the son of his + one-time comrade.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne raised himself upon his elbow, and opened his eyes wide in + wonder. “Afeard of thee, Myles!” quoth he. “Why should he be afeared to + befriend thee? Who art thou that the Earl should fear thee?” + </p> + <p> + Myles hesitated for a moment or two; wisdom bade him remain silent upon + the dangerous topic, but his heart yearned for sympathy and companionship + in his trouble. “I will tell thee,” said he, suddenly, and therewith + poured out all of the story, so far as he knew it, to his listening, + wondering friend, and his heart felt lighter to be thus eased of its + burden. “And now,” said he, as he concluded, “is not this Earl a + mean-hearted caitiff to leave me, the son of his one-time friend and + kinsman, thus to stand or to fall alone among strangers and in a strange + place without once stretching me a helping hand?” He waited, and Gascoyne + knew that he expected an answer. + </p> + <p> + “I know not that he is a mean-hearted caitiff, Myles,” said he at last, + hesitatingly. “The Earl hath many enemies, and I have heard that he hath + stood more than once in peril, having been accused of dealings with the + King's foes. He was cousin to the Earl of Kent, and I do remember hearing + that he had a narrow escape at that time from ruin. There be more reasons + than thou wottest of why he should not have dealings with thy father.” + </p> + <p> + “I had not thought,” said Myles, bitterly, after a little pause, “that + thou wouldst stand up for him and against me in this quarrel, Gascoyne. + Him will I never forgive so long as I may live, and I had thought that + thou wouldst have stood by me.” + </p> + <p> + “So I do,” said Gascoyne, hastily, “and do love thee more than any one in + all the world, Myles; but I had thought that it would make thee feel more + easy, to think that the Earl was not against thee. And, indeed, from all + thou has told me, I do soothly think that he and Sir James mean to + befriend thee and hold thee privily in kind regard.” + </p> + <p> + “Then why doth he not stand forth like a man and befriend me and my father + openly, even if it be to his own peril?” said Myles, reverting stubbornly + to what he had first spoken. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne did not answer, but lay for a long while in silence. “Knowest + thou,” he suddenly asked, after a while, “who is this great enemy of whom + Sir James speaketh, and who seeketh so to drive thy father to ruin?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “I know not, for my father hath never spoken of these + things, and Sir James would not tell me. But this I know,” said he, + suddenly, grinding his teeth together, “an I do not hunt him out some day + and slay him like a dog—” He stopped abruptly, and Gascoyne, looking + askance at him, saw that his eyes were full of tears, whereupon he turned + his looks away again quickly, and fell to shooting pebbles out through the + open window with his finger and thumb. + </p> + <p> + “Thou wilt tell no one of these things that I have said?” said Myles, + after a while. + </p> + <p> + “Not I,” said Gascoyne. “Thinkest thou I could do such a thing?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, briefly. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps this talk more than anything else that had ever passed between + them knit the two friends the closer together, for, as I have said, Myles + felt easier now that he had poured out his bitter thoughts and words; and + as for Gascoyne, I think that there is nothing so flattering to one's soul + as to be made the confidant of a stronger nature. + </p> + <p> + But the old tower served another purpose than that of a spot in which to + pass away a few idle hours, or in which to indulge the confidences of + friendship, for it was there that Myles gathered a backing of strength for + resistance against the tyranny of the bachelors, and it is for that more + than for any other reason that it has been told how they found the place + and of what they did there, feeling secure against interruption. + </p> + <p> + Myles Falworth was not of a kind that forgets or neglects a thing upon + which the mind has once been set. Perhaps his chief objective since the + talk with Sir James following his fight in the dormitory had been + successful resistance to the exactions of the head of the body of squires. + He was now (more than a month had passed) looked upon by nearly if not all + of the younger lads as an acknowledged leader in his own class. So one day + he broached a matter to Gascoyne that had for some time been digesting in + his mind. It was the formation of a secret order, calling themselves the + “Knights of the Rose,” their meeting-place to be the chapel of the Brutus + Tower, and their object to be the righting of wrongs, “as they,” said + Myles, “of Arthur his Round-table did right wrongs.” + </p> + <p> + “But, prithee, what wrongs are there to right in this place?” quoth + Gascoyne, after listening intently to the plan which Myles set forth. + </p> + <p> + “Why, first of all, this,” said Myles, clinching his fists, as he had a + habit of doing when anything stirred him deeply, “that we set those vile + bachelors to their right place; and that is, that they be no longer our + masters, but our fellows.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne shook his head. He hated clashing and conflict above all things, + and was for peace. Why should they thus rush to thrust themselves into + trouble? Let matters abide as they were a little longer; surely life was + pleasant enough without turning it all topsy-turvy. Then, with a sort of + indignation, why should Myles, who had only come among them a month, take + such service more to heart than they who had endured it for years? And, + finally, with the hopefulness of so many of the rest of us, he advised + Myles to let matters alone, and they would right themselves in time. + </p> + <p> + But Myles's mind was determined; his active spirit could not brook resting + passively under a wrong; he would endure no longer, and now or never they + must make their stand. + </p> + <p> + “But look thee, Myles Falworth,” said Gascoyne, “all this is not to be + done withouten fighting shrewdly. Wilt thou take that fighting upon thine + own self? As for me, I tell thee I love it not.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, aye,” said Myles; “I ask no man to do what I will not do myself.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne shrugged his shoulders. “So be it,” said he. “An thou hast + appetite to run thy head against hard knocks, do it i' mercy's name! I for + one will stand thee back while thou art taking thy raps.” + </p> + <p> + There was a spirit of drollery in Gascoyne's speech that rubbed against + Myles's earnestness. + </p> + <p> + “Out upon it!” cried he, his patience giving way. “Seest not that I am in + serious earnest? Why then dost thou still jest like Mad Noll, my Lord's + fool? An thou wilt not lend me thine aid in this matter, say so and ha' + done with it, and I will bethink me of somewhere else to turn.” + </p> + <p> + Then Gascoyne yielded at once, as he always did when his friend lost his + temper, and having once assented to it, entered into the scheme heart and + soul. Three other lads—one of them that tall thin squire Edmund + Wilkes, before spoken of—were sounded upon the subject. They also + entered into the plan of the secret organization with an enthusiasm which + might perhaps not have been quite so glowing had they realized how very + soon Myles designed embarking upon active practical operations. One day + Myles and Gascoyne showed them the strange things that they had discovered + in the old tower—the inner staircases, the winding passage-ways, the + queer niches and cupboard, and the black shaft of a well that pierced down + into the solid wall, and whence, perhaps, the old castle folk had one time + drawn their supply of water in time of siege, and with every new wonder of + the marvellous place the enthusiasm of the three recruits rose higher and + higher. They rummaged through the lumber pile in the great circular room + as Myles and Gascoyne had done, and at last, tired out, they ascended to + the airy chapel, and there sat cooling themselves in the rustling + freshness of the breeze that came blowing briskly in through the arched + windows. + </p> + <p> + It was then and there that the five discussed and finally determined upon + the detailed plans of their organization, canvassing the names of the + squirehood, and selecting from it a sufficient number of bold and daring + spirits to make up a roll of twenty names in all. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne had, as I said, entered into the matter with spirit, and perhaps + it was owing more to him than to any other that the project caught its + delightful flavor of romance. + </p> + <p> + “Perchance,” said he, as the five lads lay in the rustling stillness + through which sounded the monotonous and ceaseless cooing of the pigeons—“perchance + there may be dwarfs and giants and dragons and enchanters and evil knights + and what not even nowadays. And who knows but that if we Knights of the + Rose hold together we may go forth into the world, and do battle with + them, and save beautiful ladies, and have tales and gestes written about + us as they are writ about the Seven Champions and Arthur his Round-table.” + </p> + <p> + Perhaps Myles, who lay silently listening to all that was said, was the + only one who looked upon the scheme at all in the light of real utility, + but I think that even with him the fun of the matter outweighed the + serious part of the business. + </p> + <p> + So it was that the Sacred Order of the Twenty Knights of the Rose came to + be initiated. They appointed a code of secret passwords and countersigns + which were very difficult to remember, and which were only used when they + might excite the curiosity of the other and uninitiated boys by their + mysterious sound. They elected Myles as their Grand High Commander, and + held secret meetings in the ancient tower, where many mysteries were + soberly enacted. + </p> + <p> + Of course in a day or two all the body of squires knew nearly everything + concerning the Knights of the Rose, and of their secret meetings in the + old tower. The lucky twenty were the objects of envy of all not so + fortunate as to be included in this number, and there was a marked air of + secrecy about everything they did that appealed to every romantic notion + of the youngsters looking on. What was the stormy outcome of it all is now + presently to be told. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 12 + </h2> + <p> + Thus it was that Myles, with an eye to open war with the bachelors, + gathered a following to his support. It was some little while before + matters were brought to a crisis—a week or ten days. Perhaps even + Myles had no great desire to hasten matters. He knew that whenever war was + declared, he himself would have to bear the brunt of the battle, and even + the bravest man hesitates before deliberately thrusting himself into a + fight. + </p> + <p> + One morning Myles and Gascoyne and Wilkes sat under the shade of two + trees, between which was a board nailed to the trunks, making a rude bench—always + a favorite lounging-place for the lads in idle moments. Myles was + polishing his bascinet with lard and wood-ashes, rubbing the metal with a + piece of leather, and wiping it clean with a fustian rag. The other two, + who had just been relieved from household duty, lay at length idly looking + on. + </p> + <p> + Just then one of the smaller pages, a boy of twelve or thirteen, by name + Robin Ingoldsby, crossed the court. He had been crying; his face was red + and blubbered, and his body was still shaken with convulsive sniffs. + </p> + <p> + Myles looked up. “Come hither, Robin,” he called from where he sat. “What + is to do?” + </p> + <p> + The little fellow came slowly up to where the three rested in the shade. + “Mowbray beat me with a strap,” said he, rubbing his sleeve across his + eyes, and catching his breath at the recollection. + </p> + <p> + “Beat thee, didst say?” said Myles, drawing his brows together. “Why did + he beat thee?” + </p> + <p> + “Because,” said Robin, “I tarried overlong in fetching a pot of beer from + the buttery for him and Wyatt.” Then, with a boy's sudden and easy + quickness in forgetting past troubles, “Tell me, Falworth,” said he, “when + wilt thou give me that knife thou promised me—the one thou break the + blade of yesterday?” + </p> + <p> + “I know not,” said Myles, bluntly, vexed that the boy did not take the + disgrace of his beating more to heart. “Some time soon, mayhap. Me thinks + thou shouldst think more of thy beating than of a broken knife. Now get + thee gone to thy business.” + </p> + <p> + The youngster lingered for a moment or two watching Myles at his work. + “What is that on the leather scrap, Falworth?” said he, curiously. + </p> + <p> + “Lard and ashes,” said Myles, testily. “Get thee gone, I say, or I will + crack thy head for thee;” and he picked up a block of wood, with a + threatening gesture. + </p> + <p> + The youngster made a hideous grimace, and then scurried away, ducking his + head, lest in spite of Myles's well-known good-nature the block should + come whizzing after him. + </p> + <p> + “Hear ye that now!” cried Myles, flinging down the block again and turning + to his two friends. “Beaten with straps because, forsooth, he would not + fetch and carry quickly enough to please the haste of these bachelors. Oh, + this passeth patience, and I for one will bear it no longer.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Myles,” said Gascoyne, soothingly, “the little imp is as lazy as a + dormouse and as mischievous as a monkey. I'll warrant the hiding was his + due, and that more of the like would do him good.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, how dost thou talk, Francis!” said Myles, turning upon him + indignantly. “Thou knowest that thou likest to see the boy beaten no more + than I.” Then, after a meditative pause, “How many, think ye, we muster of + our company of the Rose today?” + </p> + <p> + Wilkes looked doubtfully at Gascoyne. “There be only seventeen of us here + now,” said he at last. “Brinton and Lambourne are away to Roby Castle in + Lord George's train, and will not be back till Saturday next. And Watt + Newton is in the infirmary. + </p> + <p> + “Seventeen be'st enou,” said Myles, grimly. “Let us get together this + afternoon, such as may, in the Brutus Tower, for I, as I did say, will no + longer suffer these vile bachelors.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne and Wilkes exchanged looks, and then the former blew a long + whistle. + </p> + <p> + So that afternoon a gloomy set of young faces were gathered together in + the Eyry—fifteen of the Knights of the Rose—and all knew why + they were assembled. The talk which followed was conducted mostly by + Myles. He addressed the others with a straightforward vim and earnestness, + but the response was only half-hearted, and when at last, having heated + himself up with his own fire, he sat down, puffing out his red cheeks and + glaring round, a space of silence followed, the lads looked doubtfully at + one another. Myles felt the chill of their silence strike coldly on his + enthusiasm, and it vexed him. + </p> + <p> + “What wouldst thou do, Falworth?” said one of the knights, at last. + “Wouldst have us open a quarrel with the bachelors?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, gruffly. “I had thought that ye would all lend me a + hand in a pitched battle but now I see that ye ha' no stomach for that. + Ne'theless, I tell ye plainly I will not submit longer to the bachelors. + So now I will ask ye not to take any venture upon yourselves, but only + this: that ye will stand by me when I do my fighting, and not let five or + seven of them fall upon me at once. + </p> + <p> + “There is Walter Blunt; he is parlous strong,” said one of the others, + after a time of silence. “Methinks he could conquer any two of us.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “ye do fear him too greatly. I tell ye I fear not to + stand up to try battle with him and will do so, too, if the need arise. + Only say ye that ye will stand by my back.” + </p> + <p> + “Marry,” said Gascoyne, quaintly, “an thou wilt dare take the heavy end + upon thee, I for one am willing to stand by and see that thou have thy + fill of fighting.” + </p> + <p> + “I too will stand thee by, Myles,” said Edmund Wilkes. + </p> + <p> + “And I, and I, and I,” said others, chiming in. + </p> + <p> + Those who would still have held back were carried along by the stream, and + so it was settled that if the need should arise for Myles to do a bit of + fighting, the others should stand by to see that he had fair play. + </p> + <p> + “When thinkest thou that thou wilt take thy stand against them, Myles?” + asked Wilkes. + </p> + <p> + Myles hesitated a moment. “To-morrow,” said he, grimly. + </p> + <p> + Several of the lads whistled softly. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne was prepared for an early opening of the war, but perhaps not for + such an early opening as this. “By 'r Lady, Myles, thou art hungry for + brawling,” said he. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 13 + </h2> + <p> + After the first excitement of meeting, discussing, and deciding had + passed, Myles began to feel the weight of the load he had so boldly taken + upon himself. He began to reckon what a serious thing it was for him to + stand as a single champion against the tyranny that had grown so strong + through years of custom. Had he let himself do so, he might almost have + repented, but it was too late now for repentance. He had laid his hand to + the plough, and he must drive the furrow. + </p> + <p> + Somehow the news of impending battle had leaked out among the rest of the + body of squires, and a buzz of suppressed excitement hummed through the + dormitory that evening. The bachelors, to whom, no doubt, vague rumors had + been blown, looked lowering, and talked together in low voices, standing + apart in a group. Some of them made a rather marked show of secreting + knives in the straw of their beds, and no doubt it had its effect upon + more than one young heart that secretly thrilled at the sight of the + shining blades. However, all was undisturbed that evening. The lights were + put out, and the lads retired with more than usual quietness, only for the + murmur of whispering. + </p> + <p> + All night Myles's sleep was more or less disturbed by dreams in which he + was now conquering, now being conquered, and before the day had fairly + broken he was awake. He lay upon his cot, keying himself up for the + encounter which he had set upon himself to face, and it would not be the + truth to say that the sight of those knives hidden in the straw the night + before had made no impression upon him. By-and-by he knew the others were + beginning to awake, for he heard them softly stirring, and as the light + grew broad and strong, saw them arise, one by one, and begin dressing in + the gray morning. Then he himself arose and put on his doublet and hose, + strapping his belt tightly about his waist; then he sat down on the side + of his cot. + </p> + <p> + Presently that happened for which he was waiting; two of the younger + squires started to bring the bachelors' morning supply of water. As they + crossed the room Myles called to them in a loud voice—a little + uneven, perhaps: “Stop! We draw no more water for any one in this house, + saving only for ourselves. Set ye down those buckets, and go back to your + places!” + </p> + <p> + The two lads stopped, half turned, and then stood still, holding the three + buckets undecidedly. + </p> + <p> + In a moment all was uproar and confusion, for by this time every one of + the lads had arisen, some sitting on the edge of their beds, some nearly, + others quite dressed. A half-dozen of the Knights of the Rose came over to + where Myles stood, gathering in a body behind him and the others followed, + one after another. + </p> + <p> + The bachelors were hardly prepared for such prompt and vigorous action. + </p> + <p> + “What is to do?” cried one of them, who stood near the two lads with the + buckets. “Why fetch ye not the water?” + </p> + <p> + “Falworth says we shall not fetch it,” answered one of the lads, a boy by + the name of Gosse. + </p> + <p> + “What mean ye by that, Falworth?” the young man called to Myles. + </p> + <p> + Myles's heart was beating thickly and heavily within him, but nevertheless + he spoke up boldly enough. “I mean,” said he, “that from henceforth ye + shall fetch and carry for yourselves.” + </p> + <p> + “Look'ee, Blunt,” called the bachelor; “here is Falworth says they squires + will fetch no more water for us.” + </p> + <p> + The head bachelor had heard all that had passed, and was even then hastily + slipping on his doublet and hose. “Now, then, Falworth,” said he at last, + striding forward, “what is to do? Ye will fetch no more water, eh? By 'r + Lady, I will know the reason why.” + </p> + <p> + He was still advancing towards Myles, with two or three of the older + bachelors at his heels, when Gascoyne spoke. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hadst best stand back, Blunt,” said he, “else thou mayst be hurt. We + will not have ye bang Falworth again as ye once did, so stand thou back!” + </p> + <p> + Blunt stopped short and looked upon the lads standing behind Myles, some + of them with faces a trifle pale perhaps, but all grim and determined + looking enough. Then he turned upon his heel suddenly, and walked back to + the far end of the dormitory, where the bachelors were presently clustered + together. A few words passed between them, and then the thirteen began at + once arming themselves, some with wooden clogs, and some with the knives + which they had so openly concealed the night before. At the sign of + imminent battle, all those not actively interested scuttled away to right + and left, climbing up on the benches and cots, and leaving a free field to + the combatants. The next moment would have brought bloodshed. + </p> + <p> + Now Myles, thanks to the training of the Crosbey-Dale smith, felt + tolerably sure that in a wrestling bout he was a match—perhaps more + than a match—for any one of the body of squires, and he had + determined, if possible, to bring the battle to a single-handed encounter + upon that footing. Accordingly he suddenly stepped forward before the + others. + </p> + <p> + “Look'ee, fellow,” he called to Blunt, “thou art he who struck me whilst I + was down some while since. Wilt thou let this quarrel stand between thee + and me, and meet me man to man without weapon? See, I throw me down mine + own, and will meet thee with bare hands.” And as he spoke, he tossed the + clog he held in his hand back upon the cot. + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said Blunt, with great readiness, tossing down a similar + weapon which he himself held. + </p> + <p> + “Do not go, Myles,” cried Gascoyne, “he is a villain and a traitor, and + would betray thee to thy death. I saw him when he first gat from bed hide + a knife in his doublet.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou liest!” said Blunt. “I swear, by my faith, I be barehanded as ye see + me! Thy friend accuses me, Myles Falworth, because he knoweth thou art + afraid of me.” + </p> + <p> + “There thou liest most vilely!” exclaimed Myles. “Swear that thou hast no + knife, and I will meet thee.” + </p> + <p> + “Hast thou not heard me say that I have no knife?” said Blunt. “What more + wouldst thou have?” + </p> + <p> + “Then I will meet thee halfway,” said Myles. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne caught him by the sleeve, and would have withheld him, assuring + him that he had seen the bachelor conceal a knife. But Myles, hot for the + fight, broke away from his friend without listening to him. + </p> + <p> + As the two advanced steadily towards one another a breathless silence fell + upon the dormitory in sharp contrast to the uproar and confusion that had + filled it a moment before. The lads, standing some upon benches, some upon + beds, all watched with breathless interest the meeting of the two + champions. + </p> + <p> + As they approached one another they stopped and stood for a moment a + little apart, glaring the one upon the other. They seemed ill enough + matched; Blunt was fully half a head taller than Myles, and was thick-set + and close-knit in young manhood. Nothing but Myles's undaunted pluck could + have led him to dare to face an enemy so much older and stouter than + himself. + </p> + <p> + The pause was only for a moment. They who looked saw Blunt slide his hand + furtively towards his bosom. Myles saw too, and in the flash of an instant + knew what the gesture meant, and sprang upon the other before the hand + could grasp what it sought. As he clutched his enemy he felt what he had + in that instant expected to feel—the handle of a dagger. The next + moment he cried, in a loud voice: “Oh, thou villain! Help, Gascoyne! He + hath a knife under his doublet!” + </p> + <p> + In answer to his cry for help, Myles's friends started to his aid. But the + bachelors shouted, “Stand back and let them fight it out alone, else we + will knife ye too.” And as they spoke, some of them leaped from the + benches whereon they stood, drawing their knives and flourishing them. + </p> + <p> + For just a few seconds Myles's friends stood cowed, and in those few + seconds the fight came to an end with a suddenness unexpected to all. + </p> + <p> + A struggle fierce and silent followed between the two; Blunt striving to + draw his knife, and Myles, with the energy of despair, holding him tightly + by the wrist. It was in vain the elder lad writhed and twisted; he was + strong enough to overbear Myles, but still was not able to clutch the haft + of his knife. + </p> + <p> + “Thou shalt not draw it!” gasped Myles at last. “Thou shalt not stab me!” + </p> + <p> + Then again some of his friends started forward to his aid, but they were + not needed, for before they came, the fight was over. + </p> + <p> + Blunt, finding that he was not able to draw the weapon, suddenly ceased + his endeavors, and flung his arms around Myles, trying to bear him down + upon the ground, and in that moment his battle was lost. + </p> + <p> + In an instant—so quick, so sudden, so unexpected that no one could + see how it happened—his feet were whirled away from under him, he + spun with flying arms across Myles's loins, and pitched with a thud upon + the stone pavement, where he lay still, motionless, while Myles, his face + white with passion and his eyes gleaming, stood glaring around like a + young wild-boar beset by the dogs. + </p> + <p> + The next moment the silence was broken, and the uproar broke forth with + redoubled violence. The bachelors, leaping from the benches, came hurrying + forward on one side, and Myles's friends from the other. + </p> + <p> + “Thou shalt smart for this, Falworth,” said one of the older lads. “Belike + thou hast slain him!” + </p> + <p> + Myles turned upon the speaker like a flash, and with such a passion of + fury in his face that the other, a fellow nearly a head taller than he, + shrank back, cowed in spite of himself. Then Gascoyne came and laid his + hand on his friend's shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “Who touches me?” cried Myles, hoarsely, turning sharply upon him; and + then, seeing who it was, “Oh, Francis, they would ha' killed me!” + </p> + <p> + “Come away, Myles,” said Gascoyne; “thou knowest not what thou doest; thou + art mad; come away. What if thou hadst killed him?” + </p> + <p> + The words called Myles somewhat to himself. “I care not!” said he, but + sullenly and not passionately, and then he suffered Gascoyne and Wilkes to + lead him away. + </p> + <p> + Meantime Blunt's friends had turned him over, and, after feeling his + temples, his wrist, and his heart, bore him away to a bench at the far end + of the room. There they fell to chafing his hands and sprinkling water in + his face, a crowd of the others gathering about. Blunt was hidden from + Myles by those who stood around, and the lad listened to the broken talk + that filled the room with its confusion, his anxiety growing keener as he + became cooler. But at last, with a heartfelt joy, he gathered from the + confused buzz of words that the other lad had opened his eyes and, after a + while, he saw him sit up, leaning his head upon the shoulder of one of his + fellow-bachelors, white and faint and sick as death. + </p> + <p> + “Thank Heaven that thou didst not kill him!” said Edmund Wilkes, who had + been standing with the crowd looking on at the efforts of Blunt's friends + to revive him, and who had now come and sat down upon the bed not far from + Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, gruffly, “I do thank Heaven for that.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 14 + </h2> + <p> + If Myles fancied that one single victory over his enemy would cure the + evil against which he fought, he was grievously mistaken; wrongs are not + righted so easily as that. It was only the beginning. Other and far more + bitter battles lay before him ere he could look around him and say, “I + have won the victory.” + </p> + <p> + For a day—for two days—the bachelors were demoralized at the + fall of their leader, and the Knights of the Rose were proportionately + uplifted. + </p> + <p> + The day that Blunt met his fall, the wooden tank in which the water had + been poured every morning was found to have been taken away. The bachelors + made a great show of indignation and inquiry. Who was it stole their tank? + If they did but know, he should smart for it. + </p> + <p> + “Ho! ho!” roared Edmund Wilkes, so that the whole dormitory heard him, + “smoke ye not their tricks, lads? See ye not that they have stolen their + own water-tank, so that they might have no need for another fight over the + carrying of the water?” + </p> + <p> + The bachelors made an obvious show of not having heard what he said, and a + general laugh went around. No one doubted that Wilkes had spoken the truth + in his taunt, and that the bachelors had indeed stolen their own tank. So + no more water was ever carried for the head squires, but it was plain to + see that the war for the upperhand was not yet over. + </p> + <p> + Even if Myles had entertained comforting thoughts to the contrary, he was + speedily undeceived. One morning, about a week after the fight, as he and + Gascoyne were crossing the armory court, they were hailed by a group of + the bachelors standing at the stone steps of the great building. + </p> + <p> + “Holloa, Falworth!” they cried. “Knowest thou that Blunt is nigh well + again?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “I knew it not. But I am right glad to hear it.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou wilt sing a different song anon,” said one of the bachelors. “I tell + thee he is hot against thee, and swears when he cometh again he will carve + thee soothly.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, marry!” said another. “I would not be in thy skin a week hence for a + ducat! Only this morning he told Philip Mowbray that he would have thy + blood for the fall thou gavest him. Look to thyself, Falworth; he cometh + again Wednesday or Thursday next; thou standest in a parlous state.” + </p> + <p> + “Myles,” said Gascoyne, as they entered the great quadrangle, “I do indeed + fear me that he meaneth to do thee evil.” + </p> + <p> + “I know not,” said Myles, boldly; “but I fear him not.” Nevertheless his + heart was heavy with the weight of impending ill. + </p> + <p> + One evening the bachelors were more than usually noisy in their end of the + dormitory, laughing and talking and shouting to one another. + </p> + <p> + “Holloa, you sirrah, Falworth!” called one of them along the length of the + room. “Blunt cometh again to-morrow day.” + </p> + <p> + Myles saw Gascoyne direct a sharp glance at him; but he answered nothing + either to his enemy's words or his friend's look. + </p> + <p> + As the bachelor had said, Blunt came the next morning. It was just after + chapel, and the whole body of squires was gathered in the armory waiting + for the orders of the day and the calling of the roll of those chosen for + household duty. Myles was sitting on a bench along the wall, talking and + jesting with some who stood by, when of a sudden his heart gave a great + leap within him. + </p> + <p> + It was Walter Blunt. He came walking in at the door as if nothing had + passed, and at his unexpected coming the hubbub of talk and laughter was + suddenly checked. Even Myles stopped in his speech for a moment, and then + continued with a beating heart and a carelessness of manner that was + altogether assumed. In his hand Blunt carried the house orders for the + day, and without seeming to notice Myles, he opened it and read the list + of those called upon for household service. + </p> + <p> + Myles had risen, and was now standing listening with the others. When + Blunt had ended reading the list of names, he rolled up the parchment, and + thrust it into his belt; then swinging suddenly on his heel, he strode + straight up to Myles, facing him front to front. A moment or two of deep + silence followed; not a sound broke the stillness. When Blunt spoke every + one in the armory heard his words. + </p> + <p> + “Sirrah!” said he, “thou didst put foul shame upon me some time sin. Never + will I forget or forgive that offence, and will have a reckoning with thee + right soon that thou wilt not forget to the last day of thy life.” + </p> + <p> + When Myles had seen his enemy turn upon him, he did not know at first what + to expect; he would not have been surprised had they come to blows there + and then, and he held himself prepared for any event. He faced the other + pluckily enough and without flinching, and spoke up boldly in answer. “So + be it, Walter Blunt; I fear thee not in whatever way thou mayst encounter + me.” + </p> + <p> + “Dost thou not?” said Blunt. “By'r Lady, thou'lt have cause to fear me ere + I am through with thee.” He smiled a baleful, lingering smile, and then + turned slowly and walked away. + </p> + <p> + “What thinkest thou, Myles?” said Gascoyne, as the two left the armory + together. + </p> + <p> + “I think naught,” said Myles gruffly. “He will not dare to touch me to + harm me. I fear him not.” Nevertheless, he did not speak the full feelings + of his heart. + </p> + <p> + “I know not, Myles,” said Gascoyne, shaking his head doubtfully. “Walter + Blunt is a parlous evil-minded knave, and methinks will do whatever evil + he promiseth.” + </p> + <p> + “I fear him not,” said Myles again; but his heart foreboded trouble. + </p> + <p> + The coming of the head squire made a very great change in the condition of + affairs. Even before that coming the bachelors had somewhat recovered from + their demoralization, and now again they began to pluck up their + confidence and to order the younger squires and pages upon this personal + service or upon that. + </p> + <p> + “See ye not,” said Myles one day, when the Knights of the Rose were + gathered in the Brutus Tower—“see ye not that they grow as bad as + ever? An we put not a stop to this overmastery now, it will never stop.” + </p> + <p> + “Best let it be, Myles,” said Wilkes. “They will kill thee an thou cease + not troubling them. Thou hast bred mischief enow for thyself already.” + </p> + <p> + “No matter for that,” said Myles; “it is not to be borne that they order + others of us about as they do. I mean to speak to them to-night, and tell + them it shall not be.” + </p> + <p> + He was as good as his word. That night, as the youngsters were shouting + and romping and skylarking, as they always did before turning in, he stood + upon his cot and shouted: “Silence! List to me a little!” And then, in the + hush that followed—“I want those bachelors to hear this: that we + squires serve them no longer, and if they would ha' some to wait upon + them, they must get them otherwheres than here. There be twenty of us to + stand against them and haply more, and we mean that they shall ha' service + of us no more.” + </p> + <p> + Then he jumped down again from his elevated stand, and an uproar of + confusion instantly filled the place. What was the effect of his words + upon the bachelors he could not see. What was the result he was not slow + in discovering. + </p> + <p> + The next day Myles and Gascoyne were throwing their daggers for a wager at + a wooden target against the wall back of the armorer's smithy. Wilkes, + Gosse, and one or two others of the squires were sitting on a bench + looking on, and now and then applauding a more than usually well-aimed + cast of the knife. Suddenly that impish little page spoken of before, + Robin Ingoldsby, thrust his shock head around the corner of the smithy, + and said: “Ho, Falworth! Blunt is going to serve thee out to-day, and I + myself heard him say so. He says he is going to slit thine ears.” And then + he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared. + </p> + <p> + Myles darted after him, caught him midway in the quadrangle, and brought + him back by the scuff of the neck, squalling and struggling. + </p> + <p> + “There!” said he, still panting from the chase and seating the boy by no + means gently upon the bench beside Wilkes. “Sit thou there, thou imp of + evil! And now tell me what thou didst mean by thy words anon—an thou + stop not thine outcry, I will cut thy throat for thee,” and he made a + ferocious gesture with his dagger. + </p> + <p> + It was by no means easy to worm the story from the mischievous little + monkey; he knew Myles too well to be in the least afraid of his threats. + But at last, by dint of bribing and coaxing, Myles and his friends managed + to get at the facts. The youngster had been sent to clean the riding-boots + of one of the bachelors, instead of which he had lolled idly on a cot in + the dormitory, until he had at last fallen asleep. He had been awakened by + the opening of the dormitory door and by the sound of voices—among + them was that of his taskmaster. Fearing punishment for his neglected + duty, he had slipped out of the cot, and hidden himself beneath it. + </p> + <p> + Those who had entered were Walter Blunt and three of the older bachelors. + Blunt's companions were trying to persuade him against something, but + without avail. It was—Myles's heart thrilled and his blood boiled—to + lie in wait for him, to overpower him by numbers, and to mutilate him by + slitting his ears—a disgraceful punishment administered, as a rule, + only for thieving and poaching. + </p> + <p> + “He would not dare to do such a thing!” cried Myles, with heaving breast + and flashing eyes. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, but he would,” said Gascoyne. “His father, Lord Reginald Blunt, is a + great man over Nottingham way, and my Lord would not dare to punish him + even for such a matter as that. But tell me, Robin Ingoldsby, dost know + aught more of this matter? Prithee tell it me, Robin. Where do they + propose to lie in wait for Falworth?” + </p> + <p> + “In the gate-way of the Buttery Court, so as to catch him when he passes + by to the armory,” answered the boy. + </p> + <p> + “Are they there now?” said Wilkes. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, nine of them,” said Robin. “I heard Blunt tell Mowbray to go and + gather the others. He heard thee tell Gosse, Falworth, that thou wert + going thither for thy arbalist this morn to shoot at the rooks withal.” + </p> + <p> + “That will do, Robin,” said Myles. “Thou mayst go.” + </p> + <p> + And therewith the little imp scurried off, pulling the lobes of his ears + suggestively as he darted around the corner. + </p> + <p> + The others looked at one another for a while in silence. + </p> + <p> + “So, comrades,” said Myles at last, “what shall we do now?” + </p> + <p> + “Go, and tell Sir James,” said Gascoyne, promptly. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “I take no such coward's part as that. I say an they + hunger to fight, give them their stomachful.” + </p> + <p> + The others were very reluctant for such extreme measures, but Myles, as + usual, carried his way, and so a pitched battle was decided upon. It was + Gascoyne who suggested the plan which they afterwards followed. + </p> + <p> + Then Wilkes started away to gather together those of the Knights of the + Rose not upon household duty, and Myles, with the others, went to the + armor smith to have him make for them a set of knives with which to meet + their enemies—knives with blades a foot long, pointed and + double-edged. + </p> + <p> + The smith, leaning with his hammer upon the anvil, listened to them as + they described the weapons. + </p> + <p> + “Nay, nay, Master Myles,” said he, when Myles had ended by telling the use + to which he intended putting them. “Thou art going all wrong in this + matter. With such blades, ere this battle is ended, some one would be + slain, and so murder done. Then the family of him who was killed would + haply have ye cited, and mayhap it might e'en come to the hanging, for + some of they boys ha' great folkeys behind them. Go ye to Tom Fletcher, + Master Myles, and buy of him good yew staves, such as one might break a + head withal, and with them, gin ye keep your wits, ye may hold your own + against knives or short swords. I tell thee, e'en though my trade be + making of blades, rather would I ha' a good stout cudgel in my hand than + the best dagger that ever was forged.” + </p> + <p> + Myles stood thoughtfully for a moment or two; then, looking up, “Methinks + thou speaketh truly, Robin,” said he; “and it were ill done to have blood + upon our hands.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 15 + </h2> + <p> + From the long, narrow stone-paved Armory Court, and connecting it with the + inner Buttery Court, ran a narrow arched passage-way, in which was a + picket-gate, closed at night and locked from within. It was in this arched + passage-way that, according to little Robert Ingoldsby's report, the + bachelors were lying in wait for Myles. Gascoyne's plan was that Myles + should enter the court alone, the Knights of the Rose lying ambushed + behind the angle of the armory building until the bachelors should show + themselves. + </p> + <p> + It was not without trepidation that Myles walked alone into the court, + which happened then to be silent and empty. His heart beat more quickly + than it was wont, and he gripped his cudgel behind his back, looking + sharply this way and that, so as not to be taken unawares by a flank + movement of his enemies. Midway in the court he stopped and hesitated for + a moment; then he turned as though to enter the armory. The next moment he + saw the bachelors come pouring out from the archway. + </p> + <p> + Instantly he turned and rushed back towards where his friends lay hidden, + shouting: “To the rescue! To the rescue!” + </p> + <p> + “Stone him!” roared Blunt. “The villain escapes!” + </p> + <p> + He stopped and picked up a cobble-stone as he spoke, flinging it after his + escaping prey. It narrowly missed Myles's head; had it struck him, there + might have been no more of this story to tell. + </p> + <p> + “To the rescue! To the rescue!” shouted Myles's friends in answer, and the + next moment he was surrounded by them. Then he turned, and swinging his + cudgel, rushed back upon his foes. + </p> + <p> + The bachelors stopped short at the unexpected sight of the lads with their + cudgels. For a moment they rallied and drew their knives; then they turned + and fled towards their former place of hiding. + </p> + <p> + One of them turned for a moment, and flung his knife at Myles with a + deadly aim; but Myles, quick as a cat, ducked his body, and the weapon + flew clattering across the stony court. Then he who had flung it turned + again to fly, but in his attempt he had delayed one instant too long. + Myles reached him with a long-arm stroke of his cudgel just as he entered + the passage-way, knocking him over like a bottle, stunned and senseless. + </p> + <p> + The next moment the picket-gate was banged in their faces and the bolt + shot in the staples, and the Knights of the Rose were left shouting and + battering with their cudgels against the palings. + </p> + <p> + By this time the uproar of fight had aroused those in the rooms and + offices fronting upon the Armory Court; heads were thrust from many of the + windows with the eager interest that a fight always evokes. + </p> + <p> + “Beware!” shouted Myles. “Here they come again!” He bore back towards the + entrance of the alley-way as he spoke, those behind him scattering to + right and left, for the bachelors had rallied, and were coming again to + the attack, shouting. + </p> + <p> + They were not a moment too soon in this retreat, either, for the next + instant the pickets flew open, and a volley of stones flew after the + retreating Knights of the Rose. One smote Wilkes upon the head, knocking + him down headlong. Another struck Myles upon his left shoulder, benumbing + his arm from the finger-tips to the armpit, so that he thought at first + the limb was broken. + </p> + <p> + “Get ye behind the buttresses!” shouted those who looked down upon the + fight from the windows—“get ye behind the buttresses!” And in answer + the lads, scattering like a newly-flushed covey of partridges, fled to and + crouched in the sheltering angles of masonry to escape from the flying + stones. + </p> + <p> + And now followed a lull in the battle, the bachelors fearing to leave the + protection of the arched passage-way lest their retreat should be cut off, + and the Knights of the Rose not daring to quit the shelter of the + buttresses and angles of the wall lest they should be knocked down by the + stones. + </p> + <p> + The bachelor whom Myles had struck down with his cudgel was sitting up + rubbing the back of his head, and Wilkes had gathered his wits enough to + crawl to the shelter of the nearest buttress. Myles, peeping around the + corner behind which he stood, could see that the bachelors were gathered + into a little group consulting together. Suddenly it broke asunder, and + Blunt turned around. + </p> + <p> + “Ho, Falworth!” he cried. “Wilt thou hold truce whiles we parley with ye?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” answered Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Wilt thou give me thine honor that ye will hold your hands from harming + us whiles we talk together?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” said Myles, “I will pledge thee mine honor.” + </p> + <p> + “I accept thy pledge. See! here we throw aside our stones and lay down our + knives. Lay ye by your clubs, and meet us in parley at the horse-block + yonder.” + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said Myles, and thereupon, standing his cudgel in the angle of + the wall, he stepped boldly out into the open court-yard. Those of his + party came scatteringly from right and left, gathering about him; and the + bachelors advanced in a body, led by the head squire. + </p> + <p> + “Now what is it thou wouldst have, Walter Blunt?” said Myles, when both + parties had met at the horse-block. + </p> + <p> + “It is to say this to thee, Myles Falworth,” said the other. “One time, + not long sin, thou didst challenge me to meet thee hand to hand in the + dormitory. Then thou didst put a vile affront upon me, for the which I ha' + brought on this battle to-day, for I knew not then that thou wert going to + try thy peasant tricks of wrestling, and so, without guarding myself, I + met thee as thou didst desire.” + </p> + <p> + “But thou hadst thy knife, and would have stabbed him couldst thou ha' + done so,” said Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + “Thou liest!” said Blunt. “I had no knife.” And then, without giving time + to answer, “Thou canst not deny that I met thee then at thy bidding, canst + thou, Falworth?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “nor haply canst thou deny it either.” And at this + covert reminder of his defeat Myles's followers laughed scoffingly and + Blunt bit his lip. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hast said it,” said he. “Then sin. I met thee at thy bidding, I dare + to thee to meet me now at mine, and to fight this battle out between our + two selves, with sword and buckler and bascinet as gentles should, and not + in a wrestling match like two country hodges.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art a coward caitiff, Walter Blunt!” burst out Wilkes, who stood by + with a swelling lump upon his head, already as big as a walnut. “Well thou + knowest that Falworth is no match for thee at broadsword play. Is he not + four years younger than thou, and hast thou not had three times the + practice in arms that he hath had? I say thou art a coward to seek to + fight with cutting weapons.” + </p> + <p> + Blunt made no answer to Wilkes's speech, but gazed steadfastly at Myles, + with a scornful smile curling the corners of his lips. Myles stood looking + upon the ground without once lifting his eyes, not knowing what to answer, + for he was well aware that he was no match for Blunt with the broadsword. + </p> + <p> + “Thou art afraid to fight me, Myles Falworth,” said Blunt, tauntingly, and + the bachelors gave a jeering laugh in echo. + </p> + <p> + Then Myles looked up, and I cannot say that his face was not a trifle + whiter than usual. “Nay,” said he, “I am not afraid, and I will fight + thee, Blunt.” + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said Blunt. “Then let us go at it straightway in the armory + yonder, for they be at dinner in the Great Hall, and just now there be'st + no one by to stay us.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou shalt not fight him, Myles!” burst out Gascoyne. “He will murther + thee! Thou shalt not fight him, I say!” + </p> + <p> + Myles turned away without answering him. + </p> + <p> + “What is to do?” called one of those who were still looking out of the + windows as the crowd of boys passed beneath. + </p> + <p> + “Blunt and Falworth are going to fight it out hand to hand in the armory,” + answered one of the bachelors, looking up. + </p> + <p> + The brawling of the squires was a jest to all the adjoining part of the + house. So the heads were withdrawn again, some laughing at the “sparring + of the cockerels.” + </p> + <p> + But it was no jesting matter to poor Myles. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 16 + </h2> + <p> + I have no intention to describe the fight between Myles Falworth and + Walter Blunt. Fisticuffs of nowadays are brutal and debasing enough, but a + fight with a sharp-edged broadsword was not only brutal and debasing, but + cruel and bloody as well. + </p> + <p> + From the very first of the fight Myles Falworth was palpably and obviously + overmatched. After fifteen minutes had passed, Blunt stood hale and sound + as at first; but poor Myles had more than one red stain of warm blood upon + doublet and hose, and more than one bandage had been wrapped by Gascoyne + and Wilkes about sore wounds. + </p> + <p> + He had received no serious injury as yet, for not only was his body + protected by a buckler, or small oblong shield, which he carried upon his + left arm, and his head by a bascinet, or light helmet of steel, but + perhaps, after all, Blunt was not over-anxious to do him any dangerous + harm. Nevertheless, there could be but one opinion as to how the fight + tended, and Myles's friends were gloomy and downcast; the bachelors + proportionately exultant, shouting with laughter, and taunting Myles at + every unsuccessful stroke. + </p> + <p> + Once, as he drew back panting, leaning upon Gascoyne's shoulder, the + faithful friend whispered, with trembling lips: “Oh, dear Myles, carry it + no further. Thou hurtest him not, and he will slay thee ere he have done + with thee.” + </p> + <p> + Thereupon Blunt, who caught the drift of the speech, put in a word. “Thou + art sore hurt, Myles Falworth,” said he, “and I would do thee no grievous + harm. Yield thee and own thyself beaten, and I will forgive thee. Thou + hast fought a good fight, and there is no shame in yielding now.” + </p> + <p> + “Never!” cried Myles, hoarsely—“never will I yield me! Thou mayst + slay me, Walter Blunt, and I reck not if thou dost do so, but never else + wilt thou conquer me.” + </p> + <p> + There was a tone of desperation in his voice that made all look serious. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Blunt; “I will fight thee no more, Myles Falworth; thou hast + had enough.” + </p> + <p> + “By heavens!” cried Myles, grinding his teeth, “thou shalt fight me, thou + coward! Thou hast brought this fight upon us, and either thou or I get our + quittance here. Let go, Gascoyne!” he cried, shaking loose his friend's + hold; “I tell thee he shall fight me!” + </p> + <p> + From that moment Blunt began to lose his head. No doubt he had not thought + of such a serious fight as this when he had given his challenge, and there + was a savage bull-dog tenacity about Myles that could not but have had a + somewhat demoralizing effect upon him. + </p> + <p> + A few blows were given and taken, and then Myles's friends gave a shout. + Blunt drew back, and placed his hand to his shoulder. When he drew it away + again it was stained with red, and another red stain grew and spread + rapidly down the sleeve of his jacket. He stared at his hand for a moment + with a half-dazed look, and then glanced quickly to right and left. + </p> + <p> + “I will fight no more,” said he, sullenly. + </p> + <p> + “Then yield thee!” cried Myles, exultantly. + </p> + <p> + The triumphant shouts of the Knights of the Rose stung Blunt like a lash, + and the battle began again. Perhaps some of the older lads were of a mind + to interfere at this point, certainly some looked very serious, but before + they interposed, the fight was ended. + </p> + <p> + Blunt, grinding his teeth, struck one undercut at his opponent—the + same undercut that Myles had that time struck at Sir James Lee at the + knight's bidding when he first practised at the Devlen pels. Myles met the + blow as Sir James had met the blow that he had given, and then struck in + return as Sir James had struck—full and true. The bascinet that + Blunt wore glanced the blow partly, but not entirely. Myles felt his sword + bite through the light steel cap, and Blunt dropped his own blade + clattering upon the floor. It was all over in an instant, but in that + instant what he saw was stamped upon Myles's mind with an indelible + imprint. He saw the young man stagger backward; he saw the eyes roll + upward; and a red streak shoot out from under the cap and run down across + the cheek. + </p> + <p> + Blunt reeled half around, and then fell prostrate upon his face; and Myles + stood staring at him with the delirious turmoil of his battle dissolving + rapidly into a dumb fear at that which he had done. + </p> + <p> + Once again he had won the victory—but what a victory! “Is he dead?” + he whispered to Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + “I know not,” said Gascoyne, with a very pale face. “But come away, + Myles.” And he led his friend out of the room. + </p> + <p> + Some little while later one of the bachelors came to the dormitory where + Myles, his wounds smarting and aching and throbbing, lay stretched upon + his cot, and with a very serious face bade him to go presently to Sir + James, who had just come from dinner, and was then in his office. + </p> + <p> + By this time Myles knew that he had not slain his enemy, and his heart was + light in spite of the coming interview. There was no one in the office but + Sir James and himself, and Myles, without concealing anything, told, point + by point, the whole trouble. Sir James sat looking steadily at him for a + while after he had ended. + </p> + <p> + “Never,” said he, presently, “did I know any one of ye squires, in all the + time that I have been here, get himself into so many broils as thou, Myles + Falworth. Belike thou sought to take this lad's life.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, earnestly; “God forbid!” + </p> + <p> + “Ne'theless,” said Sir James, “thou fetched him a main shrewd blow; and it + is by good hap, and no fault of thine, that he will live to do more + mischief yet. This is thy second venture at him; the third time, haply, + thou wilt end him for good.” Then suddenly assuming his grimmest and + sternest manner: “Now, sirrah, do I put a stop to this, and no more shall + ye fight with edged tools. Get thee to the dormitory, and abide there a + full week without coming forth. Michael shall bring thee bread and water + twice a day for that time. That is all the food thou shalt have, and we + will see if that fare will not cool thy hot humors withal.” + </p> + <p> + Myles had expected a punishment so much more severe than that which was + thus meted to him, that in the sudden relief he broke into a convulsive + laugh, and then, with a hasty sweep, wiped a brimming moisture from his + eyes. + </p> + <p> + Sir James looked keenly at him for a moment. “Thou art white i' the face,” + said he. “Art thou wounded very sorely?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay” said Myles, “it is not much; but I be sick in my stomach.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, aye,” said Sir James; “I know that feeling well. It is thus that one + always feeleth in coming out from a sore battle when one hath suffered + wounds and lost blood. An thou wouldst keep thyself hale, keep thyself + from needless fighting. Now go thou to the dormitory, and, as I said, come + thou not forth again for a week. Stay, sirrah!” he added; “I will send + Georgebarber to thee to look to thy sores. Green wounds are best drawn and + salved ere they grow cold.” + </p> + <p> + I wonder what Myles would have thought had he known that so soon as he had + left the office, Sir James had gone straight to the Earl and recounted the + whole matter to him, with a deal of dry gusto, and that the Earl listened + laughing. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said he, when Sir James had done, “the boy hath mettle, sure. + Nevertheless, we must transplant this fellow Blunt to the office of + gentleman-in-waiting. He must be old enough now, and gin he stayeth in his + present place, either he will do the boy a harm, or the boy will do him a + harm.” + </p> + <p> + So Blunt never came again to trouble the squires' quarters; and thereafter + the youngsters rendered no more service to the elders. + </p> + <p> + Myles's first great fight in life was won. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 17 + </h2> + <p> + The summer passed away, and the bleak fall came. Myles had long since + accepted his position as one set apart from the others of his kind, and + had resigned himself to the evident fact that he was never to serve in the + household in waiting upon the Earl. I cannot say that it never troubled + him, but in time there came a compensation of which I shall have presently + to speak. + </p> + <p> + And then he had so much the more time to himself. The other lads were + sometimes occupied by their household duties when sports were afoot in + which they would liked to have taken part. Myles was always free to enter + into any matter of the kind after his daily exercise had been performed at + the pels, the butts, or the tilting-court. + </p> + <p> + But even though he was never called to do service in “my Lord's house,” he + was not long in gaining a sort of second-hand knowledge of all the family. + My Lady, a thin, sallow, faded dame, not yet past middle age, but looking + ten years older. The Lady Anne, the daughter of the house; a tall, thin, + dark-eyed, dark-haired, handsome young dame of twenty or twenty-one years + of age, hawk-nosed like her father, and silent, proud, and haughty, Myles + heard the squires say. Lady Alice, the Earl of Mackworth's niece and ward, + a great heiress in her own right, a strikingly pretty black-eyed girl of + fourteen or fifteen. + </p> + <p> + These composed the Earl's personal family; but besides them was Lord + George Beaumont, his Earl's brother, and him Myles soon came to know + better than any of the chief people of the castle excepting Sir James Lee. + </p> + <p> + For since Myles's great battle in the armory, Lord George had taken a + laughing sort of liking to the lad, encouraging him at times to talk of + his adventures, and of his hopes and aspirations. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps the Earl's younger brother—who was himself somewhat a + soldier of fortune, having fought in Spain, France, and Germany—felt + a certain kinship in spirit with the adventurous youngster who had his + unfriended way to make in the world. However that might have been, Lord + George was very kind and friendly to the lad, and the willing service that + Myles rendered him reconciled him not a little to the Earl's obvious + neglect. + </p> + <p> + Besides these of the more immediate family of the Earl were a number of + knights, ladies, and gentlemen, some of them cadets, some of them + retainers, of the house of Beaumont, for the princely nobles of those days + lived in state little less royal than royalty itself. + </p> + <p> + Most of the knights and gentlemen Myles soon came to know by sight, + meeting them in Lord George's apartments in the south wing of the great + house, and some of them, following the lead of Lord George, singled him + out for friendly notice, giving him a nod or a word in passing. + </p> + <p> + Every season has its pleasures for boys, and the constant change that they + bring is one of the greatest delights of boyhood's days. + </p> + <p> + All of us, as we grow older, have in our memory pictures of by-gone times + that are somehow more than usually vivid, the colors of some not blurring + by time as others do. One of which, in remembering, always filled Myles's + heart in after-years with an indefinable pleasure, was the recollection of + standing with others of his fellow squires in the crisp brown autumn grass + of the paddock, and shooting with the long-bow at wildfowl, which, when + the east wind was straining, flew low overhead to pitch to the lake in the + forbidden precincts of the deer park beyond the brow of the hill. More + than once a brace or two of these wildfowl, shot in their southward flight + by the lads and cooked by fat, good-natured Mother Joan, graced the rude + mess-table of the squires in the long hall, and even the toughest and + fishiest drake, so the fruit of their skill, had a savor that, somehow or + other, the daintiest fare lacked in after-years. + </p> + <p> + Then fall passed and winter came, bleak, cold, and dreary—not winter + as we know it nowadays, with warm fires and bright lights to make the long + nights sweet and cheerful with comfort, but winter with all its grimness + and sternness. In the great cold stone-walled castles of those days the + only fire and almost the only light were those from the huge blazing logs + that roared and crackled in the great open stone fireplace, around which + the folks gathered, sheltering their faces as best they could from the + scorching heat, and cloaking their shoulders from the biting cold, for at + the farther end of the room, where giant shadows swayed and bowed and + danced huge and black against the high walls, the white frost glistened in + the moonlight on the stone pavements, and the breath went up like smoke. + </p> + <p> + In those days were no books to read, but at the best only rude stories and + jests, recited by some strolling mummer or minstrel to the listening + circle, gathered around the blaze and welcoming the coarse, gross jests, + and coarser, grosser songs with roars of boisterous laughter. + </p> + <p> + Yet bleak and dreary as was the winter in those days, and cold and biting + as was the frost in the cheerless, windy halls and corridors of the + castle, it was not without its joys to the young lads; for then, as now, + boys could find pleasure even in slushy weather, when the sodden snow is + fit for nothing but to make snowballs of. + </p> + <p> + Thrice that bitter winter the moat was frozen over, and the lads, making + themselves skates of marrow-bones, which they bought from the hall cook at + a groat a pair, went skimming over the smooth surface, red-checked and + shouting, while the crows and the jackdaws looked down at them from the + top of the bleak gray walls. + </p> + <p> + Then at Yule-tide, which was somewhat of a rude semblance to the Merry + Christmas season of our day, a great feast was held in the hall, and all + the castle folk were fed in the presence of the Earl and the Countess. + Oxen and sheep were roasted whole; huge suet puddings, made of barley meal + sweetened with honey and stuffed with plums, were boiled in great caldrons + in the open courtyard; whole barrels of ale and malmsey were broached, and + all the folk, gentle and simple, were bidden to the feast. Afterwards the + minstrels danced and played a rude play, and in the evening a miracle show + was performed on a raised platform in the north hall. + </p> + <p> + For a week afterwards the castle was fed upon the remains of the good + things left from that great feast, until everyone grew to loathe fine + victuals, and longed for honest beef and mustard again. + </p> + <p> + Then at last in that constant change the winter was gone, and even the + lads who had enjoyed its passing were glad when the winds blew warm once + more, and the grass showed green in sunny places, and the leader of the + wild-fowl blew his horn, as they who in the fall had flown to the south + flew, arrow-like, northward again; when the buds swelled and the leaves + burst forth once more, and crocuses and then daffodils gleamed in the + green grass, like sparks and flames of gold. + </p> + <p> + With the spring came the out-door sports of the season; among others that + of ball—for boys were boys, and played at ball even in those faraway + days—a game called trap-ball. Even yet in some parts of England it + is played just as it was in Myles Falworth's day, and enjoyed just as + Myles and his friends enjoyed it. + </p> + <p> + So now that the sun was warm and the weather pleasant the game of + trap-ball was in full swing every afternoon, the play-ground being an open + space between the wall that surrounded the castle grounds and that of the + privy garden—the pleasance in which the ladies of the Earl's family + took the air every day, and upon which their apartments opened. + </p> + <p> + Now one fine breezy afternoon, when the lads were shouting and playing at + this, then their favorite game, Myles himself was at the trap barehanded + and barearmed. The wind was blowing from behind him, and, aided perhaps by + it, he had already struck three of four balls nearly the whole length of + the court—an unusual distance—and several of the lads had gone + back almost as far as the wall of the privy garden to catch any ball that + might chance to fly as far as that. Then once more Myles struck, throwing + all his strength into the blow. The ball shot up into the air, and when it + fell, it was to drop within the privy garden. + </p> + <p> + The shouts of the young players were instantly stilled, and Gascoyne, who + stood nearest Myles, thrust his hands into his belt, giving a long shrill + whistle. + </p> + <p> + “This time thou hast struck us all out, Myles,” said he. “There be no more + play for us until we get another ball.” + </p> + <p> + The outfielders came slowly trooping in until they had gathered in a + little circle around Myles. + </p> + <p> + “I could not help it,” said Myles, in answer to their grumbling. “How knew + I the ball would fly so far? But if I ha' lost the ball, I can get it + again. I will climb the wall for it.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou shalt do naught of the kind, Myles,” said Gascoyne, hastily. “Thou + art as mad as a March hare to think of such a venture! Wouldst get thyself + shot with a bolt betwixt the ribs, like poor Diccon Cook?” + </p> + <p> + Of all places about the castle the privy garden was perhaps the most + sacred. It was a small plot of ground, only a few rods long and wide, and + was kept absolutely private for the use of the Countess and her family. + Only a little while before Myles had first come to Devlen, one of the + cook's men had been found climbing the wall, whereupon the soldier who saw + him shot him with his cross bow. The poor fellow dropped from the wall + into the garden, and when they found him, he still held a bunch of flowers + in his hand, which he had perhaps been gathering for his sweetheart. + </p> + <p> + Had Myles seen him carried on a litter to the infirmary as Gascoyne and + some of the others had done, he might have thought twice before venturing + to enter the ladies' private garden. As it was, he only shook his stubborn + head, and said again, “I will climb the wall and fetch it.” + </p> + <p> + Now at the lower extremity of the court, and about twelve or fifteen feet + distant from the garden wall, there grew a pear-tree, some of the branches + of which overhung into the garden beyond. So, first making sure that no + one was looking that way, and bidding the others keep a sharp lookout, + Myles shinned up this tree, and choosing one of the thicker limbs, climbed + out upon it for some little distance. Then lowering his body, he hung at + arm's-length, the branch bending with his weight, and slowly let himself + down hand under hand, until at last he hung directly over the top of the + wall, and perhaps a foot above it. Below him he could see the leafy top of + an arbor covered with a thick growth of clematis, and even as he hung + there he noticed the broad smooth walks, the grassy terrace in front of + the Countess's apartments in the distance, the quaint flower-beds, the + yew-trees trimmed into odd shapes, and even the deaf old gardener working + bare-armed in the sunlight at a flower-bed in the far corner by the + tool-house. + </p> + <p> + The top of the wall was pointed like a house roof, and immediately below + him was covered by a thick growth of green moss, and it flashed through + his mind as he hung there that maybe it would offer a very slippery + foothold for one dropping upon the steep slopes of the top. But it was too + late to draw back now. + </p> + <p> + Bracing himself for a moment, he loosed his hold upon the limb above. The + branch flew back with a rush, and he dropped, striving to grasp the + sloping angle with his feet. Instantly the treacherous slippery moss slid + away from beneath him; he made a vain clutch at the wall, his fingers + sliding over the cold stones, then, with a sharp exclamation, down he + pitched bodily into the garden beneath! A thousand thoughts flew through + his brain like a cloud of flies, and then a leafy greenness seemed to + strike up against him. A splintering crash sounded in his ears as the + lattice top of the arbor broke under him, and with one final clutch at the + empty air he fell heavily upon the ground beneath. + </p> + <p> + He heard a shrill scream that seemed to find an instant echo; even as he + fell he had a vision of faces and bright colors, and when he sat up, dazed + and bewildered, he found himself face to face with the Lady Anne, the + daughter of the house, and her cousin, the Lady Alice, who clutching one + another tightly, stood staring at him with wide scared eyes. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 18 + </h2> + <p> + For a little time there was a pause of deep silence, during which the + fluttering leaves came drifting down from the broken arbor above. + </p> + <p> + It was the Lady Anne who first spoke. “Who art thou, and whence comest + thou?” said she, tremulously. + </p> + <p> + Then Myles gathered himself up sheepishly. “My name is Myles Falworth,” + said he, “and I am one of the squires of the body.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! aye!” said the Lady Alice, suddenly. “Me thought I knew thy face. Art + thou not the young man that I have seen in Lord George's train?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, lady,” said Myles, wrapping and twining a piece of the broken vine + in and out among his fingers. “Lord George hath often had me of late about + his person.” + </p> + <p> + “And what dost thou do here, sirrah?” said Lady Anne, angrily. “How darest + thou come so into our garden?” + </p> + <p> + “I meant not to come as I did,” said Myles, clumsily, and with a face hot + and red. “But I slipped over the top of the wall and fell hastily into the + garden. Truly, lady, I meant ye no harm or fright thereby.” + </p> + <p> + He looked so drolly abashed as he stood before them, with his clothes torn + and soiled from the fall, his face red, and his eyes downcast, all the + while industriously twisting the piece of clematis in and around his + fingers, that Lady Anne's half-frightened anger could not last. She and + her cousin exchanged glances, and smiled at one another. + </p> + <p> + “But,” said she at last, trying to draw her pretty brows together into a + frown, “tell me; why didst thou seek to climb the wall?” + </p> + <p> + “I came to seek a ball,” said Myles, “which I struck over hither from the + court beyond.” + </p> + <p> + “And wouldst thou come into our privy garden for no better reason than to + find a ball?” said the young lady. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “it was not so much to find the ball, but, in good + sooth, I did truly strike it harder than need be, and so, gin I lost the + ball, I could do no less than come and find it again, else our sport is + done for the day. So it was I came hither.” + </p> + <p> + The two young ladies had by now recovered from their fright. The Lady Anne + slyly nudged her cousin with her elbow, and the younger could not suppress + a half-nervous laugh. Myles heard it, and felt his face grow hotter and + redder than ever. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Lady Anne, “I do believe Master Giles—” + </p> + <p> + “My name be'st Myles,” corrected Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Very well, then, Master Myles, I say I do believe that thou meanest no + harm in coming hither; ne'theless it was ill of thee so to do. An my + father should find thee here, he would have thee shrewdly punished for + such trespassing. Dost thou not know that no one is permitted to enter + this place—no, not even my uncle George? One fellow who came hither + to steal apples once had his ears shaven close to his head, and not more + than a year ago one of the cook's men who climbed the wall early one + morning was shot by the watchman.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, “I knew of him who was shot, and it did go somewhat + against my stomach to venture, knowing what had happed to him. Ne'theless, + an I gat not the ball, how were we to play more to-day at the trap?” + </p> + <p> + “Marry, thou art a bold fellow, I do believe me,” said the young lady, + “and sin thou hast come in the face of such peril to get thy ball, thou + shalt not go away empty. Whither didst thou strike it?” + </p> + <p> + “Over yonder by the cherry-tree,” said Myles, jerking his head in that + direction. “An I may go get it, I will trouble ye no more.” As he spoke he + made a motion to leave them. + </p> + <p> + “Stay!” said the Lady Anne, hastily; “remain where thou art. An thou cross + the open, some one may haply see thee from the house, and will give the + alarm, and thou wilt be lost. I will go get thy ball.” + </p> + <p> + And so she left Myles and her cousin, crossing the little plots of grass + and skirting the rosebushes to the cherry-tree. + </p> + <p> + When Myles found himself alone with Lady Alice, he knew not where to look + or what to do, but twisted the piece of clematis which he still held in + and out more industriously than ever. + </p> + <p> + Lady Alice watched him with dancing eyes for a little while. “Haply thou + wilt spoil that poor vine,” said she by-and-by, breaking the silence and + laughing, then turning suddenly serious again. “Didst thou hurt thyself by + thy fall?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, looking up, “such a fall as that was no great matter. + Many and many a time I have had worse.” + </p> + <p> + “Hast thou so?” said the Lady Alice. “Thou didst fright me parlously, and + my coz likewise.” + </p> + <p> + Myles hesitated for a moment, and then blurted out, “Thereat I grieve, for + thee I would not fright for all the world.” + </p> + <p> + The young lady laughed and blushed. “All the world is a great matter,” + said she. + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” said he, “it is a great matter; but it is a greater matter to + fright thee, and so I would not do it for that, and more.” + </p> + <p> + The young lady laughed again, but she did not say anything further, and a + space of silence fell so long that by-and-by she forced herself to say, + “My cousin findeth not the ball presently.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, briefly, and then again neither spoke, until by-and-by + the Lady Anne came, bringing the ball. Myles felt a great sense of relief + at that coming, and yet was somehow sorry. Then he took the ball, and knew + enough to bow his acknowledgment in a manner neither ill nor awkward. + </p> + <p> + “Didst thou hurt thyself?” asked Lady Anne. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, giving himself a shake; “seest thou not I be whole, + limb and bone? Nay, I have had shrewdly worse falls than that. Once I fell + out of an oak-tree down by the river and upon a root, and bethought me I + did break a rib or more. And then one time when I was a boy in + Crosbey-Dale—that was where I lived before I came hither—I did + catch me hold of the blade of the windmill, thinking it was moving slowly, + and that I would have a ride i' th' air, and so was like to have had a + fall ten thousand times worse than this.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, tell us more of that!” said the Lady Anne, eagerly. “I did never hear + of such an adventure as that. Come, coz, and sit down here upon the bench, + and let us have him tell us all of that happening.” + </p> + <p> + Now the lads upon the other side of the wall had been whistling furtively + for some time, not knowing whether Myles had broken his neck or had come + off scot-free from his fall. “I would like right well to stay with ye,” + said he, irresolutely, “and would gladly tell ye that and more an ye would + have me to do so; but hear ye not my friends call me from beyond? Mayhap + they think I break my back, and are calling to see whether I be alive or + no. An I might whistle them answer and toss me this ball to them, all + would then be well, and they would know that I was not hurt, and so, + haply, would go away.” + </p> + <p> + “Then answer them,” said the Lady Anne, “and tell us of that thing thou + spokest of anon—how thou tookest a ride upon the windmill. We young + ladies do hear little of such matters, not being allowed to talk with + lads. All that we hear of perils are of knights and ladies and jousting, + and such like. It would pleasure us right well to have thee tell of thy + adventures.” + </p> + <p> + So Myles tossed back the ball, and whistled in answer to his friends. + </p> + <p> + Then he told the two young ladies not only of his adventure upon the + windmill, but also of other boyish escapades, and told them well, with a + straightforward smack and vigor, for he enjoyed adventure and loved to + talk of it. In a little while he had regained his ease; his shyness and + awkwardness left him, and nothing remained but the delightful fact that he + was really and actually talking to two young ladies, and that with just as + much ease and infinitely more pleasure than could be had in discourse with + his fellow-squires. But at last it was time for him to go. “Marry,” said + he, with a half-sigh, “methinks I did never ha' so sweet and pleasant a + time in all my life before. Never did I know a real lady to talk with, + saving only my mother, and I do tell ye plain methinks I would rather talk + with ye than with any he in Christendom—saving, perhaps, only my + friend Gascoyne. I would I might come hither again.” + </p> + <p> + The honest frankness of his speech was irresistible; the two girls + exchanged glances and then began laughing. “Truly,” said Lady Anne, who, + as was said before, was some three or four years older than Myles, “thou + art a bold lad to ask such a thing. How wouldst thou come hither? Wouldst + tumble through our clematis arbor again, as thou didst this day?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, “I would not do that again, but if ye will bid me do + so, I will find the means to come hither.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Lady Anne, “I dare not bid thee do such a foolhardy thing. + Nevertheless, if thou hast the courage to come—” + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” said Myles, eagerly, “I have the courage.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, if thou hast so, we will be here in the garden on Saturday next at + this hour. I would like right well to hear more of thy adventures. But + what didst thou say was thy name? I have forgot it again.” + </p> + <p> + “It is Myles Falworth.” + </p> + <p> + “Then we shall yclep thee Sir Myles, for thou art a soothly errant-knight. + And stay! Every knight must have a lady to serve. How wouldst thou like my + Cousin Alice here for thy true lady?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, eagerly, “I would like it right well.” And then he + blushed fiery red at his boldness. + </p> + <p> + “I want no errant-knight to serve me,” said the Lady Alice, blushing, in + answer. “Thou dost ill tease me, coz! An thou art so free in choosing him + a lady to serve, thou mayst choose him thyself for thy pains.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said the Lady Anne, laughing; “I say thou shalt be his true lady, + and he shall be thy true knight. Who knows? Perchance he may serven thee + in some wondrous adventure, like as Chaucer telleth of. But now, Sir + Errant-Knight, thou must take thy leave of us, and I must e'en let thee + privily out by the postern-wicket. And if thou wilt take the risk upon + thee and come hither again, prithee be wary in that coming, lest in + venturing thou have thine ears clipped in most unknightly fashion.” + </p> + <p> + That evening, as he and Gascoyne sat together on a bench under the trees + in the great quadrangle, Myles told of his adventure of the afternoon, and + his friend listened with breathless interest. + </p> + <p> + “But, Myles,” cried Gascoyne, “did the Lady Anne never once seem proud and + unkind?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “only at first, when she chid me for falling through + the roof of their arbor. And to think, Francis! Lady Anne herself bade me + hold the Lady Alice as my true lady, and to serve her in all + knightliness!” Then he told his friend that he was going to the privy + garden again on the next Saturday, and that the Lady Anne had given him + permission so to do. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne gave a long, wondering whistle, and then sat quite still, staring + into the sky. By-and-by he turned to his friend and said, “I give thee my + pledge, Myles Falworth, that never in all my life did I hear of any one + that had such marvellous strange happenings befall him as thou.” + </p> + <p> + Whenever the opportunity occurred for sending a letter to Crosbey-Holt, + Myles wrote one to his mother; and one can guess how they were treasured + by the good lady, and read over and over again to the blind old Lord as he + sat staring into darkness with his sightless eyes. + </p> + <p> + About the time of this escapade he wrote a letter telling of those doings, + wherein, after speaking of his misadventure of falling from the wall, and + of his acquaintance with the young ladies, he went on to speak of the + matter in which he repeated his visits. The letter was worded in the + English of that day—the quaint and crabbed language in which Chaucer + wrote. Perhaps few boys could read it nowadays, so, modernizing it + somewhat, it ran thus: + </p> + <p> + “And now to let ye weet that thing that followed that happening that made + me acquaint with they two young Damoiselles. I take me to the south wall + of that garden one day four and twenty great spikes, which Peter Smith did + forge for me and for which I pay him fivepence, and that all the money + that I had left of my half-year's wage, and wot not where I may get more + at these present, withouten I do betake me to Sir James, who, as I did + tell ye, hath consented to hold those moneys that Prior Edward gave me + till I need them. + </p> + <p> + “Now these same spikes, I say, I take me them down behind the corner of + the wall, and there drave them betwixt the stones, my very dear comrade + and true friend Gascoyne holping me thereto to do. And so come Saturday, I + climb me over the wall and to the roof of the tool-house below, seeking a + fitting opportunity when I might so do without being in too great + jeopardy. + </p> + <p> + “Yea; and who should be there but they two ladies, biding my coming, who, + seeing me, made as though they had expected me not, and gave me greatest + rebuke for adventuring so moughtily. Yet, methinks, were they right well + pleasured that I should so aventure, which indeed I might not otherwise + do, seeing as I have telled to thee, that one of them is mine own true + lady for to serven, and so was the only way that I might come to speech + with her.” + </p> + <p> + Such was Myles's own quaint way of telling how he accomplished his aim of + visiting the forbidden garden, and no doubt the smack of adventure and the + savor of danger in the undertaking recommended him not a little to the + favor of the young ladies. + </p> + <p> + After this first acquaintance perhaps a month passed, during which Myles + had climbed the wall some half a dozen times (for the Lady Anne would not + permit of too frequent visits), and during which the first acquaintance of + the three ripened rapidly to an honest, pleasant friendship. More than + once Myles, when in Lord George's train, caught a covert smile or half nod + from one or both of the girls, not a little delightful in its very secret + friendliness. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 19 + </h2> + <p> + As was said, perhaps a month passed; then Myles's visits came to an abrupt + termination, and with it ended, in a certain sense, a chapter of his life. + </p> + <p> + One Saturday afternoon he climbed the garden wall, and skirting behind a + long row of rosebushes that screened him from the Countess's terrace, came + to a little summer-house where the two young ladies had appointed to meet + him that day. + </p> + <p> + A pleasant half-hour or so was passed, and then it was time for Myles to + go. He lingered for a while before he took his final leave, leaning + against the door-post, and laughingly telling how he and some of his + brother squires had made a figure of straw dressed in men's clothes, and + had played a trick with it one night upon a watchman against whom they + bore a grudge. + </p> + <p> + The young ladies were listening with laughing faces, when suddenly, as + Myles looked, he saw the smile vanish from Lady Alice's eyes and a wide + terror take its place. She gave a half-articulate cry, and rose abruptly + from the bench upon which she was sitting. + </p> + <p> + Myles turned sharply, and then his very heart seemed to stand still within + him; for there, standing in the broad sunlight without, and glaring in + upon the party with baleful eyes, was the Earl of Mackworth himself. + </p> + <p> + How long was the breathless silence that followed, Myles could never tell. + He knew that the Lady Anne had also risen, and that she and her cousin + were standing as still as statues. Presently the Earl pointed to the house + with his staff, and Myles noted stupidly how it trembled in his hand. + </p> + <p> + “Ye wenches,” said he at last, in a hard, harsh voice—“ye wenches, + what meaneth this? Would ye deceive me so, and hold parlance thus secretly + with this fellow? I will settle with him anon. Meantime get ye straightway + to the house and to your rooms, and there abide until I give ye leave to + come forth again. Go, I say!” + </p> + <p> + “Father,” said Lady Anne, in a breathless voice—she was as white as + death, and moistened her lips with her tongue before she spoke—“father, + thou wilt not do harm to this young man. Spare him, I do beseech thee, for + truly it was I who bade him come hither. I know that he would not have + come but at our bidding.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl stamped his foot upon the gravel. “Did ye not hear me?” said he, + still pointing towards the house with his trembling staff. “I bade ye go + to your rooms. I will settle with this fellow, I say, as I deem fitting.” + </p> + <p> + “Father,” began Lady Anne again; but the Earl made such a savage gesture + that poor Lady Alice uttered a faint shriek, and Lady Anne stopped + abruptly, trembling. Then she turned and passed out the farther door of + the summerhouse, poor little Lady Alice following, holding her tight by + the skirts, and trembling and shuddering as though with a fit of the ague. + </p> + <p> + The Earl stood looking grimly after them from under his shaggy eyebrows, + until they passed away behind the yew-trees, appeared again upon the + terrace behind, entered the open doors of the women's house, and were + gone. Myles heard their footsteps growing fainter and fainter, but he + never raised his eyes. Upon the ground at his feet were four pebbles, and + he noticed how they almost made a square, and would do so if he pushed one + of them with his toe, and then it seemed strange to him that he should + think of such a little foolish thing at that dreadful time. + </p> + <p> + He knew that the Earl was looking gloomily at him, and that his face must + be very pale. Suddenly Lord Mackworth spoke. “What hast thou to say?” said + he, harshly. + </p> + <p> + Then Myles raised his eyes, and the Earl smiled grimly as he looked his + victim over. “I have naught to say,” said the lad, huskily. + </p> + <p> + “Didst thou not hear what my daughter spake but now?” said the Earl. “She + said that thou came not of thy own free-will; what sayst thou to that, + sirrah—is it true?” + </p> + <p> + Myles hesitated for a moment or two; his throat was tight and dry. “Nay,” + said he at last, “she belieth herself. It was I who first came into the + garden. I fell by chance from the tree yonder—I was seeking a ball—then + I asked those two if I might not come hither again, and so have done some + several times in all. But as for her—nay; it was not at her bidding + that I came, but through mine own asking.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl gave a little grunt in his throat. “And how often hast thou been + here?” said he, presently. + </p> + <p> + Myles thought a moment or two. “This maketh the seventh time,” said he. + </p> + <p> + Another pause of silence followed, and Myles began to pluck up some heart + that maybe all would yet be well. The Earl's next speech dashed that hope + into a thousand fragments. “Well thou knowest,” said he, “that it is + forbid for any to come here. Well thou knowest that twice have men been + punished for this thing that thou hast done, and yet thou camest in spite + of all. Now dost thou know what thou wilt suffer?” + </p> + <p> + Myles picked with nervous fingers at a crack in the oaken post against + which he leaned. “Mayhap thou wilt kill me,” said he at last, in a dull, + choking voice. + </p> + <p> + Again the Earl smiled a grim smile. “Nay,” said he, “I would not slay + thee, for thou hast gentle blood. But what sayest thou should I shear + thine ears from thine head, or perchance have thee scourged in the great + court?” + </p> + <p> + The sting of the words sent the blood flying back to Myles's face again, + and he looked quickly up. “Nay,” said he, with a boldness that surprised + himself; “thou shalt do no such unlordly thing upon me as that. I be thy + peer, sir, in blood; and though thou mayst kill me, thou hast no right to + shame me.” + </p> + <p> + Lord Mackworth bowed with a mocking courtesy. “Marry!” said he. “Methought + it was one of mine own saucy popinjay squires that I caught sneaking here + and talking to those two foolish young lasses, and lo! it is a young Lord—or + mayhap thou art a young Prince—and commandeth me that I shall not do + this and I shall not do that. I crave your Lordship's honorable pardon, if + I have said aught that may have galled you.” + </p> + <p> + The fear Myles had felt was now beginning to dissolve in rising wrath. + “Nay,” said he, stoutly, “I be no Lord and I be no Prince, but I be as + good as thou. For am I not the son of thy onetime very true comrade and + thy kinsman—to wit, the Lord Falworth, whom, as thou knowest, is + poor and broken, and blind, and helpless, and outlawed, and banned? Yet,” + cried he, grinding his teeth, as the thought of it all rushed in upon him, + “I would rather be in his place than in yours; for though he be ruined, + you—” + </p> + <p> + He had just sense enough to stop there. + </p> + <p> + The Earl, gripping his staff behind his back, and with his head a little + bent, was looking keenly at the lad from under his shaggy gray brows. + “Well,” said he, as Myles stopped, “thou hast gone too far now to draw + back. Say thy say to the end. Why wouldst thou rather be in thy father's + stead than in mine?” + </p> + <p> + Myles did not answer. + </p> + <p> + “Thou shalt finish thy speech, or else show thyself a coward. Though thy + father is ruined, thou didst say I am—what?” + </p> + <p> + Myles keyed himself up to the effort, and then blurted out, “Thou art + attainted with shame.” + </p> + <p> + A long breathless silence followed. + </p> + <p> + “Myles Falworth,” said the Earl at last (and even in the whirling of his + wits Myles wondered that he had the name so pat)—“Myles Falworth, of + all the bold, mad, hare-brained fools, thou art the most foolish. How dost + thou dare say such words to me? Dost thou not know that thou makest thy + coming punishment ten times more bitter by such a speech?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye!” cried Myles, desperately; “but what else could I do? An I did not + say the words, thou callest me coward, and coward I am not.” + </p> + <p> + “By 'r Lady!” said the Earl, “I do believe thee. Thou art a bold, impudent + varlet as ever lived—to beard me so, forsooth! Hark'ee; thou sayst I + think naught of mine old comrade. I will show thee that thou dost belie + me. I will suffer what thou hast said to me for his sake, and for his sake + will forgive thee thy coming hither—which I would not do in another + case to any other man. Now get thee gone straightway, and come hither no + more. Yonder is the postern-gate; mayhap thou knowest the way. But stay! + How camest thou hither?” + </p> + <p> + Myles told him of the spikes he had driven in the wall, and the Earl + listened, stroking his beard. When the lad had ended, he fixed a sharp + look upon him. “But thou drove not those spikes alone,” said he; “who + helped thee do it?” + </p> + <p> + “That I may not tell,” said Myles, firmly. + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said the Earl. “I will not ask thee to tell his name. Now get + thee gone! And as for those spikes, thou mayst e'en knock them out of the + wall, sin thou drave them in. Play no more pranks an thou wouldst keep thy + skin whole. And now go, I say!” + </p> + <p> + Myles needed no further bidding, but turned and left the Earl without + another word. As he went out the postern-gate he looked over his shoulder, + and saw the tall figure, in its long fur-trimmed gown, still standing in + the middle of the path, looking after him from under the shaggy eyebrows. + </p> + <p> + As he ran across the quadrangle, his heart still fluttering in his breast, + he muttered to himself, “The old grizzle-beard; an I had not faced him a + bold front, mayhap he would have put such shame upon me as he said. I + wonder why he stood so staring after me as I left the garden.” + </p> + <p> + Then for the time the matter slipped from his mind, saving only that part + that smacked of adventure. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 20 + </h2> + <p> + So for a little while Myles was disposed to congratulate himself upon + having come off so well from his adventure with the Earl. But after a day + or two had passed, and he had time for second thought, he began to + misdoubt whether, after all, he might not have carried it with a better + air if he had shown more chivalrous boldness in the presence of his true + lady; whether it would not have redounded more to his credit if he had in + some way asserted his rights as the young dame's knight-errant and + defender. Was it not ignominious to resign his rights and privileges so + easily and tamely at a signal from the Earl? + </p> + <p> + “For, in sooth,” said he to Gascoyne, as the two talked the matter over, + “she hath, in a certain way, accepted me for her knight, and yet I stood + me there without saying so much as one single word in her behalf.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Gascoyne, “I would not trouble me on that score. Methinks that + thou didst come off wondrous well out of the business. I would not have + thought it possible that my Lord could ha' been so patient with thee as he + showed himself. Methinks, forsooth, he must hold thee privily in right + high esteem.” + </p> + <p> + “Truly,” said Myles, after a little pause of meditative silence, “I know + not of any esteem, yet I do think he was passing patient with me in this + matter. But ne'theless, Francis, that changeth not my stand in the case. + Yea, I did shamefully, so to resign my lady without speaking one word; nor + will I so resign her even yet. I have bethought me much of this matter of + late, Francis, and now I come to thee to help me from my evil case. I + would have thee act the part of a true friend to me—like that one I + have told thee of in the story of the Emperor Justinian. I would have + thee, when next thou servest in the house, to so contrive that my Lady + Alice shall get a letter which I shall presently write, and wherein I may + set all that is crooked straight again.” + </p> + <p> + “Heaven forbid,” said Gascoyne, hastily, “that I should be such a fool as + to burn my fingers in drawing thy nuts from the fire! Deliver thy letter + thyself, good fellow!” + </p> + <p> + So spoke Gascoyne, yet after all he ended, as he usually did, by yielding + to Myles's superior will and persistence. So the letter was written and + one day the good-natured Gascoyne carried it with him to the house, and + the opportunity offering, gave it to one of the young ladies attendant + upon the Countess's family—a lass with whom he had friendly intimacy—to + be delivered to Lady Alice. + </p> + <p> + But if Myles congratulated himself upon the success of this new adventure, + it was not for long. That night, as the crowd of pages and squires were + making themselves ready for bed, the call came through the uproar for + “Myles Falworth! Myles Falworth!” + </p> + <p> + “Here I be,” cried Myles, standing up on his cot. “Who calleth me?” + </p> + <p> + It was the groom of the Earl's bedchamber, and seeing Myles standing thus + raised above the others, he came walking down the length of the room + towards him, the wonted hubbub gradually silencing as he advanced and the + youngsters turning, staring, and wondering. + </p> + <p> + “My Lord would speak with thee, Myles Falworth,” said the groom, when he + had come close enough to where Myles stood. “Busk thee and make ready; he + is at livery even now.” + </p> + <p> + The groom's words fell upon Myles like a blow. He stood for a while + staring wide-eyed. “My Lord speak with me, sayst thou!” he ejaculated at + last. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said the other, impatiently; “get thee ready quickly. I must return + anon.” + </p> + <p> + Myles's head was in a whirl as he hastily changed his clothes for a better + suit, Gascoyne helping him. What could the Earl want with him at this + hour? He knew in his heart what it was; the interview could concern + nothing but the letter that he had sent to Lady Alice that day. As he + followed the groom through the now dark and silent courts, and across the + corner of the great quadrangle, and so to the Earl's house, he tried to + brace his failing courage to meet the coming interview. Nevertheless, his + heart beat tumultuously as he followed the other down the long corridor, + lit only by a flaring link set in a wrought-iron bracket. Then his + conductor lifted the arras at the door of the bedchamber, whence came the + murmuring sound of many voices, and holding it aside, beckoned him to + enter, and Myles passed within. At the first, he was conscious of nothing + but a crowd of people, and of the brightness of many lighted candles; then + he saw that he stood in a great airy room spread with a woven mat of + rushes. On three sides the walls were hung with tapestry representing + hunting and battle scenes, at the farther end, where the bed stood, the + stone wall of the fourth side was covered with cloth of blue, embroidered + with silver goshawks. Even now, in the ripe springtime of May, the room + was still chilly, and a great fire roared and crackled in the huge gaping + mouth of the stone fireplace. Not far from the blaze were clustered the + greater part of those present, buzzing in talk, now and then swelled by + murmuring laughter. Some of those who knew Myles nodded to him, and two or + three spoke to him as he stood waiting, whilst the groom went forward to + speak to the Earl; though what they said and what he answered, Myles, in + his bewilderment and trepidation, hardly knew. + </p> + <p> + As was said before, the livery was the last meal of the day, and was taken + in bed. It was a simple repast—a manchette, or small loaf of bread + of pure white flour, a loaf of household bread, sometimes a lump of + cheese, and either a great flagon of ale or of sweet wine, warm and + spiced. The Earl was sitting upright in bed, dressed in a furred + dressing-gown, and propped up by two cylindrical bolsters of crimson + satin. Upon the coverlet, and spread over his knees, was a large wide + napkin of linen fringed with silver thread, and on it rested a silver tray + containing the bread and some cheese. Two pages and three gentlemen were + waiting upon him, and Mad Noll, the jester, stood at the head of the bed, + now and then jingling his bawble and passing some quaint jest upon the + chance of making his master smile. Upon a table near by were some dozen or + so waxen tapers struck upon as many spiked candlesticks of silver-gilt, + and illuminating that end of the room with their bright twinkling flames. + One of the gentlemen was in the act of serving the Earl with a goblet of + wine, poured from a silver ewer by one of the squires, as the groom of the + chamber came forward and spoke. The Earl, taking the goblet, turned his + head, and as Myles looked, their eyes met. Then the Earl turned away again + and raised the cup to his lips, while Myles felt his heart beat more + rapidly than ever. + </p> + <p> + But at last the meal was ended, and the Earl washed his hands and his + mouth and his beard from a silver basin of scented water held by another + one of the squires. Then, leaning back against the pillows, he beckoned to + Myles. + </p> + <p> + In answer Myles walked forward the length of the room, conscious that all + eyes were fixed upon him. The Earl said something, and those who stood + near drew back as he came forward. Then Myles found himself standing + beside the bed, looking down upon the quilted counterpane, feeling that + the other was gazing fixedly at him. + </p> + <p> + “I sent for thee,” said the Earl at last, still looking steadily at him, + “because this afternoon came a letter to my hand which thou hadst written + to my niece, the Lady Alice. I have it here,” said he, thrusting his hand + under the bolster, “and have just now finished reading it.” Then, after a + moment's pause, whilst he opened the parchment and scanned it again, “I + find no matter of harm in it, but hereafter write no more such.” He spoke + entirely without anger, and Myles looked up in wonder. “Here, take it,” + said the Earl, folding the letter and tossing it to Myles, who + instinctively caught it, “and henceforth trouble thou my niece no more + either by letter or any other way. I thought haply thou wouldst be at some + such saucy trick, and I made Alice promise to let me know when it happed. + Now, I say, let this be an end of the matter. Dost thou not know thou + mayst injure her by such witless folly as that of meeting her privily, and + privily writing to her?” + </p> + <p> + “I meant no harm,” said Myles. + </p> + <p> + “I believe thee,” said the Earl. “That will do now; thou mayst go.” + </p> + <p> + Myles hesitated. + </p> + <p> + “What wouldst thou say?” said Lord Mackworth. + </p> + <p> + “Only this,” said Myles, “an I have thy leave so to do, that the Lady + Alice hath chosen me to be her knight, and so, whether I may see her or + speak with her or no, the laws of chivalry give me, who am gentle born, + the right to serve her as a true knight may.” + </p> + <p> + “As a true fool may,” said the Earl, dryly. “Why, how now, thou art not a + knight yet, nor anything but a raw lump of a boy. What rights do the laws + of chivalry give thee, sirrah? Thou art a fool!” + </p> + <p> + Had the Earl been ever so angry, his words would have been less bitter to + Myles than his cool, unmoved patience; it mortified his pride and galled + it to the quick. + </p> + <p> + “I know that thou dost hold me in contempt,” he mumbled. + </p> + <p> + “Out upon thee!” said the Earl, testily. “Thou dost tease me beyond + patience. I hold thee in contempt, forsooth! Why, look thee, hadst thou + been other than thou art, I would have had thee whipped out of my house + long since. Thinkest thou I would have borne so patiently with another one + of ye squires had such an one held secret meeting with my daughter and + niece, and tampered, as thou hast done, with my household, sending through + one of my people that letter? Go to; thou art a fool, Myles Falworth!” + </p> + <p> + Myles stood staring at the Earl without making an effort to speak. The + words that he had heard suddenly flashed, as it were, a new light into his + mind. In that flash he fully recognized, and for the first time, the + strange and wonderful forbearance the great Earl had shown to him, a poor + obscure boy. What did it mean? Was Lord Mackworth his secret friend, after + all, as Gascoyne had more than once asserted? So Myles stood silent, + thinking many things. + </p> + <p> + Meantime the other lay back upon the cylindrical bolsters, looking + thoughtfully at him. “How old art thou?” said he at last. + </p> + <p> + “Seventeen last April,” answered Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Then thou art old enough to have some of the thoughts of a man, and to + lay aside those of a boy. Haply thou hast had foolish things in thy head + this short time past; it is time that thou put them away. Harkee, sirrah! + the Lady Alice is a great heiress in her own right, and mayst command the + best alliance in England—an Earl—a Duke. She groweth apace to + a woman, and then her kind lieth in Courts and great houses. As for thee, + thou art but a poor lad, penniless and without friends to aid thee to open + advancement. Thy father is attainted, and one whisper of where he lieth + hid would bring him thence to the Tower, and haply to the block. Besides + that, he hath an enemy, as Sir James Lee hath already told thee—an + enemy perhaps more great and powerful than myself. That enemy watcheth for + thy father and for thee; shouldst thou dare raise thy head or thy fortune + ever so little, he would haply crop them both, and that parlously quick. + Myles Falworth, how dost thou dare to lift thine eyes to the Lady Alice de + Mowbray?” + </p> + <p> + Poor Myles stood silent and motionless. “Sir,” said he at last, in a dry + choking voice, “thou art right, and I have been a fool. Sir, I will never + raise mine eyes to look upon the Lady Alice more.” + </p> + <p> + “I say not that either, boy,” said the Earl; “but ere thou dost so dare, + thou must first place thyself and thy family whence ye fell. Till then, as + thou art an honest man, trouble her not. Now get thee gone.” + </p> + <p> + As Myles crossed the dark and silent courtyards, and looked up at the + clear, still twinkle of the stars, he felt a kind of dull wonder that they + and the night and the world should seem so much the same, and he be so + different. + </p> + <p> + The first stroke had been given that was to break in pieces his boyhood + life—the second was soon to follow. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 21 + </h2> + <p> + There are now and then times in the life of every one when new and strange + things occur with such rapidity that one has hardly time to catch one's + breath between the happenings. It is as though the old were crumbling away—breaking + in pieces—to give place to the new that is soon to take its place. + </p> + <p> + So it was with Myles Falworth about this time. The very next day after + this interview in the bed-chamber, word came to him that Sir James Lee + wished to speak with him in the office. He found the lean, grizzled old + knight alone, sitting at the heavy oaken table with a tankard of spiced + ale at his elbow, and a dish of wafers and some fragments of cheese on a + pewter platter before him. He pointed to his clerk's seat—a joint + stool somewhat like a camp-chair, but made of heavy oaken braces and with + a seat of hog-skin—and bade Myles be seated. + </p> + <p> + It was the first time that Myles had ever heard of such courtesy being + extended to one of the company of squires, and, much wondering, he obeyed + the invitation, or rather command, and took the seat. + </p> + <p> + The old knight sat regarding him for a while in silence, his one eye, as + bright and as steady as that of a hawk, looking keenly from under the + penthouse of its bushy brows, the while he slowly twirled and twisted his + bristling wiry mustaches, as was his wont when in meditation. At last he + broke the silence. “How old art thou?” said he, abruptly. + </p> + <p> + “I be turned seventeen last April,” Myles answered, as he had the evening + before to Lord Mackworth. + </p> + <p> + “Humph!” said Sir James; “thou be'st big of bone and frame for thine age. + I would that thy heart were more that of a man likewise, and less that of + a giddy, hare-brained boy, thinking continually of naught but mischief.” + </p> + <p> + Again he fell silent, and Myles sat quite still, wondering if it was on + account of any special one of his latest escapades that he had been + summoned to the office—the breaking of the window in the Long Hall + by the stone he had flung at the rook, or the climbing of the South Tower + for the jackdaw's nest. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hast a friend,” said Sir James, suddenly breaking into his + speculations, “of such a kind that few in this world possess. Almost ever + since thou hast been here he hath been watching over thee. Canst thou + guess of whom I speak?” + </p> + <p> + “Haply it is Lord George Beaumont,” said Myles; “he hath always been + passing kind to me. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Sir James, “it is not of him that I speak, though methinks he + liketh thee well enow. Canst thou keep a secret, boy?” he asked, suddenly. + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” answered Myles. + </p> + <p> + “And wilt thou do so in this case if I tell thee who it is that is thy + best friend here?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea.” + </p> + <p> + “Then it is my Lord who is that friend—the Earl himself; but see + that thou breathe not a word of it.” + </p> + <p> + Myles sat staring at the old knight in utter and profound amazement, and + presently Sir James continued: “Yea, almost ever since thou hast come here + my Lord hath kept oversight upon all thy doings, upon all thy mad pranks + and thy quarrels and thy fights, thy goings out and comings in. What + thinkest thou of that, Myles Falworth?” + </p> + <p> + Again the old knight stopped and regarded the lad, who sat silent, finding + no words to answer. He seemed to find a grim pleasure in the youngster's + bewilderment and wonder. Then a sudden thought came to Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said he, “did my Lord know that I went to the privy garden as I + did?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Sir James; “of that he knew naught at first until thy father + bade thy mother write and tell him.” + </p> + <p> + “My father!” ejaculated Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Sir James, twisting his mustaches more vigorously than ever. + “So soon as thy father heard of that prank, he wrote straightway to my + Lord that he should put a stop to what might in time have bred mischief.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said Myles, in an almost breathless voice, “I know not how to + believe all these things, or whether I be awake or a-dreaming.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou be'st surely enough awake,” answered the old man; “but there are + other matters yet to be told. My Lord thinketh, as others of us do—Lord + George and myself—that it is now time for thee to put away thy + boyish follies, and learn those things appertaining to manhood. Thou hast + been here a year now, and hast had freedom to do as thou might list; but, + boy,”—and the old warrior spoke seriously, almost solemnly—“upon + thee doth rest matters of such great import that did I tell them to thee + thou couldst not grasp them. My Lord deems that thou hast, mayhap, promise + beyond the common of men; ne'theless it remaineth yet to be seen an he be + right; it is yet to test whether that promise may be fulfilled. Next + Monday I and Sir Everard Willoughby take thee in hand to begin training + thee in the knowledge and the use of the jousting lance, of arms, and of + horsemanship. Thou art to go to Ralph Smith, and have him fit a suit of + plain armor to thee which he hath been charged to make for thee against + this time. So get thee gone, think well over all these matters, and + prepare thyself by next Monday. But stay, sirrah,” he added, as Myles, + dazed and bewildered, turned to obey; “breathe to no living soul what I + ha' told thee—that my Lord is thy friend—neither speak of + anything concerning him. Such is his own heavy command laid upon thee.” + </p> + <p> + Then Myles turned again without a word to leave the room. But as he + reached the door Sir James stopped him a second time. + </p> + <p> + “Stay!” he called. “I had nigh missed telling thee somewhat else. My Lord + hath made thee a present this morning that thou wottest not of. It is”—then + he stopped for a few moments, perhaps to enjoy the full flavor of what he + had to say—“it is a great Flemish horse of true breed and right + mettle; a horse such as a knight of the noblest strain might be proud to + call his own. Myles Falworth, thou wert born upon a lucky day!” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” cried Myles, and then stopped short. Then, “Sir,” he cried again, + “didst thou say it—the horse—was to be mine?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, it is to be thine.” + </p> + <p> + “My very own?” + </p> + <p> + “Thy very own.” + </p> + <p> + How Myles Falworth left that place he never knew. He was like one in some + strange, some wonderful dream. He walked upon air, and his heart was so + full of joy and wonder and amazement that it thrilled almost to agony. Of + course his first thought was of Gascoyne. How he ever found him he never + could tell, but find him he did. + </p> + <p> + “Come, Francis!” he cried, “I have that to tell thee so marvellous that + had it come upon me from paradise it could not be more strange.” + </p> + <p> + Then he dragged him away to their Eyry—it had been many a long day + since they had been there—and to all his friend's speeches, to all + his wondering questions, he answered never a word until they had climbed + the stairs, and so come to their old haunt. Then he spoke. + </p> + <p> + “Sit thee down, Francis,” said he, “till I tell thee that which passeth + wonder.” As Gascoyne obeyed, he himself stood looking about him. “This is + the last time I shall ever come hither,” said he. And thereupon he poured + out his heart to his listening friend in the murmuring solitude of the + airy height. He did not speak of the Earl, but of the wonderful new life + that had thus suddenly opened before him, with its golden future of + limitless hopes, of dazzling possibilities, of heroic ambitions. He told + everything, walking up and down the while—for he could not remain + quiet—his cheeks glowing and his eyes sparkling. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne sat quite still, staring straight before him. He knew that his + friend was ruffling eagle pinions for a flight in which he could never + hope to follow, and somehow his heart ached, for he knew that this must be + the beginning of the end of the dear, delightful friendship of the year + past. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 22 + </h2> + <p> + And so ended Myles Falworth's boyhood. Three years followed, during which + he passed through that state which immediately follows boyhood in all + men's lives—a time when they are neither lads nor grown men, but + youths passing from the one to the other period through what is often an + uncouth and uncomfortable age. + </p> + <p> + He had fancied, when he talked with Gascoyne in the Eyry that time, that + he was to become a man all at once; he felt just then that he had forever + done with boyish things. But that is not the way it happens in men's + lives. Changes do not come so suddenly and swiftly as that, but by little + and little. For three or four days, maybe, he went his new way of life big + with the great change that had come upon him, and then, now in this and + now in that, he drifted back very much into his old ways of boyish doings. + As was said, one's young days do not end all at once, even when they be so + suddenly and sharply shaken, and Myles was not different from others. He + had been stirred to the core by that first wonderful sight of the great + and glorious life of manhood opening before him, but he had yet many a + sport to enjoy, many a game to play, many a boisterous romp to riot in the + dormitory, many an expedition to make to copse and spinney and river on + days when he was off duty, and when permission had been granted. + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless, there was a great and vital change in his life; a change + which he hardly felt or realized. Even in resuming his old life there was + no longer the same vitality, the same zest, the same enjoyment in all + these things. It seemed as though they were no longer a part of himself. + The savor had gone from them, and by-and-by it was pleasanter to sit + looking on at the sports and the games of the younger lads than to take + active part in them. + </p> + <p> + These three years of his life that had thus passed had been very full; + full mostly of work, grinding and monotonous; of training dull, dry, + laborious. For Sir James Lee was a taskmaster as hard as iron and + seemingly as cold as a stone. For two, perhaps for three, weeks Myles + entered into his new exercises with all the enthusiasm that novelty + brings; but these exercises hardly varied a tittle from day to day, and + soon became a duty, and finally a hard and grinding task. He used, in the + earlier days of his castle life, to hate the dull monotony of the + tri-weekly hacking at the pels with a heavy broadsword as he hated nothing + else; but now, though he still had that exercise to perform, it was almost + a relief from the heavy dulness of riding, riding, riding in the tilt-yard + with shield and lance—couch—recover—en passant. + </p> + <p> + But though he had nowadays but little time for boyish plays and escapades, + his life was not altogether without relaxation. Now and then he was + permitted to drive in mock battle with other of the younger knights and + bachelors in the paddock near the outer walls. It was a still more welcome + change in the routine of his life when, occasionally, he would break a + light lance in the tilting-court with Sir Everard Willoughby; Lord George, + perhaps, and maybe one or two others of the Hall folk, looking on. + </p> + <p> + Then one gilded day, when Lord Dudleigh was visiting at Devlen, Myles ran + a course with a heavier lance in the presence of the Earl, who came down + to the tilt-yard with his guest to see the young novitiate ride against + Sir Everard. He did his best, and did it well. Lord Dudleigh praised his + poise and carriage, and Lord George, who was present, gave him an + approving smile and nod. But the Earl of Mackworth only sat stroking his + beard impassively, as was his custom. Myles would have given much to know + his thoughts. + </p> + <p> + In all these years Sir James Lee almost never gave any expression either + of approbation or disapproval—excepting when Myles exhibited some + carelessness or oversight. Then his words were sharp and harsh enough. + More than once Myles's heart failed him, and bitter discouragement took + possession of him; then nothing but his bull-dog tenacity and stubbornness + brought him out from the despondency of the dark hours. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” he burst out one day, when his heart was heavy with some failure, + “tell me, I beseech thee, do I get me any of skill at all? Is it in me + ever to make a worthy knight, fit to hold lance and sword with other men, + or am I only soothly a dull heavy block, worth naught of any good?” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art a fool, sirrah!” answered Sir James, in his grimmest tones. + “Thinkest thou to learn all of knightly prowess in a year and a half? Wait + until thou art ripe, and then I will tell thee if thou art fit to couch a + lance or ride a course with a right knight.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art an old bear!” muttered Myles to himself, as the old one-eyed + knight turned on his heel and strode away. “Beshrew me! an I show thee not + that I am as worthy to couch a lance as thou one of these fine days!” + </p> + <p> + However, during the last of the three years the grinding routine of his + training had not been quite so severe as at first. His exercises took him + more often out into the fields, and it was during this time of his + knightly education that he sometimes rode against some of the castle + knights in friendly battle with sword or lance or wooden mace. In these + encounters he always held his own; and held it more than well, though, in + his boyish simplicity, he was altogether unconscious of his own skill, + address, and strength. Perhaps it was his very honest modesty that made + him so popular and so heartily liked by all. + </p> + <p> + He had by this time risen to the place of head squire or chief bachelor, + holding the same position that Walter Blunt had occupied when he himself + had first come, a raw country boy, to Devlen. The lesser squires and pages + fairly worshipped him as a hero, albeit imposing upon his good-nature. All + took a pride in his practice in knightly exercises, and fabulous tales + were current among the young fry concerning his strength and skill. + </p> + <p> + Yet, although Myles was now at the head of his class, he did not, as other + chief bachelors had done, take a leading position among the squires in the + Earl's household service. Lord Mackworth, for his own good reasons, + relegated him to the position of Lord George's especial attendant. + Nevertheless, the Earl always distinguished him from the other esquires, + giving him a cool nod whenever they met; and Myles, upon his part—now + that he had learned better to appreciate how much his Lord had done for + him—would have shed the last drop of blood in his veins for the head + of the house of Beaumont. + </p> + <p> + As for the two young ladies, he often saw them, and sometimes, even in the + presence of the Earl, exchanged a few words with them, and Lord Mackworth + neither forbade it nor seemed to notice it. + </p> + <p> + Towards the Lady Anne he felt the steady friendly regard of a lad for a + girl older than himself; towards the Lady Alice, now budding into ripe + young womanhood, there lay deep in his heart the resolve to be some day + her true knight in earnest as he had been her knight in pretence in that + time of boyhood when he had so perilously climbed into the privy garden. + </p> + <p> + In body and form he was now a man, and in thought and heart was quickly + ripening to manhood, for, as was said before, men matured quickly in those + days. He was a right comely youth, for the promise of his boyish body had + been fulfilled in a tall, powerful, well-knit frame. His face was still + round and boyish, but on cheek and chin and lip was the curl of adolescent + beard—soft, yellow, and silky. His eyes were as blue as steel, and + quick and sharp in glance as those of a hawk; and as he walked, his arms + swung from his broad, square shoulders, and his body swayed with pent-up + strength ready for action at any moment. + </p> + <p> + If little Lady Alice, hearing much talk of his doings and of his promise + in these latter times, thought of him now and then it is a matter not + altogether to be wondered at. + </p> + <p> + Such were the changes that three years had wrought. And from now the story + of his manhood really begins. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps in all the history of Devlen Castle, even at this, the high tide + of pride and greatness of the house of Beaumont, the most notable time was + in the early autumn of the year 1411, when for five days King Henry IV was + entertained by the Earl of Mackworth. The King was at that time making a + progress through certain of the midland counties, and with him travelled + the Comte de Vermoise. The Count was the secret emissary of the Dauphin's + faction in France, at that time in the very bitterest intensity of the + struggle with the Duke of Burgundy, and had come to England seeking aid + for his master in his quarrel. + </p> + <p> + It was not the first time that royalty had visited Devlen. Once, in Earl + Robert's day, King Edward II had spent a week at the castle during the + period of the Scottish wars. But at that time it was little else than a + military post, and was used by the King as such. Now the Beaumonts were in + the very flower of their prosperity, and preparations were made for the + coming visit of royalty upon a scale of such magnificence and splendor as + Earl Robert, or perhaps even King Edward himself, had never dreamed. + </p> + <p> + For weeks the whole castle had been alive with folk hurrying hither and + thither; and with the daily and almost hourly coming of pack-horses, laden + with bales and boxes, from London. From morning to night one heard the + ceaseless chip-chipping of the masons' hammers, and saw carriers of stones + and mortar ascending and descending the ladders of the scaffolding that + covered the face of the great North Hall. Within, that part of the + building was alive with the scraping of the carpenters' saws, the + clattering of lumber, and the rapping and banging of hammers. + </p> + <p> + The North Hall had been assigned as the lodging place for the King and his + court, and St. George's Hall (as the older building adjoining it was + called) had been set apart as the lodging of the Comte de Vermoise and the + knights and gentlemen attendant upon him. + </p> + <p> + The great North Hall had been very much altered and changed for the + accommodation of the King and his people; a beautiful gallery of carved + wood-work had been built within and across the south end of the room for + the use of the ladies who were to look down upon the ceremonies below. Two + additional windows had been cut through the wall and glazed, and + passage-ways had been opened connecting with the royal apartments beyond. + In the bedchamber a bed of carved wood and silver had been built into the + wall, and had been draped with hangings of pale blue and silver, and a + magnificent screen of wrought-iron and carved wood had been erected around + the couch; rich and beautiful tapestries brought from Italy and Flanders + were hung upon the walls; cushions of velvets and silks stuffed with down + covered benches and chairs. The floor of the hall was spread with mats of + rushes stained in various colors, woven into curious patterns, and in the + smaller rooms precious carpets of arras were laid on the cold stones. + </p> + <p> + All of the cadets of the House had been assembled; all of the gentlemen in + waiting, retainers and clients. The castle seemed full to overflowing; + even the dormitory of the squires was used as a lodging place for many of + the lesser gentry. + </p> + <p> + So at last, in the midst of all this bustle of preparation, came the day + of days when the King was to arrive. The day before a courier had come + bringing the news that he was lodging at Donaster Abbey overnight, and + would make progress the next day to Devlen. + </p> + <p> + That morning, as Myles was marshalling the pages and squires, and, with + the list of names in his hand, was striving to evolve some order out of + the confusion, assigning the various individuals their special duties—these + to attend in the household, those to ride in the escort—one of the + gentlemen of Lord George's household came with an order for him to come + immediately to the young nobleman's apartments. Myles hastily turned over + his duties to Gascoyne and Wilkes, and then hurried after the messenger. + He found Lord George in the antechamber, three gentlemen squires arming + him in a magnificent suit of ribbed Milan. + </p> + <p> + He greeted Myles with a nod and a smile as the lad entered. “Sirrah,” said + he, “I have had a talk with Mackworth this morn concerning thee, and have + a mind to do thee an honor in my poor way. How wouldst thou like to ride + to-day as my special squire of escort?” + </p> + <p> + Myles flushed to the roots of his hair. “Oh, sir!” he cried, eagerly, “an + I be not too ungainly for thy purpose, no honor in all the world could be + such joy to me as that!” + </p> + <p> + Lord George laughed. “A little matter pleases thee hugely,” said he; “but + as to being ungainly, who so sayeth that of thee belieth thee, Myles; thou + art not ungainly, sirrah. But that is not to the point. I have chosen thee + for my equerry to-day; so make thou haste and don thine armor, and then + come hither again, and Hollingwood will fit thee with a wreathed bascinet + I have within, and a juppon embroidered with my arms and colors.” + </p> + <p> + When Myles had made his bow and left his patron, he flew across the + quadrangle, and burst into the armory upon Gascoyne, whom he found still + lingering there, chatting with one or two of the older bachelors. + </p> + <p> + “What thinkest thou, Francis?” he cried, wild with excitement. “An honor + hath been done me this day I could never have hoped to enjoy. Out of all + this household, Lord George hath chose me his equerry for the day to ride + to meet the King. Come, hasten to help me to arm! Art thou not glad of + this thing for my sake, Francis?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye, glad am I indeed!” cried Gascoyne, that generous friend; “rather + almost would I have this befall thee than myself!” And indeed he was + hardly less jubilant than Myles over the honor. + </p> + <p> + Five minutes later he was busy arming him in the little room at the end of + the dormitory which had been lately set apart for the use of the head + bachelor. “And to think,” he said, looking up as he kneeled, strapping the + thigh-plates to his friend's legs, “that he should have chosen thee before + all others of the fine knights and lords and gentlemen of quality that are + here!” + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” said Myles, “it passeth wonder. I know not why he should so single + me out for such an honor. It is strangely marvellous.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Gascoyne, “there is no marvel in it, and I know right well why + he chooseth thee. It is because he sees, as we all see, that thou art the + stoutest and the best-skilled in arms, and most easy of carriage of any + man in all this place.” + </p> + <p> + Myles laughed. “An thou make sport of me,” said he, “I'll rap thy head + with this dagger hilt. Thou art a silly fellow, Francis, to talk so. But + tell me, hast thou heard who rides with my Lord?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea, I heard Wilkes say anon that it was Sir James Lee.” + </p> + <p> + “I am right glad of that,” said Myles; “for then he will show me what to + do and how to bear myself. It frights me to think what would hap should I + make some mistake in my awkwardness. Methinks Lord George would never have + me with him more should I do amiss this day.” + </p> + <p> + “Never fear,” said Gascoyne; “thou wilt not do amiss.” + </p> + <p> + And now, at last, the Earl, Lord George, and all their escort were ready; + then the orders were given to horse, the bugle sounded, and away they all + rode, with clashing of iron hoofs and ringing and jingling of armor, out + into the dewy freshness of the early morning, the slant yellow sun of + autumn blazing and flaming upon polished helmets and shields, and + twinkling like sparks of fire upon spear points. Myles's heart thrilled + within him for pure joy, and he swelled out his sturdy young breast with + great draughts of the sweet fresh air that came singing across the sunny + hill-tops. Sir James Lee, who acted as the Earl's equerry for the day, + rode at a little distance, and there was an almost pathetic contrast + between the grim, steadfast impassiveness of the tough old warrior and + Myles's passionate exuberance of youth. + </p> + <p> + At the head of the party rode the Earl and his brother side by side, each + clad cap-a-pie in a suit of Milan armor, the cuirass of each covered with + a velvet juppon embroidered in silver with the arms and quarterings of the + Beaumonts. The Earl wore around his neck an “S S” collar, with a jewelled + St. George hanging from it, and upon his head a vizored bascinet, + ornamented with a wreath covered with black and yellow velvet and + glistening with jewels. + </p> + <p> + Lord George, as was said before, was clad in a beautiful suit of ribbed + Milan armor. It was rimmed with a thin thread of gold, and, like his + brother, he wore a bascinet wreathed with black and yellow velvet. + </p> + <p> + Behind the two brothers and their equerries rode the rest in their proper + order—knights, gentlemen, esquires, men-at-arms—to the number, + perhaps, of two hundred and fifty; spears and lances aslant, and banners, + permons, and pencels of black and yellow fluttering in the warm September + air. + </p> + <p> + From the castle to the town they rode, and then across the bridge, and + thence clattering up through the stony streets, where the folk looked down + upon them from the windows above, or crowded the fronts of the shops of + the tradesmen. Lusty cheers were shouted for the Earl, but the great Lord + rode staring ever straight before him, as unmoved as a stone. Then out of + the town they clattered, and away in a sweeping cloud of dust across the + country-side. + </p> + <p> + It was not until they had reached the windy top of Willoughby Croft, ten + miles away, that they met the King and his company. As the two parties + approached to within forty or fifty yards of one another they stopped. + </p> + <p> + As they came to a halt, Myles observed that a gentleman dressed in a plain + blue-gray riding-habit, and sitting upon a beautiful white gelding, stood + a little in advance of the rest of the party, and he knew that that must + be the King. Then Sir James nodded to Myles, and leaping from his horse, + flung the reins to one of the attendants. Myles did the like; and then, + still following Sir James's lead as he served Lord Mackworth, went forward + and held Lord George's stirrup while he dismounted. The two noblemen + quickly removed each his bascinet, and Myles, holding the bridle-rein of + Lord George's horse with his left hand, took the helmet in his right, + resting it upon his hip. + </p> + <p> + Then the two brothers walked forward bare-headed, the Earl, a little in + advance. Reaching the King he stopped, and then bent his knee—stiffly + in the armored plates—until it touched the ground. Thereupon the + King reached him his hand, and he, rising again, took it, and set it to + his lips. + </p> + <p> + Then Lord George, advancing, kneeled as his brother had kneeled, and to + him also the King gave his hand. + </p> + <p> + Myles could hear nothing, but he could see that a few words of greeting + passed between the three, and then the King, turning, beckoned to a knight + who stood just behind him and a little in advance of the others of the + troop. In answer, the knight rode forward; the King spoke a few words of + introduction, and the stranger, ceremoniously drawing off his right + gauntlet, clasped the hand, first of the Earl, and then of Lord George. + Myles knew that he must be the great Comte de Vermoise, of whom he had + heard so much of late. + </p> + <p> + A few moments of conversation followed, and then the King bowed slightly. + The French nobleman instantly reined back his horse, an order was given, + and then the whole company moved forward, the two brothers walking upon + either side of the King, the Earl lightly touching the bridle-rein with + his bare hand. + </p> + <p> + Whilst all this was passing, the Earl of Mackworth's company had been + drawn up in a double line along the road-side, leaving the way open to the + other party. As the King reached the head of the troop, another halt + followed while he spoke a few courteous words of greeting to some of the + lesser nobles attendant upon the Earl whom he knew. + </p> + <p> + In that little time he was within a few paces of Myles, who stood + motionless as a statue, holding the bascinet and the bridle-rein of Lord + George's horse. + </p> + <p> + What Myles saw was a plain, rather stout man, with a face fat, smooth, and + waxy, with pale-blue eyes, and baggy in the lids; clean shaven, except for + a mustache and tuft covering lips and chin. Somehow he felt a deep + disappointment. He had expected to see something lion-like, something + regal, and, after all, the great King Henry was commonplace, fat, + unwholesome-looking. It came to him with a sort of a shock that, after + all, a King was in nowise different from other men. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile the Earl and his brother replaced their bascinets, and presently + the whole party moved forward upon the way to Mackworth. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0023" id="link2HCH0023"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 23 + </h2> + <p> + That same afternoon the squires' quarters were thrown into such a ferment + of excitement as had, perhaps, never before stirred them. About one + o'clock in the afternoon the Earl himself and Lord George came walking + slowly across the Armory Court wrapped in deep conversation, and entered + Sir James Lee's office. + </p> + <p> + All the usual hubbub of noise that surrounded the neighborhood of the + dormitory and the armory was stilled at their coming, and when the two + noblemen had entered Sir James's office, the lads and young men gathered + in knots discussing with an almost awesome interest what that visit might + portend. + </p> + <p> + After some time Sir James Lee came to the door at the head of the long + flight of stone steps, and whistling, beckoned one of the smaller pages to + him. He gave a short order that sent the little fellow flying on some + mission. In the course of a few minutes he returned, hurrying across the + stony court with Myles Falworth, who presently entered Sir James's office. + It was then and at this sight that the intense half-suppressed excitement + reached its height of fever-heat. What did it all mean? The air was filled + with a thousand vague, wild rumors—but the very wildest surmises + fell short of the real truth. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps Myles was somewhat pale when he entered the office; certainly his + nerves were in a tremor, for his heart told him that something very + portentous was about to befall him. The Earl sat at the table, and in the + seat that Sir James Lee usually occupied; Lord George half sat, half + leaned in the window-place. Sir James stood with his back to the empty + fireplace, and his hands clasped behind him. All three were very serious. + </p> + <p> + “Give thee good den, Myles Falworth,” said the Earl, as Myles bowed first + to him and then to the others; “and I would have thee prepare thyself for + a great happening.” Then, continuing directly to the point: “Thou knowest, + sirrah, why we have been training thee so closely these three years gone; + it is that thou shouldst be able to hold thine own in the world. Nay, not + only hold thine own, but to show thyself to be a knight of prowess + shouldst it come to a battle between thee and thy father's enemy; for + there lieth no half-way place for thee, and thou must be either great or + else nothing. Well, sir, the time hath now come for thee to show thy + mettle. I would rather have chosen that thou hadst labored a twelvemonth + longer; but now, as I said, hath come a chance to prove thyself that may + never come again. Sir James tells me that thou art passably ripe in skill. + Thou must now show whether that be so or no. Hast thou ever heard of the + Sieur de la Montaigne?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea, my Lord. I have heard of him often,” answered Myles. “It was he who + won the prize at the great tourney at Rochelle last year.” + </p> + <p> + “I see that thou hast his fame pat to thy tongue's end,” said the Earl; + “he is the chevalier of whom I speak, and he is reckoned the best knight + of Dauphiny. That one of which thou spokest was the third great tourney in + which he was adjudged the victor. I am glad that thou holdest his prowess + highly. Knowest thou that he is in the train of the Comte de Vermoise?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles, flushing; “I did hear news he was in England, but knew + not that he was in this place.” + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” said Lord Mackworth; “he is here.” He paused for a moment; then + said, suddenly. “Tell me, Myles Falworth, an thou wert a knight and of + rank fit to run a joust with the Sieur de la Montaigne, wouldst thou dare + encounter him in the lists?” + </p> + <p> + The Earl's question fell upon Myles so suddenly and unexpectedly that for + a moment or so he stood staring at the speaker with mouth agape. Meanwhile + the Earl sat looking calmly back at him, slowly stroking his beard the + while. + </p> + <p> + It was Sir James Lee's voice that broke the silence. “Thou heardst thy + Lord speak,” said he, harshly. “Hast thou no tongue to answer, sirrah?” + </p> + <p> + “Be silent, Lee,” said Lord Mackworth, quietly. “Let the lad have time to + think before he speaketh.” + </p> + <p> + The sound of the words aroused Myles. He advanced to the table, and rested + his hand upon it. “My Lord—my Lord,” said he, “I know not what to + say, I—I am amazed and afeard.” + </p> + <p> + “How! how!” cried Sir James Lee, harshly. “Afeard, sayst thou? An thou art + afeard, thou knave, thou needst never look upon my face or speak to me + more! I have done with thee forever an thou art afeard even were the + champion a Sir Alisander.” + </p> + <p> + “Peace, peace, Lee,” said the Earl, holding up his hand. “Thou art too + hasty. The lad shall have his will in this matter, and thou and no one + shall constrain him. Methinks, also, thou dost not understand him. Speak + from thy heart, Myles; why art thou afraid?” + </p> + <p> + “Because,” said Myles, “I am so young, sir; I am but a raw boy. How should + I dare be so hardy as to venture to set lance against such an one as the + Sieur de la Montaigne? What would I be but a laughing-stock for all the + world who would see me so foolish as to venture me against one of such + prowess and skill?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Myles,” said Lord George, “thou thinkest not well enough of thine + own skill and prowess. Thinkest thou we would undertake to set thee + against him, an we did not think that thou couldst hold thine own fairly + well?” + </p> + <p> + “Hold mine own?” cried Myles, turning to Lord George. “Sir; thou dost not + mean—thou canst not mean, that I may hope or dream to hold mine own + against the Sieur de la Montaigne.” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Lord George, “that was what I did mean.” + </p> + <p> + “Come, Myles,” said the Earl; “now tell me: wilt thou fight the Sieur de + la Montaigne?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” said Myles, drawing himself to his full height and throwing out his + chest. “Yea,” and his cheeks and forehead flushed red; “an thou bid me do + so, I will fight him.” + </p> + <p> + “There spake my brave lad!” cried Lord George heartily. + </p> + <p> + “I give thee joy, Myles,” said the Earl, reaching him his hand, which + Myles took and kissed. “And I give thee double joy. I have talked with the + King concerning thee this morning, and he hath consented to knight thee—yea, + to knight thee with all honors of the Bath—provided thou wilt match + thee against the Sieur de la Montaigne for the honor of England and + Mackworth. Just now the King lieth to sleep for a little while after his + dinner; have thyself in readiness when he cometh forth, and I will have + thee presented.” + </p> + <p> + Then the Earl turned to Sir James Lee, and questioned him as to how the + bachelors were fitted with clothes. Myles listened, only half hearing the + words through the tumbling of his thoughts. He had dreamed in his + day-dreams that some time he might be knighted, but that time always + seemed very, very distant. To be knighted now, in his boyhood, by the + King, with the honors of the Bath, and under the patronage of the Earl of + Mackworth; to joust—to actually joust—with the Sieur de la + Montaigne, one of the most famous chevaliers of France! No wonder he only + half heard the words; half heard the Earl's questions concerning his + clothes and the discussion which followed; half heard Lord George + volunteer to array him in fitting garments from his own wardrobe. + </p> + <p> + “Thou mayst go now,” said the Earl, at last turning to him. “But be thou + at George's apartments by two of the clock to be dressed fittingly for the + occasion.” + </p> + <p> + Then Myles went out stupefied, dazed, bewildered. He looked around, but he + did not see Gascoyne. He said not a word to any of the others in answer to + the eager questions poured upon him by his fellow-squires, but walked + straight away. He hardly knew where he went, but by-and-by he found + himself in a grassy angle below the end of the south stable; a spot + overlooking the outer wall and the river beyond. He looked around; no one + was near, and he flung himself at length, burying his face in his arms. + How long he lay there he did not know, but suddenly some one touched him + upon the shoulder, and he sprang up quickly. It was Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + “What is to do, Myles?” said his friend, anxiously. “What is all this talk + I hear concerning thee up yonder at the armory?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Francis!” cried Myles, with a husky choking voice: “I am to be + knighted—by the King—by the King himself; and I—I am to + fight the Sieur de la Montaigne.” + </p> + <p> + He reached out his hand, and Gascoyne took it. They stood for a while + quite silent, and when at last the stillness was broken, it was Gascoyne + who spoke, in a choking voice. + </p> + <p> + “Thou art going to be great, Myles,” said he. “I always knew that it must + be so with thee, and now the time hath come. Yea, thou wilt be great, and + live at court amongst noble folk, and Kings haply. Presently thou wilt not + be with me any more, and wilt forget me by-and-by.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Francis, never will I forget thee!” answered Myles, pressing his + friend's hand. “I will always love thee better than any one in the world, + saving only my father and my mother.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne shook his head and looked away, swallowing at the dry lump in his + throat. Suddenly he turned to Myles. “Wilt thou grant me a boon?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea,” answered Myles. “What is it?” + </p> + <p> + “That thou wilt choose me for thy squire.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “how canst thou think to serve me as squire? Thou wilt + be a knight thyself some day, Francis, and why dost thou wish now to be my + squire?” + </p> + <p> + “Because,” said Gascoyne, with a short laugh, “I would rather be in thy + company as a squire than in mine own as a knight, even if I might be + banneret.” + </p> + <p> + Myles flung his arm around his friend's neck, and kissed him upon the + cheek. “Thou shalt have thy will,” said he; “but whether knight or squire, + thou art ever mine own true friend.” + </p> + <p> + Then they went slowly back together, hand in hand, to the castle world + again. + </p> + <p> + At two o'clock Myles went to Lord George's apartments, and there his + friend and patron dressed him out in a costume better fitted for the + ceremony of presentation—a fur-trimmed jacket of green brocaded + velvet embroidered with golden thread, a black velvet hood-cap rolled like + a turban and with a jewel in the front, a pair of crimson hose, and a pair + of black velvet shoes trimmed and stitched with gold-thread. Myles had + never worn such splendid clothes in his life before, and he could not but + feel that they became him well. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said he, as he looked down at himself, “sure it is not lawful for + me to wear such clothes as these.” + </p> + <p> + In those days there was a law, known as a sumptuary law, which regulated + by statute the clothes that each class of people were privileged to wear. + It was, as Myles said, against the law for him to wear such garments as + those in which he was clad—either velvet, crimson stuff, fur or + silver or gold embroidery—nevertheless such a solemn ceremony as + presentation to the King excused the temporary overstepping of the law, + and so Lord George told him. As he laid his hand upon the lad's shoulder + and held him off at arm's-length, he added, “And I pledge thee my word, + Myles, that thou art as lusty and handsome a lad as ever mine eyes + beheld.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou art very kind to me, sir,” said Myles, in answer. + </p> + <p> + Lord George laughed; and then giving him a shake, let go his shoulder. + </p> + <p> + It was about three o'clock when little Edmond de Montefort, Lord + Mackworth's favorite page, came with word that the King was then walking + in the Earl's pleasance. + </p> + <p> + “Come, Myles,” said Lord George, and then Myles arose from the seat where + he had been sitting, his heart palpitating and throbbing tumultuously. + </p> + <p> + At the wicket-gate of the pleasance two gentlemen-at-arms stood guard in + half-armor; they saluted Lord George, and permitted him to pass with his + protege. As he laid his hand upon the latch of the wicket he paused for a + moment and turned. + </p> + <p> + “Myles,” said he, in a low voice, “thou art a thoughtful and cautious lad; + for thy father's sake be thoughtful and cautious now. Do not speak his + name or betray that thou art his son.” Then he opened the wicket-gate and + entered. + </p> + <p> + Any lad of Myles's age, even one far more used to the world than he, would + perhaps have felt all the oppression that he experienced under the weight + of such a presentation. He hardly knew what he was doing as Lord George + led him to where the King stood, a little apart from the attendants, with + the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise. Even in his confusion he knew enough + to kneel, and somehow his honest, modest diffidence became the young + fellow very well. He was not awkward, for one so healthful in mind and + body as he could not bear himself very ill, and he felt the assurance that + in Lord George he had a kind friend at his side, and one well used to + court ceremonies to lend him countenance. Then there is something always + pleasing in frank, modest manliness such as was stamped on Myles's + handsome, sturdy face. No doubt the King's heart warmed towards the + fledgling warrior kneeling in the pathway before him. He smiled very + kindly as he gave the lad his hand to kiss, and that ceremony done, held + fast to the hard, brown, sinewy fist of the young man with his soft white + hand, and raised him to his feet. + </p> + <p> + “By the mass!” said he, looking Myles over with smiling eyes, “thou art a + right champion in good sooth. Such as thou art haply was Sir Galahad when + he came to Arthur's court. And so they tell me, thou hast stomach to brook + the Sieur de la Montaigne, that tough old boar of Dauphiny. Hast thou in + good sooth the courage to face him? Knowest thou what a great thing it is + that thou hast set upon thyself—to do battle, even in sport, with + him?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea, your Majesty,” answered Myles, “well I wot it is a task haply beyond + me. But gladly would I take upon me even a greater venture, and one more + dangerous, to do your Majesty's pleasure!” + </p> + <p> + The King looked pleased. “Now that was right well said, young man,” said + he, “and I like it better that it came from such young and honest lips. + Dost thou speak French?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea, your Majesty,” answered Myles. “In some small measure do I so.” + </p> + <p> + “I am glad of that,” said the King; “for so I may make thee acquainted + with Sieur de la Montaigne.” + </p> + <p> + He turned as he ended speaking, and beckoned to a heavy, thick-set, + black-browed chevalier who stood with the other gentlemen attendants at a + little distance. He came instantly forward in answer to the summons, and + the King introduced the two to one another. As each took the other + formally by the hand, he measured his opponent hastily, body and limb, and + perhaps each thought that he had never seen a stronger, stouter, + better-knit man than the one upon whom he looked. But nevertheless the + contrast betwixt the two was very great—Myles, young, boyish, + fresh-faced; the other, bronzed, weather beaten, and seamed with a great + white scar that ran across his forehead and cheek; the one a novice, the + other a warrior seasoned in twoscore battles. + </p> + <p> + A few polite phrases passed between the two, the King listening smiling, + but with an absent and far-away look gradually stealing upon his face. As + they ended speaking, a little pause of silence followed, and then the King + suddenly aroused himself. + </p> + <p> + “So,” said he, “I am glad that ye two are acquainted. And now we will + leave our youthful champion in thy charge, Beaumont—and in thine, + Mon Sieur, as well—and so soon as the proper ceremonies are ended, + we will dub him knight with our own hands. And now, Mackworth, and thou my + Lord Count, let us walk a little; I have bethought me further concerning + these threescore extra men for Dauphiny.” + </p> + <p> + Then Myles withdrew, under the charge of Lord George and the Sieur de la + Montaigne and while the King and the two nobles walked slowly up and down + the gravel path between the tall rose-bushes, Myles stood talking with the + gentlemen attendants, finding himself, with a certain triumphant + exultation, the peer of any and the hero of the hour. + </p> + <p> + That night was the last that Myles and Gascoyne spent lodging in the + dormitory in their squirehood service. The next day they were assigned + apartments in Lord George's part of the house, and thither they + transported themselves and their belongings, amid the awestruck wonder and + admiration of their fellow-squires. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0024" id="link2HCH0024"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 24 + </h2> + <p> + In Myles Falworth's day one of the greatest ceremonies of courtly life was + that of the bestowal of knighthood by the King, with the honors of the + Bath. By far the greater number of knights were at that time created by + other knights, or by nobles, or by officers of the crown. To be knighted + by the King in person distinguished the recipient for life. It was this + signal honor that the Earl, for his own purposes, wished Myles to enjoy, + and for this end he had laid not a few plans. + </p> + <p> + The accolade was the term used for the creation of a knight upon the field + of battle. It was a reward of valor or of meritorious service, and was + generally bestowed in a more or less off-hand way; but the ceremony of the + Bath was an occasion of the greatest courtly moment, and it was thus that + Myles Falworth was to be knighted in addition to the honor of a royal + belting. + </p> + <p> + A quaint old book treating of knighthood and chivalry gives a full and + detailed account of all the circumstances of the ceremony of a creation of + a Knight of the Bath. It tells us that the candidate was first placed + under the care of two squires of honor, “grave and well seen in courtship + and nurture, and also in feats of chivalry,” which same were likewise to + be governors in all things relating to the coming honors. + </p> + <p> + First of all, the barber shaved him, and cut his hair in a certain + peculiar fashion ordained for the occasion, the squires of honor + supervising the operation. This being concluded, the candidate was + solemnly conducted to the chamber where the bath of tepid water was + prepared, “hung within and without with linen, and likewise covered with + rich cloths and embroidered linen.” While in the bath two “ancient, grave, + and reverend knights” attended the bachelor, giving him “meet instructions + in the order and feats of chivalry.” The candidate was then examined as to + his knowledge and acquirements, and then, all questions being answered to + the satisfaction of his examiners, the elder of the two dipped a handful + of water out from the bath, and poured it upon his head, at the same time + signing his left shoulder with the sign of the cross. + </p> + <p> + As soon as this ceremony was concluded, the two squires of honor helped + their charge from the bath, and conducted him to a plain bed without + hangings, where they let him rest until his body was warm and dry. Then + they clad him in a white linen shirt, and over it a plain robe of russet, + “girdled about the loins with a rope, and having a hood like unto a + hermit.” + </p> + <p> + As soon as the candidate had arisen, the two “ancient knights” returned, + and all being in readiness he was escorted to the chapel, the two walking, + one upon either side of him, his squires of honor marching before, and the + whole party preceded by “sundry minstrels making a loud noise of music.” + </p> + <p> + When they came to the chapel, the two knights who escorted him took leave + of the candidate, each saluting him with a kiss upon the cheek. No one + remained with him but his squires of honor, the priest, and the chandler. + </p> + <p> + In the mean time the novitiate's armor, sword, lance, and helmet had been + laid in readiness before the altar. These he watched and guarded while the + others slept, keeping vigil until sunrise, during which time “he shall,” + says the ancient authority, “pass the night in orisons, prayers, and + meditation.” At daylight he confessed to the priest, heard matins, and + communicated in mass, and then presented a lighted candle at the altar, + with a piece of money stuck in it as close to the flame as could be done, + the candle being offered to the honor of God, and the money to the honor + of that person who was to make him a knight. + </p> + <p> + So concluded the sacred ceremony, which being ended his squires conducted + the candidate to his chamber, and there made him comfortable, and left him + to repose for a while before the second and final part of the ordinance. + </p> + <p> + Such is a shortened account of the preparatory stages of the ceremonies + through which Myles Falworth passed. + </p> + <p> + Matters had come upon him so suddenly one after the other, and had come + with such bewildering rapidity that all that week was to him like some + strange, wonderful, mysterious vision. He went through it all like one in + a dream. Lord George Beaumont was one of his squires of honor; the other, + by way of a fitting complement to the courage of the chivalrous lad, was + the Sieur de la Montaigne, his opponent soon to be. They were well versed + in everything relating to knightcraft, and Myles followed all their + directions with passive obedience. Then Sir James Lee and the Comte de + Vermoise administered the ceremony of the Bath, the old knight examining + him in the laws of chivalry. + </p> + <p> + It occurs perhaps once or twice in one's lifetime that one passes through + great happenings—sometimes of joy, sometimes of dreadful bitterness—in + just such a dazed state as Myles passed through this. It is only + afterwards that all comes back to one so sharply and keenly that the heart + thrills almost in agony in living it over again. But perhaps of all the + memory of that time, when it afterwards came back piece by piece, none was + so clear to Myles's back-turned vision as the long night spent in the + chapel, watching his armor, thinking such wonderful thoughts, and dreaming + such wonderful wide-eyed dreams. At such times Myles saw again the dark + mystery of the castle chapel; he saw again the half-moon gleaming white + and silvery through the tall, narrow window, and throwing a broad form of + still whiteness across stone floor, empty seats, and still, motionless + figures of stone effigies. At such times he stood again in front of the + twinkling tapers that lit the altar where his armor lay piled in a heap, + heard again the deep breathing of his companions of the watch sleeping in + some empty stall, wrapped each in his cloak, and saw the old chandler + bestir himself, and rise and come forward to snuff the candles. At such + times he saw again the day growing clearer and clearer through the tall, + glazed windows, saw it change to a rosy pink, and then to a broad, ruddy + glow that threw a halo of light around Father Thomas's bald head bowed in + sleep, and lit up the banners and trophies hanging motionless against the + stony face of the west wall; heard again the stirring of life without and + the sound of his companions arousing themselves; saw them come forward, + and heard them wish him joy that his long watch was ended. + </p> + <p> + It was nearly noon when Myles was awakened from a fitful sleep by Gascoyne + bringing in his dinner, but, as might be supposed, he had but little + hunger, and ate sparingly. He had hardly ended his frugal meal before his + two squires of honor came in, followed by a servant carrying the garments + for the coming ceremony. He saluted them gravely, and then arising, washed + his face and hands in a basin which Gascoyne held; then kneeled in prayer, + the others standing silent at a little distance. As he arose, Lord George + came forward. + </p> + <p> + “The King and the company come presently to the Great Hall, Myles,” said + he; “it is needful for thee to make all the haste that thou art able.” + </p> + <p> + Perhaps never had Devlen Castle seen a more brilliant and goodly company + gathered in the great hall than that which came to witness King Henry + create Myles Falworth a knight bachelor. + </p> + <p> + At the upper end of the hall was a raised dais, upon which stood a throne + covered with crimson satin and embroidered with lions and flower-deluces; + it was the King's seat. He and his personal attendants had not yet come, + but the rest of the company were gathered. The day being warm and sultry, + the balcony was all aflutter with the feather fans of the ladies of the + family and their attendants, who from this high place looked down upon the + hall below. Up the centre of the hall was laid a carpet of arras, and the + passage was protected by wooden railings. Upon the one side were tiers of + seats for the castle gentlefolks and the guests. Upon the other stood the + burghers from the town, clad in sober dun and russet, and yeomanry in + green and brown. The whole of the great vaulted hall was full of the dull + hum of many people waiting, and a ceaseless restlessness stirred the + crowded throng. But at last a whisper went around that the King was + coming. A momentary hush fell, and through it was heard the noisy clatter + of horses' feet coming nearer and nearer, and then stopping before the + door. The sudden blare of trumpets broke through the hush; another pause, + and then in through the great door-way of the hall came the royal + procession. + </p> + <p> + First of all marched, in the order of their rank, and to the number of a + score or more, certain gentlemen, esquires and knights, chosen mostly from + the King's attendants. Behind these came two pursuivants-at-arms in + tabards, and following them a party of a dozen more bannerets and barons. + Behind these again, a little space intervening, came two heralds, also in + tabards, a group of the greater nobles attendant upon the King following + in the order of their rank. Next came the King-at-arms and, at a little + distance and walking with sober slowness, the King himself, with the Earl + and the Count directly attendant upon him—the one marching upon the + right hand and the other upon the left. A breathless silence filled the + whole space as the royal procession advanced slowly up the hall. Through + the stillness could be heard the muffled sound of the footsteps on the + carpet, the dry rustling of silk and satin garments, and the clear clink + and jingle of chains and jewelled ornaments, but not the sound of a single + voice. + </p> + <p> + After the moment or two of bustle and confusion of the King taking his + place had passed, another little space of expectant silence fell. At last + there suddenly came the noise of acclamation of those who stood without + the door—cheering and the clapping of hands—sounds heralding + the immediate advent of Myles and his attendants. The next moment the + little party entered the hall. + </p> + <p> + First of all, Gascoyne, bearing Myles's sword in both hands, the hilt + resting against his breast, the point elevated at an angle of forty-five + degrees. It was sheathed in a crimson scabbard, and the belt of Spanish + leather studded with silver bosses was wound crosswise around it. From the + hilt of the sword dangled the gilt spurs of his coming knighthood. At a + little distance behind his squire followed Myles, the centre of all + observation. He was clad in a novitiate dress, arranged under Lord + George's personal supervision. It had been made somewhat differently from + the fashion usual at such times, and was intended to indicate in a manner + the candidate's extreme youthfulness and virginity in arms. The outer + garment was a tabard robe of white wool, embroidered at the hem with fine + lines of silver, and gathered loosely at the waist with a belt of lavender + leather stitched with thread of silver. Beneath he was clad in armor (a + present from the Earl), new and polished till it shone with dazzling + brightness, the breastplate covered with a juppon of white satin, + embroidered with silver. Behind Myles, and upon either hand, came his + squires of honor, sponsors, and friends—a little company of some + half-dozen in all. As they advanced slowly up the great, dim, high-vaulted + room, the whole multitude broke forth into a humming buzz of applause. + Then a sudden clapping of hands began near the door-way, ran down through + the length of the room, and was taken up by all with noisy clatter. + </p> + <p> + “Saw I never youth so comely,” whispered one of the Lady Anne's attendant + gentlewomen. “Sure he looketh as Sir Galahad looked when he came first to + King Arthur's court.” + </p> + <p> + Myles knew that he was very pale; he felt rather than saw the restless + crowd of faces upon either side, for his eyes were fixed directly before + him, upon the dais whereon sat the King, with the Earl of Mackworth + standing at his right hand, the Comte de Vermoise upon the left, and the + others ranged around and behind the throne. It was with the same tense + feeling of dreamy unreality that Myles walked slowly up the length of the + hall, measuring his steps by those of Gascoyne. Suddenly he felt Lord + George Beaumont touch him lightly upon the arm, and almost instinctively + he stopped short—he was standing just before the covered steps of + the throne. + </p> + <p> + He saw Gascoyne mount to the third step, stop short, kneel, and offer the + sword and the spurs he carried to the King, who took the weapon and laid + it across his knees. Then the squire bowed low, and walking backward + withdrew to one side, leaving Myles standing alone facing the throne. The + King unlocked the spur chains from the sword-hilt, and then, holding the + gilt spurs in his hand for a moment, he looked Myles straight in the eyes + and smiled. Then he turned, and gave one of the spurs to the Earl of + Mackworth. + </p> + <p> + The Earl took it with a low bow, turned, and came slowly down the steps to + where Myles stood. Kneeling upon one knee, and placing Myles's foot upon + the other, Lord Mackworth set the spur in its place and latched the chain + over the instep. He drew the sign of the cross upon Myles's bended knee, + set the foot back upon the ground, rose with slow dignity, and bowing to + the King, drew a little to one side. + </p> + <p> + As soon as the Earl had fulfilled his office the King gave the second spur + to the Comte de Vermoise, who set it to Myles's other foot with the same + ceremony that the Earl had observed, withdrawing as he had done to one + side. + </p> + <p> + An instant pause of motionless silence followed, and then the King slowly + arose, and began deliberately to unwind the belt from around the scabbard + of the sword he held. As soon as he stood, the Earl and the Count + advanced, and taking Myles by either hand, led him forward and up the + steps of the dais to the platform above. As they drew a little to one + side, the King stooped and buckled the sword-belt around Myles's waist, + then, rising again, lifted his hand and struck him upon the shoulder, + crying, in a loud voice. + </p> + <p> + “Be thou a good knight!” + </p> + <p> + Instantly a loud sound of applause and the clapping of hands filled the + whole hall, in the midst of which the King laid both hands upon Myles's + shoulders and kissed him upon the right cheek. So the ceremony ended; + Myles was no longer Myles Falworth, but Sir Myles Falworth, Knight by + Order of the Bath and by grace of the King! + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0025" id="link2HCH0025"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 25 + </h2> + <p> + It was the custom to conclude the ceremonies of the bestowal of knighthood + by a grand feast given in honor of the newly-created knight. But in + Myles's instance the feast was dispensed with. The Earl of Mackworth had + planned that Myles might be created a Knight of the Bath with all possible + pomp and ceremony; that his personality might be most favorably impressed + upon the King; that he might be so honorably knighted as to make him the + peer of any who wore spurs in all England; and, finally, that he might + celebrate his new honors by jousting with some knight of high fame and + approved valor. All these desiderata chance had fulfilled in the visit of + the King to Devlen. + </p> + <p> + As the Earl had said to Myles, he would rather have waited a little while + longer until the lad was riper in years and experience, but the + opportunity was not to be lost. Young as he was, Myles must take his + chances against the years and grim experience of the Sieur de la + Montaigne. But it was also a part of the Earl's purpose that the King and + Myles should not be brought too intimately together just at that time. + Though every particular of circumstance should be fulfilled in the + ceremony, it would have been ruination to the Earl's plans to have the + knowledge come prematurely to the King that Myles was the son of the + attainted Lord Falworth. The Earl knew that Myles was a shrewd, coolheaded + lad; but the King had already hinted that the name was familiar to his + ears, and a single hasty answer or unguarded speech upon the young + knight's part might awaken him to a full knowledge. Such a mishap was, of + all things, to be avoided just then, for, thanks to the machinations of + that enemy of his father of whom Myles had heard so much, and was soon to + hear more, the King had always retained and still held a bitter and + rancorous enmity against the unfortunate nobleman. + </p> + <p> + It was no very difficult matter for the Earl to divert the King's + attention from the matter of the feast. His Majesty was very intent just + then upon supplying a quota of troops to the Dauphin, and the chief object + of his visit to Devlen was to open negotiations with the Earl looking to + that end. He was interested—much interested in Myles and in the + coming jousting in which the young warrior was to prove himself, but he + was interested in it by way of a relaxation from the other and more + engrossing matter. So, though he made some passing and half preoccupied + inquiry about the feast he was easily satisfied with the Earl's reasons + for not holding it: which were that he had arranged a consultation for + that morning in regard to the troops for the Dauphin, to which meeting he + had summoned a number of his own more important dependent nobles, that the + King himself needed repose and the hour or so of rest that his + barber-surgeon had ordered him to take after his mid-day meal; that Father + Thomas had laid upon Myles a petty penance—that for the first three + days of his knighthood he should eat his meals without meat and in his own + apartment—and various other reasons equally good and sufficient. So + the King was satisfied, and the feast was dispensed with. + </p> + <p> + The next morning had been set for the jousting, and all that day the + workmen were busy erecting the lists in the great quadrangle upon which, + as was said before, looked the main buildings of the castle. The windows + of Myles's apartment opened directly upon the bustling scene—the + carpenters hammering and sawing, the upholsterers snipping, cutting, and + tacking. Myles and Gascoyne stood gazing out from the open casement, with + their arms lying across one another's shoulders in the old boyhood + fashion, and Myles felt his heart shrink with a sudden tight pang as the + realization came sharply and vividly upon him that all these preparations + were being made for him, and that the next day he should, with almost the + certainty of death, meet either glory or failure under the eyes not only + of all the greater and lesser castle folk, but of the King himself and + noble strangers critically used to deeds of chivalry and prowess. Perhaps + he had never fully realized the magnitude of the reality before. In that + tight pang at his heart he drew a deep breath, almost a sigh. Gascoyne + turned his head abruptly, and looked at his friend, but he did not ask the + cause of the sigh. No doubt the same thoughts that were in Myles's mind + were in his also. + </p> + <p> + It was towards the latter part of the afternoon that a message came from + the Earl, bidding Myles attend him in his private closet. After Myles had + bowed and kissed his lordship's hand, the Earl motioned him to take a + seat, telling him that he had some final words to say that might occupy a + considerable time. He talked to the young man for about half an hour in + his quiet, measured voice, only now and then showing a little agitation by + rising and walking up and down the room for a turn or two. Very many + things were disclosed in that talk that had caused Myles long hours of + brooding thought, for the Earl spoke freely, and without concealment to + him concerning his father and the fortunes of the house of Falworth. + </p> + <p> + Myles had surmised many things, but it was not until then that he knew for + a certainty who was his father's malignant and powerful enemy—that + it was the great Earl of Alban, the rival and bitter enemy of the Earl of + Mackworth. It was not until then that he knew that the present Earl of + Alban was the Lord Brookhurst, who had killed Sir John Dale in the + anteroom at Falworth Castle that morning so long ago in his early + childhood. It was not until then that he knew all the circumstances of his + father's blindness; that he had been overthrown in the melee at the great + tournament at York, and that that same Lord Brookhurst had ridden his + iron-shod war-horse twice over his enemy's prostrate body before his + squire could draw him from the press, and had then and there given him the + wound from which he afterwards went blind. The Earl swore to Myles that + Lord Brookhurst had done what he did wilfully, and had afterwards boasted + of it. Then, with some hesitation, he told Myles the reason of Lord + Brookhurst's enmity, and that it had arisen on account of Lady Falworth, + whom he had one time sought in marriage, and that he had sworn vengeance + against the man who had won her. + </p> + <p> + Piece by piece the Earl of Mackworth recounted every circumstance and + detail of the revenge that the blind man's enemy had afterwards wreaked + upon him. He told Myles how, when his father was attainted of + high-treason, and his estates forfeited to the crown, the King had granted + the barony of Easterbridge to the then newly-created Earl of Alban in + spite of all the efforts of Lord Falworth's friends to the contrary; that + when he himself had come out from an audience with the King, with others + of his father's friends, the Earl of Alban had boasted in the anteroom, in + a loud voice, evidently intended for them all to hear, that now that he + had Falworth's fat lands, he would never rest till he had hunted the blind + man out from his hiding, and brought his head to the block. + </p> + <p> + “Ever since then,” said the Earl of Mackworth “he hath been striving by + every means to discover thy father's place of concealment. Some time, + haply, he may find it, and then—” + </p> + <p> + Myles had felt for a long time that he was being moulded and shaped, and + that the Earl of Mackworth's was the hand that was making him what he was + growing to be; but he had never realized how great were the things + expected of him should he pass the first great test, and show himself what + his friends hoped to see him. Now he knew that all were looking upon him + to act, sometime, as his father's champion, and when that time should + come, to challenge the Earl of Alban to the ordeal of single combat, to + purge his father's name of treason, to restore him to his rank, and to set + the house of Falworth where it stood before misfortune fell upon it. + </p> + <p> + But it was not alone concerning his and his father's affairs that the Earl + of Mackworth talked to Myles. He told him that the Earl of Alban was the + Earl of Mackworth's enemy also; that in his younger days he had helped + Lord Falworth, who was his kinsman, to win his wife, and that then, Lord + Brookhurst had sworn to compass his ruin as he had sworn to compass the + ruin of his friend. He told Myles how, now that Lord Brookhurst was grown + to be Earl of Alban, and great and powerful, he was forever plotting + against him, and showed Myles how, if Lord Falworth were discovered and + arrested for treason, he also would be likely to suffer for aiding and + abetting him. Then it dawned upon Myles that the Earl looked to him to + champion the house of Beaumont as well as that of Falworth. + </p> + <p> + “Mayhap,” said the Earl, “thou didst think that it was all for the + pleasant sport of the matter that I have taken upon me this toil and + endeavor to have thee knighted with honor that thou mightst fight the + Dauphiny knight. Nay, nay, Myles Falworth, I have not labored so hard for + such a small matter as that. I have had the King, unknown to himself, so + knight thee that thou mayst be the peer of Alban himself, and now I would + have thee to hold thine own with the Sieur de la Montaigne, to try whether + thou be'st Alban's match, and to approve thyself worthy of the honor of + thy knighthood. I am sorry, ne'theless,” he added, after a moment's pause, + “that this could not have been put off for a while longer, for my plans + for bringing thee to battle with that vile Alban are not yet ripe. But + such a chance of the King coming hither haps not often. And then I am glad + of this much—that a good occasion offers to get thee presently away + from England. I would have thee out of the King's sight so soon as may be + after this jousting. He taketh a liking to thee, and I fear me lest he + should inquire more nearly concerning thee and so all be discovered and + spoiled. My brother George goeth upon the first of next month to France to + take service with the Dauphin, having under his command a company of + tenscore men—knights and archers; thou shalt go with him, and there + stay till I send for thee to return.” + </p> + <p> + With this, the protracted interview concluded, the Earl charging Myles to + say nothing further about the French expedition for the present—even + to his friend—for it was as yet a matter of secrecy, known only to + the King and a few nobles closely concerned in the venture. + </p> + <p> + Then Myles arose to take his leave. He asked and obtained permission for + Gascoyne to accompany him to France. Then he paused for a moment or two, + for it was strongly upon him to speak of a matter that had been lying in + his mind all day—a matter that he had dreamed of much with open eyes + during the long vigil of the night before. + </p> + <p> + The Earl looked up inquiringly. “What is it thou wouldst ask?” said he. + </p> + <p> + Myles's heart was beating quickly within him at the thought of his own + boldness, and as he spoke his cheeks burned like fire. “Sir,” said he, + mustering his courage at last, “haply thou hast forgot it, but I have not; + ne'theless, a long time since when I spoke of serving the—the Lady + Alice as her true knight, thou didst wisely laugh at my words, and bade me + wait first till I had earned my spurs. But now, sir, I have gotten my + spurs, and—and do now crave thy gracious leave that I may serve that + lady as her true knight.” + </p> + <p> + A space of dead silence fell, in which Myles's heart beat tumultuously + within him. + </p> + <p> + “I know not what thou meanest,” said the Earl at last, in a somewhat + constrained voice. “How wouldst thou serve her? What wouldst thou have?” + </p> + <p> + “I would have only a little matter just now,” answered Myles. “I would but + crave of her a favor for to wear in the morrow's battle, so that she may + know that I hold her for my own true lady, and that I may have the courage + to fight more boldly, having that favor to defend.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl sat looking at him for a while in brooding silence, stroking his + beard the while. Suddenly his brow cleared. “So be it,” said he. “I grant + thee my leave to ask the Lady Alice for a favor, and if she is pleased to + give it to thee, I shall not say thee nay. But I set this upon thee as a + provision: that thou shalt not see her without the Lady Anne be present. + Thus it was, as I remember, thou saw her first, and with it thou must now + be satisfied. Go thou to the Long Gallery, and thither they will come anon + if naught hinder them.” + </p> + <p> + Myles waited in the Long Gallery perhaps some fifteen or twenty minutes. + No one was there but himself. It was a part of the castle connecting the + Earl's and the Countess's apartments, and was used but little. During that + time he stood looking absently out of the open casement into the stony + court-yard beyond, trying to put into words that which he had to say; + wondering, with anxiety, how soon the young ladies would come; wondering + whether they would come at all. At last the door at the farther end of the + gallery opened, and turning sharply at the sound, he saw the two young + ladies enter, Lady Alice leaning upon Lady Anne's arm. It was the first + time that he had seen them since the ceremony of the morning, and as he + advanced to meet them, the Lady Anne came frankly forward, and gave him + her hand, which Myles raised to his lips. + </p> + <p> + “I give thee joy of thy knighthood, Sir Myles,” said she, “and do believe, + in good sooth, that if any one deserveth such an honor, thou art he.” + </p> + <p> + At first little Lady Alice hung back behind her cousin, saying nothing + until the Lady Anne, turning suddenly, said: “Come, coz, has thou naught + to say to our new-made knight? Canst thou not also wish him joy of his + knighthood?” + </p> + <p> + Lady Alice hesitated a minute, then gave Myles a timid hand, which he, + with a strange mixture of joy and confusion, took as timidly as it was + offered. He raised the hand, and set it lightly and for an instant to his + lips, as he had done with the Lady Anne's hand, but with very different + emotions. + </p> + <p> + “I give you joy of your knighthood, sir,” said Lady Alice, in a voice so + low that Myles could hardly hear it. + </p> + <p> + Both flushed red, and as he raised his head again, Myles saw that the Lady + Anne had withdrawn to one side. Then he knew that it was to give him the + opportunity to proffer his request. + </p> + <p> + A little space of silence followed, the while he strove to key his courage + to the saying of that which lay at his mind. “Lady,” said he at last, and + then again—“Lady, I—have a favor for to ask thee.” + </p> + <p> + “What is it thou wouldst have, Sir Myles?” she murmured, in reply. + </p> + <p> + “Lady,” said he, “ever sin I first saw thee I have thought that if I might + choose of all the world, thou only wouldst I choose for—for my true + lady, to serve as a right knight should.” Here he stopped, frightened at + his own boldness. Lady Alice stood quite still, with her face turned away. + “Thou—thou art not angered at what I say?” he said. + </p> + <p> + She shook her head. + </p> + <p> + “I have longed and longed for the time,” said he, “to ask a boon of thee, + and now hath that time come. Lady, to-morrow I go to meet a right good + knight, and one skilled in arms and in jousting, as thou dost know. Yea, + he is famous in arms, and I be nobody. Ne'theless, I fight for the honor + of England and Mackworth—and—and for thy sake. I—Thou + art not angered at what I say?” + </p> + <p> + Again the Lady Alice shook her head. + </p> + <p> + “I would that thou—I would that thou would give me some favor for to + wear—thy veil or thy necklace.” + </p> + <p> + He waited anxiously for a little while, but Lady Alice did not answer + immediately. + </p> + <p> + “I fear me,” said Myles, presently, “that I have in sooth offended thee in + asking this thing. I know that it is a parlous bold matter for one so raw + in chivalry and in courtliness as I am, and one so poor in rank, to ask + thee for thy favor. An I ha' offended, I prithee let it be as though I had + not asked it.” + </p> + <p> + Perhaps it was the young man's timidity that brought a sudden courage to + Lady Alice; perhaps it was the graciousness of her gentle breeding that + urged her to relieve Myles's somewhat awkward humility, perhaps it was + something more than either that lent her bravery to speak, even knowing + that the Lady Anne heard all. She turned quickly to him: “Nay, Sir Myles,” + she said, “I am foolish, and do wrong thee by my foolishness and silence, + for, truly, I am proud to have thee wear my favor.” She unclasped, as she + spoke, the thin gold chain from about her neck. “I give thee this chain,” + said she, “and it will bring me joy to have it honored by thy true + knightliness, and, giving it, I do wish thee all success.” Then she bowed + her head, and, turning, left him holding the necklace in his hand. + </p> + <p> + Her cousin left the window to meet her, bowing her head with a smile to + Myles as she took her cousin's arm again and led her away. He stood + looking after them as they left the room, and when they were gone, he + raised the necklace to his lips with a heart beating tumultuously with a + triumphant joy it had never felt before. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0026" id="link2HCH0026"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 26 + </h2> + <p> + And now, at last, had come the day of days for Myles Falworth; the day + when he was to put to the test all that he had acquired in the three years + of his training, the day that was to disclose what promise of future + greatness there was in his strong young body. And it was a noble day; one + of those of late September, when the air seems sweeter and fresher than at + other times; the sun bright and as yellow as gold, the wind lusty and + strong, before which the great white clouds go sailing majestically across + the bright blueness of the sky above, while their dusky shadows skim + across the brown face of the rusty earth beneath. + </p> + <p> + As was said before, the lists had been set up in the great quadrangle of + the castle, than which, level and smooth as a floor, no more fitting place + could be chosen. The course was of the usual size—sixty paces long—and + separated along its whole length by a barrier about five feet high. Upon + the west side of the course and about twenty paces distant from it, a + scaffolding had been built facing towards the east so as to avoid the + glare of the afternoon sun. In the centre was a raised dais, hung round + with cloth of blue embroidered with lions rampant. Upon the dais stood a + cushioned throne for the King, and upon the steps below, ranged in the + order of their dignity, were seats for the Earl, his guests, the family, + the ladies, knights, and gentlemen of the castle. In front, the + scaffolding was covered with the gayest tapestries and brightest-colored + hangings that the castle could afford. And above, parti-colored pennants + and streamers, surmounted by the royal ensign of England, waved and + fluttered in the brisk wind. + </p> + <p> + At either end of the lists stood the pavilions of the knights. That of + Myles was at the southern extremity and was hung, by the Earl's desire, + with cloth of the Beaumont colors (black and yellow), while a wooden + shield bearing three goshawks spread (the crest of the house) was nailed + to the roof, and a long streamer of black and yellow trailed out in the + wind from the staff above. Myles, partly armed, stood at the door-way of + the pavilion, watching the folk gathering at the scaffolding. The ladies + of the house were already seated, and the ushers were bustling hither and + thither, assigning the others their places. A considerable crowd of common + folk and burghers from the town had already gathered at the barriers + opposite, and as he looked at the restless and growing multitude he felt + his heart beat quickly and his flesh grow cold with a nervous trepidation—just + such as the lad of to-day feels when he sees the auditorium filling with + friends and strangers who are to listen by-and-by to the reading of his + prize poem. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly there came a loud blast of trumpets. A great gate at the farther + extremity of the lists was thrown open, and the King appeared, riding upon + a white horse, preceded by the King-at-arms and the heralds, attended by + the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise, and followed by a crowd of attendants. + Just then Gascoyne, who, with Wilkes, was busied lacing some of the armor + plates with new thongs, called Myles, and he turned and entered the + pavilion. + </p> + <p> + As the two squires were adjusting these last pieces, strapping them in + place and tying the thongs, Lord George and Sir James Lee entered the + pavilion. Lord George took the young man by the hand, and with a pleasant + smile wished him success in the coming encounter. + </p> + <p> + Sir James seemed anxious and disturbed. He said nothing, and after + Gascoyne had placed the open bascinet that supports the tilting helm in + its place, he came forward and examined the armor piece by piece, + carefully and critically, testing the various straps and leather points + and thongs to make sure of their strength. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said Gascoyne, who stood by watching him anxiously, “I do trust + that I have done all meetly and well.” + </p> + <p> + “I see nothing amiss, sirrah,” said the old knight, half grudgingly. “So + far as I may know, he is ready to mount.” + </p> + <p> + Just then a messenger entered, saying that the King was seated, and Lord + George bade Myles make haste to meet the challenger. + </p> + <p> + “Francis,” said Myles, “prithee give me my pouch yonder.” + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne handed him the velvet bag, and he opened it, and took out the + necklace that the Lady Alice had given him the day before. + </p> + <p> + “Tie me this around my arm,” said he. He looked down, keeping his eyes + studiously fixed on Gascoyne's fingers, as they twined the thin golden + chain around the iron plates of his right arm, knowing that Lord George's + eyes were upon him, and blushing fiery red at the knowledge. + </p> + <p> + Sir James was at that moment examining the great tilting helm, and Lord + George watched him, smiling amusedly. “And hast thou then already chosen + thee a lady?” he said, presently. + </p> + <p> + “Aye, my Lord,” answered Myles, simply. + </p> + <p> + “Marry, I trust we be so honored that she is one of our castle folk,” said + the Earl's brother. + </p> + <p> + For a moment Myles did not reply; then he looked up. “My Lord,” said he, + “the favor was given to me by the Lady Alice.” + </p> + <p> + Lord George looked grave for the moment; then he laughed. “Marry, thou art + a bold archer to shoot for such high game.” + </p> + <p> + Myles did not answer, and at that moment two grooms led his horse up to + the door of the pavilion. Gascoyne and Wilkes helped him to his saddle, + and then, Gascoyne holding his horse by the bridle-rein, he rode slowly + across the lists to the little open space in front of the scaffolding and + the King's seat just as the Sieur de la Montaigne approached from the + opposite direction. + </p> + <p> + As soon as the two knights champion had reached each his appointed station + in front of the scaffolding, the Marshal bade the speaker read the + challenge, which, unrolling the parchment, he began to do in a loud, clear + voice, so that all might hear. It was a quaint document, wrapped up in the + tangled heraldic verbiage of the time. + </p> + <p> + The pith of the matter was that the Sieur Brian Philip Francis de la + Montaigne proclaimed before all men the greater chivalry and skill at arms + of the knights of France and of Dauphiny, and likewise the greater + fairness of the ladies of France and Dauphiny, and would there defend + those sayings with his body without fear or attaint as to the truth of the + same. As soon as the speaker had ended, the Marshal bade him call the + defendant of the other side. + </p> + <p> + Then Myles spoke his part, with a voice trembling somewhat with the + excitement of the moment, but loudly and clearly enough: “I, Myles Edward + Falworth, knight, so created by the hand and by the grace of his Majesty + King Henry IV of England, do take upon me the gage of this battle, and + will defend with my body the chivalry of the knights of England and the + fairness of the ladies thereof!” + </p> + <p> + Then, after the speaker ended his proclamation and had retired to his + place, the ceremony of claiming and redeeming the helmet, to which all + young knights were subjected upon first entering the lists, was performed. + </p> + <p> + One of the heralds cried in a loud voice, “I, Gilles Hamerton, herald to + the most noble Clarencieux King-at-arms, do claim the helm of Sir Myles + Edward Falworth by this reason, that he hath never yet entered joust or + tourney.” + </p> + <p> + To which Myles answered, “I do acknowledge the right of that claim, and + herewith proffer thee in ransom for the same this purse of one hundred + marks in gold.” + </p> + <p> + As he spoke, Gascoyne stepped forward and delivered the purse, with the + money, to the Herald. It was a more than usually considerable ransom, and + had been made up by the Earl and Lord George that morning. + </p> + <p> + “Right nobly hast thou redeemed thy helm,” said the Herald, “and hereafter + be thou free to enter any jousting whatsoever, and in whatever place.” + </p> + <p> + So, all being ended, both knights bowed to the King, and then, escorted + each by his squire, returned to his pavilion, saluted by the spectators + with a loud clapping of hands. + </p> + <p> + Sir James Lee met Myles in front of his tent. Coming up to the side of the + horse, the old man laid his hand upon the saddle, looking up into the + young man's face. + </p> + <p> + “Thou wilt not fail in this venture and bring shame upon me?” said he. + </p> + <p> + “Nay, my dear master,” said Myles; “I will do my best.” + </p> + <p> + “I doubt it not,” said the old man; “and I believe me thou wilt come off + right well. From what he did say this morning, methinks the Sieur de la + Montaigne meaneth only to break three lances with thee, and will content + himself therewith, without seeking to unhorse thee. Ne'theless, be thou + bold and watchful, and if thou find that he endeavor to cast thee, do thy + best to unhorse him. Remember also those things which I have told thee ten + thousand times before: hold thy toes well down and grip the stirrup hard, + more especially at the moment of meeting; bend thy body forward, and keep + thine elbow close to thy side. Bear thy lance point one foot above thine + adversary's helm until within two lengths of meeting, and strike thou in + the very middle of his shield. So, Myles, thou mayst hold thine own, and + come off with glory.” + </p> + <p> + As he ended speaking he drew back, and Gascoyne, mounting upon a stool, + covered his friend's head and bascinet with the great jousting helm, + making fast the leathern points that held it to the iron collar. + </p> + <p> + As he was tying the last thong a messenger came from the Herald, saying + that the challenger was ready, and then Myles knew the time had come, and + reaching down and giving Sir James a grip of the hand, he drew on his + gauntlet, took the jousting lance that Wilkes handed him, and turned his + horse's head towards his end of the lists. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0027" id="link2HCH0027"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 27 + </h2> + <p> + As Myles took his place at the south end of the lists, he found the Sieur + de la Montaigne already at his station. Through the peep-hole in the face + of the huge helmet, a transverse slit known as the occularium, he could + see, like a strange narrow picture, the farther end of the lists, the + spectators upon either side moving and shifting with ceaseless + restlessness, and in the centre of all, his opponent, sitting with spear + point directed upward, erect, motionless as a statue of iron, the sunlight + gleaming and flashing upon his polished plates of steel, and the trappings + of his horse swaying and fluttering in the rushing of the fresh breeze. + </p> + <p> + Upon that motionless figure his sight gradually centred with every faculty + of mind and soul. He knew the next moment the signal would be given that + was to bring him either glory or shame from that iron statue. He ground + his teeth together with stern resolve to do his best in the coming + encounter, and murmured a brief prayer in the hallow darkness of his huge + helm. Then with a shake he settled himself more firmly in his saddle, + slowly raised his spear point until the shaft reached the exact angle, and + there suffered it to rest motionless. There was a moment of dead, tense, + breathless pause, then he rather felt than saw the Marshal raise his + baton. He gathered himself together, and the next moment a bugle sounded + loud and clear. In one blinding rush he drove his spurs into the sides of + his horse, and in instant answer felt the noble steed spring forward with + a bound. + </p> + <p> + Through all the clashing of his armor reverberating in the hollow depths + of his helmet, he saw the mail-clad figure from the other end of the lists + rushing towards him, looming larger and larger as they came together. He + gripped his saddle with his knees, clutched the stirrup with the soles of + his feet, and bent his body still more forward. In the instant of meeting, + with almost the blindness of instinct, he dropped the point of his spear + against the single red flower-de-luce in the middle of the on-coming + shield. There was a thunderous crash that seemed to rack every joint, he + heard the crackle of splintered wood, he felt the momentary trembling + recoil of the horse beneath him, and in the next instant had passed by. As + he checked the onward rush of his horse at the far end of the course, he + heard faintly in the dim hollow recess of the helm the loud shout and the + clapping of hands of those who looked on, and found himself gripping with + nervous intensity the butt of a broken spear, his mouth clammy with + excitement, and his heart thumping in his throat. + </p> + <p> + Then he realized that he had met his opponent, and had borne the meeting + well. As he turned his horse's head towards his own end of the lists, he + saw the other trotting slowly back towards his station, also holding a + broken spear shaft in his hand. + </p> + <p> + As he passed the iron figure a voice issued from the helmet, “Well done, + Sir Myles, nobly done!” and his heart bounded in answer to the words of + praise. When he had reached his own end of the lists, he flung away his + broken spear, and Gascoyne came forward with another. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Myles!” he said, with sob in his voice, “it was nobly done. Never did + I see a better ridden course in all my life. I did not believe that thou + couldst do half so well. Oh, Myles, prithee knock him out of his saddle an + thou lovest me!” + </p> + <p> + Myles, in his high-keyed nervousness, could not forbear a short hysterical + laugh at his friend's warmth of enthusiasm. He took the fresh lance in his + hand, and then, seeing that his opponent was walking his horse slowly up + and down at his end of the lists, did the same during the little time of + rest before the next encounter. + </p> + <p> + When, in answer to the command of the Marshal, he took his place a second + time, he found himself calmer and more collected than before, but every + faculty no less intensely fixed than it had been at first. Once more the + Marshal raised his baton, once more the horn sounded, and once more the + two rushed together with the same thunderous crash, the same splinter of + broken spears, the same momentary trembling recoil of the horse, and the + same onward rush past one another. Once more the spectators applauded and + shouted as the two knights turned their horses and rode back towards their + station. + </p> + <p> + This time as they met midway the Sieur de la Montaigne reined in his + horse. “Sir Myles,” said his muffled voice, “I swear to thee, by my faith, + I had not thought to meet in thee such an opponent as thou dost prove + thyself to be. I had thought to find in thee a raw boy, but find instead a + Paladin. Hitherto I have given thee grace as I would give grace to any + mere lad, and thought of nothing but to give thee opportunity to break thy + lance. Now I shall do my endeavor to unhorse thee as I would an + acknowledged peer in arms. Nevertheless, on account of thy youth, I give + thee this warning, so that thou mayst hold thyself in readiness.” + </p> + <p> + “I give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, my Lord,” answered Myles, speaking + in French; “and I will strive to encounter thee as best I may, and pardon + me if I seem forward in so saying, but were I in thy place, my Lord, I + would change me yon breast-piece and over-girth of my saddle; they are + sprung in the stitches.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said the Sieur de la Montaigne, laughing, “breast-piece and + over-girth have carried me through more tilts than one, and shall through + this. An thou give me a blow so true as to burst breast-piece and + over-girth, I will own myself fairly conquered by thee.” So saying, he + saluted Myles with the butt of the spear he still held, and passed by to + his end of the lists. + </p> + <p> + Myles, with Gascoyne running beside him, rode across to his pavilion, and + called to Edmund Wilkes to bring him a cup of spiced wine. After Gascoyne + had taken off his helmet, and as he sat wiping the perspiration from his + face Sir James came up and took him by the hand. + </p> + <p> + “My dear boy,” said he, gripping the hand he held, “never could I hope to + be so overjoyed in mine old age as I am this day. Thou dost bring honor to + me, for I tell thee truly thou dost ride like a knight seasoned in twenty + tourneys.” + </p> + <p> + “It doth give me tenfold courage to hear thee so say, dear master,” + answered Myles. “And truly,” he added, “I shall need all my courage this + bout, for the Sieur de la Montaigne telleth me that he will ride to + unhorse me this time.” + </p> + <p> + “Did he indeed so say?” said Sir James. “Then belike he meaneth to strike + at thy helm. Thy best chance is to strike also at his. Doth thy hand + tremble?” + </p> + <p> + “Not now,” answered Myles. + </p> + <p> + “Then keep thy head cool and thine eye true. Set thy trust in God, and + haply thou wilt come out of this bout honorably in spite of the rawness of + thy youth.” + </p> + <p> + Just then Edmund Wilkes presented the cup of wine to Myles, who drank it + off at a draught, and thereupon Gascoyne replaced the helm and tied the + thongs. + </p> + <p> + The charge that Sir James Lee had given to Myles to strike at his + adversary's helm was a piece of advice he probably would not have given to + so young a knight, excepting as a last resort. A blow perfectly delivered + upon the helm was of all others the most difficult for the recipient to + recover from, but then a blow upon the helm was not one time in fifty + perfectly given. The huge cylindrical tilting helm was so constructed in + front as to slope at an angle in all directions to one point. That point + was the centre of a cross formed by two iron bands welded to the + steel-face plates of the helm where it was weakened by the opening slit of + the occularium, or peephole. In the very centre of this cross was a little + flattened surface where the bands were riveted together, and it was upon + that minute point that the blow must be given to be perfect, and that + stroke Myles determined to attempt. + </p> + <p> + As he took his station Edmund Wilkes came running across from the pavilion + with a lance that Sir James had chosen, and Myles, returning the one that + Gascoyne had just given him, took it in his hand. It was of seasoned oak, + somewhat thicker than the other, a tough weapon, not easily to be broken + even in such an encounter as he was like to have. He balanced the weapon, + and found that it fitted perfectly to his grasp. As he raised the point to + rest, his opponent took his station at the farther extremity of the lists, + and again there was a little space of breathless pause. Myles was + surprised at his own coolness; every nervous tremor was gone. Before, he + had been conscious of the critical multitude looking down upon him; now it + was a conflict of man to man, and such a conflict had no terrors for his + young heart of iron. + </p> + <p> + The spectators had somehow come to the knowledge that this was to be a + more serious encounter than the two which had preceded it, and a + breathless silence fell for the moment or two that the knights stood in + place. + </p> + <p> + Once more he breathed a short prayer, “Holy Mary, guard me!” + </p> + <p> + Then again, for the third time, the Marshal raised his baton, and the horn + sounded, and for the third time Myles drove his spurs into his horse's + flanks. Again he saw the iron figure of his opponent rushing nearer, + nearer, nearer. He centred, with a straining intensity, every faculty of + soul, mind, and body upon one point—the cross of the occularium, the + mark he was to strike. He braced himself for the tremendous shock which he + knew must meet him, and then in a flash dropped lance point straight and + true. The next instant there was a deafening stunning crash—a crash + like the stroke of a thunder-bolt. There was a dazzling blaze of blinding + light, and a myriad sparks danced and flickered and sparkled before his + eyes. He felt his horse stagger under him with the recoil, and hardly + knowing what he did, he drove his spurs deep into its sides with a shout. + At the same moment there resounded in his ears a crashing rattle and + clatter, he knew not of what, and then, as his horse recovered and sprang + forward, and as the stunning bewilderment passed, he found that his helmet + had been struck off. He heard a great shout arise from all, and thought, + with a sickening, bitter disappointment, that it was because he had lost. + At the farther end of the course he turned his horse, and then his heart + gave a leap and a bound as though it would burst, the blood leaped to his + cheeks tingling, and his bosom thrilled with an almost agonizing pang of + triumph, of wonder, of amazement. + </p> + <p> + There, in a tangle of his horse's harness and of embroidered trappings, + the Sieur de la Montaigne lay stretched upon the ground, with his saddle + near by, and his riderless horse was trotting aimlessly about at the + farther end of the lists. + </p> + <p> + Myles saw the two squires of the fallen knight run across to where their + master lay, he saw the ladies waving their kerchiefs and veils, and the + castle people swinging their hats and shouting in an ecstasy of delight. + Then he rode slowly back to where the squires were now aiding the fallen + knight to arise. The senior squire drew his dagger, cut the leather + points, and drew off the helm, disclosing the knight's face—a face + white as death, and convulsed with rage, mortification, and bitter + humiliation. + </p> + <p> + “I was not rightly unhorsed!” he cried, hoarsely and with livid lips, to + the Marshal and his attendants, who had ridden up. “I unhelmed him fairly + enough, but my over-girth and breast-strap burst, and my saddle slipped. I + was not unhorsed, I say, and I lay claim that I unhelmed him.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said the Marshal calmly, and speaking in French, “surely thou + knowest that the loss of helmet does not decide an encounter. I need not + remind thee, my Lord, that it was so awarded by John of Gaunt, Duke of + Lancaster, when in the jousting match between Reynand de Roye and John de + Holland, the Sieur Reynand left every point of his helm loosened, so that + the helm was beaten off at each stroke. If he then was justified in doing + so of his own choice, and wilfully suffering to be unhelmed, how then can + this knight be accused of evil who suffered it by chance?” + </p> + <p> + “Nevertheless,” said the Sieur de la Montaigne, in the same hoarse, + breathless voice, “I do affirm, and will make my affirmation good with my + body, that I fell only by the breaking of my girth. Who says otherwise + lies!” + </p> + <p> + “It is the truth he speaketh,” said Myles. “I myself saw the stitches were + some little what burst, and warned him thereof before we ran this course. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said the Marshal to the Sieur de la Montaigne, “how can you now + complain of that thing which your own enemy advised you of and warned you + against? Was it not right knightly for him so to do?” + </p> + <p> + The Sieur de la Montaigne stood quite still for a little while, leaning on + the shoulder of his chief squire, looking moodily upon the ground; then, + without making answer, he turned, and walked slowly away to his pavilion, + still leaning on his squire's shoulder, whilst the other attendant + followed behind, bearing his shield and helmet. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne had picked up Myles's fallen helmet as the Sieur de la Montaigne + moved away, and Lord George and Sir James Lee came walking across the + lists to where Myles still sat. Then, the one taking his horse by the + bridle-rein, and the other walking beside the saddle, they led him before + the raised dais where the King sat. + </p> + <p> + Even the Comte de Vermoise, mortified and amazed as he must have been at + the overthrow of his best knight, joined in the praise and congratulation + that poured upon the young conqueror. Myles, his heart swelling with a + passion of triumphant delight, looked up and met the gaze of Lady Alice + fixed intently upon him. A red spot of excitement still burned in either + cheek, and it flamed to a rosier red as he bowed his head to her before + turning away. + </p> + <p> + Gascoyne had just removed Myles's breastplate and gorget, when Sir James + Lee burst into the pavilion. All his grim coldness was gone, and he flung + his arms around the young man's neck, hugging him heartily, and kissing + him upon either cheek. + </p> + <p> + Ere he let him go, “Mine own dear boy,” he said, holding him off at + arm's-length, and winking his one keen eye rapidly, as though to wink away + a dampness of which he was ashamed—“mine own dear boy, I do tell + thee truly this is as sweet to me as though thou wert mine own son; + sweeter to me than when I first broke mine own lance in triumph, and felt + myself to be a right knight.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” answered Myles, “what thou sayest doth rejoice my very heart. + Ne'theless, it is but just to say that both his breast-piece and + over-girth were burst in the stitches before he ran his course, for so I + saw with mine own eyes.” + </p> + <p> + “Burst in the stitches!” snorted Sir James. “Thinkest thou he did not know + in what condition was his horse's gearing? I tell thee he went down + because thou didst strike fair and true, and he did not so strike thee. + Had he been Guy of Warwick he had gone down all the same under such a + stroke and in such case.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0028" id="link2HCH0028"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 28 + </h2> + <p> + It was not until more than three weeks after the King had left Devlen + Castle that Lord George and his company of knights and archers were ready + for the expedition to France. Two weeks of that time Myles spent at + Crosbey-Dale with his father and mother. It was the first time that he had + seen them since, four years ago, he had quitted the low, narrow, + white-walled farmhouse for the castle of the great Earl of Mackworth. He + had never appreciated before how low and narrow and poor the farm-house + was. Now, with his eyes trained to the bigness of Devlen Castle, he looked + around him with wonder and pity at his father's humble surroundings. He + realized as he never else could have realized how great was the fall in + fortune that had cast the house of Falworth down from its rightful station + to such a level as that upon which it now rested. And at the same time + that he thus recognized how poor was their lot, how dependent upon the + charity of others, he also recognized how generous was the friendship of + Prior Edward, who perilled his own safety so greatly in affording the + family of the attainted Lord an asylum in its bitter hour of need and + peril. + </p> + <p> + Myles paid many visits to the gentle old priest during those two weeks' + visit, and had many long and serious talks with him. One warm bright + afternoon, as he and the old man walked together in the priory garden, + after a game or two of draughts, the young knight talked more freely and + openly of his plans, his hopes, his ambitions, than perhaps he had ever + done. He told the old man all that the Earl had disclosed to him + concerning the fallen fortunes of his father's house, and of how all who + knew those circumstances looked to him to set the family in its old place + once more. Prior Edward added many things to those which Myles already + knew—things of which the Earl either did not know, or did not choose + to speak. He told the young man, among other matters, the reason of the + bitter and lasting enmity that the King felt for the blind nobleman: that + Lord Falworth had been one of King Richard's council in times past; that + it was not a little owing to him that King Henry, when Earl of Derby, had + been banished from England, and that though he was then living in the + retirement of private life, he bitterly and steadfastly opposed King + Richard's abdication. He told Myles that at the time when Sir John Dale + found shelter at Falworth Castle, vengeance was ready to fall upon his + father at any moment, and it needed only such a pretext as that of + sheltering so prominent a conspirator as Sir John to complete his ruin. + </p> + <p> + Myles, as he listened intently, could not but confess in his own mind that + the King had many rational, perhaps just, grounds for grievance against + such an ardent opponent as the blind Lord had shown himself to be. “But, + sir,” said he, after a little space of silence, when Prior Edward had + ended, “to hold enmity and to breed treason are very different matters. + Haply my father was Bolingbroke's enemy, but, sure, thou dost not believe + he is justly and rightfully tainted with treason?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” answered the priest, “how canst thou ask me such a thing? Did I + believe thy father a traitor, thinkest thou I would thus tell his son + thereof? Nay, Myles, I do know thy father well, and have known him for + many years, and this of him, that few men are so honorable in heart and + soul as he. But I have told thee all these things to show that the King is + not without some reason to be thy father's unfriend. Neither, haply, is + the Earl of Alban without cause of enmity against him. So thou, upon thy + part, shouldst not feel bitter rancor against the King for what hath + happed to thy house, nor even against William Brookhurst—I mean the + Earl of Alban—for, I tell thee, the worst of our enemies and the + worst of men believe themselves always to have right and justice upon + their side, even when they most wish evil to others.” + </p> + <p> + So spoke the gentle old priest, who looked from his peaceful haven with + dreamy eyes upon the sweat and tussle of the world's battle. Had he + instead been in the thick of the fight, it might have been harder for him + to believe that his enemies ever had right upon their side. + </p> + <p> + “But tell me this,” said Myles, presently, “dost thou, then, think that I + do evil in seeking to do a battle of life or death with this wicked Earl + of Alban, who hath so ruined my father in body and fortune?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Prior Edward, thoughtfully, “I say not that thou doest evil. + War and bloodshed seem hard and cruel matters to me; but God hath given + that they be in the world, and may He forbid that such a poor worm as I + should say that they be all wrong and evil. Meseems even an evil thing is + sometimes passing good when rightfully used.” + </p> + <p> + Myles did not fully understand what the old man meant, but this much he + gathered, that his spiritual father did not think ill of his fighting the + Earl of Alban for his temporal father's sake. + </p> + <p> + So Myles went to France in Lord George's company, a soldier of fortune, as + his Captain was. He was there for only six months, but those six months + wrought a great change in his life. In the fierce factional battles that + raged around the walls of Paris; in the evil life which he saw at the + Burgundian court in Paris itself after the truce—a court brilliant + and wicked, witty and cruel—the wonderful liquor of youth had + evaporated rapidly, and his character had crystallized as rapidly into the + hardness of manhood. The warfare, the blood, the evil pleasures which he + had seen had been a fiery, crucible test to his soul, and I love my hero + that he should have come forth from it so well. He was no longer the + innocent Sir Galahad who had walked in pure white up the Long Hall to be + knighted by the King, but his soul was of that grim, sterling, rugged sort + that looked out calmly from his gray eyes upon the wickedness and + debauchery around him, and loved it not. + </p> + <p> + Then one day a courier came, bringing a packet. It was a letter from the + Earl, bidding Myles return straightway to England and to Mackworth House + upon the Strand, nigh to London, without delay, and Myles knew that his + time had come. + </p> + <p> + It was a bright day in April when he and Gascoyne rode clattering out + through Temple Bar, leaving behind them quaint old London town, its blank + stone wall, its crooked, dirty streets, its high-gabled wooden houses, + over which rose the sharp spire of St. Paul's, towering high into the + golden air. Before them stretched the straight, broad highway of the + Strand, on one side the great houses and palaces of princely priests and + powerful nobles; on the other the Covent Garden, (or the Convent Garden, + as it was then called), and the rolling country, where great stone + windmills swung their slow-moving arms in the damp, soft April breeze, and + away in the distance the Scottish Palace, the White Hall, and Westminster. + </p> + <p> + It was the first time that Myles had seen famous London town. In that dim + and distant time of his boyhood, six months before, he would have been + wild with delight and enthusiasm. Now he jogged along with Gascoyne, + gazing about him with calm interest at open shops and booths and tall, + gabled houses; at the busy throng of merchants and craftsmen, jostling and + elbowing one another; at townsfolk—men and dames—picking their + way along the muddy kennel of a sidewalk. He had seen so much of the world + that he had lost somewhat of interest in new things. So he did not care to + tarry, but rode, with a mind heavy with graver matters, through the + streets and out through the Temple Bar direct for Mackworth House, near + the Savoy Palace. + </p> + <p> + It was with a great deal of interest that Myles and his patron regarded + one another when they met for the first time after that half-year which + the young soldier had spent in France. To Myles it seemed somehow very + strange that his Lordship's familiar face and figure should look so + exactly the same. To Lord Mackworth, perhaps, it seemed even more strange + that six short months should have wrought so great a change in the young + man. The rugged exposure in camp and field during the hard winter that had + passed had roughened the smooth bloom of his boyish complexion and bronzed + his fair skin almost as much as a midsummer's sun could have done. His + beard and mustache had grown again, (now heavier and more mannish from + having been shaved), and the white seam of a scar over the right temple + gave, if not a stern, at least a determined look to the strong, + square-jawed young face. So the two stood for a while regarding one + another. Myles was the first to break the silence. + </p> + <p> + “My Lord,” said he, “thou didst send for me to come back to England; + behold, here am I.” + </p> + <p> + “When didst thou land, Sir Myles?” said the Earl. + </p> + <p> + “I and my squire landed at Dover upon Tuesday last,” answered the young + man. + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Mackworth stroked his beard softly. “Thou art marvellous + changed,” said he. “I would not have thought it possible.” + </p> + <p> + Myles smiled somewhat grimly. “I have seen such things, my Lord, in France + and in Paris,” said he, quietly, “as, mayhap, may make a lad a man before + his time.” + </p> + <p> + “From which I gather,” said the Earl, “that many adventures have befallen + thee. Methought thou wouldst find troublesome times in the Dauphin's camp, + else I would not have sent thee to France.” + </p> + <p> + A little space of silence followed, during which the Earl sat musingly, + half absently, regarding the tall, erect, powerful young figure standing + before him, awaiting his pleasure in motionless, patient, almost dogged + silence. The strong, sinewy hands were clasped and rested upon the long + heavy sword, around the scabbard of which the belt was loosely wrapped, + and the plates of mail caught and reflected in flashing, broken pieces, + the bright sunlight from the window behind. + </p> + <p> + “Sir Myles,” said the Earl, suddenly, breaking the silence at last, “dost + thou know why I sent for thee hither?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said Myles, calmly, “how can I else? Thou wouldst not have called + me from Paris but for one thing. Methinks thou hast sent for me to fight + the Earl of Alban, and lo! I am here.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou speakest very boldly,” said the Earl. “I do hope that thy deeds be + as bold as thy words.” + </p> + <p> + “That,” said Myles, “thou must ask other men. Methinks no one may justly + call me coward.” + </p> + <p> + “By my troth!” said the Earl, smiling, “looking upon thee—limbs and + girth, bone and sinew—I would not like to be the he that would dare + accuse thee of such a thing. As for thy surmise, I may tell thee plain + that thou art right, and that it was to fight the Earl of Alban I sent for + thee hither. The time is now nearly ripe, and I will straightway send for + thy father to come to London. Meantime it would not be safe either for + thee or for me to keep thee in my service. I have spoken to his Highness + the Prince of Wales, who, with other of the Princes, is upon our side in + this quarrel. He hath promised to take thee into his service until the + fitting time comes to bring thee and thine enemy together, and to-morrow I + shall take thee to Scotland Yard, where his Highness is now lodging.” + </p> + <p> + As the Earl ended his speech, Myles bowed, but did not speak. The Earl + waited for a little while, as though to give him the opportunity to + answer. + </p> + <p> + “Well, sirrah,” said he at last, with a shade of impatience, “hast thou + naught to say? Meseems thou takest all this with marvellous coolness.” + </p> + <p> + “Have I then my Lord's permission to speak my mind?” + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said the Earl, “say thy say.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said Myles, “I have thought and pondered this matter much while + abroad, and would now ask thee a plain question in all honest an I ha' thy + leave.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl nodded his head. + </p> + <p> + “Sir, am I not right in believing that thou hast certain weighty purposes + and aims of thine own to gain an I win this battle against the Earl of + Alban?” + </p> + <p> + “Has my brother George been telling thee aught to such a purpose?” said + the Earl, after a moment or two of silence. + </p> + <p> + Myles did not answer. + </p> + <p> + “No matter,” added Lord Mackworth. “I will not ask thee who told thee such + a thing. As for thy question—well, sin thou ask it frankly, I will + be frank with thee. Yea, I have certain ends to gain in having the Earl of + Alban overthrown.” + </p> + <p> + Myles bowed. “Sir,” said he, “haply thine ends are as much beyond aught + that I can comprehend as though I were a little child; only this I know, + that they must be very great. Thou knowest well that in any case I would + fight me this battle for my father's sake and for the honor of my house; + nevertheless, in return for all that it will so greatly advantage thee, + wilt thou not grant me a boon in return should I overcome mine enemy?” + </p> + <p> + “What is thy boon, Sir Myles?” + </p> + <p> + “That thou wilt grant me thy favor to seek the Lady Alice de Mowbray for + my wife.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Mackworth started up from his seat. “Sir Myles Falworth”—he + began, violently, and then stopped short, drawing his bushy eyebrows + together into a frown stern, if not sinister. + </p> + <p> + Myles withstood his look calmly and impassively, and presently the Earl + turned on his heel, and strode to the open window. A long time passed in + silence while he stood there, gazing out of the window into the garden + beyond with his back to the young man. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly he swung around again. “Sir Myles,” said he, “the family of + Falworth is as good as any in Derbyshire. Just now it is poor and fallen + in estate, but if it is again placed in credit and honor, thou, who art + the son of the house, shalt have thy suit weighed with as much respect and + consideration as though thou wert my peer in all things, Such is my + answer. Art thou satisfied?” + </p> + <p> + “I could ask no more,” answered Myles. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0029" id="link2HCH0029"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 29 + </h2> + <p> + That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House. The next morning, as soon as + he had broken his fast, which he did in the privacy of his own apartments, + the Earl bade him and Gascoyne to make ready for the barge, which was then + waiting at the river stairs to take them to Scotland Yard. + </p> + <p> + The Earl himself accompanied them, and as the heavy snub-nosed boat, rowed + by the six oarsmen in Mackworth livery, slid slowly and heavily up against + the stream, the Earl, leaning back in his cushioned seat, pointed out the + various inns of the great priests or nobles; palatial town residences + standing mostly a little distance back from the water behind terraced + high-walled gardens and lawns. Yon was the Bishop of Exeter's Close; yon + was the Bishop of Bath's; that was York House; and that Chester Inn. So + passing by gardens and lawns and palaces, they came at last to Scotland + Yard stairs, a broad flight of marble steps that led upward to a stone + platform above, upon which opened the gate-way of the garden beyond. + </p> + <p> + The Scotland Yard of Myles Falworth's day was one of the more pretentious + and commodious of the palaces of the Strand. It took its name from having + been from ancient times the London inn which the tributary Kings of + Scotland occupied when on their periodical visits of homage to England. + Now, during this time of Scotland's independence, the Prince of Wales had + taken up his lodging in the old palace, and made it noisy with the mad, + boisterous mirth of his court. + </p> + <p> + As the watermen drew the barge close to the landing-place of the stairs, + the Earl stepped ashore, and followed by Myles and Gascoyne, ascended to + the broad gate-way of the river wall of the garden. Three men-at-arms who + lounged upon a bench under the shade of the little pent roof of a + guard-house beside the wall, arose and saluted as the well-known figure of + the Earl mounted the steps. The Earl nodded a cool answer, and passing + unchallenged through the gate, led the way up a pleached walk, beyond + which, as Myles could see, there stretched a little grassy lawn and a + stone-paved terrace. As the Earl and the two young men approached the end + of the walk, they were met by the sound of voices and laughter, the + clinking of glasses and the rattle of dishes. Turning a corner, they came + suddenly upon a party of young gentlemen, who sat at a late breakfast + under the shade of a wide-spreading lime-tree. They had evidently just + left the tilt-yard, for two of the guests—sturdy, thick-set young + knights—yet wore a part of their tilting armor. + </p> + <p> + Behind the merry scene stood the gray, hoary old palace, a steep flight of + stone steps, and a long, open, stone-arched gallery, which evidently led + to the kitchen beyond, for along it hurried serving-men, running up and + down the tall flight of steps, and bearing trays and dishes and cups and + flagons. It was a merry sight and a pleasant one. The day was warm and + balmy, and the yellow sunlight fell in waving uncertain patches of light, + dappling the table-cloth, and twinkling and sparkling upon the dishes, + cups, and flagons. + </p> + <p> + At the head of the table sat a young man some three or four years older + than Myles, dressed in a full suit of rich blue brocaded velvet, + embroidered with gold-thread and trimmed with black fur. His face, which + was turned towards them as they mounted from the lawn to the little + stone-flagged terrace, was frank and open; the cheeks smooth and fair; the + eyes dark and blue. He was tall and rather slight, and wore his thick + yellow hair hanging to his shoulders, where it was cut square across, + after the manner of the times. Myles did not need to be told that it was + the Prince of Wales. + </p> + <p> + “Ho, Gaffer Fox!” he cried, as soon as he caught sight of the Earl of + Mackworth, “what wind blows thee hither among us wild mallard drakes? I + warrant it is not for love of us, but only to fill thine own larder after + the manner of Sir Fox among the drakes. Whom hast thou with thee? Some + gosling thou art about to pluck?” + </p> + <p> + A sudden hush fell upon the company, and all faces were turned towards the + visitors. + </p> + <p> + The Earl bowed with a soft smile. “Your Highness,” said he, smoothly, “is + pleased to be pleasant. Sir, I bring you the young knight of whom I spoke + to you some time since—Sir Myles Falworth. You may be pleased to + bring to mind that you so condescended as to promise to take him into your + train until the fitting time arrived for that certain matter of which we + spoke.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir Myles,” said the Prince of Wales, with a frank, pleasant smile, “I + have heard great reports of thy skill and prowess in France, both from + Mackworth and from others. It will pleasure me greatly to have thee in my + household; more especially,” he added, “as it will get thee, callow as + thou art, out of my Lord Fox's clutches. Our faction cannot do without the + Earl of Mackworth's cunning wits, Sir Myles; ne'theless I would not like + to put all my fate and fortune into his hands without bond. I hope that + thou dost not rest thy fortunes entirely upon his aid and countenance.” + </p> + <p> + All who were present felt the discomfort of the Prince's speech, It was + evident that one of his mad, wild humors was upon him. In another case the + hare-brained young courtiers around might have taken their cue from him, + but the Earl of Mackworth was no subject for their gibes and witticisms. A + constrained silence fell, in which the Earl alone maintained a perfect + ease of manner. + </p> + <p> + Myles bowed to hide his own embarrassment. “Your Highness,” said he, + evasively, “I rest my fortune, first of all, upon God, His strength and + justice.” + </p> + <p> + “Thou wilt find safer dependence there than upon the Lord of Mackworth,” + said the Prince, dryly. “But come,” he added, with a sudden change of + voice and manner, “these be jests that border too closely upon bitter + earnest for a merry breakfast. It is ill to idle with edged tools. Wilt + thou not stay and break thy fast with us, my Lord?” + </p> + <p> + “Pardon me, your Highness,” said the Earl, bowing, and smiling the same + smooth smile his lips had worn from the first—such a smile as Myles + had never thought to have seen upon his haughty face; “I crave your good + leave to decline. I must return home presently, for even now, haply, your + uncle, his Grace of Winchester, is awaiting my coming upon the business + you wot of. Haply your Highness will find more joyance in a lusty young + knight like Sir Myles than in an old fox like myself. So I leave him with + you, in your good care.” + </p> + <p> + Such was Myles's introduction to the wild young madcap Prince of Wales, + afterwards the famous Henry V, the conqueror of France. + </p> + <p> + For a month or more thereafter he was a member of the princely household, + and, after a little while, a trusted and honored member. Perhaps it was + the calm sturdy strength, the courage of the young knight, that first + appealed to the Prince's royal heart; perhaps afterwards it was the more + sterling qualities that underlaid that courage that drew him to the young + man; certain it was that in two weeks Myles was the acknowledged favorite. + He made no protestation of virtue; he always accompanied the Prince in + those madcap ventures to London, where he beheld all manner of wild + revelry; he never held himself aloof from his gay comrades, but he looked + upon all their mad sports with the same calm gaze that had carried him + without taint through the courts of Burgundy and the Dauphin. The gay, + roistering young lords and gentlemen dubbed him Saint Myles, and jested + with him about hair-cloth shirts and flagellations, but witticism and jest + alike failed to move Myles's patient virtue; he went his own gait in the + habits of his life, and in so going knew as little as the others of the + mad court that the Prince's growing liking for him was, perhaps, more than + all else, on account of that very temperance. + </p> + <p> + Then, by-and-by, the Prince began to confide in him as he did in none of + the others. There was no great love betwixt the King and his son; it has + happened very often that the Kings of England have felt bitter jealousy + towards the heirs-apparent as they have grown in power, and such was the + case with the great King Henry IV. The Prince often spoke to Myles of the + clashing and jarring between himself and his father, and the thought began + to come to Myles's mind by degrees that maybe the King's jealousy + accounted not a little for the Prince's reckless intemperance. + </p> + <p> + Once, for instance, as the Prince leaned upon, his shoulder waiting, + whilst the attendants made ready the barge that was to carry them down the + river to the city, he said, abruptly: “Myles, what thinkest thou of us + all? Doth not thy honesty hold us in contempt?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Highness,” said Myles. “How could I hold contempt?” + </p> + <p> + “Marry,” said the Prince, “I myself hold contempt, and am not as honest a + man as thou. But, prithee, have patience with me, Myles. Some day, + perhaps, I too will live a clean life. Now, an I live seriously, the King + will be more jealous of me than ever, and that is not a little. Maybe I + live thus so that he may not know what I really am in soothly earnest.” + </p> + <p> + The Prince also often talked to Myles concerning his own affairs; of the + battle he was to fight for his father's honor, of how the Earl of + Mackworth had plotted and planned to bring him face to face with the Earl + of Alban. He spoke to Myles more than once of the many great changes of + state and party that hung upon the downfall of the enemy of the house of + Falworth, and showed him how no hand but his own could strike that enemy + down; if he fell, it must be through the son of Falworth. Sometimes it + seemed to Myles as though he and his blind father were the centre of a + great web of plot and intrigue, stretching far and wide, that included not + only the greatest houses of England, but royalty and the political balance + of the country as well, and even before the greatness of it all he did not + flinch. + </p> + <p> + Then, at last, came the beginning of the time for action. It was in the + early part of May, and Myles had been a member of the Prince's household + for a little over a month. One morning he was ordered to attend the Prince + in his privy cabinet, and, obeying the summons, he found the Prince, his + younger brother, the Duke of Bedford, and his uncle, the Bishop of + Winchester, seated at a table, where they had just been refreshing + themselves with a flagon of wine and a plate of wafers. + </p> + <p> + “My poor Myles,” said the Prince, smiling, as the young knight bowed to + the three, and then stood erect, as though on duty. “It shames my heart, + brother—and thou, uncle—it shames my heart to be one privy to + this thing which we are set upon to do. Here be we, the greatest Lords of + England, making a cat's-paw of this lad—for he is only yet a boy—and + of his blind father, for to achieve our ends against Alban's faction. It + seemeth not over-honorable to my mind.” + </p> + <p> + “Pardon me, your Highness,” said Myles, blushing to the roots of his hair; + “but, an I may be so bold as to speak, I reck nothing of what your aims + may be; I only look to restoring my father's honor and the honor of our + house.” + </p> + <p> + “Truly,” said the Prince, smiling, “that is the only matter that maketh me + willing to lay my hands to this business. Dost thou know why I have sent + for thee? It is because this day thou must challenge the Duke of Alban + before the King. The Earl of Mackworth has laid all his plans and the time + is now ripe. Knowest that thy father is at Mackworth House?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Myles; “I knew it not.” + </p> + <p> + “He hath been there for nearly two days,” said the Prince. “Just now the + Earl hath sent for us to come first to Mackworth House. Then to go to the + palace, for he hath gained audience with the King, and hath so arranged it + that the Earl of Alban is to be there as well. We all go straightway; so + get thyself ready as soon as may be.” + </p> + <p> + Perhaps Myles's heart began beating more quickly within him at the + nearness of that great happening which he had looked forward to for so + long. If it did, he made no sign of his emotion, but only asked, “How must + I clothe myself, your Highness?” + </p> + <p> + “Wear thy light armor,” said the Prince, “but no helmet, a juppon bearing + the arms and colors that the Earl gave thee when thou wert knighted, and + carry thy right-hand gauntlet under thy belt for thy challenge. Now make + haste, for time passes.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0030" id="link2HCH0030"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 30 + </h2> + <p> + Adjoining the ancient palace of Westminster, where King Henry IV was then + holding his court, was a no less ancient stone building known as the + Painted Room. Upon the walls were depicted a series of battle scenes in + long bands reaching around this room, one above another. Some of these + pictures had been painted as far back as the days of Henry III, others had + been added since his time. They chronicled the various wars of the King of + England, and it was from them that the little hall took its name of the + Painted Room. + </p> + <p> + This ancient wing, or offshoot, of the main buildings was more retired + from the hurly-burly of outer life than other parts of the palace, and + thither the sick King was very fond of retiring from the business of + State, which ever rested more and more heavily upon his shoulders, + sometimes to squander in quietness a spare hour or two; sometimes to idle + over a favorite book; sometimes to play a game of chess with a favorite + courtier. The cold painted walls had been hung with tapestry, and its + floor had been spread with arras carpet. These and the cushioned couches + and chairs that stood around gave its gloomy antiquity an air of comfort—an + air even of luxury. + </p> + <p> + It was to this favorite retreat of the King's that Myles was brought that + morning with his father to face the great Earl of Alban. + </p> + <p> + In the anteroom the little party of Princes and nobles who escorted the + father and son had held a brief consultation. Then the others had entered, + leaving Myles and his blind father in charge of Lord Lumley and two + knights of the court, Sir Reginald Hallowell and Sir Piers Averell. + </p> + <p> + Myles, as he stood patiently waiting, with his father's arm resting in + his, could hear the muffled sound of voices from beyond the arras. Among + others, he recognized the well-remembered tones of the King. He fancied + that he heard his own name mentioned more than once, and then the sound of + talking ceased. The next moment the arras was drawn aside, and the Earl + entered the antechamber again. + </p> + <p> + “All is ready, cousin,” said he to Lord Falworth, in a suppressed voice. + “Essex hath done as he promised, and Alban is within there now.” Then, + turning to Myles, speaking in the same low voice, and betraying more + agitation than Myles had thought it possible for him to show, “Sir Myles,” + said he, “remember all that hath been told thee. Thou knowest what thou + hast to say and do.” Then, without further word, he took Lord Falworth by + the hand, and led the way into the room, Myles following close behind. + </p> + <p> + The King half sat, half inclined, upon a cushioned seat close to which + stood the two Princes. There were some dozen others present, mostly + priests and noblemen of high quality who clustered in a group at a little + distance. Myles knew most of them at a glance having seen them come and go + at Scotland Yard. But among them all, he singled out only one—the + Earl of Alban. He had not seen that face since he was a little child eight + years old, but now that he beheld it again, it fitted instantly and + vividly into the remembrance of the time of that terrible scene at + Falworth Castle, when he had beheld the then Lord Brookhurst standing + above the dead body of Sir John Dale, with the bloody mace clinched in his + hand. There were the same heavy black brows, sinister and gloomy, the same + hooked nose, the same swarthy cheeks. He even remembered the deep dent in + the forehead, where the brows met in perpetual frown. So it was that upon + that face his looks centred and rested. + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Alban had just been speaking to some Lord who stood beside + him, and a half-smile still hung about the corners of his lips. At first, + as he looked up at the entrance of the newcomers, there was no other + expression; then suddenly came a flash of recognition, a look of wide-eyed + amazement; then the blood left the cheeks and the lips, and the face grew + very pale. No doubt he saw at a flash that some great danger overhung him + in this sudden coming of his old enemy, for he was as keen and as astute a + politician as he was a famous warrior. At least he knew that the eyes of + most of those present were fixed keenly and searchingly upon him. After + the first start of recognition, his left hand, hanging at his side, + gradually closed around the scabbard of his sword, clutching it in a + vice-like grip. + </p> + <p> + Meantime the Earl of Mackworth had led the blind Lord to the King, where + both kneeled. + </p> + <p> + “Why, how now, my Lord?” said the King. “Methought it was our young + Paladin whom we knighted at Devlen that was to be presented, and here thou + bringest this old man. A blind man, ha! What is the meaning of this?” + </p> + <p> + “Majesty,” said the Earl, “I have taken this chance to bring to thy + merciful consideration one who hath most wofully and unjustly suffered + from thine anger. Yonder stands the young knight of whom we spake; this is + his father, Gilbert Reginald, whilom Lord Falworth, who craves mercy and + justice at thy hands.” + </p> + <p> + “Falworth,” said the King, placing his hand to his head. “The name is not + strange to mine ears, but I cannot place it. My head hath troubled me + sorely to-day, and I cannot remember.” + </p> + <p> + At this point the Earl of Alban came quietly and deliberately forward. + “Sire,” said he, “pardon my boldness in so venturing to address you, but + haply I may bring the name more clearly to your mind. He is, as my Lord of + Mackworth said, the whilom Baron Falworth, the outlawed, attainted + traitor; so declared for the harboring of Sir John Dale, who was one of + those who sought your Majesty's life at Windsor eleven years ago. Sire, he + is mine enemy as well, and is brought hither by my proclaimed enemies. + Should aught occur to my harm, I rest my case in your gracious hands.” + </p> + <p> + The dusty red flamed into the King's pale, sickly face in answer, and he + rose hastily from his seat. + </p> + <p> + “Aye,” said he, “I remember me now—I remember me the man and the + name! Who hath dared bring him here before us?” All the dull heaviness of + sickness was gone for the moment, and King Henry was the King Henry of ten + years ago as he rolled his eyes balefully from one to another of the + courtiers who stood silently around. + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Mackworth shot a covert glance at the Bishop of Winchester, + who came forward in answer. + </p> + <p> + “Your Majesty,” said he, “here am I, your brother, who beseech you as your + brother not to judge over-hastily in this matter. It is true that this man + has been adjudged a traitor, but he has been so adjudged without a + hearing. I beseech thee to listen patiently to whatsoever he may have to + say.” + </p> + <p> + The King fixed the Bishop with a look of the bitterest, deepest anger, + holding his nether lip tightly under his teeth—a trick he had when + strongly moved with anger—and the Bishop's eyes fell under the look. + Meantime the Earl of Alban stood calm and silent. No doubt he saw that the + King's anger was likely to befriend him more than any words that he + himself could say, and he perilled his case with no more speech which + could only prove superfluous. + </p> + <p> + At last the King turned a face red and swollen with anger to the blind + Lord, who still kneeled before him. + </p> + <p> + “What hast thou to say?” he said, in a deep and sullen voice. + </p> + <p> + “Gracious and merciful Lord,” said the blind nobleman, “I come to thee, + the fountain-head of justice, craving justice. Sire, I do now and here + deny my treason, which denial I could not before make, being blind and + helpless, and mine enemies strong and malignant. But now, sire, Heaven + hath sent me help, and therefore I do acclaim before thee that my accuser, + William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, is a foul and an attainted liar + in all that he hath accused me of. To uphold which allegation, and to + defend me, who am blinded by his unknightliness, I do offer a champion to + prove all that I say with his body in combat.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Mackworth darted a quick look at Myles, who came forward the + moment his father had ended, and kneeled beside him. The King offered no + interruption to his speech, but he bent a look heavy with anger upon the + young man. + </p> + <p> + “My gracious Lord and King,” said Myles, “I, the son of the accused, do + offer myself as his champion in this cause, beseeching thee of thy grace + leave to prove the truth of the same, being a belted knight by thy grace + and of thy creation and the peer of any who weareth spurs.” Thereupon, + rising, he drew his iron gauntlet from his girdle, and flung it clashing + down upon the floor, and with his heart swelling within him with anger and + indignation and pity of his blind father, he cried, in a loud voice, “I do + accuse thee, William of Alban, that thou liest vilely as aforesaid, and + here cast down my gage, daring thee to take it up.” + </p> + <p> + The Earl of Alban made as though he would accept the challenge, but the + King stopped him hastily. + </p> + <p> + “Stop!” he cried, harshly. “Touch not the gage! Let it lie—let it + lie, I tell thee, my Lord! Now then,” said he, turning to the others, + “tell me what meaneth all this coil? Who brought this man hither?” + </p> + <p> + He looked from one to another of those who stood silently around, but no + one answered. + </p> + <p> + “I see,” said he, “ye all have had to do with it. It is as my Lord of + Alban sayeth; ye are his enemies, and ye are my enemies as well. In this I + do smell a vile plot. I cannot undo what I have done, and since I have + made this young man a knight with mine own hands, I cannot deny that he is + fit to challenge my Lord of Alban. Ne'theless, the High Court of Chivalry + shall adjudge this case. Meantime,” said he, turning to the Earl Marshal, + who was present, “I give thee this attainted Lord in charge. Convey him + presently to the Tower, and let him abide our pleasure there. Also, thou + mayst take up yon gage, and keep it till it is redeemed according to our + pleasure.” + </p> + <p> + He stood thoughtfully for a moment, and then raising his eyes, looked + fixedly at the Earl of Mackworth. “I know,” he said, “that I be a right + sick man, and there be some who are already plotting to overthrow those + who have held up my hand with their own strength for all these years.” + Then speaking more directly: “My Lord Earl of Mackworth, I see your hand + in this before all others. It was thou who so played upon me as to get me + to knight this young man, and thus make him worthy to challenge my Lord of + Alban. It was thy doings that brought him here to-day, backed by mine own + sons and my brother and by these noblemen.” Then turning suddenly to the + Earl of Alban: “Come, my Lord,” said he; “I am aweary with all this coil. + Lend me thine arm to leave this place.” So it was that he left the room, + leaning upon the Earl of Alban's arm, and followed by the two or three of + the Alban faction who were present. + </p> + <p> + “Your Royal Highness,” said the Earl Marshal, “I must e'en do the King's + bidding, and take this gentleman into arrest.” + </p> + <p> + “Do thy duty,” said the Prince. “We knew it must come to this. Meanwhile + he is to be a prisoner of honor, and see that he be well lodged and cared + for. Thou wilt find my barge at the stairs to convey him down the river, + and I myself will come this afternoon to visit him.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0031" id="link2HCH0031"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 31 + </h2> + <p> + It was not until the end of July that the High Court of Chivalry rendered + its judgment. There were many unusual points in the case, some of which + bore heavily against Lord Falworth, some of which were in his favor. He + was very ably defended by the lawyers whom the Earl of Mackworth had + engaged upon his side; nevertheless, under ordinary circumstances, the + judgment, no doubt, would have been quickly rendered against him. As it + was, however, the circumstances were not ordinary, and it was rendered in + his favor. The Court besought the King to grant the ordeal by battle, to + accept Lord Falworth's champion, and to appoint the time and place for the + meeting. + </p> + <p> + The decision must have been a most bitter, galling one for the sick King. + He was naturally of a generous, forgiving nature, but Lord Falworth in his + time of power had been an unrelenting and fearless opponent, and his + Majesty who, like most generous men, could on occasions be very cruel and + intolerant, had never forgiven him. He had steadily thrown the might of + his influence with the Court against the Falworths' case, but that + influence was no longer all-powerful for good or ill. He was failing in + health, and it could only be a matter of a few years, probably of only a + few months, before his successor sat upon the throne. + </p> + <p> + Upon the other hand, the Prince of Wales's faction had been steadily, and + of late rapidly, increasing in power, and in the Earl of Mackworth, its + virtual head, it possessed one of the most capable politicians and astute + intriguers in Europe. So, as the outcome of all the plotting and + counter-plotting, scheming and counter-scheming, the case was decided in + Lord Falworth's favor. The knowledge of the ultimate result was known to + the Prince of Wales's circle almost a week before it was finally decided. + Indeed, the Earl of Mackworth had made pretty sure of that result before + he had summoned Myles from France, but upon the King it fell like the + shock of a sudden blow. All that day he kept himself in moody seclusion, + nursing his silent, bitter anger, and making only one outbreak, in which + he swore by the Holy Rood that should Myles be worsted in the encounter, + he would not take the battle into his own hands, but would suffer him to + be slain, and furthermore, that should the Earl show signs of failing at + any time, he would do all in his power to save him. One of the courtiers + who had been present, and who was secretly inclined to the Prince of + Wales's faction, had repeated this speech at Scotland Yard, and the Prince + had said, “That meaneth, Myles, that thou must either win or die.” + </p> + <p> + “And so I would have it to be, my Lord,” Myles had answered. + </p> + <p> + It was not until nearly a fortnight after the decision of the Court of + Chivalry had been rendered that the King announced the time and place of + battle—the time to be the 3d of September, the place to be + Smithfield—a spot much used for such encounters. + </p> + <p> + During the three weeks or so that intervened between this announcement and + the time of combat, Myles went nearly every day to visit the lists in + course of erection. Often the Prince went with him; always two or three of + his friends of the Scotland Yard court accompanied him. + </p> + <p> + The lists were laid out in the usual form. The true or principal list in + which the combatants were to engage was sixty yards long and forty yards + wide; this rectangular space being surrounded by a fence about six feet + high, painted vermilion. Between the fence and the stand where the King + and the spectators sat, and surrounding the central space, was the outer + or false list, also surrounded by a fence. In the false list the Constable + and the Marshal and their followers and attendants were to be stationed at + the time of battle to preserve the general peace during the contest + between the principals. + </p> + <p> + One day as Myles, his princely patron, and his friends entered the + barriers, leaving their horses at the outer gate, they met the Earl of + Alban and his followers, who were just quitting the lists, which they also + were in the habit of visiting nearly every day. As the two parties passed + one another, the Earl spoke to a gentleman walking beside him and in a + voice loud enough to be clearly overheard by the others: “Yonder is the + young sprig of Falworth,” said he. “His father, my Lords, is not content + with forfeiting his own life for his treason, but must, forsooth, throw + away his son's also. I have faced and overthrown many a better knight than + that boy.” + </p> + <p> + Myles heard the speech, and knew that it was intended for him to hear it; + but he paid no attention to it, walking composedly at the Prince's side. + The Prince had also overheard it, and after a little space of silence + asked, “Dost thou not feel anxiety for thy coming battle, Myles?” + </p> + <p> + “Yea, my Lord,” said Myles; “sometimes I do feel anxiety, but not such as + my Lord of Alban would have me feel in uttering the speech that he spake + anon. It is anxiety for my father's sake and my mother's sake that I feel, + for truly there are great matters for them pending upon this fight. + Ne'theless, I do know that God will not desert me in my cause, for verily + my father is no traitor.” + </p> + <p> + “But the Earl of Alban,” said the Prince, gravely, “is reputed one of the + best-skilled knights in all England; moreover, he is merciless and without + generosity, so that an he gain aught advantage over thee, he will surely + slay thee.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not afraid, my Lord,” said Myles, still calmly and composedly. + </p> + <p> + “Nor am I afraid for thee, Myles,” said the Prince, heartily, putting his + arm, as he spoke, around the young man's shoulder; “for truly, wert thou a + knight of forty years, instead of one of twenty, thou couldst not bear + thyself with more courage.” + </p> + <p> + As the time for the duel approached, the days seemed to drag themselves + along upon leaden feet; nevertheless, the days came and went, as all days + do, bringing with them, at last, the fateful 3d of September. + </p> + <p> + Early in the morning, while the sun was still level and red, the Prince + himself, unattended, came to Myles's apartment, in the outer room of which + Gascoyne was bustling busily about arranging the armor piece by piece; + renewing straps and thongs, but not whistling over his work as he usually + did. The Prince nodded to him, and then passed silently through to the + inner chamber. Myles was upon his knees, and Father Ambrose, the Prince's + chaplain, was beside him. The Prince stood silently at the door, until + Myles, having told his last bead, rose and turned towards him. + </p> + <p> + “My dear Lord,” said the young knight, “I give you gramercy for the great + honor you do me in coming so early for to visit me.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Myles, give me no thanks,” said the Prince, frankly reaching him his + hand, which Myles took and set to his lips. “I lay bethinking me of thee + this morning, while yet in bed, and so, as I could not sleep any more, I + was moved to come hither to see thee.” + </p> + <p> + Quite a number of the Prince's faction were at the breakfast at Scotland + Yard that morning; among others, the Earl of Mackworth. All were more or + less oppressed with anxiety, for nearly all of them had staked much upon + the coming battle. If Alban conquered, he would be more powerful to harm + them and to revenge himself upon them than ever, and Myles was a very + young champion upon whom to depend. Myles himself, perhaps, showed as + little anxiety as any; he certainly ate more heartily of his breakfast + that morning than many of the others. + </p> + <p> + After the meal was ended, the Prince rose. “The boat is ready at the + stairs,” said he; “if thou wouldst go to the Tower to visit thy father, + Myles, before hearing mass, I and Cholmondeley and Vere and Poins will go + with thee, if ye, Lords and gentlemen, will grant me your pardon for + leaving you. Are there any others that thou wouldst have accompany thee?” + </p> + <p> + “I would have Sir James Lee and my squire, Master Gascoyne, if thou art so + pleased to give them leave to go,” answered Myles. + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” said the Prince. “We will stop at Mackworth stairs for the + knight.” + </p> + <p> + The barge landed at the west stairs of the Tower wharf, and the whole + party were received with more than usual civilities by the Governor, who + conducted them at once to the Tower where Lord Falworth was lodged. Lady + Falworth met them at the head of the stairs; her eyes were very red and + her face pale, and as Myles raised her hand and set a long kiss upon it, + her lips trembled, and she turned her face quickly away, pressing her + handkerchief for one moment to her eyes. Poor lady! What agony of anxiety + and dread did she not suffer for her boy's sake that day! Myles had not + hidden both from her and his father that he must either win or die. + </p> + <p> + As Myles turned from his mother, Prior Edward came out from the inner + chamber, and was greeted warmly by him. The old priest had arrived in + London only the day before, having come down from Crosbey Priory to be + with his friend's family during this their time of terrible anxiety. + </p> + <p> + After a little while of general talk, the Prince and his attendants + retired, leaving the family together, only Sir James Lee and Gascoyne + remaining behind. + </p> + <p> + Many matters that had been discussed before were now finally settled, the + chief of which was the disposition of Lady Falworth in case the battle + should go against them. Then Myles took his leave, kissing his mother, who + began crying, and comforting her with brave assurances. Prior Edward + accompanied him as far as the head of the Tower stairs, where Myles + kneeled upon the stone steps, while the good priest blessed him and signed + the cross upon his forehead. The Prince was waiting in the walled garden + adjoining, and as they rowed back again up the river to Scotland Yard, all + were thoughtful and serious, even Poins' and Vere's merry tongues being + stilled from their usual quips and jesting. + </p> + <p> + It was about the quarter of the hour before eleven o'clock when Myles, + with Gascoyne, set forth for the lists. The Prince of Wales, together with + most of his court, had already gone on to Smithfield, leaving behind him + six young knights of his household to act as escort to the young champion. + Then at last the order to horse was given; the great gate swung open, and + out they rode, clattering and jingling, the sunlight gleaming and flaming + and flashing upon their polished armor. They drew rein to the right, and + so rode in a little cloud of dust along the Strand Street towards London + town, with the breeze blowing merrily, and the sunlight shining as sweetly + and blithesomely as though they were riding to a wedding rather than to a + grim and dreadful ordeal that meant either victory or death. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0032" id="link2HCH0032"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 32 + </h2> + <p> + In the days of King Edward III a code of laws relating to trial by battle + had been compiled for one of his sons, Thomas of Woodstock. In this work + each and every detail, to the most minute, had been arranged and fixed, + and from that time judicial combats had been regulated in accordance with + its mandates. + </p> + <p> + It was in obedience to this code that Myles Falworth appeared at the east + gate of the lists (the east gate being assigned by law to the challenger), + clad in full armor of proof, attended by Gascoyne, and accompanied by two + of the young knights who had acted as his escort from Scotland Yard. + </p> + <p> + At the barriers he was met by the attorney Willingwood, the chief lawyer + who had conducted the Falworth case before the High Court of Chivalry, and + who was to attend him during the administration of the oaths before the + King. + </p> + <p> + As Myles presented himself at the gate he was met by the Constable, the + Marshal, and their immediate attendants. The Constable, laying his hand + upon the bridle-rein, said, in a loud voice: “Stand, Sir Knight, and tell + me why thou art come thus armed to the gates of the lists. What is thy + name? Wherefore art thou come?” + </p> + <p> + Myles answered, “I am Myles Falworth, a Knight of the Bath by grace of his + Majesty King Henry IV and by his creation, and do come hither to defend my + challenge upon the body of William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, + proclaiming him an unknightly knight and a false and perjured liar, in + that he hath accused Gilbert Reginald, Lord Falworth, of treason against + our beloved Lord, his Majesty the King, and may God defend the right!” + </p> + <p> + As he ended speaking, the Constable advanced close to his side, and + formally raising the umbril of the helmet, looked him in the face. + Thereupon, having approved his identity, he ordered the gates to be + opened, and bade Myles enter the lists with his squire and his friends. + </p> + <p> + At the south side of the lists a raised scaffolding had been built for the + King and those who looked on. It was not unlike that which had been + erected at Devlen Castle when Myles had first jousted as belted knight—here + were the same raised seat for the King, the tapestries, the hangings, the + fluttering pennons, and the royal standard floating above; only here were + no fair-faced ladies looking down upon him, but instead, stern-browed + Lords and knights in armor and squires, and here were no merry laughing + and buzz of talk and flutter of fans and kerchiefs, but all was very quiet + and serious. + </p> + <p> + Myles riding upon his horse, with Gascoyne holding the bridle-rein, and + his attorney walking beside him with his hand upon the stirrups, followed + the Constable across the lists to an open space in front of the seat where + the King sat. Then, having reached his appointed station, he stopped, and + the Constable, advancing to the foot of the stair-way that led to the dais + above, announced in a loud voice that the challenger had entered the + lists. + </p> + <p> + “Then called the defendant straightway,” said the King, “for noon draweth + nigh.” + </p> + <p> + The day was very warm, and the sun, bright and unclouded, shone fiercely + down upon the open lists. Perhaps few men nowadays could bear the + scorching heat of iron plates such as Myles wore, from which the body was + only protected by a leathern jacket and hose. But men's bodies in those + days were tougher and more seasoned to hardships of weather than they are + in these our times. Myles thought no more of the burning iron plates that + incased him than a modern soldier thinks of his dress uniform in warm + weather. Nevertheless, he raised the umbril of his helmet to cool his face + as he waited the coming of his opponent. He turned his eyes upward to the + row of seats on the scaffolding above, and even in the restless, + bewildering multitude of strange faces turned towards him recognized those + that he knew: the Prince of Wales, his companions of the Scotland Yard + household, the Duke of Clarence, the Bishop of Winchester, and some of the + noblemen of the Earl of Mackworth's party, who had been buzzing about the + Prince for the past month or so. But his glance swept over all these, + rather perceiving than seeing them, and then rested upon a square box-like + compartment not unlike a prisoner's dock in the courtroom of our day, for + in the box sat his father, with the Earl of Mackworth upon one side and + Sir James Lee upon the other. The blind man's face was very pale, but + still wore its usual expression of calm serenity—the calm serenity + of a blind face. The Earl was also very pale, and he kept his eyes fixed + steadfastly upon Myles with a keen and searching look, as though to pierce + to the very bottom of the young man's heart, and discover if indeed not + one little fragment of dryrot of fear or uncertainty tainted the solid + courage of his knighthood. + </p> + <p> + Then he heard the criers calling the defendant at the four corners of the + list: “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, come to + this combat, in which you be enterprised this day to discharge your + sureties before the King, the Constable, and the Marshal, and to encounter + in your defence Myles Falworth, knight, the accepted champion upon behalf + of Gilbert Reginald Falworth, the challenger! Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Let the + defendant come!” + </p> + <p> + So they continued calling, until, by the sudden turning of all faces, + Myles knew that his enemy was at hand. + </p> + <p> + Then presently he saw the Earl and his attendants enter the outer gate at + the west end of the barrier; he saw the Constable and Marshal meet him; he + saw the formal words of greeting pass; he saw the Constable raise the + umbril of the helmet. Then the gate opened, and the Earl of Alban entered, + clad cap-a-pie in a full suit of magnificent Milan armor without juppon or + adornment of any kind. As he approached across the lists, Myles closed the + umbril of his helmet, and then sat quite still and motionless, for the + time was come. + </p> + <p> + So he sat, erect and motionless as a statue of iron, half hearing the + reading of the long intricately-worded bills, absorbed in many thoughts of + past and present things. At last the reading ended, and then he calmly and + composedly obeyed, under the direction of his attorney, the several forms + and ceremonies that followed; answered the various official questions, + took the various oaths. Then Gascoyne, leading the horse by the + bridle-rein, conducted him back to his station at the east end of the + lists. + </p> + <p> + As the faithful friend and squire made one last and searching examination + of arms and armor, the Marshal and the clerk came to the young champion + and administered the final oath by which he swore that he carried no + concealed weapons. + </p> + <p> + The weapons allowed by the High Court were then measured and attested. + They consisted of the long sword, the short sword, the dagger, the mace, + and a weapon known as the hand-gisarm, or glave-lot—a heavy + swordlike blade eight palms long, a palm in breadth, and riveted to a + stout handle of wood three feet long. + </p> + <p> + The usual lance had not been included in the list of arms, the hand-gisarm + being substituted in its place. It was a fearful and murderous weapon, + though cumbersome, Unhandy, and ill adapted for quick or dexterous stroke; + nevertheless, the Earl of Alban had petitioned the King to have it + included in the list, and in answer to the King's expressed desire the + Court had adopted it in the stead of the lance, yielding thus much to the + royal wishes. Nor was it a small concession. The hand-gisarm had been a + weapon very much in vogue in King Richard's day, and was now nearly if not + entirely out of fashion with the younger generation of warriors. The Earl + of Alban was, of course, well used to the blade; with Myles it was strange + and new, either for attack or in defence. + </p> + <p> + With the administration of the final oath and the examination of the + weapons, the preliminary ceremonies came to an end, and presently Myles + heard the criers calling to clear the lists. As those around him moved to + withdraw, the young knight drew off his mailed gauntlet, and gave + Gascoyne's hand one last final clasp, strong, earnest, and intense with + the close friendship of young manhood, and poor Gascoyne looked up at him + with a face ghastly white. + </p> + <p> + Then all were gone; the gates of the principal list and that of the false + list were closed clashing, and Myles was alone, face to face, with his + mortal enemy. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0033" id="link2HCH0033"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER 33 + </h2> + <p> + There was a little while of restless, rustling silence, during which the + Constable took his place in the seat appointed for him directly in front + of and below the King's throne. A moment or two when even the restlessness + and the rustling were quieted, and then the King leaned forward and spoke + to the Constable, who immediately called out, in a loud, clear voice. + </p> + <p> + “Let them go!” Then again, “Let them go!” Then, for the third and last + time, “Let them go and do their endeavor, in God's name!” + </p> + <p> + At this third command the combatants, each of whom had till that moment + been sitting as motionless as a statue of iron, tightened rein, and rode + slowly and deliberately forward without haste, yet without hesitation, + until they met in the very middle of the lists. + </p> + <p> + In the battle which followed, Myles fought with the long sword, the Earl + with the hand-gisarm for which he had asked. The moment they met, the + combat was opened, and for a time nothing was heard but the thunderous + clashing and clamor of blows, now and then beating intermittently, now and + then pausing. Occasionally, as the combatants spurred together, checked, + wheeled, and recovered, they would be hidden for a moment in a misty veil + of dust, which, again drifting down the wind, perhaps revealed them drawn + a little apart, resting their panting horses. Then, again, they would spur + together, striking as they passed, wheeling and striking again. + </p> + <p> + Upon the scaffolding all was still, only now and then for the buzz of + muffled exclamations or applause of those who looked on. Mostly the + applause was from Myles's friends, for from the very first he showed and + steadily maintained his advantage over the older man. “Hah! well struck! + well recovered!” “Look ye! the sword bit that time!” “Nay, look, saw ye + him pass the point of the gisarm?” Then, “Falworth! Falworth!” as some + more than usually skilful stroke or parry occurred. + </p> + <p> + Meantime Myles's father sat straining his sightless eyeballs, as though to + pierce his body's darkness with one ray of light that would show him how + his boy held his own in the fight, and Lord Mackworth, leaning with his + lips close to the blind man's ear, told him point by point how the battle + stood. + </p> + <p> + “Fear not, Gilbert,” said he at each pause in the fight. “He holdeth his + own right well.” Then, after a while: “God is with us, Gilbert. Alban is + twice wounded and his horse faileth. One little while longer and the + victory is ours!” + </p> + <p> + A longer and more continuous interval of combat followed this last + assurance, during which Myles drove the assault fiercely and unrelentingly + as though to overbear his enemy by the very power and violence of the + blows he delivered. The Earl defended himself desperately, but was borne + back, back, back, farther and farther. Every nerve of those who looked on + was stretched to breathless tensity, when, almost as his enemy was against + the barriers, Myles paused and rested. + </p> + <p> + “Out upon it!” exclaimed the Earl of Mackworth, almost shrilly in his + excitement, as the sudden lull followed the crashing of blows. “Why doth + the boy spare him? That is thrice he hath given him grace to recover; an + he had pushed the battle that time he had driven him back against the + barriers.” + </p> + <p> + It was as the Earl had said; Myles had three times given his enemy grace + when victory was almost in his very grasp. He had three times spared him, + in spite of all he and those dear to him must suffer should his cruel and + merciless enemy gain the victory. It was a false and foolish generosity, + partly the fault of his impulsive youth—more largely of his romantic + training in the artificial code of French chivalry. He felt that the + battle was his, and so he gave his enemy these three chances to recover, + as some chevalier or knight-errant of romance might have done, instead of + pushing the combat to a mercifully speedy end—and his foolish + generosity cost him dear. + </p> + <p> + In the momentary pause that had thus stirred the Earl of Mackworth to a + sudden outbreak, the Earl of Alban sat upon his panting, sweating + war-horse, facing his powerful young enemy at about twelve paces distant. + He sat as still as a rock, holding his gisarm poised in front of him. He + had, as the Earl of Mackworth had said, been wounded twice, and each time + with the point of the sword, so much more dangerous than a direct cut with + the weapon. One wound was beneath his armor, and no one but he knew how + serious it might be; the other was under the overlapping of the epauhere, + and from it a finger's-breadth of blood ran straight down his side and + over the housings of his horse. From without, the still motionless iron + figure appeared calm and expressionless; within, who knows what consuming + blasts of hate, rage, and despair swept his heart as with a fiery + whirlwind. + </p> + <p> + As Myles looked at the motionless, bleeding figure, his breast swelled + with pity. “My Lord,” said he, “thou art sore wounded and the fight is + against thee; wilt thou not yield thee?” + </p> + <p> + No one but that other heard the speech, and no one but Myles heard the + answer that came back, hollow, cavernous, “Never, thou dog! Never!” + </p> + <p> + Then in an instant, as quick as a flash, his enemy spurred straight upon + Myles, and as he spurred he struck a last desperate, swinging blow, in + which he threw in one final effort all the strength of hate, of fury, and + of despair. Myles whirled his horse backward, warding the blow with his + shield as he did so. The blade glanced from the smooth face of the shield, + and, whether by mistake or not, fell straight and true, and with almost + undiminished force, upon the neck of Myles's war-horse, and just behind + the ears. The animal staggered forward, and then fell upon its knees, and + at the same instant the other, as though by the impetus of the rush, + dashed full upon it with all the momentum lent by the weight of iron it + carried. The shock was irresistible, and the stunned and wounded horse was + flung upon the ground, rolling over and over. As his horse fell, Myles + wrenched one of his feet out of the stirrup; the other caught for an + instant, and he was flung headlong with stunning violence, his armor + crashing as he fell. In the cloud of dust that arose no one could see just + what happened, but that what was done was done deliberately no one + doubted. The earl, at once checking and spurring his foaming charger, + drove the iron-shod war-horse directly over Myles's prostrate body. Then, + checking him fiercely with the curb, reined him back, the hoofs clashing + and crashing, over the figure beneath. So he had ridden over the father at + York, and so he rode over the son at Smithfield. + </p> + <p> + Myles, as he lay prostrate and half stunned by his fall, had seen his + enemy thus driving his rearing horse down upon him, but was not able to + defend himself. A fallen knight in full armor was utterly powerless to + rise without assistance; Myles lay helpless in the clutch of the very iron + that was his defence. He closed his eyes involuntarily, and then horse and + rider were upon him. There was a deafening, sparkling crash, a glimmering + faintness, then another crash as the horse was reined furiously back + again, and then a humming stillness. + </p> + <p> + In a moment, upon the scaffolding all was a tumult of uproar and + confusion, shouting and gesticulation; only the King sat calm, sullen, + impassive. The Earl wheeled his horse and sat for a moment or two as + though to make quite sure that he knew the King's mind. The blow that had + been given was foul, unknightly, but the King gave no sign either of + acquiescence or rebuke; he had willed that Myles was to die. + </p> + <p> + Then the Earl turned again, and rode deliberately up to his prostrate + enemy. + </p> + <p> + When Myles opened his eyes after that moment of stunning silence, it was + to see the other looming above him on his war-horse, swinging his gisarm + for one last mortal blow—pitiless, merciless. + </p> + <p> + The sight of that looming peril brought back Myles's wandering senses like + a flash of lightning. He flung up his shield, and met the blow even as it + descended, turning it aside. It only protracted the end. + </p> + <p> + Once more the Earl of Alban raised the gisarm, swinging it twice around + his head before he struck. This time, though the shield glanced it, the + blow fell upon the shoulder-piece, biting through the steel plate and + leathern jack beneath even to the bone. Then Myles covered his head with + his shield as a last protecting chance for life. + </p> + <p> + For the third time the Earl swung the blade flashing, and then it fell, + straight and true, upon the defenceless body, just below the left arm, + biting deep through the armor plates. For an instant the blade stuck fast, + and that instant was Myles's salvation. Under the agony of the blow he + gave a muffled cry, and almost instinctively grasped the shaft of the + weapon with both hands. Had the Earl let go his end of the weapon, he + would have won the battle at his leisure and most easily; as it was, he + struggled violently to wrench the gisarm away from Myles. In that short, + fierce struggle Myles was dragged to his knees, and then, still holding + the weapon with one hand, he clutched the trappings of the Earl's horse + with the other. The next moment he was upon his feet. The other struggled + to thrust him away, but Myles, letting go the gisarm, which he held with + his left hand, clutched him tightly by the sword-belt in the intense, + vise-like grip of despair. In vain the Earl strove to beat him loose with + the shaft of the gisarm, in vain he spurred and reared his horse to shake + him off; Myles held him tight, in spite of all his struggles. + </p> + <p> + He felt neither the streaming blood nor the throbbing agony of his wounds; + every faculty of soul, mind, body, every power of life, was centered in + one intense, burning effort. He neither felt, thought, nor reasoned, but + clutching, with the blindness of instinct, the heavy, spiked, iron-headed + mace that hung at the Earl's saddle-bow, he gave it one tremendous wrench + that snapped the plaited leathern thongs that held it as though they were + skeins of thread. Then, grinding his teeth as with a spasm, he struck as + he had never struck before—once, twice, thrice full upon the front + of the helmet. Crash! crash! And then, even as the Earl toppled sidelong, + crash! And the iron plates split and crackled under the third blow. Myles + had one flashing glimpse of an awful face, and then the saddle was empty. + </p> + <p> + Then, as he held tight to the horse, panting, dizzy, sick to death, he + felt the hot blood gushing from his side, filling his body armor, and + staining the ground upon which he stood. Still he held tightly to the + saddle-bow of the fallen man's horse until, through his glimmering sight, + he saw the Marshal, the Lieutenant, and the attendants gather around him. + He heard the Marshal ask him, in a voice that sounded faint and distant, + if he was dangerously wounded. He did not answer, and one of the + attendants, leaping from his horse, opened the umbril of his helmet, + disclosing the dull, hollow eyes, the ashy, colorless lips, and the waxy + forehead, upon which stood great beads of sweat. + </p> + <p> + “Water! water!” he cried, hoarsely; “give me to drink!” Then, quitting his + hold upon the horse, he started blindly across the lists towards the gate + of the barrier. A shadow that chilled his heart seemed to fall upon him. + “It is death,” he muttered; then he stopped, then swayed for an instant, + and then toppled headlong, crashing as he fell. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_CONC" id="link2H_CONC"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CONCLUSION + </h2> + <p> + But Myles was not dead. Those who had seen his face when the umbril of the + helmet was raised, and then saw him fall as he tottered across the lists, + had at first thought so. But his faintness was more from loss of blood and + the sudden unstringing of nerve and sense from the intense furious strain + of the last few moments of battle than from the vital nature of the wound. + Indeed, after Myles had been carried out of the lists and laid upon the + ground in the shade between the barriers, Master Thomas, the Prince's + barber-surgeon, having examined the wounds, declared that he might be even + carried on a covered litter to Scotland Yard without serious danger. The + Prince was extremely desirous of having him under his care, and so the + venture was tried. Myles was carried to Scotland Yard, and perhaps was + none the worse therefore. The Prince, the Earl of Mackworth, and two or + three others stood silently watching as the worthy shaver and leecher, + assisted by his apprentice and Gascoyne, washed and bathed the great + gaping wound in the side, and bound it with linen bandages. Myles lay with + closed eyelids, still, pallid, weak as a little child. Presently he opened + his eyes and turned them, dull and languid, to the Prince. + </p> + <p> + “What hath happed my father, my Lord?” said he, in a faint, whispering + voice. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hath saved his life and honor, Myles,” the Prince answered. “He is + here now, and thy mother hath been sent for, and cometh anon with the + priest who was with them this morn.” + </p> + <p> + Myles dropped his eyelids again; his lips moved, but he made no sound, and + then two bright tears trickled across his white cheek. + </p> + <p> + “He maketh a woman of me,” the Prince muttered through his teeth, and + then, swinging on his heel, he stood for a long time looking out of the + window into the garden beneath. + </p> + <p> + “May I see my father?” said Myles, presently, without opening his eyes. + </p> + <p> + The Prince turned around and looked inquiringly at the surgeon. + </p> + <p> + The good man shook his head. “Not to-day,” said he; “haply to-morrow he + may see him and his mother. The bleeding is but new stanched, and such + matters as seeing his father and mother may make the heart to swell, and + so maybe the wound burst afresh and he die. An he would hope to live, he + must rest quiet until to-morrow day.” + </p> + <p> + But though Myles's wound was not mortal, it was very serious. The fever + which followed lingered longer than common—perhaps because of the + hot weather—and the days stretched to weeks, and the weeks to + months, and still he lay there, nursed by his mother and Gascoyne and + Prior Edward, and now and again by Sir James Lee. + </p> + <p> + One day, a little before the good priest returned to Saint Mary's Priory, + as he sat by Myles's bedside, his hands folded, and his sight turned + inward, the young man suddenly said, “Tell me, holy father, is it always + wrong for man to slay man?” + </p> + <p> + The good priest sat silent for so long a time that Myles began to think he + had not heard the question. But by-and-by he answered, almost with a sigh, + “It is a hard question, my son, but I must in truth say, meseems it is not + always wrong.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” said Myles, “I have been in battle when men were slain, but never + did I think thereon as I have upon this matter. Did I sin in so slaying my + father's enemy?” + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” said Prior Edward, quietly, “thou didst not sin. It was for others + thou didst fight, my son, and for others it is pardonable to do battle. + Had it been thine own quarrel, it might haply have been more hard to have + answered thee.” + </p> + <p> + Who can gainsay, even in these days of light, the truth of this that the + good priest said to the sick lad so far away in the past? + </p> + <p> + One day the Earl of Mackworth came to visit Myles. At that time the young + knight was mending, and was sitting propped up with pillows, and was + wrapped in Sir James Lee's cloak, for the day was chilly. After a little + time of talk, a pause of silence fell. + </p> + <p> + “My Lord,” said Myles, suddenly, “dost thou remember one part of a matter + we spoke of when I first came from France?” + </p> + <p> + The Earl made no pretence of ignorance. “I remember,” said he, quietly, + looking straight into the young man's thin white face. + </p> + <p> + “And have I yet won the right to ask for the Lady Alice de Mowbray to + wife?” said Myles, the red rising faintly to his cheeks. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hast won it,” said the Earl, with a smile. + </p> + <p> + Myles's eyes shone and his lips trembled with the pang of sudden joy and + triumph, for he was still very weak. “My Lord,” said he, presently “belike + thou camest here to see me for this very matter?” + </p> + <p> + The Earl smiled again without answering, and Myles knew that he had + guessed aright. He reached out one of his weak, pallid hands from beneath + the cloak. The Earl of Mackworth took it with a firm pressure, then + instantly quitting it again, rose, as if ashamed of his emotion, stamped + his feet, as though in pretence of being chilled, and then crossed the + room to where the fire crackled brightly in the great stone fireplace. + </p> + <p> + Little else remains to be told; only a few loose strands to tie, and the + story is complete. + </p> + <p> + Though Lord Falworth was saved from death at the block, though his honor + was cleansed from stain, he was yet as poor and needy as ever. The King, + in spite of all the pressure brought to bear upon him, refused to restore + the estates of Falworth and Easterbridge—the latter of which had + again reverted to the crown upon the death of the Earl of Alban without + issue—upon the grounds that they had been forfeited not because of + the attaint of treason, but because of Lord Falworth having refused to + respond to the citation of the courts. So the business dragged along for + month after month, until in January the King died suddenly in the + Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster. Then matters went smoothly enough, and + Falworth and Mackworth swam upon the flood-tide of fortune. + </p> + <p> + So Myles was married, for how else should the story end? And one day he + brought his beautiful young wife home to Falworth Castle, which his father + had given him for his own, and at the gateway of which he was met by Sir + James Lee and by the newly-knighted Sir Francis Gascoyne. + </p> + <p> + One day, soon after this home-coming, as he stood with her at an open + window into which came blowing the pleasant May-time breeze, he suddenly + said, “What didst thou think of me when I first fell almost into thy lap, + like an apple from heaven?” + </p> + <p> + “I thought thou wert a great, good-hearted boy, as I think thou art now,” + said she, twisting his strong, sinewy fingers in and out. + </p> + <p> + “If thou thoughtst me so then, what a very fool I must have looked to thee + when I so clumsily besought thee for thy favor for my jousting at Devlen. + Did I not so?” + </p> + <p> + “Thou didst look to me the most noble, handsome young knight that did ever + live; thou didst look to me Sir Galahad, as they did call thee, withouten + taint or stain.” + </p> + <p> + Myles did not even smile in answer, but looked at his wife with such a + look that she blushed a rosy red. Then, laughing, she slipped from his + hold, and before he could catch her again was gone. + </p> + <p> + I am glad that he was to be rich and happy and honored and beloved after + all his hard and noble fighting. + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF IRON *** + +***** This file should be named 1557-h.htm or 1557-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/5/1557/ + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project +Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” + or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project +Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +“Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.” + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +“Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right +of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + </body> +</html> diff --git a/1557.txt b/1557.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..11d5b65 --- /dev/null +++ b/1557.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7614 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Men of Iron + +Author: Howard Pyle + +Release Date: February 15, 2006 [EBook #1557] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF IRON *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + + + + + +MEN OF IRON + +by Howard Pyle + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +The year 1400 opened with more than usual peacefulness in England. Only +a few months before, Richard II--weak, wicked, and treacherous--had been +dethroned, and Henry IV declared King in his stead. But it was only a +seeming peacefulness, lasting but for a little while; for though King +Henry proved himself a just and a merciful man--as justice and mercy +went with the men of iron of those days--and though he did not care +to shed blood needlessly, there were many noble families who had been +benefited by King Richard during his reign, and who had lost somewhat of +their power and prestige from the coming in of the new King. + +Among these were a number of great lords--the Dukes of Albemarle, +Surrey, and Exeter, the Marquis of Dorset, the Earl of Gloucester, and +others--who had been degraded to their former titles and estates, from +which King Richard had lifted them. These and others brewed a secret +plot to take King Henry's life, which plot might have succeeded had not +one of their own number betrayed them. + +Their plan had been to fall upon the King and his adherents, and to +massacre them during a great tournament, to be held at Oxford. But Henry +did not appear at the lists; whereupon, knowing that he had been lodging +at Windsor with only a few attendants, the conspirators marched thither +against him. In the mean time the King had been warned of the plot, +so that, instead of finding him in the royal castle, they discovered +through their scouts that he had hurried to London, whence he was +even then marching against them at the head of a considerable army. So +nothing was left them but flight. Some betook themselves one way, some +another; some sought sanctuary here, some there; but one and another, +they were all of them caught and killed. + +The Earl of Kent--one time Duke of Surrey--and the Earl of +Salisbury were beheaded in the market-place at Cirencester; Lord Le +Despencer--once the Earl of Gloucester--and Lord Lumley met the same +fate at Bristol; the Earl of Huntingdon was taken in the Essex fens, +carried to the castle of the Duke of Gloucester, whom he had betrayed +to his death in King Richard's time, and was there killed by the castle +people. Those few who found friends faithful and bold enough to afford +them shelter, dragged those friends down in their own ruin. + +Just such a case was that of the father of the boy hero of this +story, the blind Lord Gilbert Reginald Falworth, Baron of Falworth and +Easterbridge, who, though having no part in the plot, suffered through +it ruin, utter and complete. + +He had been a faithful counsellor and adviser to King Richard, and +perhaps it was this, as much and more than his roundabout connection +with the plot, that brought upon him the punishment he suffered. + + + +CHAPTER 1 + +Myles Falworth was but eight years of age at that time, and it was only +afterwards, and when he grew old enough to know more of the ins and outs +of the matter, that he could remember by bits and pieces the things that +afterwards happened; how one evening a knight came clattering into the +court-yard upon a horse, red-nostrilled and smeared with the sweat and +foam of a desperate ride--Sir John Dale, a dear friend of the blind +Lord. + +Even though so young, Myles knew that something very serious had +happened to make Sir John so pale and haggard, and he dimly remembered +leaning against the knight's iron-covered knees, looking up into his +gloomy face, and asking him if he was sick to look so strange. Thereupon +those who had been too troubled before to notice him, bethought +themselves of him, and sent him to bed, rebellious at having to go so +early. + +He remembered how the next morning, looking out of a window high up +under the eaves, he saw a great troop of horsemen come riding into the +courtyard beneath, where a powdering of snow had whitened everything, +and of how the leader, a knight clad in black armor, dismounted and +entered the great hall door-way below, followed by several of the band. + +He remembered how some of the castle women were standing in a frightened +group upon the landing of the stairs, talking together in low voices +about a matter he did not understand, excepting that the armed men who +had ridden into the courtyard had come for Sir John Dale. None of the +women paid any attention to him; so, shunning their notice, he ran off +down the winding stairs, expecting every moment to be called back again +by some one of them. + +A crowd of castle people, all very serious and quiet, were gathered +in the hall, where a number of strange men-at-arms lounged upon the +benches, while two billmen in steel caps and leathern jacks stood +guarding the great door, the butts of their weapons resting upon the +ground, and the staves crossed, barring the door-way. + +In the anteroom was the knight in black armor whom Myles had seen from +the window. He was sitting at the table, his great helmet lying upon +the bench beside him, and a quart beaker of spiced wine at his elbow. A +clerk sat at the other end of the same table, with inkhorn in one hand +and pen in the other, and a parchment spread in front of him. + +Master Robert, the castle steward, stood before the knight, who every +now and then put to him a question, which the other would answer, and +the clerk write the answer down upon the parchment. + +His father stood with his back to the fireplace, looking down upon the +floor with his blind eyes, his brows drawn moodily together, and the +scar of the great wound that he had received at the tournament at +York--the wound that had made him blind--showing red across his +forehead, as it always did when he was angered or troubled. + +There was something about it all that frightened Myles, who crept to his +father's side, and slid his little hand into the palm that hung limp and +inert. In answer to the touch, his father grasped the hand tightly, +but did not seem otherwise to notice that he was there. Neither did +the black knight pay any attention to him, but continued putting his +questions to Master Robert. + +Then, suddenly, there was a commotion in the hall without, loud voices, +and a hurrying here and there. The black knight half arose, grasping a +heavy iron mace that lay upon the bench beside him, and the next moment +Sir John Dale himself, as pale as death, walked into the antechamber. He +stopped in the very middle of the room. "I yield me to my Lord's grace +and mercy," said he to the black knight, and they were the last words he +ever uttered in this world. + +The black knight shouted out some words of command, and swinging up the +iron mace in his hand, strode forward clanking towards Sir John, who +raised his arm as though to shield himself from the blow. Two or three +of those who stood in the hall without came running into the room with +drawn swords and bills, and little Myles, crying out with terror, hid +his face in his father's long gown. + +The next instant came the sound of a heavy blow and of a groan, then +another blow and the sound of one falling upon the ground. Then the +clashing of steel, and in the midst Lord Falworth crying, in a dreadful +voice, "Thou traitor! thou coward! thou murderer!" + +Master Robert snatched Myles away from his father, and bore him out of +the room in spite of his screams and struggles, and he remembered just +one instant's sight of Sir John lying still and silent upon his face, +and of the black knight standing above him, with the terrible mace in +his hand stained a dreadful red. + +It was the next day that Lord and Lady Falworth and little Myles, +together with three of the more faithful of their people, left the +castle. + +His memory of past things held a picture for Myles of old Diccon Bowman +standing over him in the silence of midnight with a lighted lamp in his +hand, and with it a recollection of being bidden to hush when he would +have spoken, and of being dressed by Diccon and one of the women, +bewildered with sleep, shuddering and chattering with cold. + +He remembered being wrapped in the sheepskin that lay at the foot of +his bed, and of being carried in Diccon Bowman's arms down the silent +darkness of the winding stair-way, with the great black giant shadows +swaying and flickering upon the stone wall as the dull flame of the lamp +swayed and flickered in the cold breathing of the night air. + +Below were his father and mother and two or three others. A stranger +stood warming his hands at a newly-made fire, and little Myles, as he +peeped from out the warm sheepskin, saw that he was in riding-boots and +was covered with mud. He did not know till long years afterwards that +the stranger was a messenger sent by a friend at the King's court, +bidding his father fly for safety. + +They who stood there by the red blaze of the fire were all very still, +talking in whispers and walking on tiptoes, and Myles's mother hugged +him in her arms, sheepskin and all, kissing him, with the tears +streaming down her cheeks, and whispering to him, as though he could +understand their trouble, that they were about to leave their home +forever. + +Then Diccon Bowman carried him out into the strangeness of the winter +midnight. + +Outside, beyond the frozen moat, where the osiers, stood stark and stiff +in their winter nakedness, was a group of dark figures waiting for them +with horses. In the pallid moonlight Myles recognized the well-known +face of Father Edward, the Prior of St. Mary's. + +After that came a long ride through that silent night upon the +saddle-bow in front of Diccon Bowman; then a deep, heavy sleep, that +fell upon him in spite of the galloping of the horses. + +When next he woke the sun was shining, and his home and his whole life +were changed. + + + +CHAPTER 2 + +From the time the family escaped from Falworth Castle that midwinter +night to the time Myles was sixteen years old he knew nothing of the +great world beyond Crosbey-Dale. A fair was held twice in a twelvemonth +at the market-town of Wisebey, and three times in the seven years old +Diccon Bowman took the lad to see the sights at that place. Beyond these +three glimpses of the outer world he lived almost as secluded a life as +one of the neighboring monks of St. Mary's Priory. + +Crosbey-Holt, their new home, was different enough from Falworth or +Easterbridge Castle, the former baronial seats of Lord Falworth. It was +a long, low, straw-thatched farm-house, once, when the church lands were +divided into two holdings, one of the bailiff's houses. All around were +the fruitful farms of the priory, tilled by well-to-do tenant holders, +and rich with fields of waving grain, and meadow-lands where sheep and +cattle grazed in flocks and herds; for in those days the church lands +were under church rule, and were governed by church laws, and there, +when war and famine and waste and sloth blighted the outside world, +harvests flourished and were gathered, and sheep were sheared and cows +were milked in peace and quietness. + +The Prior of St. Mary's owed much if not all of the church's prosperity +to the blind Lord Falworth, and now he was paying it back with a haven +of refuge from the ruin that his former patron had brought upon himself +by giving shelter to Sir John Dale. + +I fancy that most boys do not love the grinding of school life--the +lessons to be conned, the close application during study hours. It is +not often pleasant to brisk, lively lads to be so cooped up. I wonder +what the boys of to-day would have thought of Myles's training. With him +that training was not only of the mind, but of the body as well, and for +seven years it was almost unremitting. "Thou hast thine own way to +make in the world, sirrah," his father said more than once when the boy +complained of the grinding hardness of his life, and to make one's way +in those days meant a thousand times more than it does now; it meant not +only a heart to feel and a brain to think, but a hand quick and strong +to strike in battle, and a body tough to endure the wounds and blows in +return. And so it was that Myles's body as well as his mind had to be +trained to meet the needs of the dark age in which he lived. + +Every morning, winter or summer, rain or shine he tramped away six long +miles to the priory school, and in the evenings his mother taught him +French. + +Myles, being prejudiced in the school of thought of his day, rebelled +not a little at that last branch of his studies. "Why must I learn that +vile tongue?" said he. + +"Call it not vile," said the blind old Lord, grimly; "belike, when thou +art grown a man, thou'lt have to seek thy fortune in France land, for +England is haply no place for such as be of Falworth blood." And in +after-years, true to his father's prediction, the "vile tongue" served +him well. + +As for his physical training, that pretty well filled up the hours +between his morning studies at the monastery and his evening studies +at home. Then it was that old Diccon Bowman took him in hand, than whom +none could be better fitted to shape his young body to strength and his +hands to skill in arms. The old bowman had served with Lord Falworth's +father under the Black Prince both in France and Spain, and in long +years of war had gained a practical knowledge of arms that few could +surpass. Besides the use of the broadsword, the short sword, the +quarter-staff, and the cudgel, he taught Myles to shoot so skilfully +with the long-bow and the cross-bow that not a lad in the country-side +was his match at the village butts. Attack and defence with the lance, +and throwing the knife and dagger were also part of his training. + +Then, in addition to this more regular part of his physical training, +Myles was taught in another branch not so often included in the military +education of the day--the art of wrestling. It happened that a fellow +lived in Crosbey village, by name Ralph-the-Smith, who was the greatest +wrestler in the country-side, and had worn the champion belt for three +years. Every Sunday afternoon, in fair weather, he came to teach Myles +the art, and being wonderfully adept in bodily feats, he soon grew so +quick and active and firm-footed that he could cast any lad under twenty +years of age living within a range of five miles. + +"It is main ungentle armscraft that he learneth," said Lord Falworth one +day to Prior Edward. "Saving only the broadsword, the dagger, and the +lance, there is but little that a gentleman of his strain may use. +Neth'less, he gaineth quickness and suppleness, and if he hath true +blood in his veins he will acquire knightly arts shrewdly quick when the +time cometh to learn them." + +But hard and grinding as Myles's life was, it was not entirely without +pleasures. There were many boys living in Crosbey-Dale and the village; +yeomen's and farmers' sons, to be sure, but, nevertheless, lads of his +own age, and that, after all, is the main requirement for friendship in +boyhood's world. Then there was the river to bathe in; there were the +hills and valleys to roam over, and the wold and woodland, with their +wealth of nuts and birds'-nests and what not of boyhood's treasures. + +Once he gained a triumph that for many a day was very sweet under the +tongue of his memory. As was said before, he had been three times to the +market-town at fair-time, and upon the last of these occasions he had +fought a bout of quarterstaff with a young fellow of twenty, and had +been the conqueror. He was then only a little over fourteen years old. + +Old Diccon, who had gone with him to the fair, had met some cronies of +his own, with whom he had sat gossiping in the ale-booth, leaving Myles +for the nonce to shift for himself. By-and-by the old man had noticed +a crowd gathered at one part of the fair-ground, and, snuffing a fight, +had gone running, ale-pot in hand. Then, peering over the shoulders of +the crowd, he had seen his young master, stripped to the waist, fighting +like a gladiator with a fellow a head taller than himself. Diccon was +about to force his way through the crowd and drag them asunder, but a +second look had showed his practised eye that Myles was not only holding +his own, but was in the way of winning the victory. So he had stood with +the others looking on, withholding himself from any interference and +whatever upbraiding might be necessary until the fight had been brought +to a triumphant close. Lord Falworth never heard directly of the +redoubtable affair, but old Diccon was not so silent with the common +folk of Crosbey-Dale, and so no doubt the father had some inkling of +what had happened. It was shortly after this notable event that Myles +was formally initiated into squirehood. His father and mother, as was +the custom, stood sponsors for him. By them, each bearing a lighted +taper, he was escorted to the altar. It was at St. Mary's Priory, and +Prior Edward blessed the sword and girded it to the lad's side. No +one was present but the four, and when the good Prior had given the +benediction and had signed the cross upon his forehead, Myles's mother +stooped and kissed his brow just where the priest's finger had drawn the +holy sign. Her eyes brimmed bright with tears as she did so. Poor +lady! perhaps she only then and for the first time realized how big her +fledgling was growing for his nest. Henceforth Myles had the right to +wear a sword. + + +Myles had ended his fifteenth year. He was a bonny lad, with brown face, +curling hair, a square, strong chin, and a pair of merry laughing +blue eyes; his shoulders were broad; his chest was thick of girth; his +muscles and thews were as tough as oak. + +The day upon which he was sixteen years old, as he came whistling home +from the monastery school he was met by Diccon Bowman. + +"Master Myles," said the old man, with a snuffle in his voice--"Master +Myles, thy father would see thee in his chamber, and bade me send thee +to him as soon as thou didst come home. Oh, Master Myles, I fear me that +belike thou art going to leave home to-morrow day." + +Myles stopped short. "To leave home!" he cried. + +"Aye," said old Diccon, "belike thou goest to some grand castle to +live there, and be a page there and what not, and then, haply, a +gentleman-at-arms in some great lord's pay." + +"What coil is this about castles and lords and gentlemen-at-arms?" said +Myles. "What talkest thou of, Diccon? Art thou jesting?" + +"Nay," said Diccon, "I am not jesting. But go to thy father, and then +thou wilt presently know all. Only this I do say, that it is like thou +leavest us to-morrow day." + +And so it was as Diccon had said; Myles was to leave home the very +next morning. He found his father and mother and Prior Edward together, +waiting for his coming. + +"We three have been talking it over this morning," said his father, "and +so think each one that the time hath come for thee to quit this poor +home of ours. An thou stay here ten years longer, thou'lt be no more fit +to go then than now. To-morrow I will give thee a letter to my kinsman, +the Earl of Mackworth. He has thriven in these days and I have fallen +away, but time was that he and I were true sworn companions, and +plighted together in friendship never to be sundered. Methinks, as I +remember him, he will abide by his plighted troth, and will give thee +his aid to rise in the world. So, as I said, to-morrow morning thou +shalt set forth with Diccon Bowman, and shall go to Castle Devlen, and +there deliver this letter which prayeth him to give thee a place in his +household. Thou mayst have this afternoon to thyself to make read such +things as thou shalt take with thee. And bid me Diccon to take the gray +horse to the village and have it shod." + +Prior Edward had been standing looking out of the window. As Lord +Falworth ended he turned. + +"And, Myles," said he, "thou wilt need some money, so I will give thee +as a loan forty shillings, which some day thou mayst return to me an +thou wilt. For this know, Myles, a man cannot do in the world without +money. Thy father hath it ready for thee in the chest, and will give it +thee to-morrow ere thou goest." + +Lord Falworth had the grim strength of manhood's hard sense to upbear +him in sending his son into the world, but the poor lady mother had +nothing of that to uphold her. No doubt it was as hard then as it is +now for the mother to see the nestling thrust from the nest to shift for +itself. What tears were shed, what words of love were spoken to the only +man-child, none but the mother and the son ever knew. + +The next morning Myles and the old bowman rode away, and no doubt to +the boy himself the dark shadows of leave-taking were lost in the golden +light of hope as he rode out into the great world to seek his fortune. + + + +CHAPTER 3 + +WHAT MYLES remembered of Falworth loomed great and grand and big, as +things do in the memory of childhood, but even memory could not make +Falworth the equal of Devlen Castle, when, as he and Diccon Bowman rode +out of Devlentown across the great, rude stone bridge that spanned the +river, he first saw, rising above the crowns of the trees, those +huge hoary walls, and the steep roofs and chimneys clustered thickly +together, like the roofs and chimneys of a town. + +The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which was +enclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides by a +loop-like bend of the river, and on the fourth was protected by a deep, +broad, artificial moat, almost as wide as the stream from which it was +fed. The road from the town wound for a little distance along by the +edge of this moat. As Myles and the old bowman galloped by, with the +answering echo of their horses' hoof-beats rattling back from the smooth +stone face of the walls, the lad looked up, wondering at the height and +strength of the great ancient fortress. In his air-castle building Myles +had pictured the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time comrade +in arms--receiving him, perhaps, with somewhat of the rustic warmth that +he knew at Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared at those massive walls +from below, and realized his own insignificance and the greatness of +this great Earl, he felt the first keen, helpless ache of homesickness +shoot through his breast, and his heart yearned for Crosbey-Holt again. + +Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and through +the dark shadows of the great gaping gate-way, and Diccon, bidding him +stay for a moment, rode forward to bespeak the gate-keeper. + +The gate-keeper gave the two in charge of one of the men-at-arms who +were lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave them into +the care of one of the house-servants in the outer court-yard. So, +having been passed from one to another, and having answered many +questions, Myles in due time found himself in the outer waiting-room +sitting beside Diccon Bowman upon a wooden bench that stood along the +wall under the great arch of a glazed window. + +For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was aware +of people coming and going; he was aware of talk and laughter sounding +around him; but he thought of nothing but his aching homesickness and +the oppression of his utter littleness in the busy life of this great +castle. + +Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge interest, +every now and then nudging his young master, calling his attention now +to this and now to that, until at last the lad began to awaken somewhat +from his despondency to the things around. Besides those servants and +others who came and went, and a knot of six or eight men-at-arms with +bills and pole-axes, who stood at the farther door-way talking together +in low tones, now and then broken by a stifled laugh, was a group of +four young squires, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden by +an arras, and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. Three +of the four were about his own age, one was a year or two older, and +all four were dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform of the house of +Beaumont. + +Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. "Be they squires, Diccon?" said +he, nodding towards the door. + +"Eh?" said Diccon. "Aye; they be squires." + +"And will my station be with them?" asked the boy. + +"Aye; an the Earl take thee to service, thou'lt haply be taken as +squire." + +Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the young men +were talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed him askance, and +spoke now and then in one another's ears. One of the four, a gay young +fellow, with long riding-boots laced with green laces, said a few words, +the others gave a laugh, and poor Myles, knowing how ungainly he must +seem to them, felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned his +head. + +Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had just +created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across the +room to where Myles and the bowman sat. + +"Give thee good-den," said he. "What be'st thy name and whence comest +thou, an I may make bold so to ask?" + +"My name is Myles Falworth," said Myles; "and I come from Crosbey-Dale +bearing a letter to my Lord." + +"Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale," said the squire. "But what seekest +here, if so be I may ask that much?" + +"I come seeking service," said Myles, "and would enter as an esquire +such as ye be in my Lord's household." + +Myles's new acquaintance grinned. "Thou'lt make a droll squire to wait +in a Lord's household," said he. "Hast ever been in such service?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I have only been at school, and learned Latin and +French and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me use of arms." + +The young squire laughed outright. "By'r Lady, thy talk doth tickle +me, friend Myles," said he. "Think'st thou such matters will gain thee +footing here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that thou hadst a letter to +my Lord. From whom is it?" + +"It is from my father," said Myles. "He is of noble blood, but fallen in +estate. He is a kinsman of my Lord's, and one time his comrade in arms." + +"Sayst so?" said the other. "Then mayhap thy chances are not so +ill, after all." Then, after a moment, he added: "My name is Francis +Gascoyne, and I will stand thy friend in this matter. Get thy letter +ready, for my Lord and his Grace of York are within and come forth anon. +The Archbishop is on his way to Dalworth, and my Lord escorts him so far +as Uppingham. I and those others are to go along. Dost thou know my Lord +by sight?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I know him not." + +"Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!" said he, as a confused +clattering sounded in the court-yard without. "Yonder are the horses +now. They come presently. Busk thee with thy letter, friend Myles." + +The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went more +hurriedly, and Myles knew that the Earl must be about to come forth. +He had hardly time to untie his pouch, take out the letter, and tie the +strings again when the arras at the door-way was thrust suddenly aside, +and a tall thin squire of about twenty came forth, said some words to +the young men upon the bench, and then withdrew again. Instantly the +squires arose and took their station beside the door-way. A sudden hush +fell upon all in the room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line against +the wall, stiff and erect as though all at once transformed to figures +of iron. Once more the arras was drawn back, and in the hush Myles heard +voices in the other room. + +"My Lord cometh," whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt his +heart leap in answer. + +The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a crowd +of gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a dignitary of the +Church; the other Myles instantly singled out as the Earl of Mackworth. + + + +CHAPTER 4 + +He was a tall man, taller even than Myles's father. He had a thin +face, deep-set bushy eyebrows, and a hawk nose. His upper lip was clean +shaven, but from his chin a flowing beard of iron-gray hung nearly to +his waist. He was clad in a riding-gown of black velvet that hung a +little lower than the knee, trimmed with otter fur and embroidered with +silver goshawks--the crest of the family of Beaumont. + +A light shirt of link mail showed beneath the gown as he walked, and a +pair of soft undressed leather riding-boots were laced as high as the +knee, protecting his scarlet hose from mud and dirt. Over his shoulders +he wore a collar of enamelled gold, from which hung a magnificent +jewelled pendant, and upon his fist he carried a beautiful Iceland +falcon. + +As Myles stood staring, he suddenly heard Gascoyne's voice whisper in +his ear, "Yon is my Lord; go forward and give him thy letter." + +Scarcely knowing what he did, he walked towards the Earl like a machine, +his heart pounding within him and a great humming in his ears. As he +drew near, the nobleman stopped for a moment and stared at him, and +Myles, as in a dream, kneeled, and presented the letter. The Earl took +it in his hand, turned it this way and that, looked first at the bearer, +then at the packet, and then at the bearer again. + +"Who art thou?" said he; "and what is the matter thou wouldst have of +me?" + +"I am Myles Falworth," said the lad, in a low voice; "and I come seeking +service with you." + +The Earl drew his thick eyebrows quickly together, and shot a keen +look at the lad. "Falworth?" said he, sharply--"Falworth? I know no +Falworth!" + +"The letter will tell you," said Myles. "It is from one once dear to +you." + +The Earl took the letter, and handing it to a gentleman who stood near, +bade him break the seal. "Thou mayst stand," said he to Myles; "needst +not kneel there forever." Then, taking the opened parchment again, he +glanced first at the face and then at the back, and, seeing its length, +looked vexed. Then he read for an earnest moment or two, skipping from +line to line. Presently he folded the letter and thrust it into the +pouch at his side. "So it is, your Grace," said he to the lordly +prelate, "that we who have luck to rise in the world must ever suffer by +being plagued at all times and seasons. Here is one I chanced to know a +dozen years ago, who thinks he hath a claim upon me, and saddles me +with his son. I must e'en take the lad, too, for the sake of peace and +quietness." He glanced around, and seeing Gascoyne, who had drawn near, +beckoned to him. "Take me this fellow," said he, "to the buttery, and +see him fed; and then to Sir James Lee, and have his name entered in the +castle books. And stay, sirrah," he added; "bid me Sir James, if it may +be so done, to enter him as a squire-at-arms. Methinks he will be better +serving so than in the household, for he appeareth a soothly rough cub +for a page." + +Myles did look rustic enough, standing clad in frieze in the midst of +that gay company, and a murmur of laughter sounded around, though he +was too bewildered to fully understand that he was the cause of the +merriment. Then some hand drew him back--it was Gascoyne's--there was a +bustle of people passing, and the next minute they were gone, and +Myles and old Diccon Bowman and the young squire were left alone in the +anteroom. + +Gascoyne looked very sour and put out. "Murrain upon it!" said he; "here +is good sport spoiled for me to see thee fed. I wish no ill to thee, +friend, but I would thou hadst come this afternoon or to-morrow." + +"Methinks I bring trouble and dole to every one," said Myles, somewhat +bitterly. "It would have been better had I never come to this place, +methinks." + +His words and tone softened Gascoyne a little. "Ne'er mind," said the +squire; "it was not thy fault, and is past mending now. So come and fill +thy stomach, in Heaven's name." + +Perhaps not the least hard part of the whole trying day for Myles +was his parting with Diccon. Gascoyne and he had accompanied the old +retainer to the outer gate, in the archway of which they now stood; for +without a permit they could go no farther. The old bowman led by the +bridle-rein the horse upon which Myles had ridden that morning. His own +nag, a vicious brute, was restive to be gone, but Diccon held him in +with tight rein. He reached down, and took Myles's sturdy brown hand in +his crooked, knotted grasp. + +"Farewell, young master," he croaked, tremulously, with a watery glimmer +in his pale eyes. "Thou wilt not forget me when I am gone?" + +"Nay," said Myles; "I will not forget thee." + +"Aye, aye," said the old man, looking down at him, and shaking his head +slowly from side to side; "thou art a great tall sturdy fellow now, yet +have I held thee on my knee many and many's the time, and dandled thee +when thou wert only a little weeny babe. Be still, thou devil's limb!" +he suddenly broke off, reining back his restive raw-boned steed, +which began again to caper and prance. Myles was not sorry for the +interruption; he felt awkward and abashed at the parting, and at the old +man's reminiscences, knowing that Gascoyne's eyes were resting amusedly +upon the scene, and that the men-at-arms were looking on. Certainly +old Diccon did look droll as he struggled vainly with his vicious +high-necked nag. "Nay, a murrain on thee! an' thou wilt go, go!" cried +he at last, with a savage dig of his heels into the animal's ribs, +and away they clattered, the led-horse kicking up its heels as a final +parting, setting Gascoyne fairly alaughing. At the bend of the road the +old man turned and nodded his head; the next moment he had disappeared +around the angle of the wall, and it seemed to Myles, as he stood +looking after him, as though the last thread that bound him to his +old life had snapped and broken. As he turned he saw that Gascoyne was +looking at him. + +"Dost feel downhearted?" said the young squire, curiously. + +"Nay," said Myles, brusquely. Nevertheless his throat was tight and dry, +and the word came huskily in spite of himself. + + + +CHAPTER 5 + +THE EARL of Mackworth, as was customary among the great lords in those +days, maintained a small army of knights, gentlemen, men-at-arms, and +retainers, who were expected to serve him upon all occasions of need, +and from whom were supplied his quota of recruits to fill such levies as +might be made upon him by the King in time of war. + +The knights and gentlemen of this little army of horse and foot soldiers +were largely recruited from the company of squires and bachelors, as the +young novitiate soldiers of the castle were called. + +This company of esquires consisted of from eighty to ninety lads, +ranging in age from eight to twenty years. Those under fourteen years +were termed pages, and served chiefly the Countess and her waiting +gentlewomen, in whose company they acquired the graces and polish of the +times, such as they were. After reaching the age of fourteen the lads +were entitled to the name of esquire or squire. + +In most of the great houses of the time the esquires were the especial +attendants upon the Lord and Lady of the house, holding such positions +as body-squires, cup-bearers, carvers, and sometimes the office of +chamberlain. But Devlen, like some other of the princely castles of the +greatest nobles, was more like a military post or a fortress than an +ordinary household. Only comparatively few of the esquires could be +used in personal attendance upon the Earl; the others were trained +more strictly in arms, and served rather in the capacity of a sort of +body-guard than as ordinary squires. For, as the Earl rose in power and +influence, and as it so became well worth while for the lower nobility +and gentry to enter their sons in his family, the body of squires became +almost cumbersomely large. Accordingly, that part which comprised the +squires proper, as separate from the younger pages, was divided into +three classes--first, squires of the body, who were those just past +pagehood, and who waited upon the Earl in personal service; second, +squires of the household, who, having regular hours assigned for +exercise in the manual of arms, were relieved from personal service +excepting upon especial occasions; and thirdly and lastly, at the head +of the whole body of lads, a class called bachelors--young men ranging +from eighteen to twenty years of age. This class was supposed to +exercise a sort of government over the other and younger squires--to +keep them in order as much as possible, to marshal them upon occasions +of importance, to see that their arms and equipments were kept in good +order, to call the roll for chapel in the morning, and to see that those +not upon duty in the house were present at the daily exercise at arms. +Orders to the squires were generally transmitted through the bachelors, +and the head of that body was expected to make weekly reports of affairs +in their quarters to the chief captain of the body. + +From this overlordship of the bachelors there had gradually risen a +system of fagging, such as is or was practised in the great English +public schools--enforced services exacted from the younger lads--which +at the time Myles came to Devlen had, in the five or six years it had +been in practice, grown to be an absolute though unwritten law of the +body--a law supported by all the prestige of long-continued usage. At +that time the bachelors numbered but thirteen, yet they exercised over +the rest of the sixty-four squires and pages a rule of iron, and were +taskmasters, hard, exacting, and oftentimes cruel. + +The whole company of squires and pages was under the supreme command of +a certain one-eyed knight, by name Sir James Lee; a soldier seasoned by +the fire of a dozen battles, bearing a score of wounds won in fight and +tourney, and withered by hardship and labor to a leather-like toughness. +He had fought upon the King's side in all the late wars, and had at +Shrewsbury received a wound that unfitted him for active service, so +that now he was fallen to the post of Captain of Esquires at Devlen +Castle--a man disappointed in life, and with a temper imbittered by that +failure as well as by cankering pain. + +Yet Perhaps no one could have been better fitted for the place he held +than Sir James Lee. The lads under his charge were a rude, rough, unruly +set, quick, like their elders, to quarrel, and to quarrel fiercely, even +to the drawing of sword or dagger. But there was a cold, iron sternness +about the grim old man that quelled them, as the trainer with a lash of +steel might quell a den of young wolves. The apartments in which he was +lodged, with his clerk, were next in the dormitory of the lads, and +even in the midst of the most excited brawlings the distant sound of his +harsh voice, "Silence, messieurs!" would bring an instant hush to the +loudest uproar. + +It was into his grim presence that Myles was introduced by Gascoyne. +Sir James was in his office, a room bare of ornament or adornment or +superfluous comfort of any sort--without even so much as a mat of rushes +upon the cold stone pavement to make it less cheerless. The old one-eyed +knight sat gnawing his bristling mustaches. To anyone who knew him it +would have been apparent that, as the castle phrase went, "the devil sat +astride of his neck," which meant that some one of his blind wounds was +aching more sorely than usual. + +His clerk sat beside him, with account-books and parchment spread upon +the table, and the head squire, Walter Blunt, a lad some three or four +years older than Myles, and half a head taller, black-browed, powerfully +built, and with cheek and chin darkened by the soft budding of his +adolescent beard, stood making his report. + +Sir James listened in grim silence while Gascoyne told his errand. + +"So, then, pardee, I am bid to take another one of ye, am I?" he +snarled. "As though ye caused me not trouble enow; and this one a cub, +looking a very boor in carriage and breeding. Mayhap the Earl thinketh I +am to train boys to his dilly-dally household service as well as to use +of arms." + +"Sir," said Gascoyne, timidly, "my Lord sayeth he would have this one +entered direct as a squire of the body, so that he need not serve in the +household." + +"Sayest so?" cried Sir James, harshly. "Then take thou my message back +again to thy Lord. Not for Mackworth--no, nor a better man than he--will +I make any changes in my government. An I be set to rule a pack of boys, +I will rule them as I list, and not according to any man's bidding. +Tell him, sirrah, that I will enter no lad as squire of the body without +first testing an he be fit at arms to hold that place." He sat for a +while glowering at Myles and gnawing his mustaches, and for the time +no one dared to break the grim silence. "What is thy name?" said he, +suddenly. And then, almost before Myles could answer, he asked the head +squire whether he could find a place to lodge him. + +"There is Gillis Whitlock's cot empty," said Blunt. "He is in the +infirmary, and belike goeth home again when he cometh thence. The fever +hath gotten into his bones, and--" + +"That will do," said the knight, interrupting him impatiently. "Let him +take that place, or any other that thou hast. And thou, Jerome," said he +to his clerk, "thou mayst enter him upon the roll, though whether it be +as page or squire or bachelor shall be as I please, and not as Mackworth +biddeth me. Now get ye gone." + +"Old Bruin's wound smarteth him sore," Gascoyne observed, as the two +lads walked across the armory court. He had good-naturedly offered to +show the new-comer the many sights of interest around the castle, and in +the hour or so of ramble that followed, the two grew from acquaintances +to friends with a quickness that boyhood alone can bring about. They +visited the armory, the chapel, the stables, the great hall, the Painted +Chamber, the guard-house, the mess-room, and even the scullery and the +kitchen, with its great range of boilers and furnaces and ovens. Last of +all Myles's new friend introduced him to the armor-smithy. + +"My Lord hath sent a piece of Milan armor thither to be repaired," said +he. "Belike thou would like to see it." + +"Aye," said Myles, eagerly, "that would I." + +The smith was a gruff, good-natured fellow, and showed the piece of +armor to Myles readily and willingly enough. It was a beautiful bascinet +of inlaid workmanship, and was edged with a rim of gold. Myles scarcely +dared touch it; he gazed at it with an unconcealed delight that warmed +the smith's honest heart. + +"I have another piece of Milan here," said he. "Did I ever show thee my +dagger, Master Gascoyne?" + +"Nay," said the squire. + +The smith unlocked a great oaken chest in the corner of the shop, lifted +the lid, and brought thence a beautiful dagger with the handle of ebony +and silver-gilt, and a sheath of Spanish leather, embossed and gilt. +The keen, well-tempered blade was beautifully engraved and inlaid +with niello-work, representing a group of figures in a then popular +subject--the dance of Death. It was a weapon at once unique and +beautiful, and even Gascoyne showed an admiration scarcely less keen +than Myles's openly-expressed delight. + +"To whom doth it belong?" said he, trying the point upon his thumb nail. + +"There," said the smith, "is the jest of the whole, for it belongeth +to me. Sir William Beauclerk bade me order the weapon through Master +Gildersworthy, of London town, and by the time it came hither, lo! he +had died, and so it fell to my hands. No one here payeth the price for +the trinket, and so I must e'en keep it myself, though I be but a poor +man." + +"How much dost thou hold it for?" said Gascoyne. + +"Seventeen shillings buyeth it," said the armorer, carelessly. + +"Aye, aye," said Gascoyne, with a sigh; "so it is to be poor, and not be +able to have such things as one loveth and would fain possess. Seventeen +shillings is nigh as much by half again as all my yearly wage." + +Then a sudden thought came to Myles, and as it came his cheeks glowed +as hot as fire "Master Gascoyne," said he, with gruff awkwardness, +"thou hast been a very good, true friend to me since I have come to this +place, and hast befriended me in all ways thou mightest do, and I, as +well I know, but a poor rustic clod. Now I have forty shillings by me +which I may spend as I list, and so I do beseech thee that thou wilt +take yon dagger of me as a love-gift, and have and hold it for thy very +own." + +Gascoyne stared open-mouthed at Myles. "Dost mean it?" said he, at last. + +"Aye," said Myles, "I do mean it. Master Smith, give him the blade." + +At first the smith grinned, thinking it all a jest; but he soon saw that +Myles was serious enough, and when the seventeen shillings were produced +and counted down upon the anvil, he took off his cap and made Myles a +low bow as he swept them into his pouch. "Now, by my faith and troth," +quoth he, "that I do call a true lordly gift. Is it not so, Master +Gascoyne?" + +"Aye," said Gascoyne, with a gulp, "it is, in soothly earnest." And +thereupon, to Myles's great wonderment, he suddenly flung his arms about +his neck, and, giving him a great hug, kissed him upon the cheek. "Dear +Myles," said he, "I tell thee truly and of a verity I did feel warm +towards thee from the very first time I saw thee sitting like a poor oaf +upon the bench up yonder in the anteroom, and now of a sooth I give thee +assurance that I do love thee as my own brother. Yea, I will take the +dagger, and will stand by thee as a true friend from this time forth. +Mayhap thou mayst need a true friend in this place ere thou livest long +with us, for some of us esquires be soothly rough, and knocks are more +plenty here than broad pennies, so that one new come is like to have a +hard time gaining a footing." + +"I thank thee," said Myles, "for thy offer of love and friendship, and +do tell thee, upon my part, that I also of all the world would like best +to have thee for my friend." + +Such was the manner In which Myles formed the first great friendship of +his life, a friendship that was destined to last him through many years +to come. As the two walked back across the great quadrangle, upon which +fronted the main buildings of the castle, their arms were wound across +one another's shoulders, after the manner, as a certain great writer +says, of boys and lovers. + + + +CHAPTER 6 + +A boy's life is of a very flexible sort. It takes but a little while for +it to shape itself to any new surroundings in which it may be thrown, to +make itself new friends, to settle itself to new habits; and so it was +that Myles fell directly into the ways of the lads of Devlen. On his +first morning, as he washed his face and hands with the other squires +and pages in a great tank of water in the armory court-yard, he +presently found himself splashing and dashing with the others, laughing +and shouting as loud as any, and calling some by their Christian names +as though he had known them for years instead of overnight. During +chapel he watched with sympathetic delight the covert pranks of the +youngsters during the half-hour that Father Emmanuel droned his Latin, +and with his dagger point he carved his own name among the many cut +deep into the back of the bench before him. When, after breakfast, the +squires poured like school-boys into the great armory to answer to the +roll-call for daily exercise, he came storming in with the rest, beating +the lad in front of him with his cap. + +Boys are very keen to feel the influence of a forceful character. A lad +with a strong will is quick to reach his proper level as a greater or +lesser leader among the others, and Myles was of just the masterful +nature to make his individuality felt among the Devlen squires. He was +quick enough to yield obedience upon all occasions to proper authority, +but would never bend an inch to the usurpation of tyranny. In the school +at St. Mary's Priory at Crosbey-Dale he would submit without a murmur or +offer of resistance to chastisement by old Father Ambrose, the +regular teacher; but once, when the fat old monk was sick, and a great +long-legged strapping young friar, who had temporarily taken his place, +undertook to administer punishment, Myles, with a wrestling trip, flung +him sprawling backward over a bench into the midst of a shoal of small +boys amid a hubbub of riotous confusion. He had been flogged soundly +for it under the supervision of Prior Edward himself; but so soon as +his punishment was over, he assured the prior very seriously that should +like occasion again happen he would act in the same manner, flogging or +no flogging. + +It was this bold, outspoken spirit that gained him at once friends and +enemies at Devlen, and though it first showed itself in what was but a +little matter, nevertheless it set a mark upon him that singled him out +from the rest, and, although he did not suspect it at the time, called +to him the attention of Sir James Lee himself, who regarded him as a lad +of free and frank spirit. + +The first morning after the roll-call in the armory, as Walter Blunt, +the head bachelor, rolled up the slip of parchment, and the temporary +silence burst forth into redoubled noise and confusion, each lad arming +himself from a row of racks that stood along the wall, he beckoned Myles +to him. + +"My Lord himself hath spoken to Sir James Lee concerning thee," said he. +"Sir James maintaineth that he will not enter thee into the body till +thou hast first practised for a while at the pels, and shown what thou +canst do at broadsword. Hast ever fought at the pel?" + +"Aye," answered Myles, "and that every day of my life sin I became +esquire four years ago, saving only Sundays and holy days." + +"With shield and broadsword?" + +"Sometimes," said Myles, "and sometimes with the short sword." + +"Sir James would have thee come to the tilt-yard this morn; he himself +will take thee in hand to try what thou canst do. Thou mayst take the +arms upon yonder rack, and use them until otherwise bidden. Thou seest +that the number painted above it on the wall is seventeen; that will be +thy number for the nonce." + +So Myles armed himself from his rack as the others were doing from +theirs. The armor was rude and heavy, used to accustom the body to the +weight of the iron plates rather than for any defence. It consisted of +a cuirass, or breastplate of iron, opening at the side with hinges, and +catching with hooks and eyes; epauliers, or shoulder-plates; arm-plates +and leg-pieces; and a bascinet, or open-faced helmet. A great triangular +shield covered with leather and studded with bosses of iron, and a heavy +broadsword, pointed and dulled at the edges, completed the equipment. + +The practice at the pels which Myles was bidden to attend comprised the +chief exercise of the day with the esquires of young cadet soldiers of +that time, and in it they learned not only all the strokes, cuts, and +thrusts of sword-play then in vogue, but also toughness, endurance, and +elastic quickness. The pels themselves consisted of upright posts of +ash or oak, about five feet six inches in height, and in girth somewhat +thicker than a man's thigh. They were firmly planted in the ground, and +upon them the strokes of the broadsword were directed. + +At Devlen the pels stood just back of the open and covered tilting +courts and the archery ranges, and thither those lads not upon household +duty were marched every morning excepting Fridays and Sundays, and were +there exercised under the direction of Sir James Lee and two assistants. +The whole company was divided into two, sometimes into three parties, +each of which took its turn at the exercise, delivering at the word +of command the various strokes, feints, attacks, and retreats as the +instructors ordered. + +After five minutes of this mock battle the perspiration began to pour +down the faces, and the breath to come thick and short; but it was not +until the lads could absolutely endure no more that the order was given +to rest, and they were allowed to fling themselves panting upon the +ground, while another company took its place at the triple row of posts. + +As Myles struck and hacked at the pel assigned to him, Sir James Lee +stood beside him watching him in grim silence. The lad did his best to +show the knight all that he knew of upper cut, under cut, thrust, and +back-hand stroke, but it did not seem to him that Sir James was very +well satisfied with his skill. + +"Thou fightest like a clodpole," said the old man. "Ha, that stroke +was but ill-recovered. Strike me it again, and get thou in guard more +quickly." + +Myles repeated the stroke. + +"Pest!" cried Sir James. "Thou art too slow by a week. Here, strike thou +the blow at me." + +Myles hesitated. Sir James held a stout staff in his hand, but otherwise +he was unarmed. + +"Strike, I say!" said Sir James. "What stayest thou for? Art afeard?" + +It was Myles's answer that set the seal of individuality upon him. +"Nay," said he, boldly, "I am not afeard. I fear not thee nor any man!" +So saying, he delivered the stroke at Sir James with might and main. It +was met with a jarring blow that made his wrist and arm tingle, and the +next instant he received a stroke upon the bascinet that caused his ears +to ring and the sparks to dance and fly before his eyes. + +"Pardee!" said Sir James, grimly. "An I had had a mace in my hand, I +would have knocked thy cockerel brains out that time. Thou mayst take +that blow for answering me so pertly. And now we are quits. Now strike +me the stroke again an thou art not afeard." + +Myles's eyes watered in spite of himself, and he shut the lids tight to +wink the dimness away. Nevertheless he spoke up undauntedly as before. +"Aye, marry, will I strike it again," said he; and this time he was +able to recover guard quickly enough to turn Sir James's blow with his +shield, instead of receiving it upon his head. + +"So!" said Sir James. "Now mind thee of this, that when thou strikest +that lower cut at the legs, recover thyself more quickly. Now, then, +strike me it at the pel." + +Gascoyne and other of the lads who were just then lying stretched out +upon the grass beneath, a tree at the edge of the open court where stood +the pels, were interested spectators of the whole scene. Not one of them +in their memory had heard Sir James so answered face to face as Myles +had answered him, and, after all, perhaps the lad himself would not +have done so had he been longer a resident in the squires' quarters at +Devlen. + +"By 'r Lady! thou art a cool blade, Myles," said Gascoyne, as they +marched back to the armory again. "Never heard I one bespeak Sir James +as thou hast done this day." + +"And, after all," said another of the young squires, "old Bruin was not +so ill-pleased, methinks. That was a shrewd blow he fetched thee on the +crown, Falworth. Marry, I would not have had it on my own skull for a +silver penny." + + + +CHAPTER 7 + +So little does it take to make a body's reputation. + +That night all the squires' quarters buzzed with the story of how the +new boy, Falworth, had answered Sir James Lee to his face without fear, +and had exchanged blows with him hand to hand. Walter Blunt himself was +moved to some show of interest. + +"What said he to thee, Falworth?" asked he. + +"He said naught," said Myles, brusquely. "He only sought to show me how +to recover from the under cut." + +"It is passing strange that he should take so much notice of thee as to +exchange blows with thee with his own hand. Haply thou art either very +quick or parlous slow at arms." + +"It is quick that he is," said Gascoyne, speaking up in his friend's +behalf. "For the second time that Falworth delivered the stroke, Sir +James could not reach him to return; so I saw with mine own eyes." + +But that very sterling independence that had brought Myles so creditably +through this adventure was certain to embroil him with the rude, +half-savage lads about him, some of whom, especially among the +bachelors, were his superiors as well in age as in skill and training. +As said before, the bachelors had enforced from the younger boys a +fagging sort of attendance on their various personal needs, and it was +upon this point that Myles first came to grief. As it chanced, several +days passed before any demand was made upon him for service to the heads +of the squirehood, but when that demand was made, the bachelors were +very quick to see that the boy who was bold enough to speak up to Sir +James Lee was not likely to be a willing fag for them. + +"I tell thee, Francis," he said, as Gascoyne and he talked over the +matter one day--"I tell thee I will never serve them. Prithee, what +shame can be fouler than to do such menial service, saving for one's +rightful Lord?" + +"Marry!" quoth Gascoyne; "I reason not of shame at this or that. All I +know is that others serve them who are haply as good and maybe better +than I be, and that if I do not serve them I get knocked i' th' head +therefore, which same goeth soothly against my stomach." + +"I judge not for thee," said Myles. "Thou art used to these castle +ways, but only I know that I will not serve them, though they be thirty +against me instead of thirteen." + +"Then thou art a fool," said Gascoyne, dryly. + +Now in this matter of service there was one thing above all others that +stirred Myles Falworth's ill-liking. The winter before he had come to +Devlen, Walter Blunt, who was somewhat of a Sybarite in his way, and who +had a repugnance to bathing in the general tank in the open armory court +in frosty weather, had had Dick Carpenter build a trough in the corner +of the dormitory for the use of the bachelors, and every morning it was +the duty of two of the younger squires to bring three pails of water to +fill this private tank for the use of the head esquires. It was seeing +two of his fellow-esquires fetching and carrying this water that Myles +disliked so heartily, and every morning his bile was stirred anew at the +sight. + +"Sooner would I die than yield to such vile service," said he. + +He did not know how soon his protestations would be put to the test. + +One night--it was a week or two after Myles had come to Devlen--Blunt +was called to attend the Earl at livery. The livery was the last meal of +the day, and was served with great pomp and ceremony about nine o'clock +at night to the head of the house as he lay in bed. Curfew had not yet +rung, and the lads in the squires' quarters were still wrestling and +sparring and romping boisterously in and out around the long row of rude +cots in the great dormitory as they made ready for the night. Six or +eight flaring links in wrought-iron brackets that stood out from the +wall threw a great ruddy glare through the barrack-like room--a light of +all others to romp by. Myles and Gascoyne were engaged in defending the +passage-way between their two cots against the attack of three other +lads, and Myles held his sheepskin coverlet rolled up into a ball and +balanced in his hand, ready for launching at the head of one of the +others so soon as it should rise from behind the shelter of a cot. Just +then Walter Blunt, dressed with more than usual care, passed by on his +way to the Earl's house. He stopped for a moment and said, "Mayhaps I +will not be in until late to-night. Thou and Falworth, Gascoyne, may +fetch water to-morrow." + +Then he was gone. Myles stood staring after his retreating figure with +eyes open and mouth agape, still holding the ball of sheepskin balanced +in his hand. Gascoyne burst into a helpless laugh at his blank, +stupefied face, but the next moment he laid his hand on his friend's +shoulder. + +"Myles," he said, "thou wilt not make trouble, wilt thou?" + +Myles made no answer. He flung down his sheepskin and sat him gloomily +down upon the side of the cot. + +"I said that I would sooner die than fetch water for them," said he. + +"Aye, aye," said Gascoyne; "but that was spoken in haste." + +Myles said nothing, but shook his head. + +But, after all, circumstances shape themselves. The next morning when he +rose up through the dark waters of sleep it was to feel some one shaking +him violently by the shoulder. + +"Come!" cried Gascoyne, as Myles opened his eyes--"come, time passeth, +and we are late." + +Myles, bewildered with his sudden awakening, and still fuddled with the +fumes of sleep, huddled into his doublet and hose, hardly knowing what +he was doing; tying a point here and a point there, and slipping +his feet into his shoes. Then he hurried after Gascoyne, frowzy, +half-dressed, and even yet only half-awake. It was not until he was +fairly out into the fresh air and saw Gascoyne filling the three +leathern buckets at the tank, that he fully awakened to the fact that he +was actually doing that hateful service for the bachelors which he had +protested he would sooner die than render. + +The sun was just rising, gilding the crown of the donjon-keep with a +flame of ruddy light. Below, among the lesser buildings, the day was +still gray and misty. Only an occasional noise broke the silence of the +early morning: a cough from one of the rooms; the rattle of a pot or +a pan, stirred by some sleepy scullion; the clapping of a door or a +shutter, and now and then the crowing of a cock back of the long row of +stables--all sounding loud and startling in the fresh dewy stillness. + +"Thou hast betrayed me," said Myles, harshly, breaking the silence at +last. "I knew not what I was doing, or else I would never have come +hither. Ne'theless, even though I be come, I will not carry the water +for them." + +"So be it," said Gascoyne, tartly. "An thou canst not stomach it, +let be, and I will e'en carry all three myself. It will make me two +journeys, but, thank Heaven, I am not so proud as to wish to get me +hard knocks for naught." So saying, he picked up two of the buckets and +started away across the court for the dormitory. + +Then Myles, with a lowering face, snatched up the third, and, hurrying +after, gave him his hand with the extra pail. So it was that he came to +do service, after all. + +"Why tarried ye so long?" said one of the older bachelors, roughly, as +the two lads emptied the water into the wooden trough. He sat on the +edge of the cot, blowzed and untrussed, with his long hair tumbled and +disordered. + +His dictatorial tone stung Myles to fury. "We tarried no longer than +need be," answered he, savagely. "Have we wings to fly withal at your +bidding?" + +He spoke so loudly that all in the room heard him; the younger squires +who were dressing stared in blank amazement, and Blunt sat up suddenly +in his cot. + +"Why, how now?" he cried. "Answerest thou back thy betters so pertly, +sirrah? By my soul, I have a mind to crack thy head with this clog for +thy unruly talk." + +He glared at Myles as he spoke, and Myles glared back again with right +good-will. Matters might have come to a crisis, only that Gascoyne and +Wilkes dragged their friend away before he had opportunity to answer. + +"An ill-conditioned knave as ever I did see," growled Blunt, glaring +after him. + +"Myles, Myles," said Gascoyne, almost despairingly, "why wilt thou +breed such mischief for thyself? Seest thou not thou hast got thee +the ill-will of every one of the bachelors, from Wat Blunt to Robin de +Ramsey?" + +"I care not," said Myles, fiercely, recurring to his grievance. "Heard +ye not how the dogs upbraided me before the whole room? That Blunt +called me an ill-conditioned knave." + +"Marry!" said Gascoyne, laughing, "and so thou art." + +Thus it is that boldness may breed one enemies as well as gain one +friends. My own notion is that one's enemies are more quick to act than +one's friends. + + + +CHAPTER 8 + +Every one knows the disagreeable, lurking discomfort that follows a +quarrel--a discomfort that imbitters the very taste of life for the time +being. Such was the dull distaste that Myles felt that morning after +what had passed in the dormitory. Every one in the proximity of such +an open quarrel feels a reflected constraint, and in Myles's mind was a +disagreeable doubt whether that constraint meant disapproval of him or +of his late enemies. + +It seemed to him that Gascoyne added the last bitter twang to his +unpleasant feelings when, half an hour later, they marched with the +others to chapel. + +"Why dost thou breed such trouble for thyself, Myles?" said he, +recurring to what he had already said. "Is it not foolish for thee to +come hither to this place, and then not submit to the ways thereof, as +the rest of us do?" + +"Thou talkest not like a true friend to chide me thus," said Myles, +sullenly; and he withdrew his arm from his friend's. + +"Marry, come up!" said Gascoyne; "an I were not thy friend, I would let +thee jog thine own way. It aches not my bones to have thine drubbed." + +Just then they entered the chapel, and words that might have led to a +quarrel were brought to a close. + +Myles was not slow to see that he had the ill will of the head of their +company. That morning in the armory he had occasion to ask some question +of Blunt; the head squire stared coldly at him for a moment, gave him a +short, gruff answer, and then, turning his back abruptly, began talking +with one of the other bachelors. Myles flushed hot at the other's +insulting manner, and looked quickly around to see if any of the others +had observed what had passed. It was a comfort to him to see that all +were too busy arming themselves to think of anything else; nevertheless, +his face was very lowering as he turned away. + +"Some day I will show him that I am as good a man as he," he muttered to +himself. "An evil-hearted dog to put shame upon me!" + +The storm was brewing and ready to break. + + +That day was exceptionally hot and close, and permission had been asked +by and granted to those squires not on duty to go down to the river for +a bath after exercise at the pels. But as Myles replaced his arms in +the rack, a little page came with a bidding to come to Sir James in his +office. + +"Look now," said Myles, "here is just my ill-fortune. Why might he not +have waited an hour longer rather than cause me to miss going with ye?" + +"Nay," said Gascoyne, "let not that grieve thee, Myles. Wilkes and I +will wait for thee in the dormitory--will we not, Edmund? Make thou +haste and go to Sir James." + +Sir James was sitting at the table studying over a scroll of parchment, +when Myles entered his office and stood before him at the table. + +"Well, boy," said he, laying aside the parchment and looking up at the +lad, "I have tried thee fairly for these few days, and may say that I +have found thee worthy to be entered upon the rolls as esquire of the +body." + +"I give thee thanks, sir," said Myles. + +The knight nodded his head in acknowledgement, but did not at once give +the word of dismissal that Myles had expected. "Dost mean to write thee +a letter home soon?" said he, suddenly. + +"Aye," said Myles, gaping in great wonderment at the strangeness of the +question. + +"Then when thou dost so write," said Sir James, "give thou my deep +regards to thy father." Then he continued, after a brief pause. "Him did +I know well in times gone by, and we were right true friends in hearty +love, and for his sake I would befriend thee--that is, in so much as is +fitting." + +"Sir," said Myles; but Sir James held up his hand, and he stopped short +in his thanks. + +"But, boy," said he, "that which I sent for thee for to tell thee was of +more import than these. Dost thou know that thy father is an attainted +outlaw?" + +"Nay," cried Myles, his cheeks blazing up as red as fire; "who sayeth +that of him lieth in his teeth." + +"Thou dost mistake me," said Sir James, quietly. "It is sometimes no +shame to be outlawed and banned. Had it been so, I would not have told +thee thereof, nor have bidden thee send my true love to thy father, as +I did but now. But, boy, certes he standest continually in great +danger--greater than thou wottest of. Were it known where he lieth hid, +it might be to his undoing and utter ruin. Methought that belike thou +mightest not know that; and so I sent for thee for to tell thee that it +behoovest thee to say not one single word concerning him to any of these +new friends of thine, nor who he is, nor what he is." + +"But how came my father to be so banned?" said Myles, in a constrained +and husky voice, and after a long time of silence. + +"That I may not tell thee just now," said the old knight, "only +this--that I have been bidden to make it known to thee that thy father +hath an enemy full as powerful as my Lord the Earl himself, and +that through that enemy all his ill-fortune--his blindness and +everything--hath come. Moreover, did this enemy know where thy father +lieth, he would slay him right speedily." + +"Sir," cried Myles, violently smiting his open palm upon the table, +"tell me who this man is, and I will kill him!" + +Sir James smiled grimly. "Thou talkest like a boy," said he. "Wait until +thou art grown to be a man. Mayhap then thou mayst repent thee of these +bold words, for one time this enemy of thy father's was reckoned the +foremost knight in England, and he is now the King's dear friend and a +great lord." + +"But," said Myles, after another long time of heavy silence, "will not +my Lord then befriend me for the sake of my father, who was one time his +dear comrade?" + +Sir James shook his head. "It may not be," said he. "Neither thou nor +thy father must look for open favor from the Earl. An he befriended +Falworth, and it came to be known that he had given him aid or succor, +it might belike be to his own undoing. No, boy; thou must not even look +to be taken into the household to serve with gentlemen as the other +squires do serve, but must even live thine own life here and fight thine +own way." + +Myles's eyes blazed. "Then," cried he, fiercely, "it is shame and +attaint upon my Lord the Earl, and cowardice as well, and never will I +ask favor of him who is so untrue a friend as to turn his back upon a +comrade in trouble as he turneth his back upon my father." + +"Thou art a foolish boy," said Sir James with a bitter smile, "and +knowest naught of the world. An thou wouldst look for man to befriend +man to his own danger, thou must look elsewhere than on this earth. Was +I not one time Mackworth's dear friend as well as thy father? It could +cost him naught to honor me, and here am I fallen to be a teacher of +boys. Go to! thou art a fool." + +Then, after a little pause of brooding silence, he went on to say that +the Earl was no better or worse than the rest of the world. That men of +his position had many jealous enemies, ever seeking their ruin, and +that such must look first of all each to himself, or else be certainly +ruined, and drag down others in that ruin. Myles was silenced, but the +bitterness had entered his heart, and abided with him for many a day +afterwards. + +Perhaps Sir James read his feelings in his frank face, for he sat +looking curiously at him, twirling his grizzled mustache the while. +"Thou art like to have hard knocks of it, lad, ere thou hast gotten thee +safe through the world," said he, with more kindness in his harsh voice +than was usual. "But get thee not into fights before thy time." Then he +charged the boy very seriously to live at peace with his fellow-squires, +and for his father's sake as well as his own to enter into none of the +broils that were so frequent in their quarters. + +It was with this special admonition against brawling that Myles was +dismissed, to enter, before five minutes had passed, into the first +really great fight of his life. + + +Besides Gascoyne and Wilkes, he found gathered in the dormitory six +or eight of the company of squires who were to serve that day upon +household duty; among others, Walter Blunt and three other bachelors, +who were changing their coarse service clothes for others more fit for +the household. + +"Why didst thou tarry so long, Myles?" said Gascoyne, as he entered. +"Methought thou wert never coming." + +"Where goest thou, Falworth?" called Blunt from the other end of the +room, where he was lacing his doublet. + +Just now Myles had no heart in the swimming or sport of any sort, but he +answered, shortly, "I go to the river to swim." + +"Nay," said Blunt, "thou goest not forth from the castle to-day. Hast +thou forgot how thou didst answer me back about fetching the water +this morning? This day thou must do penance, so go thou straight to the +armory and scour thou up my breastplate." + +From the time he had arisen that morning everything had gone wrong with +Myles. He had felt himself already outrated in rendering service to +the bachelors, he had quarrelled with the head of the esquires, he had +nearly quarrelled with Gascoyne, and then had come the bitterest and +worst of all, the knowledge that his father was an outlaw, and that +the Earl would not stretch out a hand to aid him or to give him any +countenance. Blunt's words brought the last bitter cut to his heart, +and they stung him to fury. For a while he could not answer, but stood +glaring with a face fairly convulsed with passion at the young man, who +continued his toilet, unconscious of the wrath of the new recruit. + +Gascoyne and Wilkes, accepting Myles's punishment as a thing of course, +were about to leave the dormitory when Myles checked them. + +"Stop, Francis!" he cried, hoarsely. "Thinkest thou that I will stay +behind to do yon dog's dirty work? No; I go with ye." + +A moment or two of dumb, silent amazement followed his bold words; then +Blunt cried, "Art thou mad?" + +"Nay," answered Myles in the same hoarse voice, "I am not mad. I tell +thee a better man than thou shouldst not stay me from going an I list to +go. + +"I will break thy cockerel head for that speech," said Blunt, furiously. +He stooped as he spoke, and picked up a heavy clog that lay at his feet. + +It was no insignificant weapon either. The shoes of those days were +sometimes made of cloth, and had long pointed toes stuffed with tow or +wool. In muddy weather thick heavy clogs or wooden soles were strapped, +like a skate, to the bottom of the foot. That clog which Blunt had +seized was perhaps eighteen or twenty inches long, two or two and a half +inches thick at the heel, tapering to a point at the toe. As the older +lad advanced, Gascoyne stepped between him and his victim. + +"Do not harm him, Blunt," he pleaded. "Bear thou in mind how new-come he +is among us. He knoweth not our ways as yet." + +"Stand thou back, Gascoyne," said Blunt, harshly, as he thrust him +aside. "I will teach him our ways so that he will not soon forget them." + +Close to Myles's feet was another clog like that one which Blunt held. +He snatched it up, and set his back against the wall, with a white face +and a heart beating heavily and tumultuously, but with courage steeled +to meet the coming encounter. There was a hard, grim look in his blue +eyes that, for a moment perhaps, quelled the elder lad. He hesitated. +"Tom! Wat! Ned!" he called to the other bachelors, "come hither, and +lend me a hand with this knave." + +"An ye come nigh me," panted Myles, "I will brain the first within +reach." + +Then Gascoyne dodged behind the others, and, without being seen, slipped +out of the room for help. + +The battle that followed was quick, sharp, and short. As Blunt strode +forward, Myles struck, and struck with might and main, but he was too +excited to deliver his blow with calculation. Blunt parried it with the +clog he held, and the next instant, dropping his weapon, gripped Myles +tight about the body, pinning his arms to his sides. + +Myles also dropped the clog he held, and, wrenching out his right +arm with a sudden heave, struck Blunt full in the face, and then with +another blow sent him staggering back. It all passed in an instant; the +next the three other bachelors were upon him, catching him by the body, +the arms, the legs. For a moment or two they swayed and stumbled hither +and thither, and then down they fell in a struggling heap. + +Myles fought like a wild-cat, kicking, struggling, scratching; striking +with elbows and fists. He caught one of the three by his collar, and +tore his jacket open from the neck to the waist; he drove his foot into +the pit of the stomach of another, and knocked him breathless. The other +lads not in the fight stood upon the benches and the beds around, but +such was the awe inspired by the prestige of the bachelors that not one +of them dared to lend hand to help him, and so Myles fought his fierce +battle alone. + +But four to one were odds too great, and though Myles struggled as +fiercely as ever, by-and-by it was with less and less resistance. + +Blunt had picked up the clog he had dropped when he first attacked the +lad, and now stood over the struggling heap, white with rage, the blood +running from his lip, cut and puffed where Myles had struck him, and +murder looking out from his face, if ever it looked out of the face of +any mortal being. + +"Hold him a little," said he, fiercely, "and I will still him for you." + +Even yet it was no easy matter for the others to do his bidding, but +presently he got his chance and struck a heavy, cruel blow at Myles's +head. Myles only partly warded it with his arm. Hitherto he had fought +in silence, now he gave a harsh cry. + +"Holy Saints!" cried Edmund Wilkes. "They will kill him." + +Blunt struck two more blows, both of them upon the body, and then at +last they had the poor boy down, with his face upon the ground and his +arms pinned to his sides, and Blunt, bracing himself for the stroke, +with a grin of rage raised a heavy clog for one terrible blow that +should finish the fight. + + + +CHAPTER 9 + +"How now, messieurs?" said a harsh voice, that fell upon the turmoil +like a thunder-clap, and there stood Sir James Lee. Instantly the +struggle ceased, and the combatants scrambled to their feet. + +The older lads stood silent before their chief, but Myles was deaf and +blind and mad with passion, he knew not where he stood or what he said +or did. White as death, he stood for a while glaring about him, catching +his breath convulsively. Then he screamed hoarsely. + +"Who struck me? Who struck me when I was down? I will have his blood +that struck me!" He caught sight of Blunt. "It was he that struck me!" +he cried. "Thou foul traitor! thou coward!" and thereupon leaped at his +enemy like a wild-cat. + +"Stop!" cried Sir James Lee, clutching him by the arm. + +Myles was too blinded by his fury to see who it was that held him. "I +will not stop!" he cried, struggling and striking at the knight. "Let me +go! I will have his life that struck me when I was down!" + +The next moment he found himself pinned close against the wall, and +then, as though his sight came back, he saw the grim face of the old +one-eyed knight looking into his. + +"Dost thou know who I am?" said a stern, harsh voice. + +Instantly Myles ceased struggling, and his arms fell at his side. "Aye," +he said, in a gasping voice, "I know thee." He swallowed spasmodically +for a moment or two, and then, in the sudden revulsion of feeling, burst +out sobbing convulsively. + +Sir James marched the two off to his office, he himself walking +between them, holding an arm of each, the other lads following behind, +awe-struck and silent. Entering the office, Sir James shut the door +behind him, leaving the group of squires clustered outside about the +stone steps, speculating in whispers as to what would be the outcome of +the matter. + +After Sir James had seated himself, the two standing facing him, he +regarded them for a while in silence. "How now, Walter Blunt," said he +at last, "what is to do?" + +"Why, this," said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip. "That fellow, Myles +Falworth, hath been breeding mutiny and revolt ever sin he came hither +among us, and because he was thus mutinous I would punish him therefor." + +"In that thou liest!" burst out Myles. "Never have I been mutinous in my +life." + +"Be silent, sir," said Sir James, sternly. "I will hear thee anon." + +"Nay," said Myles, with his lips twitching and writhing, "I will not be +silent. I am friendless here, and ye are all against me, but I will not +be silent, and brook to have lies spoken of me." + +Even Blunt stood aghast at Myles's boldness. Never had he heard any one +so speak to Sir James before. He did not dare for the moment even to +look up. Second after second of dead stillness passed, while Sir James +sat looking at Myles with a stern, terrifying calmness that chilled him +in spite of the heat of his passion. + +"Sir," said the old man at last, in a hard, quiet voice, "thou dost know +naught of rules and laws of such a place as this. Nevertheless, it +is time for thee to learn them. So I will tell thee now that if thou +openest thy lips to say only one single word more except at my bidding, +I will send thee to the black vault of the donjon to cool thy hot +spirits on bread and water for a week." There was something in the +measured quietness of the old knight's tone that quelled Myles utterly +and entirely. A little space of silence followed. "Now, then, Blunt," +said Sir James, turning to the bachelor, "tell me all the ins and outs +of this business without any more underdealing." + +This time Blunt's story, though naturally prejudiced in his own favor, +was fairly true. Then Myles told his side of the case, the old knight +listening attentively. + +"Why, how now, Blunt," said Sir James, when Myles had ended, "I myself +gave the lads leave to go to the river to bathe. Wherefore shouldst thou +forbid one of them?" + +"I did it but to punish this fellow for his mutiny," said the bachelor. +"Methought we at their head were to have oversight concerning them." + +"So ye are," said the knight; "but only to a degree. Ere ye take it upon +ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye first to me. Dost +thou understand?" + +"Aye," answered Blunt, sullenly. + +"So be it, and now get thee gone," said the knight; "and let me hear no +more of beating out brains with wooden clogs. An ye fight your battles, +let there not be murder in them. This is twice that the like hath +happed; gin I hear more of such doings--" He did utter his threat, but +stopped short, and fixed his one eye sternly upon the head squire. "Now +shake hands, and be ye friends," said he, abruptly. + +Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him. + +"Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck me while I was down." + +"So be it," said the knight, grimly. "Now thou mayst go, Blunt. Thou, +Falworth, stay; I would bespeak thee further." + +"Tell me," said he, when the elder lad had left them, "why wilt thou not +serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is the custom here. +Why wilt thou not obey it?" + +"Because," said Myles, "I cannot stomach it, and they shall not make me +serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but not at their +command." + +"Nay," said the knight, "I do not bid thee do them service. That lieth +with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But how canst thou hope +to fight single-handed against the commands of a dozen lads all older +and mightier than thou?" + +"I know not," said Myles; "but were they an hundred, instead of +thirteen, they should not make me serve them." + +"Thou art a fool!" said the old knight, smiling faintly, "for that be'st +not courage, but folly. When one setteth about righting a wrong, one +driveth not full head against it, for in so doing one getteth naught but +hard knocks. Nay, go deftly about it, and then, when the time is ripe, +strike the blow. Now our beloved King Henry, when he was the Earl of +Derby, what could he have gained had he stood so against the old King +Richard, brooking the King face to face? I tell thee he would have been +knocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day. Now were +I thee, and had to fight a fight against odds, I would first get me +friends behind me, and then--" He stopped short, but Myles understood +him well enough. + +"Sir," said he, with a gulp, "I do thank thee for thy friendship, and +ask thy pardon for doing as I did anon." + +"I grant thee pardon," said the knight, "but tell thee plainly, an thou +dost face me so again, I will truly send thee to the black cell for a +week. Now get thee away." + +All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth, save only the +faithful Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay with his +friend; and perhaps that little act of self-denial moved Myles more than +many a great thing might have done. + +"It was right kind of thee, Francis," said he, laying his hand +affectionately on his friend's shoulder. "I know not why thou lovest me +so." + +"Why, for one thing, this matter," answered his friend; "because +methinks thou art the best fighter and the bravest one of all of us +squires." + +Myles laughed. Nevertheless Gascoyne's words were a soothing balm for +much that had happened that day. "I will fight me no more just now," +said he; and then he told his friend all that Sir James had advised +about biding his time. + +Gascoyne blew a long whistle. "Beshrew me!" quoth he, "but methinks old +Bruin is on thy side of the quarrel, Myles. An that be so, I am with +thee also, and others that I can name as well." + +"So be it," said Myles. "Then am I content to abide the time when we may +become strong enough to stand against them." + + + +CHAPTER 10 + +Perhaps there is nothing more delightful in the romance of boyhood than +the finding of some secret hiding-place whither a body may creep away +from the bustle of the world's life, to nestle in quietness for an hour +or two. More especially is such delightful if it happen that, by +peeping from out it, one may look down upon the bustling matters of +busy every-day life, while one lies snugly hidden away unseen by any, as +though one were in some strange invisible world of one's own. + +Such a hiding-place as would have filled the heart of almost any boy +with sweet delight Myles and Gascoyne found one summer afternoon. They +called it their Eyry, and the name suited well for the roosting-place +of the young hawks that rested in its windy stillness, looking down upon +the shifting castle life in the courts below. + +Behind the north stable, a great, long, rambling building, thick-walled, +and black with age, lay an older part of the castle than that peopled +by the better class of life--a cluster of great thick walls, rudely but +strongly built, now the dwelling-place of stable-lads and hinds, swine +and poultry. From one part of these ancient walls, and fronting an inner +court of the castle, arose a tall, circular, heavy-buttressed tower, +considerably higher than the other buildings, and so mantled with a +dense growth of aged ivy as to stand a shaft of solid green. Above its +crumbling crown circled hundreds of pigeons, white and pied, clapping +and clattering in noisy flight through the sunny air. Several windows, +some closed with shutters, peeped here and there from out the leaves, +and near the top of the pile was a row of arched openings, as though of +a balcony or an airy gallery. + +Myles had more than once felt an idle curiosity about this tower, and +one day, as he and Gascoyne sat together, he pointed his finger and +said, "What is yon place?" + +"That," answered Gascoyne, looking over his shoulder--"that they call +Brutus Tower, for why they do say that Brutus he built it when he came +hither to Britain. I believe not the tale mine own self; ne'theless, it +is marvellous ancient, and old Robin-the-Fletcher telleth me that there +be stairways built in the wall and passage-ways, and a maze wherein +a body may get lost, an he know not the way aright, and never see the +blessed light of day again." + +"Marry," said Myles, "those same be strange sayings. Who liveth there +now?" + +"No one liveth there," said Gascoyne, "saving only some of the stable +villains, and that half-witted goose-herd who flung stones at us +yesterday when we mocked him down in the paddock. He and his wife and +those others dwell in the vaults beneath, like rabbits in any warren. No +one else hath lived there since Earl Robert's day, which belike was +an hundred years agone. The story goeth that Earl Robert's brother--or +step-brother--was murdered there, and some men say by the Earl himself. +Sin that day it hath been tight shut." + +Myles stared at the tower for a while in silence. "It is a +strange-seeming place from without," said he, at last, "and mayhap it +may be even more strange inside. Hast ever been within, Francis?" + +"Nay," said Gascoyne; "said I not it hath been fast locked since Earl +Robert's day?" + +"By'r Lady," said Myles, "an I had lived here in this place so long as +thou, I wot I would have been within it ere this." + +"Beshrew me," said Gascoyne, "but I have never thought of such a +matter." He turned and looked at the tall crown rising into the warm +sunlight with a new interest, for the thought of entering it smacked +pleasantly of adventure. "How wouldst thou set about getting within?" +said he, presently. + +"Why, look," said Myles; "seest thou not yon hole in the ivy branches? +Methinks there is a window at that place. An I mistake not, it is in +reach of the stable eaves. A body might come up by the fagot pile to the +roof of the hen-house, and then by the long stable to the north stable, +and so to that hole." + +Gascoyne looked thoughtfully at the Brutus Tower, and then suddenly +inquired, "Wouldst go there?" + +"Aye," said Myles, briefly. + +"So be it. Lead thou the way in the venture, I will follow after thee," +said Gascoyne. + +As Myles had said, the climbing from roof to roof was a matter easy +enough to an active pair of lads like themselves; but when, by-and-by, +they reached the wall of the tower itself, they found the hidden window +much higher from the roof than they had judged from below--perhaps ten +or twelve feet--and it was, besides, beyond the eaves and out of their +reach. + +Myles looked up and looked down. Above was the bushy thickness of the +ivy, the branches as thick as a woman's wrist, knotted and intertwined; +below was the stone pavement of a narrow inner court between two of the +stable buildings. + +"Methinks I can climb to yon place," said he. + +"Thou'lt break thy neck an thou tryest," said Gascoyne, hastily. + +"Nay," quoth Myles, "I trust not; but break or make, we get not there +without trying. So here goeth for the venture." + +"Thou art a hare-brained knave as ever drew breath of life," quoth +Gascoyne, "and will cause me to come to grief some of these fine days. +Ne'theless, an thou be Jack Fool and lead the way, go, and I will be Tom +Fool and follow anon. If thy neck is worth so little, mine is worth no +more." + +It was indeed a perilous climb, but that special providence which guards +reckless lads befriended them, as it has thousands of their kind before +and since. So, by climbing from one knotted, clinging stem to another, +they were presently seated snugly in the ivied niche in the window. It +was barred from within by a crumbling shutter, the rusty fastening of +which, after some little effort upon the part of the two, gave way, and +entering the narrow opening, they found themselves in a small triangular +passage-way, from which a steep flight of stone steps led down through a +hollow in the massive wall to the room below. + +At the bottom of the steps was a heavy oaken door, which stood ajar, +hanging upon a single rusty hinge, and from the room within a dull, gray +light glimmered faintly. Myles pushed the door farther open; it creaked +and grated horribly on its rusty hinge, and, as in instant answer to +the discordant shriek, came a faint piping squeaking, a rustling and a +pattering of soft footsteps. + +"The ghosts!" cried Gascoyne, in a quavering whisper, and for a moment +Myles felt the chill of goose-flesh creep up and down his spine. But the +next moment he laughed. + +"Nay," said he, "they be rats. Look at yon fellow, Francis! Be'st as big +as Mother Joan's kitten. Give me that stone." He flung it at the rat, +and it flew clattering across the floor. There was another pattering +rustle of hundreds of feet, and then a breathless silence. + +The boys stood looking around them, and a strange enough sight it was. +The room was a perfect circle of about twenty feet across, and was +piled high with an indistinguishable mass of lumber--rude tables, ruder +chairs, ancient chests, bits and remnants of cloth and sacking and +leather, old helmets and pieces of armor of a by-gone time, broken +spears and pole-axes, pots and pans and kitchen furniture of all sorts +and kinds. + +A straight beam of sunlight fell through a broken shutter like a bar of +gold, and fell upon the floor in a long streak of dazzling light that +illuminated the whole room with a yellow glow. + +"By 'r Lady!" said Gascoyne at last, in a hushed voice, "here is Father +Time's garret for sure. Didst ever see the like, Myles? Look at yon +arbalist; sure Brutus himself used such an one!" + +"Nay," said Myles; "but look at this saddle. Marry, here be'st a rat's +nest in it." + +Clouds of dust rose as they rummaged among the mouldering mass, setting +them coughing and sneezing. Now and then a great gray rat would shoot +out beneath their very feet, and disappear, like a sudden shadow, into +some hole or cranny in the wall. + +"Come," said Myles at last, brushing the dust from his jacket, "an we +tarry here longer we will have chance to see no other sights; the sun is +falling low." + +An arched stair-way upon the opposite side of the room from which they +had entered wound upward through the wall, the stone steps being lighted +by narrow slits of windows cut through the massive masonry. Above the +room they had just left was another of the same shape and size, but with +an oak floor, sagging and rising into hollows and hills, where the joist +had rotted away beneath. It was bare and empty, and not even a rat +was to be seen. Above was another room; above that, another; all the +passages and stairways which connected the one story with the other +being built in the wall, which was, where solid, perhaps fifteen feet +thick. + +From the third floor a straight flight of steps led upward to a closed +door, from the other side of which shone the dazzling brightness of +sunlight, and whence came a strange noise--a soft rustling, a melodious +murmur. The boys put their shoulders against the door, which was +fastened, and pushed with might and main--once, twice; suddenly the +lock gave way, and out they pitched headlong into a blaze of sunlight. +A deafening clapping and uproar sounded in their ears, and scores of +pigeons, suddenly disturbed, rose in stormy flight. + +They sat up and looked around them in silent wonder. They were in a +bower of leafy green. It was the top story of the tower, the roof of +which had crumbled and toppled in, leaving it open to the sky, with only +here and there a slanting beam or two supporting a portion of the tiled +roof, affording shelter for the nests of the pigeons crowded closely +together. Over everything the ivy had grown in a mantling sheet--a +net-work of shimmering green, through which the sunlight fell +flickering. + +"This passeth wonder," said Gascoyne, at last breaking the silence. + +"Aye," said Myles, "I did never see the like in all my life." Then, +"Look, yonder is a room beyond; let us see what it is, Francis." + +Entering an arched door-way, the two found themselves in a beautiful +little vaulted chapel, about eighteen feet long and twelve or fifteen +wide. It comprised the crown of one of the large massive buttresses, and +from it opened the row of arched windows which could be seen from below +through the green shimmering of the ivy leaves. The boys pushed aside +the trailing tendrils and looked out and down. The whole castle lay +spread below them, with the busy people unconsciously intent upon the +matters of their daily work. They could see the gardener, with bowed +back, patiently working among the flowers in the garden, the stable-boys +below grooming the horses, a bevy of ladies in the privy garden playing +at shuttlecock with battledoors of wood, a group of gentlemen walking +up and down in front of the Earl's house. They could see the household +servants hurrying hither and thither, two little scullions at +fisticuffs, and a kitchen girl standing in the door-way scratching her +frowzy head. + +It was all like a puppetshow of real life, each acting unconsciously a +part in the play. The cool wind came in through the rustling leaves and +fanned their cheeks, hot with the climb up the winding stair-way. + +"We will call it our Eyry," said Gascoyne "and we will be the hawks that +live here." And that was how it got its name. + +The next day Myles had the armorer make him a score of large spikes, +which he and Gascoyne drove between the ivy branches and into the cement +of the wall, and so made a safe passageway by which to reach the window +niche in the wall. + + + +CHAPTER 11 + +THE TWO friends kept the secret of the Eyry to themselves for a little +while, now and then visiting the old tower to rummage among the lumber +stored in the lower room, or to loiter away the afternoon in the windy +solitudes of the upper heights. And in that little time, when the +ancient keep was to them a small world unknown to any but themselves--a +world far away above all the dull matters of every-day life--they talked +of many things that might else never have been known to one another. +Mostly they spoke the crude romantic thoughts and desires of boyhood's +time--chaff thrown to the wind, in which, however, lay a few stray +seeds, fated to fall to good earth, and to ripen to fruition in +manhood's day. + +In the intimate talks of that time Myles imparted something of his +honest solidity to Gascoyne's somewhat weathercock nature, and to +Myles's ruder and more uncouth character Gascoyne lent a tone of his +gentler manners, learned in his pagehood service as attendant upon the +Countess and her ladies. + +In other things, also, the character and experience of the one lad +helped to supply what was lacking in the other. Myles was replete with +old Latin gestes, fables, and sermons picked up during his school life, +in those intervals of his more serious studies when Prior Edward had +permitted him to browse in the greener pastures of the Gesta Romanorum +and the Disciplina Clericalis of the monastery library, and Gascoyne was +never weary of hearing him tell those marvellous stories culled from the +crabbed Latin of the old manuscript volumes. + +Upon his part Gascoyne was full of the lore of the waiting-room and +the antechamber, and Myles, who in all his life had never known a lady, +young or old, excepting his mother, was never tired of lying silently +listening to Gascoyne's chatter of the gay doings of the castle +gentle-life, in which he had taken part so often in the merry days of +his pagehood. + +"I do wonder," said Myles, quaintly, "that thou couldst ever find the +courage to bespeak a young maid, Francis. Never did I do so, nor ever +could. Rather would I face three strong men than one young damsel." + +Whereupon Gascoyne burst out laughing. "Marry!" quoth he, "they be +no such terrible things, but gentle and pleasant spoken, and soft and +smooth as any cat." + +"No matter for that," said Myles; "I would not face one such for +worlds." + +It was during the short time when, so to speak, the two owned the +solitude of the Brutus Tower, that Myles told his friend of his father's +outlawry and of the peril in which the family stood. And thus it was. + +"I do marvel," said Gascoyne one day, as the two lay stretched in the +Eyry, looking down into the castle court-yard below--"I do marvel, now +that thou art 'stablished here this month and more, that my Lord doth +never have thee called to service upon household duty. Canst thou riddle +me why it is so, Myles?" + +The subject was a very sore one with Myles. Until Sir James had told him +of the matter in his office that day he had never known that his father +was attainted and outlawed. He had accepted the change from their +earlier state and the bald poverty of their life at Crosbey-Holt with +the easy carelessness of boyhood, and Sir James's words were the first +to awaken him to a realization of the misfortunes of the house of +Falworth. His was a brooding nature, and in the three or four weeks +that passed he had meditated so much over what had been told him, that +by-and-by it almost seemed as if a shadow of shame rested upon his +father's fair fame, even though the attaint set upon him was unrighteous +and unjust, as Myles knew it must be. He had felt angry and resentful +at the Earl's neglect, and as days passed and he was not noticed in any +way, his heart was at times very bitter. + +So now Gascoyne's innocent question touched a sore spot, and Myles spoke +with a sharp, angry pain in his voice that made the other look quickly +up. "Sooner would my Lord have yonder swineherd serve him in the +household than me," said he. + +"Why may that be, Myles?" said Gascoyne. + +"Because," answered Myles, with the same angry bitterness in his voice, +"either the Earl is a coward that feareth to befriend me, or else he is +a caitiff, ashamed of his own flesh and blood, and of me, the son of his +one-time comrade." + +Gascoyne raised himself upon his elbow, and opened his eyes wide in +wonder. "Afeard of thee, Myles!" quoth he. "Why should he be afeared to +befriend thee? Who art thou that the Earl should fear thee?" + +Myles hesitated for a moment or two; wisdom bade him remain silent +upon the dangerous topic, but his heart yearned for sympathy and +companionship in his trouble. "I will tell thee," said he, suddenly, +and therewith poured out all of the story, so far as he knew it, to his +listening, wondering friend, and his heart felt lighter to be thus eased +of its burden. "And now," said he, as he concluded, "is not this Earl +a mean-hearted caitiff to leave me, the son of his one-time friend and +kinsman, thus to stand or to fall alone among strangers and in a +strange place without once stretching me a helping hand?" He waited, and +Gascoyne knew that he expected an answer. + +"I know not that he is a mean-hearted caitiff, Myles," said he at last, +hesitatingly. "The Earl hath many enemies, and I have heard that he hath +stood more than once in peril, having been accused of dealings with +the King's foes. He was cousin to the Earl of Kent, and I do remember +hearing that he had a narrow escape at that time from ruin. There be +more reasons than thou wottest of why he should not have dealings with +thy father." + +"I had not thought," said Myles, bitterly, after a little pause, "that +thou wouldst stand up for him and against me in this quarrel, Gascoyne. +Him will I never forgive so long as I may live, and I had thought that +thou wouldst have stood by me." + +"So I do," said Gascoyne, hastily, "and do love thee more than any one +in all the world, Myles; but I had thought that it would make thee feel +more easy, to think that the Earl was not against thee. And, indeed, +from all thou has told me, I do soothly think that he and Sir James mean +to befriend thee and hold thee privily in kind regard." + +"Then why doth he not stand forth like a man and befriend me and my +father openly, even if it be to his own peril?" said Myles, reverting +stubbornly to what he had first spoken. + +Gascoyne did not answer, but lay for a long while in silence. "Knowest +thou," he suddenly asked, after a while, "who is this great enemy of +whom Sir James speaketh, and who seeketh so to drive thy father to +ruin?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I know not, for my father hath never spoken of these +things, and Sir James would not tell me. But this I know," said he, +suddenly, grinding his teeth together, "an I do not hunt him out some +day and slay him like a dog--" He stopped abruptly, and Gascoyne, +looking askance at him, saw that his eyes were full of tears, whereupon +he turned his looks away again quickly, and fell to shooting pebbles out +through the open window with his finger and thumb. + +"Thou wilt tell no one of these things that I have said?" said Myles, +after a while. + +"Not I," said Gascoyne. "Thinkest thou I could do such a thing?" + +"Nay," said Myles, briefly. + +Perhaps this talk more than anything else that had ever passed between +them knit the two friends the closer together, for, as I have said, +Myles felt easier now that he had poured out his bitter thoughts and +words; and as for Gascoyne, I think that there is nothing so flattering +to one's soul as to be made the confidant of a stronger nature. + + +But the old tower served another purpose than that of a spot in which +to pass away a few idle hours, or in which to indulge the confidences of +friendship, for it was there that Myles gathered a backing of strength +for resistance against the tyranny of the bachelors, and it is for that +more than for any other reason that it has been told how they found the +place and of what they did there, feeling secure against interruption. + +Myles Falworth was not of a kind that forgets or neglects a thing upon +which the mind has once been set. Perhaps his chief objective since +the talk with Sir James following his fight in the dormitory had been +successful resistance to the exactions of the head of the body of +squires. He was now (more than a month had passed) looked upon by nearly +if not all of the younger lads as an acknowledged leader in his own +class. So one day he broached a matter to Gascoyne that had for some +time been digesting in his mind. It was the formation of a secret order, +calling themselves the "Knights of the Rose," their meeting-place to be +the chapel of the Brutus Tower, and their object to be the righting +of wrongs, "as they," said Myles, "of Arthur his Round-table did right +wrongs." + +"But, prithee, what wrongs are there to right in this place?" quoth +Gascoyne, after listening intently to the plan which Myles set forth. + +"Why, first of all, this," said Myles, clinching his fists, as he had a +habit of doing when anything stirred him deeply, "that we set those vile +bachelors to their right place; and that is, that they be no longer our +masters, but our fellows." + +Gascoyne shook his head. He hated clashing and conflict above all +things, and was for peace. Why should they thus rush to thrust +themselves into trouble? Let matters abide as they were a little longer; +surely life was pleasant enough without turning it all topsy-turvy. +Then, with a sort of indignation, why should Myles, who had only come +among them a month, take such service more to heart than they who had +endured it for years? And, finally, with the hopefulness of so many of +the rest of us, he advised Myles to let matters alone, and they would +right themselves in time. + +But Myles's mind was determined; his active spirit could not brook +resting passively under a wrong; he would endure no longer, and now or +never they must make their stand. + +"But look thee, Myles Falworth," said Gascoyne, "all this is not to +be done withouten fighting shrewdly. Wilt thou take that fighting upon +thine own self? As for me, I tell thee I love it not." + +"Why, aye," said Myles; "I ask no man to do what I will not do myself." + +Gascoyne shrugged his shoulders. "So be it," said he. "An thou hast +appetite to run thy head against hard knocks, do it i' mercy's name! I +for one will stand thee back while thou art taking thy raps." + +There was a spirit of drollery in Gascoyne's speech that rubbed against +Myles's earnestness. + +"Out upon it!" cried he, his patience giving way. "Seest not that I +am in serious earnest? Why then dost thou still jest like Mad Noll, my +Lord's fool? An thou wilt not lend me thine aid in this matter, say so +and ha' done with it, and I will bethink me of somewhere else to turn." + +Then Gascoyne yielded at once, as he always did when his friend lost his +temper, and having once assented to it, entered into the scheme heart +and soul. Three other lads--one of them that tall thin squire Edmund +Wilkes, before spoken of--were sounded upon the subject. They also +entered into the plan of the secret organization with an enthusiasm +which might perhaps not have been quite so glowing had they realized how +very soon Myles designed embarking upon active practical operations. +One day Myles and Gascoyne showed them the strange things that they +had discovered in the old tower--the inner staircases, the winding +passage-ways, the queer niches and cupboard, and the black shaft of a +well that pierced down into the solid wall, and whence, perhaps, the old +castle folk had one time drawn their supply of water in time of siege, +and with every new wonder of the marvellous place the enthusiasm of the +three recruits rose higher and higher. They rummaged through the lumber +pile in the great circular room as Myles and Gascoyne had done, and at +last, tired out, they ascended to the airy chapel, and there sat cooling +themselves in the rustling freshness of the breeze that came blowing +briskly in through the arched windows. + +It was then and there that the five discussed and finally determined +upon the detailed plans of their organization, canvassing the names of +the squirehood, and selecting from it a sufficient number of bold and +daring spirits to make up a roll of twenty names in all. + +Gascoyne had, as I said, entered into the matter with spirit, and +perhaps it was owing more to him than to any other that the project +caught its delightful flavor of romance. + +"Perchance," said he, as the five lads lay in the rustling stillness +through which sounded the monotonous and ceaseless cooing of the +pigeons--"perchance there may be dwarfs and giants and dragons and +enchanters and evil knights and what not even nowadays. And who knows +but that if we Knights of the Rose hold together we may go forth into +the world, and do battle with them, and save beautiful ladies, and +have tales and gestes written about us as they are writ about the Seven +Champions and Arthur his Round-table." + +Perhaps Myles, who lay silently listening to all that was said, was the +only one who looked upon the scheme at all in the light of real utility, +but I think that even with him the fun of the matter outweighed the +serious part of the business. + +So it was that the Sacred Order of the Twenty Knights of the Rose +came to be initiated. They appointed a code of secret passwords and +countersigns which were very difficult to remember, and which were only +used when they might excite the curiosity of the other and uninitiated +boys by their mysterious sound. They elected Myles as their Grand High +Commander, and held secret meetings in the ancient tower, where many +mysteries were soberly enacted. + +Of course in a day or two all the body of squires knew nearly everything +concerning the Knights of the Rose, and of their secret meetings in +the old tower. The lucky twenty were the objects of envy of all not so +fortunate as to be included in this number, and there was a marked air +of secrecy about everything they did that appealed to every romantic +notion of the youngsters looking on. What was the stormy outcome of it +all is now presently to be told. + + + +CHAPTER 12 + +Thus it was that Myles, with an eye to open war with the bachelors, +gathered a following to his support. It was some little while before +matters were brought to a crisis--a week or ten days. Perhaps even Myles +had no great desire to hasten matters. He knew that whenever war was +declared, he himself would have to bear the brunt of the battle, and +even the bravest man hesitates before deliberately thrusting himself +into a fight. + +One morning Myles and Gascoyne and Wilkes sat under the shade of two +trees, between which was a board nailed to the trunks, making a rude +bench--always a favorite lounging-place for the lads in idle moments. +Myles was polishing his bascinet with lard and wood-ashes, rubbing the +metal with a piece of leather, and wiping it clean with a fustian rag. +The other two, who had just been relieved from household duty, lay at +length idly looking on. + +Just then one of the smaller pages, a boy of twelve or thirteen, by name +Robin Ingoldsby, crossed the court. He had been crying; his face was red +and blubbered, and his body was still shaken with convulsive sniffs. + +Myles looked up. "Come hither, Robin," he called from where he sat. +"What is to do?" + +The little fellow came slowly up to where the three rested in the shade. +"Mowbray beat me with a strap," said he, rubbing his sleeve across his +eyes, and catching his breath at the recollection. + +"Beat thee, didst say?" said Myles, drawing his brows together. "Why did +he beat thee?" + +"Because," said Robin, "I tarried overlong in fetching a pot of beer +from the buttery for him and Wyatt." Then, with a boy's sudden and easy +quickness in forgetting past troubles, "Tell me, Falworth," said he, +"when wilt thou give me that knife thou promised me--the one thou break +the blade of yesterday?" + +"I know not," said Myles, bluntly, vexed that the boy did not take +the disgrace of his beating more to heart. "Some time soon, mayhap. Me +thinks thou shouldst think more of thy beating than of a broken knife. +Now get thee gone to thy business." + +The youngster lingered for a moment or two watching Myles at his work. +"What is that on the leather scrap, Falworth?" said he, curiously. + +"Lard and ashes," said Myles, testily. "Get thee gone, I say, or I +will crack thy head for thee;" and he picked up a block of wood, with a +threatening gesture. + +The youngster made a hideous grimace, and then scurried away, ducking +his head, lest in spite of Myles's well-known good-nature the block +should come whizzing after him. + +"Hear ye that now!" cried Myles, flinging down the block again and +turning to his two friends. "Beaten with straps because, forsooth, he +would not fetch and carry quickly enough to please the haste of these +bachelors. Oh, this passeth patience, and I for one will bear it no +longer." + +"Nay, Myles," said Gascoyne, soothingly, "the little imp is as lazy as a +dormouse and as mischievous as a monkey. I'll warrant the hiding was his +due, and that more of the like would do him good." + +"Why, how dost thou talk, Francis!" said Myles, turning upon him +indignantly. "Thou knowest that thou likest to see the boy beaten no +more than I." Then, after a meditative pause, "How many, think ye, we +muster of our company of the Rose today?" + +Wilkes looked doubtfully at Gascoyne. "There be only seventeen of us +here now," said he at last. "Brinton and Lambourne are away to Roby +Castle in Lord George's train, and will not be back till Saturday next. +And Watt Newton is in the infirmary. + +"Seventeen be'st enou," said Myles, grimly. "Let us get together this +afternoon, such as may, in the Brutus Tower, for I, as I did say, will +no longer suffer these vile bachelors." + +Gascoyne and Wilkes exchanged looks, and then the former blew a long +whistle. + +So that afternoon a gloomy set of young faces were gathered together in +the Eyry--fifteen of the Knights of the Rose--and all knew why they were +assembled. The talk which followed was conducted mostly by Myles. He +addressed the others with a straightforward vim and earnestness, but the +response was only half-hearted, and when at last, having heated himself +up with his own fire, he sat down, puffing out his red cheeks and +glaring round, a space of silence followed, the lads looked doubtfully +at one another. Myles felt the chill of their silence strike coldly on +his enthusiasm, and it vexed him. + +"What wouldst thou do, Falworth?" said one of the knights, at last. +"Wouldst have us open a quarrel with the bachelors?" + +"Nay," said Myles, gruffly. "I had thought that ye would all lend me a +hand in a pitched battle but now I see that ye ha' no stomach for that. +Ne'theless, I tell ye plainly I will not submit longer to the bachelors. +So now I will ask ye not to take any venture upon yourselves, but only +this: that ye will stand by me when I do my fighting, and not let five +or seven of them fall upon me at once. + +"There is Walter Blunt; he is parlous strong," said one of the others, +after a time of silence. "Methinks he could conquer any two of us." + +"Nay," said Myles; "ye do fear him too greatly. I tell ye I fear not to +stand up to try battle with him and will do so, too, if the need arise. +Only say ye that ye will stand by my back." + +"Marry," said Gascoyne, quaintly, "an thou wilt dare take the heavy end +upon thee, I for one am willing to stand by and see that thou have thy +fill of fighting." + +"I too will stand thee by, Myles," said Edmund Wilkes. + +"And I, and I, and I," said others, chiming in. + +Those who would still have held back were carried along by the stream, +and so it was settled that if the need should arise for Myles to do +a bit of fighting, the others should stand by to see that he had fair +play. + +"When thinkest thou that thou wilt take thy stand against them, Myles?" +asked Wilkes. + +Myles hesitated a moment. "To-morrow," said he, grimly. + +Several of the lads whistled softly. + +Gascoyne was prepared for an early opening of the war, but perhaps not +for such an early opening as this. "By 'r Lady, Myles, thou art hungry +for brawling," said he. + + + +CHAPTER 13 + +After the first excitement of meeting, discussing, and deciding had +passed, Myles began to feel the weight of the load he had so boldly +taken upon himself. He began to reckon what a serious thing it was for +him to stand as a single champion against the tyranny that had grown +so strong through years of custom. Had he let himself do so, he might +almost have repented, but it was too late now for repentance. He had +laid his hand to the plough, and he must drive the furrow. + +Somehow the news of impending battle had leaked out among the rest of +the body of squires, and a buzz of suppressed excitement hummed through +the dormitory that evening. The bachelors, to whom, no doubt, vague +rumors had been blown, looked lowering, and talked together in low +voices, standing apart in a group. Some of them made a rather marked +show of secreting knives in the straw of their beds, and no doubt it had +its effect upon more than one young heart that secretly thrilled at the +sight of the shining blades. However, all was undisturbed that evening. +The lights were put out, and the lads retired with more than usual +quietness, only for the murmur of whispering. + +All night Myles's sleep was more or less disturbed by dreams in which he +was now conquering, now being conquered, and before the day had fairly +broken he was awake. He lay upon his cot, keying himself up for the +encounter which he had set upon himself to face, and it would not be +the truth to say that the sight of those knives hidden in the straw +the night before had made no impression upon him. By-and-by he knew the +others were beginning to awake, for he heard them softly stirring, and +as the light grew broad and strong, saw them arise, one by one, and +begin dressing in the gray morning. Then he himself arose and put on his +doublet and hose, strapping his belt tightly about his waist; then he +sat down on the side of his cot. + +Presently that happened for which he was waiting; two of the younger +squires started to bring the bachelors' morning supply of water. As they +crossed the room Myles called to them in a loud voice--a little uneven, +perhaps: "Stop! We draw no more water for any one in this house, saving +only for ourselves. Set ye down those buckets, and go back to your +places!" + +The two lads stopped, half turned, and then stood still, holding the +three buckets undecidedly. + +In a moment all was uproar and confusion, for by this time every one +of the lads had arisen, some sitting on the edge of their beds, some +nearly, others quite dressed. A half-dozen of the Knights of the Rose +came over to where Myles stood, gathering in a body behind him and the +others followed, one after another. + +The bachelors were hardly prepared for such prompt and vigorous action. + +"What is to do?" cried one of them, who stood near the two lads with the +buckets. "Why fetch ye not the water?" + +"Falworth says we shall not fetch it," answered one of the lads, a boy +by the name of Gosse. + +"What mean ye by that, Falworth?" the young man called to Myles. + +Myles's heart was beating thickly and heavily within him, but +nevertheless he spoke up boldly enough. "I mean," said he, "that from +henceforth ye shall fetch and carry for yourselves." + +"Look'ee, Blunt," called the bachelor; "here is Falworth says they +squires will fetch no more water for us." + +The head bachelor had heard all that had passed, and was even then +hastily slipping on his doublet and hose. "Now, then, Falworth," said he +at last, striding forward, "what is to do? Ye will fetch no more water, +eh? By 'r Lady, I will know the reason why." + +He was still advancing towards Myles, with two or three of the older +bachelors at his heels, when Gascoyne spoke. + +"Thou hadst best stand back, Blunt," said he, "else thou mayst be hurt. +We will not have ye bang Falworth again as ye once did, so stand thou +back!" + +Blunt stopped short and looked upon the lads standing behind Myles, some +of them with faces a trifle pale perhaps, but all grim and determined +looking enough. Then he turned upon his heel suddenly, and walked back +to the far end of the dormitory, where the bachelors were presently +clustered together. A few words passed between them, and then the +thirteen began at once arming themselves, some with wooden clogs, +and some with the knives which they had so openly concealed the +night before. At the sign of imminent battle, all those not actively +interested scuttled away to right and left, climbing up on the benches +and cots, and leaving a free field to the combatants. The next moment +would have brought bloodshed. + +Now Myles, thanks to the training of the Crosbey-Dale smith, felt +tolerably sure that in a wrestling bout he was a match--perhaps more +than a match--for any one of the body of squires, and he had determined, +if possible, to bring the battle to a single-handed encounter upon that +footing. Accordingly he suddenly stepped forward before the others. + +"Look'ee, fellow," he called to Blunt, "thou art he who struck me whilst +I was down some while since. Wilt thou let this quarrel stand between +thee and me, and meet me man to man without weapon? See, I throw me +down mine own, and will meet thee with bare hands." And as he spoke, he +tossed the clog he held in his hand back upon the cot. + +"So be it," said Blunt, with great readiness, tossing down a similar +weapon which he himself held. + +"Do not go, Myles," cried Gascoyne, "he is a villain and a traitor, and +would betray thee to thy death. I saw him when he first gat from bed +hide a knife in his doublet." + +"Thou liest!" said Blunt. "I swear, by my faith, I be barehanded as ye +see me! Thy friend accuses me, Myles Falworth, because he knoweth thou +art afraid of me." + +"There thou liest most vilely!" exclaimed Myles. "Swear that thou hast +no knife, and I will meet thee." + +"Hast thou not heard me say that I have no knife?" said Blunt. "What +more wouldst thou have?" + +"Then I will meet thee halfway," said Myles. + +Gascoyne caught him by the sleeve, and would have withheld him, assuring +him that he had seen the bachelor conceal a knife. But Myles, hot for +the fight, broke away from his friend without listening to him. + +As the two advanced steadily towards one another a breathless silence +fell upon the dormitory in sharp contrast to the uproar and confusion +that had filled it a moment before. The lads, standing some upon +benches, some upon beds, all watched with breathless interest the +meeting of the two champions. + +As they approached one another they stopped and stood for a moment a +little apart, glaring the one upon the other. They seemed ill enough +matched; Blunt was fully half a head taller than Myles, and was +thick-set and close-knit in young manhood. Nothing but Myles's undaunted +pluck could have led him to dare to face an enemy so much older and +stouter than himself. + +The pause was only for a moment. They who looked saw Blunt slide his +hand furtively towards his bosom. Myles saw too, and in the flash of an +instant knew what the gesture meant, and sprang upon the other before +the hand could grasp what it sought. As he clutched his enemy he felt +what he had in that instant expected to feel--the handle of a dagger. +The next moment he cried, in a loud voice: "Oh, thou villain! Help, +Gascoyne! He hath a knife under his doublet!" + +In answer to his cry for help, Myles's friends started to his aid. But +the bachelors shouted, "Stand back and let them fight it out alone, else +we will knife ye too." And as they spoke, some of them leaped from the +benches whereon they stood, drawing their knives and flourishing them. + +For just a few seconds Myles's friends stood cowed, and in those few +seconds the fight came to an end with a suddenness unexpected to all. + +A struggle fierce and silent followed between the two; Blunt striving +to draw his knife, and Myles, with the energy of despair, holding him +tightly by the wrist. It was in vain the elder lad writhed and twisted; +he was strong enough to overbear Myles, but still was not able to clutch +the haft of his knife. + +"Thou shalt not draw it!" gasped Myles at last. "Thou shalt not stab +me!" + +Then again some of his friends started forward to his aid, but they were +not needed, for before they came, the fight was over. + +Blunt, finding that he was not able to draw the weapon, suddenly ceased +his endeavors, and flung his arms around Myles, trying to bear him down +upon the ground, and in that moment his battle was lost. + +In an instant--so quick, so sudden, so unexpected that no one could see +how it happened--his feet were whirled away from under him, he spun with +flying arms across Myles's loins, and pitched with a thud upon the stone +pavement, where he lay still, motionless, while Myles, his face white +with passion and his eyes gleaming, stood glaring around like a young +wild-boar beset by the dogs. + +The next moment the silence was broken, and the uproar broke forth +with redoubled violence. The bachelors, leaping from the benches, came +hurrying forward on one side, and Myles's friends from the other. + +"Thou shalt smart for this, Falworth," said one of the older lads. +"Belike thou hast slain him!" + +Myles turned upon the speaker like a flash, and with such a passion of +fury in his face that the other, a fellow nearly a head taller than he, +shrank back, cowed in spite of himself. Then Gascoyne came and laid his +hand on his friend's shoulder. + +"Who touches me?" cried Myles, hoarsely, turning sharply upon him; and +then, seeing who it was, "Oh, Francis, they would ha' killed me!" + +"Come away, Myles," said Gascoyne; "thou knowest not what thou doest; +thou art mad; come away. What if thou hadst killed him?" + +The words called Myles somewhat to himself. "I care not!" said he, but +sullenly and not passionately, and then he suffered Gascoyne and Wilkes +to lead him away. + +Meantime Blunt's friends had turned him over, and, after feeling his +temples, his wrist, and his heart, bore him away to a bench at the far +end of the room. There they fell to chafing his hands and sprinkling +water in his face, a crowd of the others gathering about. Blunt was +hidden from Myles by those who stood around, and the lad listened to the +broken talk that filled the room with its confusion, his anxiety growing +keener as he became cooler. But at last, with a heartfelt joy, he +gathered from the confused buzz of words that the other lad had opened +his eyes and, after a while, he saw him sit up, leaning his head upon +the shoulder of one of his fellow-bachelors, white and faint and sick as +death. + +"Thank Heaven that thou didst not kill him!" said Edmund Wilkes, who +had been standing with the crowd looking on at the efforts of Blunt's +friends to revive him, and who had now come and sat down upon the bed +not far from Myles. + +"Aye," said Myles, gruffly, "I do thank Heaven for that." + + + +CHAPTER 14 + +If Myles fancied that one single victory over his enemy would cure the +evil against which he fought, he was grievously mistaken; wrongs are not +righted so easily as that. It was only the beginning. Other and far more +bitter battles lay before him ere he could look around him and say, "I +have won the victory." + +For a day--for two days--the bachelors were demoralized at the fall of +their leader, and the Knights of the Rose were proportionately uplifted. + +The day that Blunt met his fall, the wooden tank in which the water +had been poured every morning was found to have been taken away. The +bachelors made a great show of indignation and inquiry. Who was it stole +their tank? If they did but know, he should smart for it. + +"Ho! ho!" roared Edmund Wilkes, so that the whole dormitory heard him, +"smoke ye not their tricks, lads? See ye not that they have stolen their +own water-tank, so that they might have no need for another fight over +the carrying of the water?" + +The bachelors made an obvious show of not having heard what he said, and +a general laugh went around. No one doubted that Wilkes had spoken the +truth in his taunt, and that the bachelors had indeed stolen their own +tank. So no more water was ever carried for the head squires, but it was +plain to see that the war for the upperhand was not yet over. + +Even if Myles had entertained comforting thoughts to the contrary, he +was speedily undeceived. One morning, about a week after the fight, as +he and Gascoyne were crossing the armory court, they were hailed by +a group of the bachelors standing at the stone steps of the great +building. + +"Holloa, Falworth!" they cried. "Knowest thou that Blunt is nigh well +again?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I knew it not. But I am right glad to hear it." + +"Thou wilt sing a different song anon," said one of the bachelors. "I +tell thee he is hot against thee, and swears when he cometh again he +will carve thee soothly." + +"Aye, marry!" said another. "I would not be in thy skin a week hence for +a ducat! Only this morning he told Philip Mowbray that he would have thy +blood for the fall thou gavest him. Look to thyself, Falworth; he cometh +again Wednesday or Thursday next; thou standest in a parlous state." + +"Myles," said Gascoyne, as they entered the great quadrangle, "I do +indeed fear me that he meaneth to do thee evil." + +"I know not," said Myles, boldly; "but I fear him not." Nevertheless his +heart was heavy with the weight of impending ill. + +One evening the bachelors were more than usually noisy in their end of +the dormitory, laughing and talking and shouting to one another. + +"Holloa, you sirrah, Falworth!" called one of them along the length of +the room. "Blunt cometh again to-morrow day." + +Myles saw Gascoyne direct a sharp glance at him; but he answered nothing +either to his enemy's words or his friend's look. + +As the bachelor had said, Blunt came the next morning. It was just after +chapel, and the whole body of squires was gathered in the armory waiting +for the orders of the day and the calling of the roll of those chosen +for household duty. Myles was sitting on a bench along the wall, talking +and jesting with some who stood by, when of a sudden his heart gave a +great leap within him. + +It was Walter Blunt. He came walking in at the door as if nothing had +passed, and at his unexpected coming the hubbub of talk and laughter +was suddenly checked. Even Myles stopped in his speech for a moment, and +then continued with a beating heart and a carelessness of manner that +was altogether assumed. In his hand Blunt carried the house orders for +the day, and without seeming to notice Myles, he opened it and read the +list of those called upon for household service. + +Myles had risen, and was now standing listening with the others. When +Blunt had ended reading the list of names, he rolled up the parchment, +and thrust it into his belt; then swinging suddenly on his heel, he +strode straight up to Myles, facing him front to front. A moment or two +of deep silence followed; not a sound broke the stillness. When Blunt +spoke every one in the armory heard his words. + +"Sirrah!" said he, "thou didst put foul shame upon me some time sin. +Never will I forget or forgive that offence, and will have a reckoning +with thee right soon that thou wilt not forget to the last day of thy +life." + +When Myles had seen his enemy turn upon him, he did not know at first +what to expect; he would not have been surprised had they come to blows +there and then, and he held himself prepared for any event. He faced +the other pluckily enough and without flinching, and spoke up boldly in +answer. "So be it, Walter Blunt; I fear thee not in whatever way thou +mayst encounter me." + +"Dost thou not?" said Blunt. "By'r Lady, thou'lt have cause to fear me +ere I am through with thee." He smiled a baleful, lingering smile, and +then turned slowly and walked away. + +"What thinkest thou, Myles?" said Gascoyne, as the two left the armory +together. + +"I think naught," said Myles gruffly. "He will not dare to touch me +to harm me. I fear him not." Nevertheless, he did not speak the full +feelings of his heart. + +"I know not, Myles," said Gascoyne, shaking his head doubtfully. "Walter +Blunt is a parlous evil-minded knave, and methinks will do whatever evil +he promiseth." + +"I fear him not," said Myles again; but his heart foreboded trouble. + +The coming of the head squire made a very great change in the condition +of affairs. Even before that coming the bachelors had somewhat recovered +from their demoralization, and now again they began to pluck up their +confidence and to order the younger squires and pages upon this personal +service or upon that. + +"See ye not," said Myles one day, when the Knights of the Rose were +gathered in the Brutus Tower--"see ye not that they grow as bad as ever? +An we put not a stop to this overmastery now, it will never stop." + +"Best let it be, Myles," said Wilkes. "They will kill thee an thou cease +not troubling them. Thou hast bred mischief enow for thyself already." + +"No matter for that," said Myles; "it is not to be borne that they order +others of us about as they do. I mean to speak to them to-night, and +tell them it shall not be." + +He was as good as his word. That night, as the youngsters were shouting +and romping and skylarking, as they always did before turning in, he +stood upon his cot and shouted: "Silence! List to me a little!" And +then, in the hush that followed--"I want those bachelors to hear this: +that we squires serve them no longer, and if they would ha' some to wait +upon them, they must get them otherwheres than here. There be twenty of +us to stand against them and haply more, and we mean that they shall ha' +service of us no more." + +Then he jumped down again from his elevated stand, and an uproar of +confusion instantly filled the place. What was the effect of his words +upon the bachelors he could not see. What was the result he was not slow +in discovering. + +The next day Myles and Gascoyne were throwing their daggers for a +wager at a wooden target against the wall back of the armorer's smithy. +Wilkes, Gosse, and one or two others of the squires were sitting on +a bench looking on, and now and then applauding a more than usually +well-aimed cast of the knife. Suddenly that impish little page spoken of +before, Robin Ingoldsby, thrust his shock head around the corner of +the smithy, and said: "Ho, Falworth! Blunt is going to serve thee out +to-day, and I myself heard him say so. He says he is going to slit thine +ears." And then he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared. + +Myles darted after him, caught him midway in the quadrangle, and brought +him back by the scuff of the neck, squalling and struggling. + +"There!" said he, still panting from the chase and seating the boy by no +means gently upon the bench beside Wilkes. "Sit thou there, thou imp of +evil! And now tell me what thou didst mean by thy words anon--an thou +stop not thine outcry, I will cut thy throat for thee," and he made a +ferocious gesture with his dagger. + +It was by no means easy to worm the story from the mischievous little +monkey; he knew Myles too well to be in the least afraid of his threats. +But at last, by dint of bribing and coaxing, Myles and his friends +managed to get at the facts. The youngster had been sent to clean the +riding-boots of one of the bachelors, instead of which he had lolled +idly on a cot in the dormitory, until he had at last fallen asleep. He +had been awakened by the opening of the dormitory door and by the sound +of voices--among them was that of his taskmaster. Fearing punishment for +his neglected duty, he had slipped out of the cot, and hidden himself +beneath it. + +Those who had entered were Walter Blunt and three of the older +bachelors. Blunt's companions were trying to persuade him against +something, but without avail. It was--Myles's heart thrilled and his +blood boiled--to lie in wait for him, to overpower him by numbers, +and to mutilate him by slitting his ears--a disgraceful punishment +administered, as a rule, only for thieving and poaching. + +"He would not dare to do such a thing!" cried Myles, with heaving breast +and flashing eyes. + +"Aye, but he would," said Gascoyne. "His father, Lord Reginald Blunt, +is a great man over Nottingham way, and my Lord would not dare to punish +him even for such a matter as that. But tell me, Robin Ingoldsby, dost +know aught more of this matter? Prithee tell it me, Robin. Where do they +propose to lie in wait for Falworth?" + +"In the gate-way of the Buttery Court, so as to catch him when he passes +by to the armory," answered the boy. + +"Are they there now?" said Wilkes. + +"Aye, nine of them," said Robin. "I heard Blunt tell Mowbray to go and +gather the others. He heard thee tell Gosse, Falworth, that thou wert +going thither for thy arbalist this morn to shoot at the rooks withal." + +"That will do, Robin," said Myles. "Thou mayst go." + +And therewith the little imp scurried off, pulling the lobes of his ears +suggestively as he darted around the corner. + +The others looked at one another for a while in silence. + +"So, comrades," said Myles at last, "what shall we do now?" + +"Go, and tell Sir James," said Gascoyne, promptly. + +"Nay," said Myles, "I take no such coward's part as that. I say an they +hunger to fight, give them their stomachful." + +The others were very reluctant for such extreme measures, but Myles, as +usual, carried his way, and so a pitched battle was decided upon. It was +Gascoyne who suggested the plan which they afterwards followed. + +Then Wilkes started away to gather together those of the Knights of the +Rose not upon household duty, and Myles, with the others, went to the +armor smith to have him make for them a set of knives with which to meet +their enemies--knives with blades a foot long, pointed and double-edged. + +The smith, leaning with his hammer upon the anvil, listened to them as +they described the weapons. + +"Nay, nay, Master Myles," said he, when Myles had ended by telling the +use to which he intended putting them. "Thou art going all wrong in this +matter. With such blades, ere this battle is ended, some one would be +slain, and so murder done. Then the family of him who was killed would +haply have ye cited, and mayhap it might e'en come to the hanging, for +some of they boys ha' great folkeys behind them. Go ye to Tom Fletcher, +Master Myles, and buy of him good yew staves, such as one might break a +head withal, and with them, gin ye keep your wits, ye may hold your own +against knives or short swords. I tell thee, e'en though my trade be +making of blades, rather would I ha' a good stout cudgel in my hand than +the best dagger that ever was forged." + +Myles stood thoughtfully for a moment or two; then, looking up, +"Methinks thou speaketh truly, Robin," said he; "and it were ill done to +have blood upon our hands." + + + +CHAPTER 15 + +From the long, narrow stone-paved Armory Court, and connecting it with +the inner Buttery Court, ran a narrow arched passage-way, in which was +a picket-gate, closed at night and locked from within. It was in this +arched passage-way that, according to little Robert Ingoldsby's report, +the bachelors were lying in wait for Myles. Gascoyne's plan was that +Myles should enter the court alone, the Knights of the Rose lying +ambushed behind the angle of the armory building until the bachelors +should show themselves. + +It was not without trepidation that Myles walked alone into the court, +which happened then to be silent and empty. His heart beat more quickly +than it was wont, and he gripped his cudgel behind his back, looking +sharply this way and that, so as not to be taken unawares by a flank +movement of his enemies. Midway in the court he stopped and hesitated +for a moment; then he turned as though to enter the armory. The next +moment he saw the bachelors come pouring out from the archway. + +Instantly he turned and rushed back towards where his friends lay +hidden, shouting: "To the rescue! To the rescue!" + +"Stone him!" roared Blunt. "The villain escapes!" + +He stopped and picked up a cobble-stone as he spoke, flinging it after +his escaping prey. It narrowly missed Myles's head; had it struck him, +there might have been no more of this story to tell. + +"To the rescue! To the rescue!" shouted Myles's friends in answer, and +the next moment he was surrounded by them. Then he turned, and swinging +his cudgel, rushed back upon his foes. + +The bachelors stopped short at the unexpected sight of the lads with +their cudgels. For a moment they rallied and drew their knives; then +they turned and fled towards their former place of hiding. + +One of them turned for a moment, and flung his knife at Myles with a +deadly aim; but Myles, quick as a cat, ducked his body, and the weapon +flew clattering across the stony court. Then he who had flung it turned +again to fly, but in his attempt he had delayed one instant too long. +Myles reached him with a long-arm stroke of his cudgel just as he +entered the passage-way, knocking him over like a bottle, stunned and +senseless. + +The next moment the picket-gate was banged in their faces and the bolt +shot in the staples, and the Knights of the Rose were left shouting and +battering with their cudgels against the palings. + +By this time the uproar of fight had aroused those in the rooms and +offices fronting upon the Armory Court; heads were thrust from many of +the windows with the eager interest that a fight always evokes. + +"Beware!" shouted Myles. "Here they come again!" He bore back towards +the entrance of the alley-way as he spoke, those behind him scattering +to right and left, for the bachelors had rallied, and were coming again +to the attack, shouting. + +They were not a moment too soon in this retreat, either, for the next +instant the pickets flew open, and a volley of stones flew after the +retreating Knights of the Rose. One smote Wilkes upon the head, +knocking him down headlong. Another struck Myles upon his left shoulder, +benumbing his arm from the finger-tips to the armpit, so that he thought +at first the limb was broken. + +"Get ye behind the buttresses!" shouted those who looked down upon the +fight from the windows--"get ye behind the buttresses!" And in answer +the lads, scattering like a newly-flushed covey of partridges, fled +to and crouched in the sheltering angles of masonry to escape from the +flying stones. + +And now followed a lull in the battle, the bachelors fearing to leave +the protection of the arched passage-way lest their retreat should be +cut off, and the Knights of the Rose not daring to quit the shelter of +the buttresses and angles of the wall lest they should be knocked down +by the stones. + +The bachelor whom Myles had struck down with his cudgel was sitting up +rubbing the back of his head, and Wilkes had gathered his wits enough to +crawl to the shelter of the nearest buttress. Myles, peeping around the +corner behind which he stood, could see that the bachelors were gathered +into a little group consulting together. Suddenly it broke asunder, and +Blunt turned around. + +"Ho, Falworth!" he cried. "Wilt thou hold truce whiles we parley with +ye?" + +"Aye," answered Myles. + +"Wilt thou give me thine honor that ye will hold your hands from harming +us whiles we talk together?" + +"Yea," said Myles, "I will pledge thee mine honor." + +"I accept thy pledge. See! here we throw aside our stones and lay +down our knives. Lay ye by your clubs, and meet us in parley at the +horse-block yonder." + +"So be it," said Myles, and thereupon, standing his cudgel in the angle +of the wall, he stepped boldly out into the open court-yard. Those of +his party came scatteringly from right and left, gathering about him; +and the bachelors advanced in a body, led by the head squire. + +"Now what is it thou wouldst have, Walter Blunt?" said Myles, when both +parties had met at the horse-block. + +"It is to say this to thee, Myles Falworth," said the other. "One time, +not long sin, thou didst challenge me to meet thee hand to hand in the +dormitory. Then thou didst put a vile affront upon me, for the which I +ha' brought on this battle to-day, for I knew not then that thou wert +going to try thy peasant tricks of wrestling, and so, without guarding +myself, I met thee as thou didst desire." + +"But thou hadst thy knife, and would have stabbed him couldst thou ha' +done so," said Gascoyne. + +"Thou liest!" said Blunt. "I had no knife." And then, without giving +time to answer, "Thou canst not deny that I met thee then at thy +bidding, canst thou, Falworth?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "nor haply canst thou deny it either." And at this +covert reminder of his defeat Myles's followers laughed scoffingly and +Blunt bit his lip. + +"Thou hast said it," said he. "Then sin. I met thee at thy bidding, +I dare to thee to meet me now at mine, and to fight this battle out +between our two selves, with sword and buckler and bascinet as gentles +should, and not in a wrestling match like two country hodges." + +"Thou art a coward caitiff, Walter Blunt!" burst out Wilkes, who stood +by with a swelling lump upon his head, already as big as a walnut. "Well +thou knowest that Falworth is no match for thee at broadsword play. Is +he not four years younger than thou, and hast thou not had three times +the practice in arms that he hath had? I say thou art a coward to seek +to fight with cutting weapons." + +Blunt made no answer to Wilkes's speech, but gazed steadfastly at Myles, +with a scornful smile curling the corners of his lips. Myles stood +looking upon the ground without once lifting his eyes, not knowing what +to answer, for he was well aware that he was no match for Blunt with the +broadsword. + +"Thou art afraid to fight me, Myles Falworth," said Blunt, tauntingly, +and the bachelors gave a jeering laugh in echo. + +Then Myles looked up, and I cannot say that his face was not a trifle +whiter than usual. "Nay," said he, "I am not afraid, and I will fight +thee, Blunt." + +"So be it," said Blunt. "Then let us go at it straightway in the armory +yonder, for they be at dinner in the Great Hall, and just now there +be'st no one by to stay us." + +"Thou shalt not fight him, Myles!" burst out Gascoyne. "He will murther +thee! Thou shalt not fight him, I say!" + +Myles turned away without answering him. + +"What is to do?" called one of those who were still looking out of the +windows as the crowd of boys passed beneath. + +"Blunt and Falworth are going to fight it out hand to hand in the +armory," answered one of the bachelors, looking up. + +The brawling of the squires was a jest to all the adjoining part of the +house. So the heads were withdrawn again, some laughing at the "sparring +of the cockerels." + +But it was no jesting matter to poor Myles. + + + +CHAPTER 16 + +I have no intention to describe the fight between Myles Falworth and +Walter Blunt. Fisticuffs of nowadays are brutal and debasing enough, but +a fight with a sharp-edged broadsword was not only brutal and debasing, +but cruel and bloody as well. + +From the very first of the fight Myles Falworth was palpably and +obviously overmatched. After fifteen minutes had passed, Blunt stood +hale and sound as at first; but poor Myles had more than one red stain +of warm blood upon doublet and hose, and more than one bandage had been +wrapped by Gascoyne and Wilkes about sore wounds. + +He had received no serious injury as yet, for not only was his body +protected by a buckler, or small oblong shield, which he carried upon +his left arm, and his head by a bascinet, or light helmet of steel, but +perhaps, after all, Blunt was not over-anxious to do him any dangerous +harm. Nevertheless, there could be but one opinion as to how the fight +tended, and Myles's friends were gloomy and downcast; the bachelors +proportionately exultant, shouting with laughter, and taunting Myles at +every unsuccessful stroke. + +Once, as he drew back panting, leaning upon Gascoyne's shoulder, the +faithful friend whispered, with trembling lips: "Oh, dear Myles, carry +it no further. Thou hurtest him not, and he will slay thee ere he have +done with thee." + +Thereupon Blunt, who caught the drift of the speech, put in a word. +"Thou art sore hurt, Myles Falworth," said he, "and I would do thee no +grievous harm. Yield thee and own thyself beaten, and I will forgive +thee. Thou hast fought a good fight, and there is no shame in yielding +now." + +"Never!" cried Myles, hoarsely--"never will I yield me! Thou mayst slay +me, Walter Blunt, and I reck not if thou dost do so, but never else wilt +thou conquer me." + +There was a tone of desperation in his voice that made all look serious. + +"Nay," said Blunt; "I will fight thee no more, Myles Falworth; thou hast +had enough." + +"By heavens!" cried Myles, grinding his teeth, "thou shalt fight me, +thou coward! Thou hast brought this fight upon us, and either thou or I +get our quittance here. Let go, Gascoyne!" he cried, shaking loose his +friend's hold; "I tell thee he shall fight me!" + +From that moment Blunt began to lose his head. No doubt he had not +thought of such a serious fight as this when he had given his challenge, +and there was a savage bull-dog tenacity about Myles that could not but +have had a somewhat demoralizing effect upon him. + +A few blows were given and taken, and then Myles's friends gave a shout. +Blunt drew back, and placed his hand to his shoulder. When he drew +it away again it was stained with red, and another red stain grew and +spread rapidly down the sleeve of his jacket. He stared at his hand for +a moment with a half-dazed look, and then glanced quickly to right and +left. + +"I will fight no more," said he, sullenly. + +"Then yield thee!" cried Myles, exultantly. + +The triumphant shouts of the Knights of the Rose stung Blunt like a +lash, and the battle began again. Perhaps some of the older lads were of +a mind to interfere at this point, certainly some looked very serious, +but before they interposed, the fight was ended. + +Blunt, grinding his teeth, struck one undercut at his opponent--the +same undercut that Myles had that time struck at Sir James Lee at the +knight's bidding when he first practised at the Devlen pels. Myles +met the blow as Sir James had met the blow that he had given, and then +struck in return as Sir James had struck--full and true. The bascinet +that Blunt wore glanced the blow partly, but not entirely. Myles felt +his sword bite through the light steel cap, and Blunt dropped his own +blade clattering upon the floor. It was all over in an instant, but in +that instant what he saw was stamped upon Myles's mind with an indelible +imprint. He saw the young man stagger backward; he saw the eyes roll +upward; and a red streak shoot out from under the cap and run down +across the cheek. + +Blunt reeled half around, and then fell prostrate upon his face; and +Myles stood staring at him with the delirious turmoil of his battle +dissolving rapidly into a dumb fear at that which he had done. + +Once again he had won the victory--but what a victory! "Is he dead?" he +whispered to Gascoyne. + +"I know not," said Gascoyne, with a very pale face. "But come away, +Myles." And he led his friend out of the room. + +Some little while later one of the bachelors came to the dormitory where +Myles, his wounds smarting and aching and throbbing, lay stretched upon +his cot, and with a very serious face bade him to go presently to Sir +James, who had just come from dinner, and was then in his office. + +By this time Myles knew that he had not slain his enemy, and his heart +was light in spite of the coming interview. There was no one in +the office but Sir James and himself, and Myles, without concealing +anything, told, point by point, the whole trouble. Sir James sat looking +steadily at him for a while after he had ended. + +"Never," said he, presently, "did I know any one of ye squires, in all +the time that I have been here, get himself into so many broils as thou, +Myles Falworth. Belike thou sought to take this lad's life." + +"Nay," said Myles, earnestly; "God forbid!" + +"Ne'theless," said Sir James, "thou fetched him a main shrewd blow; and +it is by good hap, and no fault of thine, that he will live to do more +mischief yet. This is thy second venture at him; the third time, haply, +thou wilt end him for good." Then suddenly assuming his grimmest and +sternest manner: "Now, sirrah, do I put a stop to this, and no more +shall ye fight with edged tools. Get thee to the dormitory, and abide +there a full week without coming forth. Michael shall bring thee bread +and water twice a day for that time. That is all the food thou shalt +have, and we will see if that fare will not cool thy hot humors withal." + +Myles had expected a punishment so much more severe than that which was +thus meted to him, that in the sudden relief he broke into a convulsive +laugh, and then, with a hasty sweep, wiped a brimming moisture from his +eyes. + +Sir James looked keenly at him for a moment. "Thou art white i' the +face," said he. "Art thou wounded very sorely?" + +"Nay" said Myles, "it is not much; but I be sick in my stomach." + +"Aye, aye," said Sir James; "I know that feeling well. It is thus +that one always feeleth in coming out from a sore battle when one hath +suffered wounds and lost blood. An thou wouldst keep thyself hale, keep +thyself from needless fighting. Now go thou to the dormitory, and, as I +said, come thou not forth again for a week. Stay, sirrah!" he added; "I +will send Georgebarber to thee to look to thy sores. Green wounds are +best drawn and salved ere they grow cold." + +I wonder what Myles would have thought had he known that so soon as +he had left the office, Sir James had gone straight to the Earl and +recounted the whole matter to him, with a deal of dry gusto, and that +the Earl listened laughing. + +"Aye," said he, when Sir James had done, "the boy hath mettle, sure. +Nevertheless, we must transplant this fellow Blunt to the office of +gentleman-in-waiting. He must be old enough now, and gin he stayeth in +his present place, either he will do the boy a harm, or the boy will do +him a harm." + +So Blunt never came again to trouble the squires' quarters; and +thereafter the youngsters rendered no more service to the elders. + +Myles's first great fight in life was won. + + + +CHAPTER 17 + +The summer passed away, and the bleak fall came. Myles had long since +accepted his position as one set apart from the others of his kind, and +had resigned himself to the evident fact that he was never to serve +in the household in waiting upon the Earl. I cannot say that it never +troubled him, but in time there came a compensation of which I shall +have presently to speak. + +And then he had so much the more time to himself. The other lads were +sometimes occupied by their household duties when sports were afoot +in which they would liked to have taken part. Myles was always free +to enter into any matter of the kind after his daily exercise had been +performed at the pels, the butts, or the tilting-court. + +But even though he was never called to do service in "my Lord's house," +he was not long in gaining a sort of second-hand knowledge of all the +family. My Lady, a thin, sallow, faded dame, not yet past middle age, +but looking ten years older. The Lady Anne, the daughter of the house; +a tall, thin, dark-eyed, dark-haired, handsome young dame of twenty or +twenty-one years of age, hawk-nosed like her father, and silent, proud, +and haughty, Myles heard the squires say. Lady Alice, the Earl of +Mackworth's niece and ward, a great heiress in her own right, a +strikingly pretty black-eyed girl of fourteen or fifteen. + +These composed the Earl's personal family; but besides them was Lord +George Beaumont, his Earl's brother, and him Myles soon came to know +better than any of the chief people of the castle excepting Sir James +Lee. + +For since Myles's great battle in the armory, Lord George had taken a +laughing sort of liking to the lad, encouraging him at times to talk of +his adventures, and of his hopes and aspirations. + +Perhaps the Earl's younger brother--who was himself somewhat a soldier +of fortune, having fought in Spain, France, and Germany--felt a certain +kinship in spirit with the adventurous youngster who had his unfriended +way to make in the world. However that might have been, Lord George was +very kind and friendly to the lad, and the willing service that Myles +rendered him reconciled him not a little to the Earl's obvious neglect. + +Besides these of the more immediate family of the Earl were a number +of knights, ladies, and gentlemen, some of them cadets, some of them +retainers, of the house of Beaumont, for the princely nobles of those +days lived in state little less royal than royalty itself. + +Most of the knights and gentlemen Myles soon came to know by sight, +meeting them in Lord George's apartments in the south wing of the great +house, and some of them, following the lead of Lord George, singled him +out for friendly notice, giving him a nod or a word in passing. + + +Every season has its pleasures for boys, and the constant change that +they bring is one of the greatest delights of boyhood's days. + +All of us, as we grow older, have in our memory pictures of by-gone +times that are somehow more than usually vivid, the colors of some not +blurring by time as others do. One of which, in remembering, always +filled Myles's heart in after-years with an indefinable pleasure, was +the recollection of standing with others of his fellow squires in the +crisp brown autumn grass of the paddock, and shooting with the long-bow +at wildfowl, which, when the east wind was straining, flew low overhead +to pitch to the lake in the forbidden precincts of the deer park beyond +the brow of the hill. More than once a brace or two of these wildfowl, +shot in their southward flight by the lads and cooked by fat, +good-natured Mother Joan, graced the rude mess-table of the squires in +the long hall, and even the toughest and fishiest drake, so the fruit +of their skill, had a savor that, somehow or other, the daintiest fare +lacked in after-years. + +Then fall passed and winter came, bleak, cold, and dreary--not winter as +we know it nowadays, with warm fires and bright lights to make the long +nights sweet and cheerful with comfort, but winter with all its grimness +and sternness. In the great cold stone-walled castles of those days the +only fire and almost the only light were those from the huge blazing +logs that roared and crackled in the great open stone fireplace, around +which the folks gathered, sheltering their faces as best they could from +the scorching heat, and cloaking their shoulders from the biting cold, +for at the farther end of the room, where giant shadows swayed and +bowed and danced huge and black against the high walls, the white frost +glistened in the moonlight on the stone pavements, and the breath went +up like smoke. + +In those days were no books to read, but at the best only rude stories +and jests, recited by some strolling mummer or minstrel to the listening +circle, gathered around the blaze and welcoming the coarse, gross jests, +and coarser, grosser songs with roars of boisterous laughter. + +Yet bleak and dreary as was the winter in those days, and cold and +biting as was the frost in the cheerless, windy halls and corridors of +the castle, it was not without its joys to the young lads; for then, as +now, boys could find pleasure even in slushy weather, when the sodden +snow is fit for nothing but to make snowballs of. + +Thrice that bitter winter the moat was frozen over, and the lads, making +themselves skates of marrow-bones, which they bought from the hall cook +at a groat a pair, went skimming over the smooth surface, red-checked +and shouting, while the crows and the jackdaws looked down at them from +the top of the bleak gray walls. + +Then at Yule-tide, which was somewhat of a rude semblance to the Merry +Christmas season of our day, a great feast was held in the hall, and all +the castle folk were fed in the presence of the Earl and the Countess. +Oxen and sheep were roasted whole; huge suet puddings, made of barley +meal sweetened with honey and stuffed with plums, were boiled in great +caldrons in the open courtyard; whole barrels of ale and malmsey were +broached, and all the folk, gentle and simple, were bidden to the feast. +Afterwards the minstrels danced and played a rude play, and in the +evening a miracle show was performed on a raised platform in the north +hall. + +For a week afterwards the castle was fed upon the remains of the good +things left from that great feast, until everyone grew to loathe fine +victuals, and longed for honest beef and mustard again. + +Then at last in that constant change the winter was gone, and even the +lads who had enjoyed its passing were glad when the winds blew warm once +more, and the grass showed green in sunny places, and the leader of the +wild-fowl blew his horn, as they who in the fall had flown to the south +flew, arrow-like, northward again; when the buds swelled and the leaves +burst forth once more, and crocuses and then daffodils gleamed in the +green grass, like sparks and flames of gold. + +With the spring came the out-door sports of the season; among others +that of ball--for boys were boys, and played at ball even in those +faraway days--a game called trap-ball. Even yet in some parts of England +it is played just as it was in Myles Falworth's day, and enjoyed just as +Myles and his friends enjoyed it. + +So now that the sun was warm and the weather pleasant the game of +trap-ball was in full swing every afternoon, the play-ground being an +open space between the wall that surrounded the castle grounds and that +of the privy garden--the pleasance in which the ladies of the Earl's +family took the air every day, and upon which their apartments opened. + +Now one fine breezy afternoon, when the lads were shouting and playing +at this, then their favorite game, Myles himself was at the trap +barehanded and barearmed. The wind was blowing from behind him, and, +aided perhaps by it, he had already struck three of four balls nearly +the whole length of the court--an unusual distance--and several of the +lads had gone back almost as far as the wall of the privy garden to +catch any ball that might chance to fly as far as that. Then once more +Myles struck, throwing all his strength into the blow. The ball shot up +into the air, and when it fell, it was to drop within the privy garden. + +The shouts of the young players were instantly stilled, and Gascoyne, +who stood nearest Myles, thrust his hands into his belt, giving a long +shrill whistle. + +"This time thou hast struck us all out, Myles," said he. "There be no +more play for us until we get another ball." + +The outfielders came slowly trooping in until they had gathered in a +little circle around Myles. + +"I could not help it," said Myles, in answer to their grumbling. "How +knew I the ball would fly so far? But if I ha' lost the ball, I can get +it again. I will climb the wall for it." + +"Thou shalt do naught of the kind, Myles," said Gascoyne, hastily. +"Thou art as mad as a March hare to think of such a venture! Wouldst get +thyself shot with a bolt betwixt the ribs, like poor Diccon Cook?" + +Of all places about the castle the privy garden was perhaps the most +sacred. It was a small plot of ground, only a few rods long and wide, +and was kept absolutely private for the use of the Countess and her +family. Only a little while before Myles had first come to Devlen, +one of the cook's men had been found climbing the wall, whereupon the +soldier who saw him shot him with his cross bow. The poor fellow dropped +from the wall into the garden, and when they found him, he still held +a bunch of flowers in his hand, which he had perhaps been gathering for +his sweetheart. + +Had Myles seen him carried on a litter to the infirmary as Gascoyne +and some of the others had done, he might have thought twice before +venturing to enter the ladies' private garden. As it was, he only shook +his stubborn head, and said again, "I will climb the wall and fetch it." + +Now at the lower extremity of the court, and about twelve or fifteen +feet distant from the garden wall, there grew a pear-tree, some of the +branches of which overhung into the garden beyond. So, first making sure +that no one was looking that way, and bidding the others keep a sharp +lookout, Myles shinned up this tree, and choosing one of the thicker +limbs, climbed out upon it for some little distance. Then lowering his +body, he hung at arm's-length, the branch bending with his weight, and +slowly let himself down hand under hand, until at last he hung directly +over the top of the wall, and perhaps a foot above it. Below him he +could see the leafy top of an arbor covered with a thick growth of +clematis, and even as he hung there he noticed the broad smooth +walks, the grassy terrace in front of the Countess's apartments in the +distance, the quaint flower-beds, the yew-trees trimmed into odd shapes, +and even the deaf old gardener working bare-armed in the sunlight at a +flower-bed in the far corner by the tool-house. + +The top of the wall was pointed like a house roof, and immediately below +him was covered by a thick growth of green moss, and it flashed through +his mind as he hung there that maybe it would offer a very slippery +foothold for one dropping upon the steep slopes of the top. But it was +too late to draw back now. + +Bracing himself for a moment, he loosed his hold upon the limb above. +The branch flew back with a rush, and he dropped, striving to grasp the +sloping angle with his feet. Instantly the treacherous slippery moss +slid away from beneath him; he made a vain clutch at the wall, his +fingers sliding over the cold stones, then, with a sharp exclamation, +down he pitched bodily into the garden beneath! A thousand thoughts +flew through his brain like a cloud of flies, and then a leafy greenness +seemed to strike up against him. A splintering crash sounded in his +ears as the lattice top of the arbor broke under him, and with one final +clutch at the empty air he fell heavily upon the ground beneath. + +He heard a shrill scream that seemed to find an instant echo; even as +he fell he had a vision of faces and bright colors, and when he sat up, +dazed and bewildered, he found himself face to face with the Lady Anne, +the daughter of the house, and her cousin, the Lady Alice, who clutching +one another tightly, stood staring at him with wide scared eyes. + + + +CHAPTER 18 + +For a little time there was a pause of deep silence, during which the +fluttering leaves came drifting down from the broken arbor above. + +It was the Lady Anne who first spoke. "Who art thou, and whence comest +thou?" said she, tremulously. + +Then Myles gathered himself up sheepishly. "My name is Myles Falworth," +said he, "and I am one of the squires of the body." + +"Oh! aye!" said the Lady Alice, suddenly. "Me thought I knew thy face. +Art thou not the young man that I have seen in Lord George's train?" + +"Yes, lady," said Myles, wrapping and twining a piece of the broken vine +in and out among his fingers. "Lord George hath often had me of late +about his person." + +"And what dost thou do here, sirrah?" said Lady Anne, angrily. "How +darest thou come so into our garden?" + +"I meant not to come as I did," said Myles, clumsily, and with a face +hot and red. "But I slipped over the top of the wall and fell hastily +into the garden. Truly, lady, I meant ye no harm or fright thereby." + +He looked so drolly abashed as he stood before them, with his clothes +torn and soiled from the fall, his face red, and his eyes downcast, all +the while industriously twisting the piece of clematis in and around his +fingers, that Lady Anne's half-frightened anger could not last. She and +her cousin exchanged glances, and smiled at one another. + +"But," said she at last, trying to draw her pretty brows together into a +frown, "tell me; why didst thou seek to climb the wall?" + +"I came to seek a ball," said Myles, "which I struck over hither from +the court beyond." + +"And wouldst thou come into our privy garden for no better reason than +to find a ball?" said the young lady. + +"Nay," said Myles; "it was not so much to find the ball, but, in good +sooth, I did truly strike it harder than need be, and so, gin I lost the +ball, I could do no less than come and find it again, else our sport is +done for the day. So it was I came hither." + +The two young ladies had by now recovered from their fright. The Lady +Anne slyly nudged her cousin with her elbow, and the younger could not +suppress a half-nervous laugh. Myles heard it, and felt his face grow +hotter and redder than ever. + +"Nay," said Lady Anne, "I do believe Master Giles--" + +"My name be'st Myles," corrected Myles. + +"Very well, then, Master Myles, I say I do believe that thou meanest +no harm in coming hither; ne'theless it was ill of thee so to do. An my +father should find thee here, he would have thee shrewdly punished for +such trespassing. Dost thou not know that no one is permitted to enter +this place--no, not even my uncle George? One fellow who came hither to +steal apples once had his ears shaven close to his head, and not more +than a year ago one of the cook's men who climbed the wall early one +morning was shot by the watchman." + +"Aye," said Myles, "I knew of him who was shot, and it did go somewhat +against my stomach to venture, knowing what had happed to him. +Ne'theless, an I gat not the ball, how were we to play more to-day at +the trap?" + +"Marry, thou art a bold fellow, I do believe me," said the young lady, +"and sin thou hast come in the face of such peril to get thy ball, thou +shalt not go away empty. Whither didst thou strike it?" + +"Over yonder by the cherry-tree," said Myles, jerking his head in that +direction. "An I may go get it, I will trouble ye no more." As he spoke +he made a motion to leave them. + +"Stay!" said the Lady Anne, hastily; "remain where thou art. An thou +cross the open, some one may haply see thee from the house, and will +give the alarm, and thou wilt be lost. I will go get thy ball." + +And so she left Myles and her cousin, crossing the little plots of grass +and skirting the rosebushes to the cherry-tree. + +When Myles found himself alone with Lady Alice, he knew not where to +look or what to do, but twisted the piece of clematis which he still +held in and out more industriously than ever. + +Lady Alice watched him with dancing eyes for a little while. "Haply thou +wilt spoil that poor vine," said she by-and-by, breaking the silence and +laughing, then turning suddenly serious again. "Didst thou hurt thyself +by thy fall?" + +"Nay," said Myles, looking up, "such a fall as that was no great matter. +Many and many a time I have had worse." + +"Hast thou so?" said the Lady Alice. "Thou didst fright me parlously, +and my coz likewise." + +Myles hesitated for a moment, and then blurted out, "Thereat I grieve, +for thee I would not fright for all the world." + +The young lady laughed and blushed. "All the world is a great matter," +said she. + +"Yea," said he, "it is a great matter; but it is a greater matter to +fright thee, and so I would not do it for that, and more." + +The young lady laughed again, but she did not say anything further, and +a space of silence fell so long that by-and-by she forced herself to +say, "My cousin findeth not the ball presently." + +"Nay," said Myles, briefly, and then again neither spoke, until +by-and-by the Lady Anne came, bringing the ball. Myles felt a great +sense of relief at that coming, and yet was somehow sorry. Then he took +the ball, and knew enough to bow his acknowledgment in a manner neither +ill nor awkward. + +"Didst thou hurt thyself?" asked Lady Anne. + +"Nay," said Myles, giving himself a shake; "seest thou not I be whole, +limb and bone? Nay, I have had shrewdly worse falls than that. Once I +fell out of an oak-tree down by the river and upon a root, and bethought +me I did break a rib or more. And then one time when I was a boy in +Crosbey-Dale--that was where I lived before I came hither--I did catch +me hold of the blade of the windmill, thinking it was moving slowly, and +that I would have a ride i' th' air, and so was like to have had a fall +ten thousand times worse than this." + +"Oh, tell us more of that!" said the Lady Anne, eagerly. "I did never +hear of such an adventure as that. Come, coz, and sit down here upon the +bench, and let us have him tell us all of that happening." + +Now the lads upon the other side of the wall had been whistling +furtively for some time, not knowing whether Myles had broken his neck +or had come off scot-free from his fall. "I would like right well to +stay with ye," said he, irresolutely, "and would gladly tell ye that and +more an ye would have me to do so; but hear ye not my friends call me +from beyond? Mayhap they think I break my back, and are calling to see +whether I be alive or no. An I might whistle them answer and toss me +this ball to them, all would then be well, and they would know that I +was not hurt, and so, haply, would go away." + +"Then answer them," said the Lady Anne, "and tell us of that thing thou +spokest of anon--how thou tookest a ride upon the windmill. We young +ladies do hear little of such matters, not being allowed to talk with +lads. All that we hear of perils are of knights and ladies and jousting, +and such like. It would pleasure us right well to have thee tell of thy +adventures." + +So Myles tossed back the ball, and whistled in answer to his friends. + +Then he told the two young ladies not only of his adventure upon the +windmill, but also of other boyish escapades, and told them well, with +a straightforward smack and vigor, for he enjoyed adventure and loved to +talk of it. In a little while he had regained his ease; his shyness and +awkwardness left him, and nothing remained but the delightful fact that +he was really and actually talking to two young ladies, and that with +just as much ease and infinitely more pleasure than could be had in +discourse with his fellow-squires. But at last it was time for him to +go. "Marry," said he, with a half-sigh, "methinks I did never ha' so +sweet and pleasant a time in all my life before. Never did I know a +real lady to talk with, saving only my mother, and I do tell ye +plain methinks I would rather talk with ye than with any he in +Christendom--saving, perhaps, only my friend Gascoyne. I would I might +come hither again." + +The honest frankness of his speech was irresistible; the two girls +exchanged glances and then began laughing. "Truly," said Lady Anne, who, +as was said before, was some three or four years older than Myles, +"thou art a bold lad to ask such a thing. How wouldst thou come hither? +Wouldst tumble through our clematis arbor again, as thou didst this +day?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I would not do that again, but if ye will bid me do +so, I will find the means to come hither." + +"Nay," said Lady Anne, "I dare not bid thee do such a foolhardy thing. +Nevertheless, if thou hast the courage to come--" + +"Yea," said Myles, eagerly, "I have the courage." + +"Then, if thou hast so, we will be here in the garden on Saturday next +at this hour. I would like right well to hear more of thy adventures. +But what didst thou say was thy name? I have forgot it again." + +"It is Myles Falworth." + +"Then we shall yclep thee Sir Myles, for thou art a soothly +errant-knight. And stay! Every knight must have a lady to serve. How +wouldst thou like my Cousin Alice here for thy true lady?" + +"Aye," said Myles, eagerly, "I would like it right well." And then he +blushed fiery red at his boldness. + +"I want no errant-knight to serve me," said the Lady Alice, blushing, +in answer. "Thou dost ill tease me, coz! An thou art so free in choosing +him a lady to serve, thou mayst choose him thyself for thy pains." + +"Nay," said the Lady Anne, laughing; "I say thou shalt be his true lady, +and he shall be thy true knight. Who knows? Perchance he may serven thee +in some wondrous adventure, like as Chaucer telleth of. But now, Sir +Errant-Knight, thou must take thy leave of us, and I must e'en let thee +privily out by the postern-wicket. And if thou wilt take the risk upon +thee and come hither again, prithee be wary in that coming, lest in +venturing thou have thine ears clipped in most unknightly fashion." + +That evening, as he and Gascoyne sat together on a bench under the trees +in the great quadrangle, Myles told of his adventure of the afternoon, +and his friend listened with breathless interest. + +"But, Myles," cried Gascoyne, "did the Lady Anne never once seem proud +and unkind?" + +"Nay," said Myles; "only at first, when she chid me for falling through +the roof of their arbor. And to think, Francis! Lady Anne herself +bade me hold the Lady Alice as my true lady, and to serve her in all +knightliness!" Then he told his friend that he was going to the privy +garden again on the next Saturday, and that the Lady Anne had given him +permission so to do. + +Gascoyne gave a long, wondering whistle, and then sat quite still, +staring into the sky. By-and-by he turned to his friend and said, "I +give thee my pledge, Myles Falworth, that never in all my life did I +hear of any one that had such marvellous strange happenings befall him +as thou." + + +Whenever the opportunity occurred for sending a letter to Crosbey-Holt, +Myles wrote one to his mother; and one can guess how they were treasured +by the good lady, and read over and over again to the blind old Lord as +he sat staring into darkness with his sightless eyes. + +About the time of this escapade he wrote a letter telling of those +doings, wherein, after speaking of his misadventure of falling from the +wall, and of his acquaintance with the young ladies, he went on to speak +of the matter in which he repeated his visits. The letter was worded +in the English of that day--the quaint and crabbed language in which +Chaucer wrote. Perhaps few boys could read it nowadays, so, modernizing +it somewhat, it ran thus: + +"And now to let ye weet that thing that followed that happening that +made me acquaint with they two young Damoiselles. I take me to the south +wall of that garden one day four and twenty great spikes, which Peter +Smith did forge for me and for which I pay him fivepence, and that all +the money that I had left of my half-year's wage, and wot not where I +may get more at these present, withouten I do betake me to Sir James, +who, as I did tell ye, hath consented to hold those moneys that Prior +Edward gave me till I need them. + +"Now these same spikes, I say, I take me them down behind the corner of +the wall, and there drave them betwixt the stones, my very dear comrade +and true friend Gascoyne holping me thereto to do. And so come Saturday, +I climb me over the wall and to the roof of the tool-house below, +seeking a fitting opportunity when I might so do without being in too +great jeopardy. + +"Yea; and who should be there but they two ladies, biding my coming, +who, seeing me, made as though they had expected me not, and gave me +greatest rebuke for adventuring so moughtily. Yet, methinks, were they +right well pleasured that I should so aventure, which indeed I might not +otherwise do, seeing as I have telled to thee, that one of them is mine +own true lady for to serven, and so was the only way that I might come +to speech with her." + +Such was Myles's own quaint way of telling how he accomplished his aim +of visiting the forbidden garden, and no doubt the smack of adventure +and the savor of danger in the undertaking recommended him not a little +to the favor of the young ladies. + +After this first acquaintance perhaps a month passed, during which Myles +had climbed the wall some half a dozen times (for the Lady Anne +would not permit of too frequent visits), and during which the first +acquaintance of the three ripened rapidly to an honest, pleasant +friendship. More than once Myles, when in Lord George's train, caught +a covert smile or half nod from one or both of the girls, not a little +delightful in its very secret friendliness. + + + +CHAPTER 19 + +As was said, perhaps a month passed; then Myles's visits came to an +abrupt termination, and with it ended, in a certain sense, a chapter of +his life. + +One Saturday afternoon he climbed the garden wall, and skirting behind +a long row of rosebushes that screened him from the Countess's terrace, +came to a little summer-house where the two young ladies had appointed +to meet him that day. + +A pleasant half-hour or so was passed, and then it was time for Myles +to go. He lingered for a while before he took his final leave, leaning +against the door-post, and laughingly telling how he and some of his +brother squires had made a figure of straw dressed in men's clothes, and +had played a trick with it one night upon a watchman against whom they +bore a grudge. + +The young ladies were listening with laughing faces, when suddenly, as +Myles looked, he saw the smile vanish from Lady Alice's eyes and a wide +terror take its place. She gave a half-articulate cry, and rose abruptly +from the bench upon which she was sitting. + +Myles turned sharply, and then his very heart seemed to stand still +within him; for there, standing in the broad sunlight without, and +glaring in upon the party with baleful eyes, was the Earl of Mackworth +himself. + +How long was the breathless silence that followed, Myles could never +tell. He knew that the Lady Anne had also risen, and that she and her +cousin were standing as still as statues. Presently the Earl pointed to +the house with his staff, and Myles noted stupidly how it trembled in +his hand. + +"Ye wenches," said he at last, in a hard, harsh voice--"ye wenches, what +meaneth this? Would ye deceive me so, and hold parlance thus secretly +with this fellow? I will settle with him anon. Meantime get ye +straightway to the house and to your rooms, and there abide until I give +ye leave to come forth again. Go, I say!" + +"Father," said Lady Anne, in a breathless voice--she was as white as +death, and moistened her lips with her tongue before she spoke--"father, +thou wilt not do harm to this young man. Spare him, I do beseech thee, +for truly it was I who bade him come hither. I know that he would not +have come but at our bidding." + +The Earl stamped his foot upon the gravel. "Did ye not hear me?" said +he, still pointing towards the house with his trembling staff. "I bade +ye go to your rooms. I will settle with this fellow, I say, as I deem +fitting." + +"Father," began Lady Anne again; but the Earl made such a savage gesture +that poor Lady Alice uttered a faint shriek, and Lady Anne stopped +abruptly, trembling. Then she turned and passed out the farther door of +the summerhouse, poor little Lady Alice following, holding her tight +by the skirts, and trembling and shuddering as though with a fit of the +ague. + +The Earl stood looking grimly after them from under his shaggy eyebrows, +until they passed away behind the yew-trees, appeared again upon the +terrace behind, entered the open doors of the women's house, and were +gone. Myles heard their footsteps growing fainter and fainter, but he +never raised his eyes. Upon the ground at his feet were four pebbles, +and he noticed how they almost made a square, and would do so if he +pushed one of them with his toe, and then it seemed strange to him that +he should think of such a little foolish thing at that dreadful time. + +He knew that the Earl was looking gloomily at him, and that his face +must be very pale. Suddenly Lord Mackworth spoke. "What hast thou to +say?" said he, harshly. + +Then Myles raised his eyes, and the Earl smiled grimly as he looked his +victim over. "I have naught to say," said the lad, huskily. + +"Didst thou not hear what my daughter spake but now?" said the Earl. +"She said that thou came not of thy own free-will; what sayst thou to +that, sirrah--is it true?" + +Myles hesitated for a moment or two; his throat was tight and dry. +"Nay," said he at last, "she belieth herself. It was I who first came +into the garden. I fell by chance from the tree yonder--I was seeking +a ball--then I asked those two if I might not come hither again, and so +have done some several times in all. But as for her--nay; it was not at +her bidding that I came, but through mine own asking." + +The Earl gave a little grunt in his throat. "And how often hast thou +been here?" said he, presently. + +Myles thought a moment or two. "This maketh the seventh time," said he. + +Another pause of silence followed, and Myles began to pluck up some +heart that maybe all would yet be well. The Earl's next speech dashed +that hope into a thousand fragments. "Well thou knowest," said he, "that +it is forbid for any to come here. Well thou knowest that twice have men +been punished for this thing that thou hast done, and yet thou camest in +spite of all. Now dost thou know what thou wilt suffer?" + +Myles picked with nervous fingers at a crack in the oaken post against +which he leaned. "Mayhap thou wilt kill me," said he at last, in a dull, +choking voice. + +Again the Earl smiled a grim smile. "Nay," said he, "I would not slay +thee, for thou hast gentle blood. But what sayest thou should I shear +thine ears from thine head, or perchance have thee scourged in the great +court?" + +The sting of the words sent the blood flying back to Myles's face again, +and he looked quickly up. "Nay," said he, with a boldness that surprised +himself; "thou shalt do no such unlordly thing upon me as that. I be thy +peer, sir, in blood; and though thou mayst kill me, thou hast no right +to shame me." + +Lord Mackworth bowed with a mocking courtesy. "Marry!" said he. +"Methought it was one of mine own saucy popinjay squires that I caught +sneaking here and talking to those two foolish young lasses, and lo! it +is a young Lord--or mayhap thou art a young Prince--and commandeth +me that I shall not do this and I shall not do that. I crave your +Lordship's honorable pardon, if I have said aught that may have galled +you." + +The fear Myles had felt was now beginning to dissolve in rising wrath. +"Nay," said he, stoutly, "I be no Lord and I be no Prince, but I be as +good as thou. For am I not the son of thy onetime very true comrade and +thy kinsman--to wit, the Lord Falworth, whom, as thou knowest, is poor +and broken, and blind, and helpless, and outlawed, and banned? Yet," +cried he, grinding his teeth, as the thought of it all rushed in upon +him, "I would rather be in his place than in yours; for though he be +ruined, you--" + +He had just sense enough to stop there. + +The Earl, gripping his staff behind his back, and with his head a little +bent, was looking keenly at the lad from under his shaggy gray brows. +"Well," said he, as Myles stopped, "thou hast gone too far now to draw +back. Say thy say to the end. Why wouldst thou rather be in thy father's +stead than in mine?" + +Myles did not answer. + +"Thou shalt finish thy speech, or else show thyself a coward. Though thy +father is ruined, thou didst say I am--what?" + +Myles keyed himself up to the effort, and then blurted out, "Thou art +attainted with shame." + +A long breathless silence followed. + +"Myles Falworth," said the Earl at last (and even in the whirling of his +wits Myles wondered that he had the name so pat)--"Myles Falworth, of +all the bold, mad, hare-brained fools, thou art the most foolish. How +dost thou dare say such words to me? Dost thou not know that thou makest +thy coming punishment ten times more bitter by such a speech?" + +"Aye!" cried Myles, desperately; "but what else could I do? An I did not +say the words, thou callest me coward, and coward I am not." + +"By 'r Lady!" said the Earl, "I do believe thee. Thou art a bold, +impudent varlet as ever lived--to beard me so, forsooth! Hark'ee; thou +sayst I think naught of mine old comrade. I will show thee that thou +dost belie me. I will suffer what thou hast said to me for his sake, and +for his sake will forgive thee thy coming hither--which I would not do +in another case to any other man. Now get thee gone straightway, and +come hither no more. Yonder is the postern-gate; mayhap thou knowest the +way. But stay! How camest thou hither?" + +Myles told him of the spikes he had driven in the wall, and the Earl +listened, stroking his beard. When the lad had ended, he fixed a sharp +look upon him. "But thou drove not those spikes alone," said he; "who +helped thee do it?" + +"That I may not tell," said Myles, firmly. + +"So be it," said the Earl. "I will not ask thee to tell his name. Now +get thee gone! And as for those spikes, thou mayst e'en knock them out +of the wall, sin thou drave them in. Play no more pranks an thou wouldst +keep thy skin whole. And now go, I say!" + +Myles needed no further bidding, but turned and left the Earl without +another word. As he went out the postern-gate he looked over his +shoulder, and saw the tall figure, in its long fur-trimmed gown, still +standing in the middle of the path, looking after him from under the +shaggy eyebrows. + +As he ran across the quadrangle, his heart still fluttering in his +breast, he muttered to himself, "The old grizzle-beard; an I had not +faced him a bold front, mayhap he would have put such shame upon me +as he said. I wonder why he stood so staring after me as I left the +garden." + +Then for the time the matter slipped from his mind, saving only that +part that smacked of adventure. + + + +CHAPTER 20 + +So for a little while Myles was disposed to congratulate himself upon +having come off so well from his adventure with the Earl. But after a +day or two had passed, and he had time for second thought, he began to +misdoubt whether, after all, he might not have carried it with a better +air if he had shown more chivalrous boldness in the presence of his true +lady; whether it would not have redounded more to his credit if he had +in some way asserted his rights as the young dame's knight-errant and +defender. Was it not ignominious to resign his rights and privileges so +easily and tamely at a signal from the Earl? + +"For, in sooth," said he to Gascoyne, as the two talked the matter over, +"she hath, in a certain way, accepted me for her knight, and yet I stood +me there without saying so much as one single word in her behalf." + +"Nay," said Gascoyne, "I would not trouble me on that score. Methinks +that thou didst come off wondrous well out of the business. I would not +have thought it possible that my Lord could ha' been so patient with +thee as he showed himself. Methinks, forsooth, he must hold thee privily +in right high esteem." + +"Truly," said Myles, after a little pause of meditative silence, "I know +not of any esteem, yet I do think he was passing patient with me in this +matter. But ne'theless, Francis, that changeth not my stand in the case. +Yea, I did shamefully, so to resign my lady without speaking one word; +nor will I so resign her even yet. I have bethought me much of this +matter of late, Francis, and now I come to thee to help me from my evil +case. I would have thee act the part of a true friend to me--like that +one I have told thee of in the story of the Emperor Justinian. I would +have thee, when next thou servest in the house, to so contrive that my +Lady Alice shall get a letter which I shall presently write, and wherein +I may set all that is crooked straight again." + +"Heaven forbid," said Gascoyne, hastily, "that I should be such a fool +as to burn my fingers in drawing thy nuts from the fire! Deliver thy +letter thyself, good fellow!" + +So spoke Gascoyne, yet after all he ended, as he usually did, by +yielding to Myles's superior will and persistence. So the letter was +written and one day the good-natured Gascoyne carried it with him to the +house, and the opportunity offering, gave it to one of the young ladies +attendant upon the Countess's family--a lass with whom he had friendly +intimacy--to be delivered to Lady Alice. + +But if Myles congratulated himself upon the success of this new +adventure, it was not for long. That night, as the crowd of pages and +squires were making themselves ready for bed, the call came through the +uproar for "Myles Falworth! Myles Falworth!" + +"Here I be," cried Myles, standing up on his cot. "Who calleth me?" + +It was the groom of the Earl's bedchamber, and seeing Myles standing +thus raised above the others, he came walking down the length of the +room towards him, the wonted hubbub gradually silencing as he advanced +and the youngsters turning, staring, and wondering. + +"My Lord would speak with thee, Myles Falworth," said the groom, when he +had come close enough to where Myles stood. "Busk thee and make ready; +he is at livery even now." + +The groom's words fell upon Myles like a blow. He stood for a while +staring wide-eyed. "My Lord speak with me, sayst thou!" he ejaculated at +last. + +"Aye," said the other, impatiently; "get thee ready quickly. I must +return anon." + +Myles's head was in a whirl as he hastily changed his clothes for a +better suit, Gascoyne helping him. What could the Earl want with him at +this hour? He knew in his heart what it was; the interview could concern +nothing but the letter that he had sent to Lady Alice that day. As he +followed the groom through the now dark and silent courts, and across +the corner of the great quadrangle, and so to the Earl's house, he tried +to brace his failing courage to meet the coming interview. Nevertheless, +his heart beat tumultuously as he followed the other down the long +corridor, lit only by a flaring link set in a wrought-iron bracket. Then +his conductor lifted the arras at the door of the bedchamber, whence +came the murmuring sound of many voices, and holding it aside, beckoned +him to enter, and Myles passed within. At the first, he was conscious +of nothing but a crowd of people, and of the brightness of many lighted +candles; then he saw that he stood in a great airy room spread with a +woven mat of rushes. On three sides the walls were hung with tapestry +representing hunting and battle scenes, at the farther end, where the +bed stood, the stone wall of the fourth side was covered with cloth of +blue, embroidered with silver goshawks. Even now, in the ripe springtime +of May, the room was still chilly, and a great fire roared and crackled +in the huge gaping mouth of the stone fireplace. Not far from the blaze +were clustered the greater part of those present, buzzing in talk, now +and then swelled by murmuring laughter. Some of those who knew Myles +nodded to him, and two or three spoke to him as he stood waiting, whilst +the groom went forward to speak to the Earl; though what they said and +what he answered, Myles, in his bewilderment and trepidation, hardly +knew. + +As was said before, the livery was the last meal of the day, and was +taken in bed. It was a simple repast--a manchette, or small loaf of +bread of pure white flour, a loaf of household bread, sometimes a lump +of cheese, and either a great flagon of ale or of sweet wine, warm +and spiced. The Earl was sitting upright in bed, dressed in a furred +dressing-gown, and propped up by two cylindrical bolsters of crimson +satin. Upon the coverlet, and spread over his knees, was a large wide +napkin of linen fringed with silver thread, and on it rested a silver +tray containing the bread and some cheese. Two pages and three gentlemen +were waiting upon him, and Mad Noll, the jester, stood at the head of +the bed, now and then jingling his bawble and passing some quaint jest +upon the chance of making his master smile. Upon a table near by were +some dozen or so waxen tapers struck upon as many spiked candlesticks +of silver-gilt, and illuminating that end of the room with their bright +twinkling flames. One of the gentlemen was in the act of serving the +Earl with a goblet of wine, poured from a silver ewer by one of the +squires, as the groom of the chamber came forward and spoke. The Earl, +taking the goblet, turned his head, and as Myles looked, their eyes met. +Then the Earl turned away again and raised the cup to his lips, while +Myles felt his heart beat more rapidly than ever. + +But at last the meal was ended, and the Earl washed his hands and his +mouth and his beard from a silver basin of scented water held by another +one of the squires. Then, leaning back against the pillows, he beckoned +to Myles. + +In answer Myles walked forward the length of the room, conscious that +all eyes were fixed upon him. The Earl said something, and those who +stood near drew back as he came forward. Then Myles found himself +standing beside the bed, looking down upon the quilted counterpane, +feeling that the other was gazing fixedly at him. + +"I sent for thee," said the Earl at last, still looking steadily at +him, "because this afternoon came a letter to my hand which thou hadst +written to my niece, the Lady Alice. I have it here," said he, thrusting +his hand under the bolster, "and have just now finished reading it." +Then, after a moment's pause, whilst he opened the parchment and scanned +it again, "I find no matter of harm in it, but hereafter write no more +such." He spoke entirely without anger, and Myles looked up in wonder. +"Here, take it," said the Earl, folding the letter and tossing it to +Myles, who instinctively caught it, "and henceforth trouble thou my +niece no more either by letter or any other way. I thought haply thou +wouldst be at some such saucy trick, and I made Alice promise to let me +know when it happed. Now, I say, let this be an end of the matter. Dost +thou not know thou mayst injure her by such witless folly as that of +meeting her privily, and privily writing to her?" + +"I meant no harm," said Myles. + +"I believe thee," said the Earl. "That will do now; thou mayst go." + +Myles hesitated. + +"What wouldst thou say?" said Lord Mackworth. + +"Only this," said Myles, "an I have thy leave so to do, that the Lady +Alice hath chosen me to be her knight, and so, whether I may see her or +speak with her or no, the laws of chivalry give me, who am gentle born, +the right to serve her as a true knight may." + +"As a true fool may," said the Earl, dryly. "Why, how now, thou art not +a knight yet, nor anything but a raw lump of a boy. What rights do the +laws of chivalry give thee, sirrah? Thou art a fool!" + +Had the Earl been ever so angry, his words would have been less bitter +to Myles than his cool, unmoved patience; it mortified his pride and +galled it to the quick. + +"I know that thou dost hold me in contempt," he mumbled. + +"Out upon thee!" said the Earl, testily. "Thou dost tease me beyond +patience. I hold thee in contempt, forsooth! Why, look thee, hadst thou +been other than thou art, I would have had thee whipped out of my house +long since. Thinkest thou I would have borne so patiently with another +one of ye squires had such an one held secret meeting with my daughter +and niece, and tampered, as thou hast done, with my household, sending +through one of my people that letter? Go to; thou art a fool, Myles +Falworth!" + +Myles stood staring at the Earl without making an effort to speak. The +words that he had heard suddenly flashed, as it were, a new light into +his mind. In that flash he fully recognized, and for the first time, +the strange and wonderful forbearance the great Earl had shown to him, +a poor obscure boy. What did it mean? Was Lord Mackworth his secret +friend, after all, as Gascoyne had more than once asserted? So Myles +stood silent, thinking many things. + +Meantime the other lay back upon the cylindrical bolsters, looking +thoughtfully at him. "How old art thou?" said he at last. + +"Seventeen last April," answered Myles. + +"Then thou art old enough to have some of the thoughts of a man, and to +lay aside those of a boy. Haply thou hast had foolish things in thy +head this short time past; it is time that thou put them away. Harkee, +sirrah! the Lady Alice is a great heiress in her own right, and mayst +command the best alliance in England--an Earl--a Duke. She groweth apace +to a woman, and then her kind lieth in Courts and great houses. As for +thee, thou art but a poor lad, penniless and without friends to aid thee +to open advancement. Thy father is attainted, and one whisper of where +he lieth hid would bring him thence to the Tower, and haply to the +block. Besides that, he hath an enemy, as Sir James Lee hath already +told thee--an enemy perhaps more great and powerful than myself. That +enemy watcheth for thy father and for thee; shouldst thou dare raise thy +head or thy fortune ever so little, he would haply crop them both, and +that parlously quick. Myles Falworth, how dost thou dare to lift thine +eyes to the Lady Alice de Mowbray?" + +Poor Myles stood silent and motionless. "Sir," said he at last, in a +dry choking voice, "thou art right, and I have been a fool. Sir, I will +never raise mine eyes to look upon the Lady Alice more." + +"I say not that either, boy," said the Earl; "but ere thou dost so dare, +thou must first place thyself and thy family whence ye fell. Till then, +as thou art an honest man, trouble her not. Now get thee gone." + +As Myles crossed the dark and silent courtyards, and looked up at the +clear, still twinkle of the stars, he felt a kind of dull wonder that +they and the night and the world should seem so much the same, and he be +so different. + +The first stroke had been given that was to break in pieces his boyhood +life--the second was soon to follow. + + + +CHAPTER 21 + +There are now and then times in the life of every one when new and +strange things occur with such rapidity that one has hardly time to +catch one's breath between the happenings. It is as though the old were +crumbling away--breaking in pieces--to give place to the new that is +soon to take its place. + +So it was with Myles Falworth about this time. The very next day after +this interview in the bed-chamber, word came to him that Sir James Lee +wished to speak with him in the office. He found the lean, grizzled old +knight alone, sitting at the heavy oaken table with a tankard of spiced +ale at his elbow, and a dish of wafers and some fragments of cheese on a +pewter platter before him. He pointed to his clerk's seat--a joint stool +somewhat like a camp-chair, but made of heavy oaken braces and with a +seat of hog-skin--and bade Myles be seated. + +It was the first time that Myles had ever heard of such courtesy being +extended to one of the company of squires, and, much wondering, he +obeyed the invitation, or rather command, and took the seat. + +The old knight sat regarding him for a while in silence, his one eye, +as bright and as steady as that of a hawk, looking keenly from under the +penthouse of its bushy brows, the while he slowly twirled and twisted +his bristling wiry mustaches, as was his wont when in meditation. At +last he broke the silence. "How old art thou?" said he, abruptly. + +"I be turned seventeen last April," Myles answered, as he had the +evening before to Lord Mackworth. + +"Humph!" said Sir James; "thou be'st big of bone and frame for thine +age. I would that thy heart were more that of a man likewise, and less +that of a giddy, hare-brained boy, thinking continually of naught but +mischief." + +Again he fell silent, and Myles sat quite still, wondering if it was +on account of any special one of his latest escapades that he had been +summoned to the office--the breaking of the window in the Long Hall by +the stone he had flung at the rook, or the climbing of the South Tower +for the jackdaw's nest. + +"Thou hast a friend," said Sir James, suddenly breaking into his +speculations, "of such a kind that few in this world possess. Almost +ever since thou hast been here he hath been watching over thee. Canst +thou guess of whom I speak?" + +"Haply it is Lord George Beaumont," said Myles; "he hath always been +passing kind to me. + +"Nay," said Sir James, "it is not of him that I speak, though methinks +he liketh thee well enow. Canst thou keep a secret, boy?" he asked, +suddenly. + +"Yea," answered Myles. + +"And wilt thou do so in this case if I tell thee who it is that is thy +best friend here?" + +"Yea." + +"Then it is my Lord who is that friend--the Earl himself; but see that +thou breathe not a word of it." + +Myles sat staring at the old knight in utter and profound amazement, and +presently Sir James continued: "Yea, almost ever since thou hast come +here my Lord hath kept oversight upon all thy doings, upon all thy mad +pranks and thy quarrels and thy fights, thy goings out and comings in. +What thinkest thou of that, Myles Falworth?" + +Again the old knight stopped and regarded the lad, who sat silent, +finding no words to answer. He seemed to find a grim pleasure in the +youngster's bewilderment and wonder. Then a sudden thought came to +Myles. + +"Sir," said he, "did my Lord know that I went to the privy garden as I +did?" + +"Nay," said Sir James; "of that he knew naught at first until thy father +bade thy mother write and tell him." + +"My father!" ejaculated Myles. + +"Aye," said Sir James, twisting his mustaches more vigorously than ever. +"So soon as thy father heard of that prank, he wrote straightway to +my Lord that he should put a stop to what might in time have bred +mischief." + +"Sir," said Myles, in an almost breathless voice, "I know not how to +believe all these things, or whether I be awake or a-dreaming." + +"Thou be'st surely enough awake," answered the old man; "but there are +other matters yet to be told. My Lord thinketh, as others of us do--Lord +George and myself--that it is now time for thee to put away thy boyish +follies, and learn those things appertaining to manhood. Thou hast been +here a year now, and hast had freedom to do as thou might list; but, +boy,"--and the old warrior spoke seriously, almost solemnly--"upon thee +doth rest matters of such great import that did I tell them to thee thou +couldst not grasp them. My Lord deems that thou hast, mayhap, promise +beyond the common of men; ne'theless it remaineth yet to be seen an he +be right; it is yet to test whether that promise may be fulfilled. Next +Monday I and Sir Everard Willoughby take thee in hand to begin training +thee in the knowledge and the use of the jousting lance, of arms, and of +horsemanship. Thou art to go to Ralph Smith, and have him fit a suit of +plain armor to thee which he hath been charged to make for thee against +this time. So get thee gone, think well over all these matters, and +prepare thyself by next Monday. But stay, sirrah," he added, as Myles, +dazed and bewildered, turned to obey; "breathe to no living soul what +I ha' told thee--that my Lord is thy friend--neither speak of anything +concerning him. Such is his own heavy command laid upon thee." + +Then Myles turned again without a word to leave the room. But as he +reached the door Sir James stopped him a second time. + +"Stay!" he called. "I had nigh missed telling thee somewhat else. My +Lord hath made thee a present this morning that thou wottest not of. It +is"--then he stopped for a few moments, perhaps to enjoy the full flavor +of what he had to say--"it is a great Flemish horse of true breed and +right mettle; a horse such as a knight of the noblest strain might be +proud to call his own. Myles Falworth, thou wert born upon a lucky day!" + +"Sir," cried Myles, and then stopped short. Then, "Sir," he cried again, +"didst thou say it--the horse--was to be mine?" + +"Aye, it is to be thine." + +"My very own?" + +"Thy very own." + +How Myles Falworth left that place he never knew. He was like one in +some strange, some wonderful dream. He walked upon air, and his heart +was so full of joy and wonder and amazement that it thrilled almost to +agony. Of course his first thought was of Gascoyne. How he ever found +him he never could tell, but find him he did. + +"Come, Francis!" he cried, "I have that to tell thee so marvellous that +had it come upon me from paradise it could not be more strange." + +Then he dragged him away to their Eyry--it had been many a long day +since they had been there--and to all his friend's speeches, to all his +wondering questions, he answered never a word until they had climbed the +stairs, and so come to their old haunt. Then he spoke. + +"Sit thee down, Francis," said he, "till I tell thee that which passeth +wonder." As Gascoyne obeyed, he himself stood looking about him. "This +is the last time I shall ever come hither," said he. And thereupon he +poured out his heart to his listening friend in the murmuring solitude +of the airy height. He did not speak of the Earl, but of the wonderful +new life that had thus suddenly opened before him, with its golden +future of limitless hopes, of dazzling possibilities, of heroic +ambitions. He told everything, walking up and down the while--for he +could not remain quiet--his cheeks glowing and his eyes sparkling. + +Gascoyne sat quite still, staring straight before him. He knew that his +friend was ruffling eagle pinions for a flight in which he could never +hope to follow, and somehow his heart ached, for he knew that this must +be the beginning of the end of the dear, delightful friendship of the +year past. + + + +CHAPTER 22 + +And so ended Myles Falworth's boyhood. Three years followed, during +which he passed through that state which immediately follows boyhood in +all men's lives--a time when they are neither lads nor grown men, but +youths passing from the one to the other period through what is often an +uncouth and uncomfortable age. + +He had fancied, when he talked with Gascoyne in the Eyry that time, +that he was to become a man all at once; he felt just then that he had +forever done with boyish things. But that is not the way it happens in +men's lives. Changes do not come so suddenly and swiftly as that, but by +little and little. For three or four days, maybe, he went his new way of +life big with the great change that had come upon him, and then, now +in this and now in that, he drifted back very much into his old ways +of boyish doings. As was said, one's young days do not end all at once, +even when they be so suddenly and sharply shaken, and Myles was not +different from others. He had been stirred to the core by that first +wonderful sight of the great and glorious life of manhood opening before +him, but he had yet many a sport to enjoy, many a game to play, many a +boisterous romp to riot in the dormitory, many an expedition to make +to copse and spinney and river on days when he was off duty, and when +permission had been granted. + +Nevertheless, there was a great and vital change in his life; a change +which he hardly felt or realized. Even in resuming his old life there +was no longer the same vitality, the same zest, the same enjoyment in +all these things. It seemed as though they were no longer a part of +himself. The savor had gone from them, and by-and-by it was pleasanter +to sit looking on at the sports and the games of the younger lads than +to take active part in them. + +These three years of his life that had thus passed had been very full; +full mostly of work, grinding and monotonous; of training dull, dry, +laborious. For Sir James Lee was a taskmaster as hard as iron and +seemingly as cold as a stone. For two, perhaps for three, weeks Myles +entered into his new exercises with all the enthusiasm that novelty +brings; but these exercises hardly varied a tittle from day to day, and +soon became a duty, and finally a hard and grinding task. He used, in +the earlier days of his castle life, to hate the dull monotony of the +tri-weekly hacking at the pels with a heavy broadsword as he hated +nothing else; but now, though he still had that exercise to perform, it +was almost a relief from the heavy dulness of riding, riding, riding in +the tilt-yard with shield and lance--couch--recover--en passant. + +But though he had nowadays but little time for boyish plays and +escapades, his life was not altogether without relaxation. Now and +then he was permitted to drive in mock battle with other of the younger +knights and bachelors in the paddock near the outer walls. It was a +still more welcome change in the routine of his life when, occasionally, +he would break a light lance in the tilting-court with Sir Everard +Willoughby; Lord George, perhaps, and maybe one or two others of the +Hall folk, looking on. + +Then one gilded day, when Lord Dudleigh was visiting at Devlen, Myles +ran a course with a heavier lance in the presence of the Earl, who came +down to the tilt-yard with his guest to see the young novitiate ride +against Sir Everard. He did his best, and did it well. Lord Dudleigh +praised his poise and carriage, and Lord George, who was present, gave +him an approving smile and nod. But the Earl of Mackworth only sat +stroking his beard impassively, as was his custom. Myles would have +given much to know his thoughts. + +In all these years Sir James Lee almost never gave any expression either +of approbation or disapproval--excepting when Myles exhibited some +carelessness or oversight. Then his words were sharp and harsh enough. +More than once Myles's heart failed him, and bitter discouragement +took possession of him; then nothing but his bull-dog tenacity and +stubbornness brought him out from the despondency of the dark hours. + +"Sir," he burst out one day, when his heart was heavy with some failure, +"tell me, I beseech thee, do I get me any of skill at all? Is it in me +ever to make a worthy knight, fit to hold lance and sword with other +men, or am I only soothly a dull heavy block, worth naught of any good?" + +"Thou art a fool, sirrah!" answered Sir James, in his grimmest tones. +"Thinkest thou to learn all of knightly prowess in a year and a half? +Wait until thou art ripe, and then I will tell thee if thou art fit to +couch a lance or ride a course with a right knight." + +"Thou art an old bear!" muttered Myles to himself, as the old one-eyed +knight turned on his heel and strode away. "Beshrew me! an I show thee +not that I am as worthy to couch a lance as thou one of these fine +days!" + +However, during the last of the three years the grinding routine of his +training had not been quite so severe as at first. His exercises took +him more often out into the fields, and it was during this time of his +knightly education that he sometimes rode against some of the castle +knights in friendly battle with sword or lance or wooden mace. In these +encounters he always held his own; and held it more than well, though, +in his boyish simplicity, he was altogether unconscious of his own +skill, address, and strength. Perhaps it was his very honest modesty +that made him so popular and so heartily liked by all. + +He had by this time risen to the place of head squire or chief bachelor, +holding the same position that Walter Blunt had occupied when he himself +had first come, a raw country boy, to Devlen. The lesser squires +and pages fairly worshipped him as a hero, albeit imposing upon his +good-nature. All took a pride in his practice in knightly exercises, and +fabulous tales were current among the young fry concerning his strength +and skill. + +Yet, although Myles was now at the head of his class, he did not, +as other chief bachelors had done, take a leading position among the +squires in the Earl's household service. Lord Mackworth, for his own +good reasons, relegated him to the position of Lord George's especial +attendant. Nevertheless, the Earl always distinguished him from the +other esquires, giving him a cool nod whenever they met; and Myles, upon +his part--now that he had learned better to appreciate how much his Lord +had done for him--would have shed the last drop of blood in his veins +for the head of the house of Beaumont. + +As for the two young ladies, he often saw them, and sometimes, even +in the presence of the Earl, exchanged a few words with them, and Lord +Mackworth neither forbade it nor seemed to notice it. + +Towards the Lady Anne he felt the steady friendly regard of a lad for a +girl older than himself; towards the Lady Alice, now budding into ripe +young womanhood, there lay deep in his heart the resolve to be some day +her true knight in earnest as he had been her knight in pretence in that +time of boyhood when he had so perilously climbed into the privy garden. + +In body and form he was now a man, and in thought and heart was quickly +ripening to manhood, for, as was said before, men matured quickly in +those days. He was a right comely youth, for the promise of his boyish +body had been fulfilled in a tall, powerful, well-knit frame. His face +was still round and boyish, but on cheek and chin and lip was the curl +of adolescent beard--soft, yellow, and silky. His eyes were as blue +as steel, and quick and sharp in glance as those of a hawk; and as he +walked, his arms swung from his broad, square shoulders, and his body +swayed with pent-up strength ready for action at any moment. + +If little Lady Alice, hearing much talk of his doings and of his promise +in these latter times, thought of him now and then it is a matter not +altogether to be wondered at. + +Such were the changes that three years had wrought. And from now the +story of his manhood really begins. + + +Perhaps in all the history of Devlen Castle, even at this, the high tide +of pride and greatness of the house of Beaumont, the most notable time +was in the early autumn of the year 1411, when for five days King Henry +IV was entertained by the Earl of Mackworth. The King was at that time +making a progress through certain of the midland counties, and with him +travelled the Comte de Vermoise. The Count was the secret emissary of +the Dauphin's faction in France, at that time in the very bitterest +intensity of the struggle with the Duke of Burgundy, and had come to +England seeking aid for his master in his quarrel. + +It was not the first time that royalty had visited Devlen. Once, in Earl +Robert's day, King Edward II had spent a week at the castle during the +period of the Scottish wars. But at that time it was little else than a +military post, and was used by the King as such. Now the Beaumonts were +in the very flower of their prosperity, and preparations were made +for the coming visit of royalty upon a scale of such magnificence and +splendor as Earl Robert, or perhaps even King Edward himself, had never +dreamed. + +For weeks the whole castle had been alive with folk hurrying hither and +thither; and with the daily and almost hourly coming of pack-horses, +laden with bales and boxes, from London. From morning to night one heard +the ceaseless chip-chipping of the masons' hammers, and saw carriers +of stones and mortar ascending and descending the ladders of the +scaffolding that covered the face of the great North Hall. Within, that +part of the building was alive with the scraping of the carpenters' +saws, the clattering of lumber, and the rapping and banging of hammers. + +The North Hall had been assigned as the lodging place for the King and +his court, and St. George's Hall (as the older building adjoining it was +called) had been set apart as the lodging of the Comte de Vermoise and +the knights and gentlemen attendant upon him. + +The great North Hall had been very much altered and changed for the +accommodation of the King and his people; a beautiful gallery of carved +wood-work had been built within and across the south end of the room for +the use of the ladies who were to look down upon the ceremonies below. +Two additional windows had been cut through the wall and glazed, and +passage-ways had been opened connecting with the royal apartments +beyond. In the bedchamber a bed of carved wood and silver had been +built into the wall, and had been draped with hangings of pale blue and +silver, and a magnificent screen of wrought-iron and carved wood had +been erected around the couch; rich and beautiful tapestries brought +from Italy and Flanders were hung upon the walls; cushions of velvets +and silks stuffed with down covered benches and chairs. The floor of +the hall was spread with mats of rushes stained in various colors, woven +into curious patterns, and in the smaller rooms precious carpets of +arras were laid on the cold stones. + +All of the cadets of the House had been assembled; all of the +gentlemen in waiting, retainers and clients. The castle seemed full to +overflowing; even the dormitory of the squires was used as a lodging +place for many of the lesser gentry. + +So at last, in the midst of all this bustle of preparation, came the day +of days when the King was to arrive. The day before a courier had come +bringing the news that he was lodging at Donaster Abbey overnight, and +would make progress the next day to Devlen. + +That morning, as Myles was marshalling the pages and squires, and, with +the list of names in his hand, was striving to evolve some order out +of the confusion, assigning the various individuals their special +duties--these to attend in the household, those to ride in the +escort--one of the gentlemen of Lord George's household came with an +order for him to come immediately to the young nobleman's apartments. +Myles hastily turned over his duties to Gascoyne and Wilkes, and then +hurried after the messenger. He found Lord George in the antechamber, +three gentlemen squires arming him in a magnificent suit of ribbed +Milan. + +He greeted Myles with a nod and a smile as the lad entered. "Sirrah," +said he, "I have had a talk with Mackworth this morn concerning thee, +and have a mind to do thee an honor in my poor way. How wouldst thou +like to ride to-day as my special squire of escort?" + +Myles flushed to the roots of his hair. "Oh, sir!" he cried, eagerly, +"an I be not too ungainly for thy purpose, no honor in all the world +could be such joy to me as that!" + +Lord George laughed. "A little matter pleases thee hugely," said he; +"but as to being ungainly, who so sayeth that of thee belieth thee, +Myles; thou art not ungainly, sirrah. But that is not to the point. I +have chosen thee for my equerry to-day; so make thou haste and don thine +armor, and then come hither again, and Hollingwood will fit thee with a +wreathed bascinet I have within, and a juppon embroidered with my arms +and colors." + +When Myles had made his bow and left his patron, he flew across the +quadrangle, and burst into the armory upon Gascoyne, whom he found still +lingering there, chatting with one or two of the older bachelors. + +"What thinkest thou, Francis?" he cried, wild with excitement. "An honor +hath been done me this day I could never have hoped to enjoy. Out of +all this household, Lord George hath chose me his equerry for the day to +ride to meet the King. Come, hasten to help me to arm! Art thou not glad +of this thing for my sake, Francis?" + +"Aye, glad am I indeed!" cried Gascoyne, that generous friend; "rather +almost would I have this befall thee than myself!" And indeed he was +hardly less jubilant than Myles over the honor. + +Five minutes later he was busy arming him in the little room at the end +of the dormitory which had been lately set apart for the use of the head +bachelor. "And to think," he said, looking up as he kneeled, strapping +the thigh-plates to his friend's legs, "that he should have chosen thee +before all others of the fine knights and lords and gentlemen of quality +that are here!" + +"Yea," said Myles, "it passeth wonder. I know not why he should so +single me out for such an honor. It is strangely marvellous." + +"Nay," said Gascoyne, "there is no marvel in it, and I know right well +why he chooseth thee. It is because he sees, as we all see, that thou +art the stoutest and the best-skilled in arms, and most easy of carriage +of any man in all this place." + +Myles laughed. "An thou make sport of me," said he, "I'll rap thy head +with this dagger hilt. Thou art a silly fellow, Francis, to talk so. But +tell me, hast thou heard who rides with my Lord?" + +"Yea, I heard Wilkes say anon that it was Sir James Lee." + +"I am right glad of that," said Myles; "for then he will show me what to +do and how to bear myself. It frights me to think what would hap should +I make some mistake in my awkwardness. Methinks Lord George would never +have me with him more should I do amiss this day." + +"Never fear," said Gascoyne; "thou wilt not do amiss." + +And now, at last, the Earl, Lord George, and all their escort were +ready; then the orders were given to horse, the bugle sounded, and away +they all rode, with clashing of iron hoofs and ringing and jingling +of armor, out into the dewy freshness of the early morning, the slant +yellow sun of autumn blazing and flaming upon polished helmets and +shields, and twinkling like sparks of fire upon spear points. Myles's +heart thrilled within him for pure joy, and he swelled out his sturdy +young breast with great draughts of the sweet fresh air that came +singing across the sunny hill-tops. Sir James Lee, who acted as the +Earl's equerry for the day, rode at a little distance, and there was an +almost pathetic contrast between the grim, steadfast impassiveness of +the tough old warrior and Myles's passionate exuberance of youth. + +At the head of the party rode the Earl and his brother side by side, +each clad cap-a-pie in a suit of Milan armor, the cuirass of each +covered with a velvet juppon embroidered in silver with the arms and +quarterings of the Beaumonts. The Earl wore around his neck an "S S" +collar, with a jewelled St. George hanging from it, and upon his head a +vizored bascinet, ornamented with a wreath covered with black and yellow +velvet and glistening with jewels. + +Lord George, as was said before, was clad in a beautiful suit of ribbed +Milan armor. It was rimmed with a thin thread of gold, and, like his +brother, he wore a bascinet wreathed with black and yellow velvet. + +Behind the two brothers and their equerries rode the rest in their +proper order--knights, gentlemen, esquires, men-at-arms--to the number, +perhaps, of two hundred and fifty; spears and lances aslant, and +banners, permons, and pencels of black and yellow fluttering in the warm +September air. + +From the castle to the town they rode, and then across the bridge, and +thence clattering up through the stony streets, where the folk looked +down upon them from the windows above, or crowded the fronts of the +shops of the tradesmen. Lusty cheers were shouted for the Earl, but the +great Lord rode staring ever straight before him, as unmoved as a stone. +Then out of the town they clattered, and away in a sweeping cloud of +dust across the country-side. + +It was not until they had reached the windy top of Willoughby Croft, ten +miles away, that they met the King and his company. As the two parties +approached to within forty or fifty yards of one another they stopped. + +As they came to a halt, Myles observed that a gentleman dressed in +a plain blue-gray riding-habit, and sitting upon a beautiful white +gelding, stood a little in advance of the rest of the party, and he knew +that that must be the King. Then Sir James nodded to Myles, and leaping +from his horse, flung the reins to one of the attendants. Myles did +the like; and then, still following Sir James's lead as he served +Lord Mackworth, went forward and held Lord George's stirrup while he +dismounted. The two noblemen quickly removed each his bascinet, and +Myles, holding the bridle-rein of Lord George's horse with his left +hand, took the helmet in his right, resting it upon his hip. + +Then the two brothers walked forward bare-headed, the Earl, a little in +advance. Reaching the King he stopped, and then bent his knee--stiffly +in the armored plates--until it touched the ground. Thereupon the King +reached him his hand, and he, rising again, took it, and set it to his +lips. + +Then Lord George, advancing, kneeled as his brother had kneeled, and to +him also the King gave his hand. + +Myles could hear nothing, but he could see that a few words of greeting +passed between the three, and then the King, turning, beckoned to a +knight who stood just behind him and a little in advance of the others +of the troop. In answer, the knight rode forward; the King spoke a few +words of introduction, and the stranger, ceremoniously drawing off his +right gauntlet, clasped the hand, first of the Earl, and then of Lord +George. Myles knew that he must be the great Comte de Vermoise, of whom +he had heard so much of late. + +A few moments of conversation followed, and then the King bowed +slightly. The French nobleman instantly reined back his horse, an order +was given, and then the whole company moved forward, the two brothers +walking upon either side of the King, the Earl lightly touching the +bridle-rein with his bare hand. + +Whilst all this was passing, the Earl of Mackworth's company had been +drawn up in a double line along the road-side, leaving the way open to +the other party. As the King reached the head of the troop, another halt +followed while he spoke a few courteous words of greeting to some of the +lesser nobles attendant upon the Earl whom he knew. + +In that little time he was within a few paces of Myles, who stood +motionless as a statue, holding the bascinet and the bridle-rein of Lord +George's horse. + +What Myles saw was a plain, rather stout man, with a face fat, smooth, +and waxy, with pale-blue eyes, and baggy in the lids; clean shaven, +except for a mustache and tuft covering lips and chin. Somehow he felt +a deep disappointment. He had expected to see something lion-like, +something regal, and, after all, the great King Henry was commonplace, +fat, unwholesome-looking. It came to him with a sort of a shock that, +after all, a King was in nowise different from other men. + +Meanwhile the Earl and his brother replaced their bascinets, and +presently the whole party moved forward upon the way to Mackworth. + + + +CHAPTER 23 + +That same afternoon the squires' quarters were thrown into such a +ferment of excitement as had, perhaps, never before stirred them. About +one o'clock in the afternoon the Earl himself and Lord George came +walking slowly across the Armory Court wrapped in deep conversation, and +entered Sir James Lee's office. + +All the usual hubbub of noise that surrounded the neighborhood of the +dormitory and the armory was stilled at their coming, and when the two +noblemen had entered Sir James's office, the lads and young men gathered +in knots discussing with an almost awesome interest what that visit +might portend. + +After some time Sir James Lee came to the door at the head of the long +flight of stone steps, and whistling, beckoned one of the smaller pages +to him. He gave a short order that sent the little fellow flying on some +mission. In the course of a few minutes he returned, hurrying across +the stony court with Myles Falworth, who presently entered Sir James's +office. It was then and at this sight that the intense half-suppressed +excitement reached its height of fever-heat. What did it all mean? The +air was filled with a thousand vague, wild rumors--but the very wildest +surmises fell short of the real truth. + +Perhaps Myles was somewhat pale when he entered the office; certainly +his nerves were in a tremor, for his heart told him that something very +portentous was about to befall him. The Earl sat at the table, and in +the seat that Sir James Lee usually occupied; Lord George half sat, half +leaned in the window-place. Sir James stood with his back to the +empty fireplace, and his hands clasped behind him. All three were very +serious. + +"Give thee good den, Myles Falworth," said the Earl, as Myles bowed +first to him and then to the others; "and I would have thee prepare +thyself for a great happening." Then, continuing directly to the point: +"Thou knowest, sirrah, why we have been training thee so closely these +three years gone; it is that thou shouldst be able to hold thine own +in the world. Nay, not only hold thine own, but to show thyself to be +a knight of prowess shouldst it come to a battle between thee and thy +father's enemy; for there lieth no half-way place for thee, and thou +must be either great or else nothing. Well, sir, the time hath now come +for thee to show thy mettle. I would rather have chosen that thou hadst +labored a twelvemonth longer; but now, as I said, hath come a chance to +prove thyself that may never come again. Sir James tells me that thou +art passably ripe in skill. Thou must now show whether that be so or no. +Hast thou ever heard of the Sieur de la Montaigne?" + +"Yea, my Lord. I have heard of him often," answered Myles. "It was he +who won the prize at the great tourney at Rochelle last year." + +"I see that thou hast his fame pat to thy tongue's end," said the Earl; +"he is the chevalier of whom I speak, and he is reckoned the best knight +of Dauphiny. That one of which thou spokest was the third great tourney +in which he was adjudged the victor. I am glad that thou holdest his +prowess highly. Knowest thou that he is in the train of the Comte de +Vermoise?" + +"Nay," said Myles, flushing; "I did hear news he was in England, but +knew not that he was in this place." + +"Yea," said Lord Mackworth; "he is here." He paused for a moment; then +said, suddenly. "Tell me, Myles Falworth, an thou wert a knight and of +rank fit to run a joust with the Sieur de la Montaigne, wouldst thou +dare encounter him in the lists?" + +The Earl's question fell upon Myles so suddenly and unexpectedly that +for a moment or so he stood staring at the speaker with mouth agape. +Meanwhile the Earl sat looking calmly back at him, slowly stroking his +beard the while. + +It was Sir James Lee's voice that broke the silence. "Thou heardst thy +Lord speak," said he, harshly. "Hast thou no tongue to answer, sirrah?" + +"Be silent, Lee," said Lord Mackworth, quietly. "Let the lad have time +to think before he speaketh." + +The sound of the words aroused Myles. He advanced to the table, and +rested his hand upon it. "My Lord--my Lord," said he, "I know not what +to say, I--I am amazed and afeard." + +"How! how!" cried Sir James Lee, harshly. "Afeard, sayst thou? An thou +art afeard, thou knave, thou needst never look upon my face or speak to +me more! I have done with thee forever an thou art afeard even were the +champion a Sir Alisander." + +"Peace, peace, Lee," said the Earl, holding up his hand. "Thou art too +hasty. The lad shall have his will in this matter, and thou and no one +shall constrain him. Methinks, also, thou dost not understand him. Speak +from thy heart, Myles; why art thou afraid?" + +"Because," said Myles, "I am so young, sir; I am but a raw boy. How +should I dare be so hardy as to venture to set lance against such an one +as the Sieur de la Montaigne? What would I be but a laughing-stock for +all the world who would see me so foolish as to venture me against one +of such prowess and skill?" + +"Nay, Myles," said Lord George, "thou thinkest not well enough of thine +own skill and prowess. Thinkest thou we would undertake to set thee +against him, an we did not think that thou couldst hold thine own fairly +well?" + +"Hold mine own?" cried Myles, turning to Lord George. "Sir; thou dost +not mean--thou canst not mean, that I may hope or dream to hold mine own +against the Sieur de la Montaigne." + +"Aye," said Lord George, "that was what I did mean." + +"Come, Myles," said the Earl; "now tell me: wilt thou fight the Sieur de +la Montaigne?" + +"Yea," said Myles, drawing himself to his full height and throwing out +his chest. "Yea," and his cheeks and forehead flushed red; "an thou bid +me do so, I will fight him." + +"There spake my brave lad!" cried Lord George heartily. + +"I give thee joy, Myles," said the Earl, reaching him his hand, which +Myles took and kissed. "And I give thee double joy. I have talked with +the King concerning thee this morning, and he hath consented to knight +thee--yea, to knight thee with all honors of the Bath--provided thou +wilt match thee against the Sieur de la Montaigne for the honor of +England and Mackworth. Just now the King lieth to sleep for a little +while after his dinner; have thyself in readiness when he cometh forth, +and I will have thee presented." + +Then the Earl turned to Sir James Lee, and questioned him as to how the +bachelors were fitted with clothes. Myles listened, only half hearing +the words through the tumbling of his thoughts. He had dreamed in his +day-dreams that some time he might be knighted, but that time always +seemed very, very distant. To be knighted now, in his boyhood, by the +King, with the honors of the Bath, and under the patronage of the +Earl of Mackworth; to joust--to actually joust--with the Sieur de la +Montaigne, one of the most famous chevaliers of France! No wonder he +only half heard the words; half heard the Earl's questions concerning +his clothes and the discussion which followed; half heard Lord George +volunteer to array him in fitting garments from his own wardrobe. + +"Thou mayst go now," said the Earl, at last turning to him. "But be thou +at George's apartments by two of the clock to be dressed fittingly for +the occasion." + +Then Myles went out stupefied, dazed, bewildered. He looked around, +but he did not see Gascoyne. He said not a word to any of the others in +answer to the eager questions poured upon him by his fellow-squires, +but walked straight away. He hardly knew where he went, but by-and-by +he found himself in a grassy angle below the end of the south stable; a +spot overlooking the outer wall and the river beyond. He looked around; +no one was near, and he flung himself at length, burying his face in +his arms. How long he lay there he did not know, but suddenly some +one touched him upon the shoulder, and he sprang up quickly. It was +Gascoyne. + +"What is to do, Myles?" said his friend, anxiously. "What is all this +talk I hear concerning thee up yonder at the armory?" + +"Oh, Francis!" cried Myles, with a husky choking voice: "I am to be +knighted--by the King--by the King himself; and I--I am to fight the +Sieur de la Montaigne." + +He reached out his hand, and Gascoyne took it. They stood for a while +quite silent, and when at last the stillness was broken, it was Gascoyne +who spoke, in a choking voice. + +"Thou art going to be great, Myles," said he. "I always knew that it +must be so with thee, and now the time hath come. Yea, thou wilt be +great, and live at court amongst noble folk, and Kings haply. Presently +thou wilt not be with me any more, and wilt forget me by-and-by." + +"Nay, Francis, never will I forget thee!" answered Myles, pressing +his friend's hand. "I will always love thee better than any one in the +world, saving only my father and my mother." + +Gascoyne shook his head and looked away, swallowing at the dry lump in +his throat. Suddenly he turned to Myles. "Wilt thou grant me a boon?" + +"Yea," answered Myles. "What is it?" + +"That thou wilt choose me for thy squire." + +"Nay," said Myles; "how canst thou think to serve me as squire? Thou +wilt be a knight thyself some day, Francis, and why dost thou wish now +to be my squire?" + +"Because," said Gascoyne, with a short laugh, "I would rather be in thy +company as a squire than in mine own as a knight, even if I might be +banneret." + +Myles flung his arm around his friend's neck, and kissed him upon the +cheek. "Thou shalt have thy will," said he; "but whether knight or +squire, thou art ever mine own true friend." + +Then they went slowly back together, hand in hand, to the castle world +again. + +At two o'clock Myles went to Lord George's apartments, and there his +friend and patron dressed him out in a costume better fitted for the +ceremony of presentation--a fur-trimmed jacket of green brocaded velvet +embroidered with golden thread, a black velvet hood-cap rolled like a +turban and with a jewel in the front, a pair of crimson hose, and a pair +of black velvet shoes trimmed and stitched with gold-thread. Myles had +never worn such splendid clothes in his life before, and he could not +but feel that they became him well. + +"Sir," said he, as he looked down at himself, "sure it is not lawful for +me to wear such clothes as these." + +In those days there was a law, known as a sumptuary law, which regulated +by statute the clothes that each class of people were privileged to +wear. It was, as Myles said, against the law for him to wear such +garments as those in which he was clad--either velvet, crimson stuff, +fur or silver or gold embroidery--nevertheless such a solemn ceremony as +presentation to the King excused the temporary overstepping of the law, +and so Lord George told him. As he laid his hand upon the lad's shoulder +and held him off at arm's-length, he added, "And I pledge thee my word, +Myles, that thou art as lusty and handsome a lad as ever mine eyes +beheld." + +"Thou art very kind to me, sir," said Myles, in answer. + +Lord George laughed; and then giving him a shake, let go his shoulder. + +It was about three o'clock when little Edmond de Montefort, Lord +Mackworth's favorite page, came with word that the King was then walking +in the Earl's pleasance. + +"Come, Myles," said Lord George, and then Myles arose from the +seat where he had been sitting, his heart palpitating and throbbing +tumultuously. + +At the wicket-gate of the pleasance two gentlemen-at-arms stood guard in +half-armor; they saluted Lord George, and permitted him to pass with his +protege. As he laid his hand upon the latch of the wicket he paused for +a moment and turned. + +"Myles," said he, in a low voice, "thou art a thoughtful and cautious +lad; for thy father's sake be thoughtful and cautious now. Do not +speak his name or betray that thou art his son." Then he opened the +wicket-gate and entered. + +Any lad of Myles's age, even one far more used to the world than he, +would perhaps have felt all the oppression that he experienced under the +weight of such a presentation. He hardly knew what he was doing as +Lord George led him to where the King stood, a little apart from +the attendants, with the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise. Even in his +confusion he knew enough to kneel, and somehow his honest, modest +diffidence became the young fellow very well. He was not awkward, for +one so healthful in mind and body as he could not bear himself very ill, +and he felt the assurance that in Lord George he had a kind friend at +his side, and one well used to court ceremonies to lend him countenance. +Then there is something always pleasing in frank, modest manliness such +as was stamped on Myles's handsome, sturdy face. No doubt the King's +heart warmed towards the fledgling warrior kneeling in the pathway +before him. He smiled very kindly as he gave the lad his hand to kiss, +and that ceremony done, held fast to the hard, brown, sinewy fist of the +young man with his soft white hand, and raised him to his feet. + +"By the mass!" said he, looking Myles over with smiling eyes, "thou art +a right champion in good sooth. Such as thou art haply was Sir Galahad +when he came to Arthur's court. And so they tell me, thou hast stomach +to brook the Sieur de la Montaigne, that tough old boar of Dauphiny. +Hast thou in good sooth the courage to face him? Knowest thou what a +great thing it is that thou hast set upon thyself--to do battle, even in +sport, with him?" + +"Yea, your Majesty," answered Myles, "well I wot it is a task haply +beyond me. But gladly would I take upon me even a greater venture, and +one more dangerous, to do your Majesty's pleasure!" + +The King looked pleased. "Now that was right well said, young man," said +he, "and I like it better that it came from such young and honest lips. +Dost thou speak French?" + +"Yea, your Majesty," answered Myles. "In some small measure do I so." + +"I am glad of that," said the King; "for so I may make thee acquainted +with Sieur de la Montaigne." + +He turned as he ended speaking, and beckoned to a heavy, thick-set, +black-browed chevalier who stood with the other gentlemen attendants at +a little distance. He came instantly forward in answer to the summons, +and the King introduced the two to one another. As each took the other +formally by the hand, he measured his opponent hastily, body and limb, +and perhaps each thought that he had never seen a stronger, stouter, +better-knit man than the one upon whom he looked. But nevertheless +the contrast betwixt the two was very great--Myles, young, boyish, +fresh-faced; the other, bronzed, weather beaten, and seamed with a great +white scar that ran across his forehead and cheek; the one a novice, the +other a warrior seasoned in twoscore battles. + +A few polite phrases passed between the two, the King listening smiling, +but with an absent and far-away look gradually stealing upon his face. +As they ended speaking, a little pause of silence followed, and then the +King suddenly aroused himself. + +"So," said he, "I am glad that ye two are acquainted. And now we will +leave our youthful champion in thy charge, Beaumont--and in thine, Mon +Sieur, as well--and so soon as the proper ceremonies are ended, we will +dub him knight with our own hands. And now, Mackworth, and thou my Lord +Count, let us walk a little; I have bethought me further concerning +these threescore extra men for Dauphiny." + +Then Myles withdrew, under the charge of Lord George and the Sieur de +la Montaigne and while the King and the two nobles walked slowly up and +down the gravel path between the tall rose-bushes, Myles stood +talking with the gentlemen attendants, finding himself, with a certain +triumphant exultation, the peer of any and the hero of the hour. + +That night was the last that Myles and Gascoyne spent lodging in the +dormitory in their squirehood service. The next day they were assigned +apartments in Lord George's part of the house, and thither they +transported themselves and their belongings, amid the awestruck wonder +and admiration of their fellow-squires. + + + +CHAPTER 24 + +In Myles Falworth's day one of the greatest ceremonies of courtly life +was that of the bestowal of knighthood by the King, with the honors of +the Bath. By far the greater number of knights were at that time created +by other knights, or by nobles, or by officers of the crown. To be +knighted by the King in person distinguished the recipient for life. It +was this signal honor that the Earl, for his own purposes, wished Myles +to enjoy, and for this end he had laid not a few plans. + +The accolade was the term used for the creation of a knight upon the +field of battle. It was a reward of valor or of meritorious service, and +was generally bestowed in a more or less off-hand way; but the ceremony +of the Bath was an occasion of the greatest courtly moment, and it was +thus that Myles Falworth was to be knighted in addition to the honor of +a royal belting. + +A quaint old book treating of knighthood and chivalry gives a full and +detailed account of all the circumstances of the ceremony of a creation +of a Knight of the Bath. It tells us that the candidate was first +placed under the care of two squires of honor, "grave and well seen in +courtship and nurture, and also in feats of chivalry," which same were +likewise to be governors in all things relating to the coming honors. + +First of all, the barber shaved him, and cut his hair in a certain +peculiar fashion ordained for the occasion, the squires of honor +supervising the operation. This being concluded, the candidate was +solemnly conducted to the chamber where the bath of tepid water was +prepared, "hung within and without with linen, and likewise covered +with rich cloths and embroidered linen." While in the bath two "ancient, +grave, and reverend knights" attended the bachelor, giving him "meet +instructions in the order and feats of chivalry." The candidate was then +examined as to his knowledge and acquirements, and then, all questions +being answered to the satisfaction of his examiners, the elder of the +two dipped a handful of water out from the bath, and poured it upon his +head, at the same time signing his left shoulder with the sign of the +cross. + +As soon as this ceremony was concluded, the two squires of honor helped +their charge from the bath, and conducted him to a plain bed without +hangings, where they let him rest until his body was warm and dry. +Then they clad him in a white linen shirt, and over it a plain robe of +russet, "girdled about the loins with a rope, and having a hood like +unto a hermit." + +As soon as the candidate had arisen, the two "ancient knights" returned, +and all being in readiness he was escorted to the chapel, the two +walking, one upon either side of him, his squires of honor marching +before, and the whole party preceded by "sundry minstrels making a loud +noise of music." + +When they came to the chapel, the two knights who escorted him took +leave of the candidate, each saluting him with a kiss upon the cheek. +No one remained with him but his squires of honor, the priest, and the +chandler. + +In the mean time the novitiate's armor, sword, lance, and helmet had +been laid in readiness before the altar. These he watched and guarded +while the others slept, keeping vigil until sunrise, during which time +"he shall," says the ancient authority, "pass the night in orisons, +prayers, and meditation." At daylight he confessed to the priest, heard +matins, and communicated in mass, and then presented a lighted candle +at the altar, with a piece of money stuck in it as close to the flame +as could be done, the candle being offered to the honor of God, and the +money to the honor of that person who was to make him a knight. + +So concluded the sacred ceremony, which being ended his squires +conducted the candidate to his chamber, and there made him comfortable, +and left him to repose for a while before the second and final part of +the ordinance. + +Such is a shortened account of the preparatory stages of the ceremonies +through which Myles Falworth passed. + +Matters had come upon him so suddenly one after the other, and had come +with such bewildering rapidity that all that week was to him like some +strange, wonderful, mysterious vision. He went through it all like one +in a dream. Lord George Beaumont was one of his squires of honor; the +other, by way of a fitting complement to the courage of the chivalrous +lad, was the Sieur de la Montaigne, his opponent soon to be. They were +well versed in everything relating to knightcraft, and Myles followed +all their directions with passive obedience. Then Sir James Lee and the +Comte de Vermoise administered the ceremony of the Bath, the old knight +examining him in the laws of chivalry. + +It occurs perhaps once or twice in one's lifetime that one passes +through great happenings--sometimes of joy, sometimes of dreadful +bitterness--in just such a dazed state as Myles passed through this. It +is only afterwards that all comes back to one so sharply and keenly that +the heart thrills almost in agony in living it over again. But perhaps +of all the memory of that time, when it afterwards came back piece by +piece, none was so clear to Myles's back-turned vision as the long +night spent in the chapel, watching his armor, thinking such wonderful +thoughts, and dreaming such wonderful wide-eyed dreams. At such times +Myles saw again the dark mystery of the castle chapel; he saw again the +half-moon gleaming white and silvery through the tall, narrow window, +and throwing a broad form of still whiteness across stone floor, empty +seats, and still, motionless figures of stone effigies. At such times +he stood again in front of the twinkling tapers that lit the altar where +his armor lay piled in a heap, heard again the deep breathing of his +companions of the watch sleeping in some empty stall, wrapped each in +his cloak, and saw the old chandler bestir himself, and rise and come +forward to snuff the candles. At such times he saw again the day growing +clearer and clearer through the tall, glazed windows, saw it change to +a rosy pink, and then to a broad, ruddy glow that threw a halo of light +around Father Thomas's bald head bowed in sleep, and lit up the banners +and trophies hanging motionless against the stony face of the west wall; +heard again the stirring of life without and the sound of his companions +arousing themselves; saw them come forward, and heard them wish him joy +that his long watch was ended. + + +It was nearly noon when Myles was awakened from a fitful sleep by +Gascoyne bringing in his dinner, but, as might be supposed, he had but +little hunger, and ate sparingly. He had hardly ended his frugal meal +before his two squires of honor came in, followed by a servant carrying +the garments for the coming ceremony. He saluted them gravely, and then +arising, washed his face and hands in a basin which Gascoyne held; then +kneeled in prayer, the others standing silent at a little distance. As +he arose, Lord George came forward. + +"The King and the company come presently to the Great Hall, Myles," said +he; "it is needful for thee to make all the haste that thou art able." + +Perhaps never had Devlen Castle seen a more brilliant and goodly company +gathered in the great hall than that which came to witness King Henry +create Myles Falworth a knight bachelor. + +At the upper end of the hall was a raised dais, upon which stood +a throne covered with crimson satin and embroidered with lions and +flower-deluces; it was the King's seat. He and his personal attendants +had not yet come, but the rest of the company were gathered. The day +being warm and sultry, the balcony was all aflutter with the feather +fans of the ladies of the family and their attendants, who from this +high place looked down upon the hall below. Up the centre of the hall +was laid a carpet of arras, and the passage was protected by wooden +railings. Upon the one side were tiers of seats for the castle +gentlefolks and the guests. Upon the other stood the burghers from the +town, clad in sober dun and russet, and yeomanry in green and brown. The +whole of the great vaulted hall was full of the dull hum of many people +waiting, and a ceaseless restlessness stirred the crowded throng. But +at last a whisper went around that the King was coming. A momentary hush +fell, and through it was heard the noisy clatter of horses' feet coming +nearer and nearer, and then stopping before the door. The sudden blare +of trumpets broke through the hush; another pause, and then in through +the great door-way of the hall came the royal procession. + +First of all marched, in the order of their rank, and to the number of +a score or more, certain gentlemen, esquires and knights, chosen mostly +from the King's attendants. Behind these came two pursuivants-at-arms +in tabards, and following them a party of a dozen more bannerets +and barons. Behind these again, a little space intervening, came two +heralds, also in tabards, a group of the greater nobles attendant +upon the King following in the order of their rank. Next came the +King-at-arms and, at a little distance and walking with sober slowness, +the King himself, with the Earl and the Count directly attendant upon +him--the one marching upon the right hand and the other upon the left. +A breathless silence filled the whole space as the royal procession +advanced slowly up the hall. Through the stillness could be heard the +muffled sound of the footsteps on the carpet, the dry rustling of +silk and satin garments, and the clear clink and jingle of chains and +jewelled ornaments, but not the sound of a single voice. + +After the moment or two of bustle and confusion of the King taking his +place had passed, another little space of expectant silence fell. At +last there suddenly came the noise of acclamation of those who stood +without the door--cheering and the clapping of hands--sounds heralding +the immediate advent of Myles and his attendants. The next moment the +little party entered the hall. + +First of all, Gascoyne, bearing Myles's sword in both hands, the hilt +resting against his breast, the point elevated at an angle of forty-five +degrees. It was sheathed in a crimson scabbard, and the belt of Spanish +leather studded with silver bosses was wound crosswise around it. From +the hilt of the sword dangled the gilt spurs of his coming knighthood. +At a little distance behind his squire followed Myles, the centre of +all observation. He was clad in a novitiate dress, arranged under Lord +George's personal supervision. It had been made somewhat differently +from the fashion usual at such times, and was intended to indicate in a +manner the candidate's extreme youthfulness and virginity in arms. The +outer garment was a tabard robe of white wool, embroidered at the hem +with fine lines of silver, and gathered loosely at the waist with a belt +of lavender leather stitched with thread of silver. Beneath he was clad +in armor (a present from the Earl), new and polished till it shone with +dazzling brightness, the breastplate covered with a juppon of white +satin, embroidered with silver. Behind Myles, and upon either hand, came +his squires of honor, sponsors, and friends--a little company of +some half-dozen in all. As they advanced slowly up the great, dim, +high-vaulted room, the whole multitude broke forth into a humming buzz +of applause. Then a sudden clapping of hands began near the door-way, +ran down through the length of the room, and was taken up by all with +noisy clatter. + +"Saw I never youth so comely," whispered one of the Lady Anne's +attendant gentlewomen. "Sure he looketh as Sir Galahad looked when he +came first to King Arthur's court." + +Myles knew that he was very pale; he felt rather than saw the restless +crowd of faces upon either side, for his eyes were fixed directly before +him, upon the dais whereon sat the King, with the Earl of Mackworth +standing at his right hand, the Comte de Vermoise upon the left, and the +others ranged around and behind the throne. It was with the same tense +feeling of dreamy unreality that Myles walked slowly up the length of +the hall, measuring his steps by those of Gascoyne. Suddenly he +felt Lord George Beaumont touch him lightly upon the arm, and almost +instinctively he stopped short--he was standing just before the covered +steps of the throne. + +He saw Gascoyne mount to the third step, stop short, kneel, and offer +the sword and the spurs he carried to the King, who took the weapon +and laid it across his knees. Then the squire bowed low, and walking +backward withdrew to one side, leaving Myles standing alone facing the +throne. The King unlocked the spur chains from the sword-hilt, and +then, holding the gilt spurs in his hand for a moment, he looked Myles +straight in the eyes and smiled. Then he turned, and gave one of the +spurs to the Earl of Mackworth. + +The Earl took it with a low bow, turned, and came slowly down the steps +to where Myles stood. Kneeling upon one knee, and placing Myles's foot +upon the other, Lord Mackworth set the spur in its place and latched the +chain over the instep. He drew the sign of the cross upon Myles's bended +knee, set the foot back upon the ground, rose with slow dignity, and +bowing to the King, drew a little to one side. + +As soon as the Earl had fulfilled his office the King gave the second +spur to the Comte de Vermoise, who set it to Myles's other foot with the +same ceremony that the Earl had observed, withdrawing as he had done to +one side. + +An instant pause of motionless silence followed, and then the King +slowly arose, and began deliberately to unwind the belt from around the +scabbard of the sword he held. As soon as he stood, the Earl and the +Count advanced, and taking Myles by either hand, led him forward and up +the steps of the dais to the platform above. As they drew a little to +one side, the King stooped and buckled the sword-belt around Myles's +waist, then, rising again, lifted his hand and struck him upon the +shoulder, crying, in a loud voice. + +"Be thou a good knight!" + +Instantly a loud sound of applause and the clapping of hands filled the +whole hall, in the midst of which the King laid both hands upon Myles's +shoulders and kissed him upon the right cheek. So the ceremony ended; +Myles was no longer Myles Falworth, but Sir Myles Falworth, Knight by +Order of the Bath and by grace of the King! + + + +CHAPTER 25 + +It was the custom to conclude the ceremonies of the bestowal of +knighthood by a grand feast given in honor of the newly-created knight. +But in Myles's instance the feast was dispensed with. The Earl of +Mackworth had planned that Myles might be created a Knight of the Bath +with all possible pomp and ceremony; that his personality might be +most favorably impressed upon the King; that he might be so honorably +knighted as to make him the peer of any who wore spurs in all England; +and, finally, that he might celebrate his new honors by jousting with +some knight of high fame and approved valor. All these desiderata chance +had fulfilled in the visit of the King to Devlen. + +As the Earl had said to Myles, he would rather have waited a little +while longer until the lad was riper in years and experience, but the +opportunity was not to be lost. Young as he was, Myles must take +his chances against the years and grim experience of the Sieur de la +Montaigne. But it was also a part of the Earl's purpose that the King +and Myles should not be brought too intimately together just at that +time. Though every particular of circumstance should be fulfilled in the +ceremony, it would have been ruination to the Earl's plans to have the +knowledge come prematurely to the King that Myles was the son of +the attainted Lord Falworth. The Earl knew that Myles was a shrewd, +coolheaded lad; but the King had already hinted that the name was +familiar to his ears, and a single hasty answer or unguarded speech upon +the young knight's part might awaken him to a full knowledge. Such a +mishap was, of all things, to be avoided just then, for, thanks to the +machinations of that enemy of his father of whom Myles had heard so +much, and was soon to hear more, the King had always retained and still +held a bitter and rancorous enmity against the unfortunate nobleman. + +It was no very difficult matter for the Earl to divert the King's +attention from the matter of the feast. His Majesty was very intent +just then upon supplying a quota of troops to the Dauphin, and the chief +object of his visit to Devlen was to open negotiations with the Earl +looking to that end. He was interested--much interested in Myles and in +the coming jousting in which the young warrior was to prove himself, but +he was interested in it by way of a relaxation from the other and more +engrossing matter. So, though he made some passing and half preoccupied +inquiry about the feast he was easily satisfied with the Earl's reasons +for not holding it: which were that he had arranged a consultation for +that morning in regard to the troops for the Dauphin, to which meeting +he had summoned a number of his own more important dependent nobles, +that the King himself needed repose and the hour or so of rest that +his barber-surgeon had ordered him to take after his mid-day meal; that +Father Thomas had laid upon Myles a petty penance--that for the first +three days of his knighthood he should eat his meals without meat and +in his own apartment--and various other reasons equally good and +sufficient. So the King was satisfied, and the feast was dispensed with. + +The next morning had been set for the jousting, and all that day the +workmen were busy erecting the lists in the great quadrangle upon which, +as was said before, looked the main buildings of the castle. The windows +of Myles's apartment opened directly upon the bustling scene--the +carpenters hammering and sawing, the upholsterers snipping, cutting, +and tacking. Myles and Gascoyne stood gazing out from the open casement, +with their arms lying across one another's shoulders in the old boyhood +fashion, and Myles felt his heart shrink with a sudden tight pang as +the realization came sharply and vividly upon him that all these +preparations were being made for him, and that the next day he should, +with almost the certainty of death, meet either glory or failure under +the eyes not only of all the greater and lesser castle folk, but of the +King himself and noble strangers critically used to deeds of chivalry +and prowess. Perhaps he had never fully realized the magnitude of the +reality before. In that tight pang at his heart he drew a deep breath, +almost a sigh. Gascoyne turned his head abruptly, and looked at his +friend, but he did not ask the cause of the sigh. No doubt the same +thoughts that were in Myles's mind were in his also. + + +It was towards the latter part of the afternoon that a message came from +the Earl, bidding Myles attend him in his private closet. After Myles +had bowed and kissed his lordship's hand, the Earl motioned him to +take a seat, telling him that he had some final words to say that might +occupy a considerable time. He talked to the young man for about half +an hour in his quiet, measured voice, only now and then showing a little +agitation by rising and walking up and down the room for a turn or two. +Very many things were disclosed in that talk that had caused Myles +long hours of brooding thought, for the Earl spoke freely, and without +concealment to him concerning his father and the fortunes of the house +of Falworth. + +Myles had surmised many things, but it was not until then that he knew +for a certainty who was his father's malignant and powerful enemy--that +it was the great Earl of Alban, the rival and bitter enemy of the Earl +of Mackworth. It was not until then that he knew that the present Earl +of Alban was the Lord Brookhurst, who had killed Sir John Dale in +the anteroom at Falworth Castle that morning so long ago in his early +childhood. It was not until then that he knew all the circumstances of +his father's blindness; that he had been overthrown in the melee at the +great tournament at York, and that that same Lord Brookhurst had ridden +his iron-shod war-horse twice over his enemy's prostrate body before his +squire could draw him from the press, and had then and there given him +the wound from which he afterwards went blind. The Earl swore to Myles +that Lord Brookhurst had done what he did wilfully, and had afterwards +boasted of it. Then, with some hesitation, he told Myles the reason +of Lord Brookhurst's enmity, and that it had arisen on account of Lady +Falworth, whom he had one time sought in marriage, and that he had sworn +vengeance against the man who had won her. + +Piece by piece the Earl of Mackworth recounted every circumstance and +detail of the revenge that the blind man's enemy had afterwards +wreaked upon him. He told Myles how, when his father was attainted +of high-treason, and his estates forfeited to the crown, the King had +granted the barony of Easterbridge to the then newly-created Earl of +Alban in spite of all the efforts of Lord Falworth's friends to the +contrary; that when he himself had come out from an audience with the +King, with others of his father's friends, the Earl of Alban had boasted +in the anteroom, in a loud voice, evidently intended for them all to +hear, that now that he had Falworth's fat lands, he would never rest +till he had hunted the blind man out from his hiding, and brought his +head to the block. + +"Ever since then," said the Earl of Mackworth "he hath been striving by +every means to discover thy father's place of concealment. Some time, +haply, he may find it, and then--" + +Myles had felt for a long time that he was being moulded and shaped, and +that the Earl of Mackworth's was the hand that was making him what he +was growing to be; but he had never realized how great were the things +expected of him should he pass the first great test, and show himself +what his friends hoped to see him. Now he knew that all were looking +upon him to act, sometime, as his father's champion, and when that time +should come, to challenge the Earl of Alban to the ordeal of single +combat, to purge his father's name of treason, to restore him to his +rank, and to set the house of Falworth where it stood before misfortune +fell upon it. + +But it was not alone concerning his and his father's affairs that the +Earl of Mackworth talked to Myles. He told him that the Earl of Alban +was the Earl of Mackworth's enemy also; that in his younger days he had +helped Lord Falworth, who was his kinsman, to win his wife, and that +then, Lord Brookhurst had sworn to compass his ruin as he had sworn +to compass the ruin of his friend. He told Myles how, now that Lord +Brookhurst was grown to be Earl of Alban, and great and powerful, he +was forever plotting against him, and showed Myles how, if Lord Falworth +were discovered and arrested for treason, he also would be likely to +suffer for aiding and abetting him. Then it dawned upon Myles that the +Earl looked to him to champion the house of Beaumont as well as that of +Falworth. + +"Mayhap," said the Earl, "thou didst think that it was all for the +pleasant sport of the matter that I have taken upon me this toil and +endeavor to have thee knighted with honor that thou mightst fight the +Dauphiny knight. Nay, nay, Myles Falworth, I have not labored so +hard for such a small matter as that. I have had the King, unknown to +himself, so knight thee that thou mayst be the peer of Alban himself, +and now I would have thee to hold thine own with the Sieur de la +Montaigne, to try whether thou be'st Alban's match, and to approve +thyself worthy of the honor of thy knighthood. I am sorry, ne'theless," +he added, after a moment's pause, "that this could not have been put off +for a while longer, for my plans for bringing thee to battle with that +vile Alban are not yet ripe. But such a chance of the King coming hither +haps not often. And then I am glad of this much--that a good occasion +offers to get thee presently away from England. I would have thee out +of the King's sight so soon as may be after this jousting. He taketh +a liking to thee, and I fear me lest he should inquire more nearly +concerning thee and so all be discovered and spoiled. My brother George +goeth upon the first of next month to France to take service with the +Dauphin, having under his command a company of tenscore men--knights and +archers; thou shalt go with him, and there stay till I send for thee to +return." + +With this, the protracted interview concluded, the Earl charging Myles +to say nothing further about the French expedition for the present--even +to his friend--for it was as yet a matter of secrecy, known only to the +King and a few nobles closely concerned in the venture. + +Then Myles arose to take his leave. He asked and obtained permission for +Gascoyne to accompany him to France. Then he paused for a moment or two, +for it was strongly upon him to speak of a matter that had been lying +in his mind all day--a matter that he had dreamed of much with open eyes +during the long vigil of the night before. + +The Earl looked up inquiringly. "What is it thou wouldst ask?" said he. + +Myles's heart was beating quickly within him at the thought of his own +boldness, and as he spoke his cheeks burned like fire. "Sir," said he, +mustering his courage at last, "haply thou hast forgot it, but I have +not; ne'theless, a long time since when I spoke of serving the--the Lady +Alice as her true knight, thou didst wisely laugh at my words, and bade +me wait first till I had earned my spurs. But now, sir, I have gotten +my spurs, and--and do now crave thy gracious leave that I may serve that +lady as her true knight." + +A space of dead silence fell, in which Myles's heart beat tumultuously +within him. + +"I know not what thou meanest," said the Earl at last, in a somewhat +constrained voice. "How wouldst thou serve her? What wouldst thou have?" + +"I would have only a little matter just now," answered Myles. "I would +but crave of her a favor for to wear in the morrow's battle, so that she +may know that I hold her for my own true lady, and that I may have the +courage to fight more boldly, having that favor to defend." + +The Earl sat looking at him for a while in brooding silence, stroking +his beard the while. Suddenly his brow cleared. "So be it," said he. +"I grant thee my leave to ask the Lady Alice for a favor, and if she +is pleased to give it to thee, I shall not say thee nay. But I set this +upon thee as a provision: that thou shalt not see her without the Lady +Anne be present. Thus it was, as I remember, thou saw her first, and +with it thou must now be satisfied. Go thou to the Long Gallery, and +thither they will come anon if naught hinder them." + +Myles waited in the Long Gallery perhaps some fifteen or twenty minutes. +No one was there but himself. It was a part of the castle connecting the +Earl's and the Countess's apartments, and was used but little. During +that time he stood looking absently out of the open casement into the +stony court-yard beyond, trying to put into words that which he had +to say; wondering, with anxiety, how soon the young ladies would come; +wondering whether they would come at all. At last the door at the +farther end of the gallery opened, and turning sharply at the sound, he +saw the two young ladies enter, Lady Alice leaning upon Lady Anne's arm. +It was the first time that he had seen them since the ceremony of the +morning, and as he advanced to meet them, the Lady Anne came frankly +forward, and gave him her hand, which Myles raised to his lips. + +"I give thee joy of thy knighthood, Sir Myles," said she, "and do +believe, in good sooth, that if any one deserveth such an honor, thou +art he." + +At first little Lady Alice hung back behind her cousin, saying nothing +until the Lady Anne, turning suddenly, said: "Come, coz, has thou naught +to say to our new-made knight? Canst thou not also wish him joy of his +knighthood?" + +Lady Alice hesitated a minute, then gave Myles a timid hand, which he, +with a strange mixture of joy and confusion, took as timidly as it was +offered. He raised the hand, and set it lightly and for an instant +to his lips, as he had done with the Lady Anne's hand, but with very +different emotions. + +"I give you joy of your knighthood, sir," said Lady Alice, in a voice so +low that Myles could hardly hear it. + +Both flushed red, and as he raised his head again, Myles saw that the +Lady Anne had withdrawn to one side. Then he knew that it was to give +him the opportunity to proffer his request. + +A little space of silence followed, the while he strove to key his +courage to the saying of that which lay at his mind. "Lady," said he at +last, and then again--"Lady, I--have a favor for to ask thee." + +"What is it thou wouldst have, Sir Myles?" she murmured, in reply. + +"Lady," said he, "ever sin I first saw thee I have thought that if I +might choose of all the world, thou only wouldst I choose for--for +my true lady, to serve as a right knight should." Here he stopped, +frightened at his own boldness. Lady Alice stood quite still, with her +face turned away. "Thou--thou art not angered at what I say?" he said. + +She shook her head. + +"I have longed and longed for the time," said he, "to ask a boon of thee, +and now hath that time come. Lady, to-morrow I go to meet a right good +knight, and one skilled in arms and in jousting, as thou dost know. Yea, +he is famous in arms, and I be nobody. Ne'theless, I fight for the honor +of England and Mackworth--and--and for thy sake. I--Thou art not angered +at what I say?" + +Again the Lady Alice shook her head. + +"I would that thou--I would that thou would give me some favor for to +wear--thy veil or thy necklace." + +He waited anxiously for a little while, but Lady Alice did not answer +immediately. + +"I fear me," said Myles, presently, "that I have in sooth offended thee +in asking this thing. I know that it is a parlous bold matter for one so +raw in chivalry and in courtliness as I am, and one so poor in rank, to +ask thee for thy favor. An I ha' offended, I prithee let it be as though +I had not asked it." + +Perhaps it was the young man's timidity that brought a sudden courage to +Lady Alice; perhaps it was the graciousness of her gentle breeding that +urged her to relieve Myles's somewhat awkward humility, perhaps it was +something more than either that lent her bravery to speak, even knowing +that the Lady Anne heard all. She turned quickly to him: "Nay, Sir +Myles," she said, "I am foolish, and do wrong thee by my foolishness +and silence, for, truly, I am proud to have thee wear my favor." She +unclasped, as she spoke, the thin gold chain from about her neck. "I +give thee this chain," said she, "and it will bring me joy to have it +honored by thy true knightliness, and, giving it, I do wish thee all +success." Then she bowed her head, and, turning, left him holding the +necklace in his hand. + +Her cousin left the window to meet her, bowing her head with a smile +to Myles as she took her cousin's arm again and led her away. He stood +looking after them as they left the room, and when they were gone, he +raised the necklace to his lips with a heart beating tumultuously with a +triumphant joy it had never felt before. + + + +CHAPTER 26 + +And now, at last, had come the day of days for Myles Falworth; the day +when he was to put to the test all that he had acquired in the three +years of his training, the day that was to disclose what promise of +future greatness there was in his strong young body. And it was a noble +day; one of those of late September, when the air seems sweeter and +fresher than at other times; the sun bright and as yellow as gold, the +wind lusty and strong, before which the great white clouds go sailing +majestically across the bright blueness of the sky above, while their +dusky shadows skim across the brown face of the rusty earth beneath. + +As was said before, the lists had been set up in the great quadrangle +of the castle, than which, level and smooth as a floor, no more fitting +place could be chosen. The course was of the usual size--sixty paces +long--and separated along its whole length by a barrier about five feet +high. Upon the west side of the course and about twenty paces distant +from it, a scaffolding had been built facing towards the east so as to +avoid the glare of the afternoon sun. In the centre was a raised dais, +hung round with cloth of blue embroidered with lions rampant. Upon the +dais stood a cushioned throne for the King, and upon the steps below, +ranged in the order of their dignity, were seats for the Earl, his +guests, the family, the ladies, knights, and gentlemen of the castle. +In front, the scaffolding was covered with the gayest tapestries and +brightest-colored hangings that the castle could afford. And above, +parti-colored pennants and streamers, surmounted by the royal ensign of +England, waved and fluttered in the brisk wind. + +At either end of the lists stood the pavilions of the knights. That of +Myles was at the southern extremity and was hung, by the Earl's desire, +with cloth of the Beaumont colors (black and yellow), while a wooden +shield bearing three goshawks spread (the crest of the house) was nailed +to the roof, and a long streamer of black and yellow trailed out in the +wind from the staff above. Myles, partly armed, stood at the door-way of +the pavilion, watching the folk gathering at the scaffolding. The ladies +of the house were already seated, and the ushers were bustling hither +and thither, assigning the others their places. A considerable crowd +of common folk and burghers from the town had already gathered at +the barriers opposite, and as he looked at the restless and growing +multitude he felt his heart beat quickly and his flesh grow cold with a +nervous trepidation--just such as the lad of to-day feels when he sees +the auditorium filling with friends and strangers who are to listen +by-and-by to the reading of his prize poem. + +Suddenly there came a loud blast of trumpets. A great gate at the +farther extremity of the lists was thrown open, and the King appeared, +riding upon a white horse, preceded by the King-at-arms and the heralds, +attended by the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise, and followed by a crowd +of attendants. Just then Gascoyne, who, with Wilkes, was busied lacing +some of the armor plates with new thongs, called Myles, and he turned +and entered the pavilion. + +As the two squires were adjusting these last pieces, strapping them in +place and tying the thongs, Lord George and Sir James Lee entered +the pavilion. Lord George took the young man by the hand, and with a +pleasant smile wished him success in the coming encounter. + +Sir James seemed anxious and disturbed. He said nothing, and after +Gascoyne had placed the open bascinet that supports the tilting helm +in its place, he came forward and examined the armor piece by piece, +carefully and critically, testing the various straps and leather points +and thongs to make sure of their strength. + +"Sir," said Gascoyne, who stood by watching him anxiously, "I do trust +that I have done all meetly and well." + +"I see nothing amiss, sirrah," said the old knight, half grudgingly. "So +far as I may know, he is ready to mount." + +Just then a messenger entered, saying that the King was seated, and Lord +George bade Myles make haste to meet the challenger. + +"Francis," said Myles, "prithee give me my pouch yonder." + +Gascoyne handed him the velvet bag, and he opened it, and took out the +necklace that the Lady Alice had given him the day before. + +"Tie me this around my arm," said he. He looked down, keeping his eyes +studiously fixed on Gascoyne's fingers, as they twined the thin golden +chain around the iron plates of his right arm, knowing that Lord +George's eyes were upon him, and blushing fiery red at the knowledge. + +Sir James was at that moment examining the great tilting helm, and Lord +George watched him, smiling amusedly. "And hast thou then already chosen +thee a lady?" he said, presently. + +"Aye, my Lord," answered Myles, simply. + +"Marry, I trust we be so honored that she is one of our castle folk," +said the Earl's brother. + +For a moment Myles did not reply; then he looked up. "My Lord," said he, +"the favor was given to me by the Lady Alice." + +Lord George looked grave for the moment; then he laughed. "Marry, thou +art a bold archer to shoot for such high game." + +Myles did not answer, and at that moment two grooms led his horse up to +the door of the pavilion. Gascoyne and Wilkes helped him to his saddle, +and then, Gascoyne holding his horse by the bridle-rein, he rode slowly +across the lists to the little open space in front of the scaffolding +and the King's seat just as the Sieur de la Montaigne approached from +the opposite direction. + +As soon as the two knights champion had reached each his appointed +station in front of the scaffolding, the Marshal bade the speaker read +the challenge, which, unrolling the parchment, he began to do in a loud, +clear voice, so that all might hear. It was a quaint document, wrapped +up in the tangled heraldic verbiage of the time. + +The pith of the matter was that the Sieur Brian Philip Francis de la +Montaigne proclaimed before all men the greater chivalry and skill at +arms of the knights of France and of Dauphiny, and likewise the greater +fairness of the ladies of France and Dauphiny, and would there defend +those sayings with his body without fear or attaint as to the truth of +the same. As soon as the speaker had ended, the Marshal bade him call +the defendant of the other side. + +Then Myles spoke his part, with a voice trembling somewhat with the +excitement of the moment, but loudly and clearly enough: "I, Myles +Edward Falworth, knight, so created by the hand and by the grace of +his Majesty King Henry IV of England, do take upon me the gage of this +battle, and will defend with my body the chivalry of the knights of +England and the fairness of the ladies thereof!" + +Then, after the speaker ended his proclamation and had retired to his +place, the ceremony of claiming and redeeming the helmet, to which +all young knights were subjected upon first entering the lists, was +performed. + +One of the heralds cried in a loud voice, "I, Gilles Hamerton, herald to +the most noble Clarencieux King-at-arms, do claim the helm of Sir Myles +Edward Falworth by this reason, that he hath never yet entered joust or +tourney." + +To which Myles answered, "I do acknowledge the right of that claim, and +herewith proffer thee in ransom for the same this purse of one hundred +marks in gold." + +As he spoke, Gascoyne stepped forward and delivered the purse, with the +money, to the Herald. It was a more than usually considerable ransom, +and had been made up by the Earl and Lord George that morning. + +"Right nobly hast thou redeemed thy helm," said the Herald, "and +hereafter be thou free to enter any jousting whatsoever, and in whatever +place." + +So, all being ended, both knights bowed to the King, and then, escorted +each by his squire, returned to his pavilion, saluted by the spectators +with a loud clapping of hands. + +Sir James Lee met Myles in front of his tent. Coming up to the side of +the horse, the old man laid his hand upon the saddle, looking up into +the young man's face. + +"Thou wilt not fail in this venture and bring shame upon me?" said he. + +"Nay, my dear master," said Myles; "I will do my best." + +"I doubt it not," said the old man; "and I believe me thou wilt come off +right well. From what he did say this morning, methinks the Sieur de la +Montaigne meaneth only to break three lances with thee, and will content +himself therewith, without seeking to unhorse thee. Ne'theless, be thou +bold and watchful, and if thou find that he endeavor to cast thee, do +thy best to unhorse him. Remember also those things which I have told +thee ten thousand times before: hold thy toes well down and grip the +stirrup hard, more especially at the moment of meeting; bend thy body +forward, and keep thine elbow close to thy side. Bear thy lance point +one foot above thine adversary's helm until within two lengths of +meeting, and strike thou in the very middle of his shield. So, Myles, +thou mayst hold thine own, and come off with glory." + +As he ended speaking he drew back, and Gascoyne, mounting upon a stool, +covered his friend's head and bascinet with the great jousting helm, +making fast the leathern points that held it to the iron collar. + +As he was tying the last thong a messenger came from the Herald, saying +that the challenger was ready, and then Myles knew the time had come, +and reaching down and giving Sir James a grip of the hand, he drew on +his gauntlet, took the jousting lance that Wilkes handed him, and turned +his horse's head towards his end of the lists. + + + +CHAPTER 27 + +As Myles took his place at the south end of the lists, he found the +Sieur de la Montaigne already at his station. Through the peep-hole in +the face of the huge helmet, a transverse slit known as the occularium, +he could see, like a strange narrow picture, the farther end of +the lists, the spectators upon either side moving and shifting with +ceaseless restlessness, and in the centre of all, his opponent, sitting +with spear point directed upward, erect, motionless as a statue of iron, +the sunlight gleaming and flashing upon his polished plates of steel, +and the trappings of his horse swaying and fluttering in the rushing of +the fresh breeze. + +Upon that motionless figure his sight gradually centred with every +faculty of mind and soul. He knew the next moment the signal would be +given that was to bring him either glory or shame from that iron statue. +He ground his teeth together with stern resolve to do his best in the +coming encounter, and murmured a brief prayer in the hallow darkness of +his huge helm. Then with a shake he settled himself more firmly in his +saddle, slowly raised his spear point until the shaft reached the exact +angle, and there suffered it to rest motionless. There was a moment of +dead, tense, breathless pause, then he rather felt than saw the Marshal +raise his baton. He gathered himself together, and the next moment a +bugle sounded loud and clear. In one blinding rush he drove his spurs +into the sides of his horse, and in instant answer felt the noble steed +spring forward with a bound. + +Through all the clashing of his armor reverberating in the hollow depths +of his helmet, he saw the mail-clad figure from the other end of the +lists rushing towards him, looming larger and larger as they came +together. He gripped his saddle with his knees, clutched the stirrup +with the soles of his feet, and bent his body still more forward. In the +instant of meeting, with almost the blindness of instinct, he dropped +the point of his spear against the single red flower-de-luce in the +middle of the on-coming shield. There was a thunderous crash that seemed +to rack every joint, he heard the crackle of splintered wood, he felt +the momentary trembling recoil of the horse beneath him, and in the next +instant had passed by. As he checked the onward rush of his horse at the +far end of the course, he heard faintly in the dim hollow recess of the +helm the loud shout and the clapping of hands of those who looked on, +and found himself gripping with nervous intensity the butt of a broken +spear, his mouth clammy with excitement, and his heart thumping in his +throat. + +Then he realized that he had met his opponent, and had borne the meeting +well. As he turned his horse's head towards his own end of the lists, he +saw the other trotting slowly back towards his station, also holding a +broken spear shaft in his hand. + +As he passed the iron figure a voice issued from the helmet, "Well done, +Sir Myles, nobly done!" and his heart bounded in answer to the words of +praise. When he had reached his own end of the lists, he flung away his +broken spear, and Gascoyne came forward with another. + +"Oh, Myles!" he said, with sob in his voice, "it was nobly done. Never +did I see a better ridden course in all my life. I did not believe that +thou couldst do half so well. Oh, Myles, prithee knock him out of his +saddle an thou lovest me!" + +Myles, in his high-keyed nervousness, could not forbear a short +hysterical laugh at his friend's warmth of enthusiasm. He took the fresh +lance in his hand, and then, seeing that his opponent was walking his +horse slowly up and down at his end of the lists, did the same during +the little time of rest before the next encounter. + +When, in answer to the command of the Marshal, he took his place a +second time, he found himself calmer and more collected than before, but +every faculty no less intensely fixed than it had been at first. Once +more the Marshal raised his baton, once more the horn sounded, and once +more the two rushed together with the same thunderous crash, the same +splinter of broken spears, the same momentary trembling recoil of +the horse, and the same onward rush past one another. Once more the +spectators applauded and shouted as the two knights turned their horses +and rode back towards their station. + +This time as they met midway the Sieur de la Montaigne reined in his +horse. "Sir Myles," said his muffled voice, "I swear to thee, by my +faith, I had not thought to meet in thee such an opponent as thou dost +prove thyself to be. I had thought to find in thee a raw boy, but find +instead a Paladin. Hitherto I have given thee grace as I would +give grace to any mere lad, and thought of nothing but to give thee +opportunity to break thy lance. Now I shall do my endeavor to unhorse +thee as I would an acknowledged peer in arms. Nevertheless, on account +of thy youth, I give thee this warning, so that thou mayst hold thyself +in readiness." + +"I give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, my Lord," answered Myles, +speaking in French; "and I will strive to encounter thee as best I may, +and pardon me if I seem forward in so saying, but were I in thy place, +my Lord, I would change me yon breast-piece and over-girth of my saddle; +they are sprung in the stitches." + +"Nay," said the Sieur de la Montaigne, laughing, "breast-piece and +over-girth have carried me through more tilts than one, and shall +through this. An thou give me a blow so true as to burst breast-piece +and over-girth, I will own myself fairly conquered by thee." So saying, +he saluted Myles with the butt of the spear he still held, and passed by +to his end of the lists. + +Myles, with Gascoyne running beside him, rode across to his pavilion, +and called to Edmund Wilkes to bring him a cup of spiced wine. After +Gascoyne had taken off his helmet, and as he sat wiping the perspiration +from his face Sir James came up and took him by the hand. + +"My dear boy," said he, gripping the hand he held, "never could I hope +to be so overjoyed in mine old age as I am this day. Thou dost bring +honor to me, for I tell thee truly thou dost ride like a knight seasoned +in twenty tourneys." + +"It doth give me tenfold courage to hear thee so say, dear master," +answered Myles. "And truly," he added, "I shall need all my courage +this bout, for the Sieur de la Montaigne telleth me that he will ride to +unhorse me this time." + +"Did he indeed so say?" said Sir James. "Then belike he meaneth to +strike at thy helm. Thy best chance is to strike also at his. Doth thy +hand tremble?" + +"Not now," answered Myles. + +"Then keep thy head cool and thine eye true. Set thy trust in God, and +haply thou wilt come out of this bout honorably in spite of the rawness +of thy youth." + +Just then Edmund Wilkes presented the cup of wine to Myles, who drank it +off at a draught, and thereupon Gascoyne replaced the helm and tied the +thongs. + +The charge that Sir James Lee had given to Myles to strike at his +adversary's helm was a piece of advice he probably would not have given +to so young a knight, excepting as a last resort. A blow perfectly +delivered upon the helm was of all others the most difficult for the +recipient to recover from, but then a blow upon the helm was not one +time in fifty perfectly given. The huge cylindrical tilting helm was so +constructed in front as to slope at an angle in all directions to one +point. That point was the centre of a cross formed by two iron bands +welded to the steel-face plates of the helm where it was weakened by the +opening slit of the occularium, or peephole. In the very centre of +this cross was a little flattened surface where the bands were riveted +together, and it was upon that minute point that the blow must be given +to be perfect, and that stroke Myles determined to attempt. + +As he took his station Edmund Wilkes came running across from the +pavilion with a lance that Sir James had chosen, and Myles, returning +the one that Gascoyne had just given him, took it in his hand. It was +of seasoned oak, somewhat thicker than the other, a tough weapon, not +easily to be broken even in such an encounter as he was like to have. He +balanced the weapon, and found that it fitted perfectly to his grasp. +As he raised the point to rest, his opponent took his station at the +farther extremity of the lists, and again there was a little space of +breathless pause. Myles was surprised at his own coolness; every nervous +tremor was gone. Before, he had been conscious of the critical multitude +looking down upon him; now it was a conflict of man to man, and such a +conflict had no terrors for his young heart of iron. + +The spectators had somehow come to the knowledge that this was to be +a more serious encounter than the two which had preceded it, and a +breathless silence fell for the moment or two that the knights stood in +place. + +Once more he breathed a short prayer, "Holy Mary, guard me!" + +Then again, for the third time, the Marshal raised his baton, and the +horn sounded, and for the third time Myles drove his spurs into his +horse's flanks. Again he saw the iron figure of his opponent rushing +nearer, nearer, nearer. He centred, with a straining intensity, every +faculty of soul, mind, and body upon one point--the cross of the +occularium, the mark he was to strike. He braced himself for the +tremendous shock which he knew must meet him, and then in a flash +dropped lance point straight and true. The next instant there was a +deafening stunning crash--a crash like the stroke of a thunder-bolt. +There was a dazzling blaze of blinding light, and a myriad sparks danced +and flickered and sparkled before his eyes. He felt his horse stagger +under him with the recoil, and hardly knowing what he did, he drove +his spurs deep into its sides with a shout. At the same moment there +resounded in his ears a crashing rattle and clatter, he knew not of +what, and then, as his horse recovered and sprang forward, and as the +stunning bewilderment passed, he found that his helmet had been +struck off. He heard a great shout arise from all, and thought, with a +sickening, bitter disappointment, that it was because he had lost. At +the farther end of the course he turned his horse, and then his heart +gave a leap and a bound as though it would burst, the blood leaped to +his cheeks tingling, and his bosom thrilled with an almost agonizing +pang of triumph, of wonder, of amazement. + +There, in a tangle of his horse's harness and of embroidered trappings, +the Sieur de la Montaigne lay stretched upon the ground, with his saddle +near by, and his riderless horse was trotting aimlessly about at the +farther end of the lists. + +Myles saw the two squires of the fallen knight run across to where their +master lay, he saw the ladies waving their kerchiefs and veils, and the +castle people swinging their hats and shouting in an ecstasy of delight. +Then he rode slowly back to where the squires were now aiding the fallen +knight to arise. The senior squire drew his dagger, cut the leather +points, and drew off the helm, disclosing the knight's face--a face +white as death, and convulsed with rage, mortification, and bitter +humiliation. + +"I was not rightly unhorsed!" he cried, hoarsely and with livid lips, +to the Marshal and his attendants, who had ridden up. "I unhelmed him +fairly enough, but my over-girth and breast-strap burst, and my saddle +slipped. I was not unhorsed, I say, and I lay claim that I unhelmed +him." + +"Sir," said the Marshal calmly, and speaking in French, "surely thou +knowest that the loss of helmet does not decide an encounter. I need not +remind thee, my Lord, that it was so awarded by John of Gaunt, Duke of +Lancaster, when in the jousting match between Reynand de Roye and John +de Holland, the Sieur Reynand left every point of his helm loosened, so +that the helm was beaten off at each stroke. If he then was justified in +doing so of his own choice, and wilfully suffering to be unhelmed, how +then can this knight be accused of evil who suffered it by chance?" + +"Nevertheless," said the Sieur de la Montaigne, in the same hoarse, +breathless voice, "I do affirm, and will make my affirmation good +with my body, that I fell only by the breaking of my girth. Who says +otherwise lies!" + +"It is the truth he speaketh," said Myles. "I myself saw the stitches +were some little what burst, and warned him thereof before we ran this +course. + +"Sir," said the Marshal to the Sieur de la Montaigne, "how can you now +complain of that thing which your own enemy advised you of and warned +you against? Was it not right knightly for him so to do?" + +The Sieur de la Montaigne stood quite still for a little while, leaning +on the shoulder of his chief squire, looking moodily upon the ground; +then, without making answer, he turned, and walked slowly away to his +pavilion, still leaning on his squire's shoulder, whilst the other +attendant followed behind, bearing his shield and helmet. + +Gascoyne had picked up Myles's fallen helmet as the Sieur de la +Montaigne moved away, and Lord George and Sir James Lee came walking +across the lists to where Myles still sat. Then, the one taking his +horse by the bridle-rein, and the other walking beside the saddle, they +led him before the raised dais where the King sat. + +Even the Comte de Vermoise, mortified and amazed as he must have been +at the overthrow of his best knight, joined in the praise and +congratulation that poured upon the young conqueror. Myles, his heart +swelling with a passion of triumphant delight, looked up and met the +gaze of Lady Alice fixed intently upon him. A red spot of excitement +still burned in either cheek, and it flamed to a rosier red as he bowed +his head to her before turning away. + +Gascoyne had just removed Myles's breastplate and gorget, when Sir James +Lee burst into the pavilion. All his grim coldness was gone, and he +flung his arms around the young man's neck, hugging him heartily, and +kissing him upon either cheek. + +Ere he let him go, "Mine own dear boy," he said, holding him off at +arm's-length, and winking his one keen eye rapidly, as though to wink +away a dampness of which he was ashamed--"mine own dear boy, I do tell +thee truly this is as sweet to me as though thou wert mine own son; +sweeter to me than when I first broke mine own lance in triumph, and +felt myself to be a right knight." + +"Sir," answered Myles, "what thou sayest doth rejoice my very heart. +Ne'theless, it is but just to say that both his breast-piece and +over-girth were burst in the stitches before he ran his course, for so I +saw with mine own eyes." + +"Burst in the stitches!" snorted Sir James. "Thinkest thou he did not +know in what condition was his horse's gearing? I tell thee he went down +because thou didst strike fair and true, and he did not so strike thee. +Had he been Guy of Warwick he had gone down all the same under such a +stroke and in such case." + + + +CHAPTER 28 + +It was not until more than three weeks after the King had left Devlen +Castle that Lord George and his company of knights and archers were +ready for the expedition to France. Two weeks of that time Myles spent +at Crosbey-Dale with his father and mother. It was the first time that +he had seen them since, four years ago, he had quitted the low, narrow, +white-walled farmhouse for the castle of the great Earl of Mackworth. He +had never appreciated before how low and narrow and poor the farm-house +was. Now, with his eyes trained to the bigness of Devlen Castle, +he looked around him with wonder and pity at his father's humble +surroundings. He realized as he never else could have realized how great +was the fall in fortune that had cast the house of Falworth down from +its rightful station to such a level as that upon which it now rested. +And at the same time that he thus recognized how poor was their lot, how +dependent upon the charity of others, he also recognized how generous +was the friendship of Prior Edward, who perilled his own safety so +greatly in affording the family of the attainted Lord an asylum in its +bitter hour of need and peril. + +Myles paid many visits to the gentle old priest during those two weeks' +visit, and had many long and serious talks with him. One warm bright +afternoon, as he and the old man walked together in the priory garden, +after a game or two of draughts, the young knight talked more freely and +openly of his plans, his hopes, his ambitions, than perhaps he had +ever done. He told the old man all that the Earl had disclosed to him +concerning the fallen fortunes of his father's house, and of how all +who knew those circumstances looked to him to set the family in its old +place once more. Prior Edward added many things to those which Myles +already knew--things of which the Earl either did not know, or did not +choose to speak. He told the young man, among other matters, the reason +of the bitter and lasting enmity that the King felt for the blind +nobleman: that Lord Falworth had been one of King Richard's council in +times past; that it was not a little owing to him that King Henry, when +Earl of Derby, had been banished from England, and that though he +was then living in the retirement of private life, he bitterly and +steadfastly opposed King Richard's abdication. He told Myles that at the +time when Sir John Dale found shelter at Falworth Castle, vengeance was +ready to fall upon his father at any moment, and it needed only such a +pretext as that of sheltering so prominent a conspirator as Sir John to +complete his ruin. + +Myles, as he listened intently, could not but confess in his own mind +that the King had many rational, perhaps just, grounds for grievance +against such an ardent opponent as the blind Lord had shown himself to +be. "But, sir," said he, after a little space of silence, when Prior +Edward had ended, "to hold enmity and to breed treason are very +different matters. Haply my father was Bolingbroke's enemy, but, sure, +thou dost not believe he is justly and rightfully tainted with treason?" + +"Nay," answered the priest, "how canst thou ask me such a thing? Did I +believe thy father a traitor, thinkest thou I would thus tell his son +thereof? Nay, Myles, I do know thy father well, and have known him for +many years, and this of him, that few men are so honorable in heart and +soul as he. But I have told thee all these things to show that the King +is not without some reason to be thy father's unfriend. Neither, haply, +is the Earl of Alban without cause of enmity against him. So thou, upon +thy part, shouldst not feel bitter rancor against the King for what hath +happed to thy house, nor even against William Brookhurst--I mean the +Earl of Alban--for, I tell thee, the worst of our enemies and the worst +of men believe themselves always to have right and justice upon their +side, even when they most wish evil to others." + +So spoke the gentle old priest, who looked from his peaceful haven with +dreamy eyes upon the sweat and tussle of the world's battle. Had he +instead been in the thick of the fight, it might have been harder for +him to believe that his enemies ever had right upon their side. + +"But tell me this," said Myles, presently, "dost thou, then, think that +I do evil in seeking to do a battle of life or death with this wicked +Earl of Alban, who hath so ruined my father in body and fortune?" + +"Nay," said Prior Edward, thoughtfully, "I say not that thou doest evil. +War and bloodshed seem hard and cruel matters to me; but God hath given +that they be in the world, and may He forbid that such a poor worm as I +should say that they be all wrong and evil. Meseems even an evil thing +is sometimes passing good when rightfully used." + +Myles did not fully understand what the old man meant, but this much he +gathered, that his spiritual father did not think ill of his fighting +the Earl of Alban for his temporal father's sake. + +So Myles went to France in Lord George's company, a soldier of fortune, +as his Captain was. He was there for only six months, but those six +months wrought a great change in his life. In the fierce factional +battles that raged around the walls of Paris; in the evil life which +he saw at the Burgundian court in Paris itself after the truce--a court +brilliant and wicked, witty and cruel--the wonderful liquor of youth had +evaporated rapidly, and his character had crystallized as rapidly into +the hardness of manhood. The warfare, the blood, the evil pleasures +which he had seen had been a fiery, crucible test to his soul, and I +love my hero that he should have come forth from it so well. He was no +longer the innocent Sir Galahad who had walked in pure white up the +Long Hall to be knighted by the King, but his soul was of that grim, +sterling, rugged sort that looked out calmly from his gray eyes upon the +wickedness and debauchery around him, and loved it not. + +Then one day a courier came, bringing a packet. It was a letter from the +Earl, bidding Myles return straightway to England and to Mackworth House +upon the Strand, nigh to London, without delay, and Myles knew that his +time had come. + +It was a bright day in April when he and Gascoyne rode clattering out +through Temple Bar, leaving behind them quaint old London town, its +blank stone wall, its crooked, dirty streets, its high-gabled wooden +houses, over which rose the sharp spire of St. Paul's, towering high +into the golden air. Before them stretched the straight, broad highway +of the Strand, on one side the great houses and palaces of princely +priests and powerful nobles; on the other the Covent Garden, (or the +Convent Garden, as it was then called), and the rolling country, where +great stone windmills swung their slow-moving arms in the damp, soft +April breeze, and away in the distance the Scottish Palace, the White +Hall, and Westminster. + +It was the first time that Myles had seen famous London town. In that +dim and distant time of his boyhood, six months before, he would +have been wild with delight and enthusiasm. Now he jogged along with +Gascoyne, gazing about him with calm interest at open shops and booths +and tall, gabled houses; at the busy throng of merchants and craftsmen, +jostling and elbowing one another; at townsfolk--men and dames--picking +their way along the muddy kennel of a sidewalk. He had seen so much of +the world that he had lost somewhat of interest in new things. So he +did not care to tarry, but rode, with a mind heavy with graver matters, +through the streets and out through the Temple Bar direct for Mackworth +House, near the Savoy Palace. + +It was with a great deal of interest that Myles and his patron regarded +one another when they met for the first time after that half-year which +the young soldier had spent in France. To Myles it seemed somehow very +strange that his Lordship's familiar face and figure should look so +exactly the same. To Lord Mackworth, perhaps, it seemed even more +strange that six short months should have wrought so great a change in +the young man. The rugged exposure in camp and field during the hard +winter that had passed had roughened the smooth bloom of his boyish +complexion and bronzed his fair skin almost as much as a midsummer's sun +could have done. His beard and mustache had grown again, (now heavier +and more mannish from having been shaved), and the white seam of a scar +over the right temple gave, if not a stern, at least a determined look +to the strong, square-jawed young face. So the two stood for a while +regarding one another. Myles was the first to break the silence. + +"My Lord," said he, "thou didst send for me to come back to England; +behold, here am I." + +"When didst thou land, Sir Myles?" said the Earl. + +"I and my squire landed at Dover upon Tuesday last," answered the young +man. + +The Earl of Mackworth stroked his beard softly. "Thou art marvellous +changed," said he. "I would not have thought it possible." + +Myles smiled somewhat grimly. "I have seen such things, my Lord, in +France and in Paris," said he, quietly, "as, mayhap, may make a lad a +man before his time." + +"From which I gather," said the Earl, "that many adventures have +befallen thee. Methought thou wouldst find troublesome times in the +Dauphin's camp, else I would not have sent thee to France." + +A little space of silence followed, during which the Earl sat musingly, +half absently, regarding the tall, erect, powerful young figure standing +before him, awaiting his pleasure in motionless, patient, almost dogged +silence. The strong, sinewy hands were clasped and rested upon the long +heavy sword, around the scabbard of which the belt was loosely wrapped, +and the plates of mail caught and reflected in flashing, broken pieces, +the bright sunlight from the window behind. + +"Sir Myles," said the Earl, suddenly, breaking the silence at last, +"dost thou know why I sent for thee hither?" + +"Aye," said Myles, calmly, "how can I else? Thou wouldst not have called +me from Paris but for one thing. Methinks thou hast sent for me to fight +the Earl of Alban, and lo! I am here." + +"Thou speakest very boldly," said the Earl. "I do hope that thy deeds be +as bold as thy words." + +"That," said Myles, "thou must ask other men. Methinks no one may justly +call me coward." + +"By my troth!" said the Earl, smiling, "looking upon thee--limbs and +girth, bone and sinew--I would not like to be the he that would dare +accuse thee of such a thing. As for thy surmise, I may tell thee plain +that thou art right, and that it was to fight the Earl of Alban I sent +for thee hither. The time is now nearly ripe, and I will straightway +send for thy father to come to London. Meantime it would not be safe +either for thee or for me to keep thee in my service. I have spoken to +his Highness the Prince of Wales, who, with other of the Princes, is +upon our side in this quarrel. He hath promised to take thee into his +service until the fitting time comes to bring thee and thine enemy +together, and to-morrow I shall take thee to Scotland Yard, where his +Highness is now lodging." + +As the Earl ended his speech, Myles bowed, but did not speak. The Earl +waited for a little while, as though to give him the opportunity to +answer. + +"Well, sirrah," said he at last, with a shade of impatience, "hast thou +naught to say? Meseems thou takest all this with marvellous coolness." + +"Have I then my Lord's permission to speak my mind?" + +"Aye," said the Earl, "say thy say." + +"Sir," said Myles, "I have thought and pondered this matter much while +abroad, and would now ask thee a plain question in all honest an I ha' +thy leave." + +The Earl nodded his head. + +"Sir, am I not right in believing that thou hast certain weighty +purposes and aims of thine own to gain an I win this battle against the +Earl of Alban?" + +"Has my brother George been telling thee aught to such a purpose?" said +the Earl, after a moment or two of silence. + +Myles did not answer. + +"No matter," added Lord Mackworth. "I will not ask thee who told thee +such a thing. As for thy question--well, sin thou ask it frankly, I will +be frank with thee. Yea, I have certain ends to gain in having the Earl +of Alban overthrown." + +Myles bowed. "Sir," said he, "haply thine ends are as much beyond aught +that I can comprehend as though I were a little child; only this I know, +that they must be very great. Thou knowest well that in any case I would +fight me this battle for my father's sake and for the honor of my house; +nevertheless, in return for all that it will so greatly advantage thee, +wilt thou not grant me a boon in return should I overcome mine enemy?" + +"What is thy boon, Sir Myles?" + +"That thou wilt grant me thy favor to seek the Lady Alice de Mowbray for +my wife." + +The Earl of Mackworth started up from his seat. "Sir Myles Falworth"--he +began, violently, and then stopped short, drawing his bushy eyebrows +together into a frown stern, if not sinister. + +Myles withstood his look calmly and impassively, and presently the Earl +turned on his heel, and strode to the open window. A long time passed in +silence while he stood there, gazing out of the window into the garden +beyond with his back to the young man. + +Suddenly he swung around again. "Sir Myles," said he, "the family of +Falworth is as good as any in Derbyshire. Just now it is poor and fallen +in estate, but if it is again placed in credit and honor, thou, who art +the son of the house, shalt have thy suit weighed with as much respect +and consideration as though thou wert my peer in all things, Such is my +answer. Art thou satisfied?" + +"I could ask no more," answered Myles. + + + +CHAPTER 29 + +That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House. The next morning, as soon +as he had broken his fast, which he did in the privacy of his own +apartments, the Earl bade him and Gascoyne to make ready for the barge, +which was then waiting at the river stairs to take them to Scotland +Yard. + +The Earl himself accompanied them, and as the heavy snub-nosed boat, +rowed by the six oarsmen in Mackworth livery, slid slowly and heavily +up against the stream, the Earl, leaning back in his cushioned seat, +pointed out the various inns of the great priests or nobles; palatial +town residences standing mostly a little distance back from the water +behind terraced high-walled gardens and lawns. Yon was the Bishop of +Exeter's Close; yon was the Bishop of Bath's; that was York House; and +that Chester Inn. So passing by gardens and lawns and palaces, they came +at last to Scotland Yard stairs, a broad flight of marble steps that led +upward to a stone platform above, upon which opened the gate-way of the +garden beyond. + +The Scotland Yard of Myles Falworth's day was one of the more +pretentious and commodious of the palaces of the Strand. It took its +name from having been from ancient times the London inn which the +tributary Kings of Scotland occupied when on their periodical visits of +homage to England. Now, during this time of Scotland's independence, the +Prince of Wales had taken up his lodging in the old palace, and made it +noisy with the mad, boisterous mirth of his court. + +As the watermen drew the barge close to the landing-place of the stairs, +the Earl stepped ashore, and followed by Myles and Gascoyne, ascended +to the broad gate-way of the river wall of the garden. Three men-at-arms +who lounged upon a bench under the shade of the little pent roof of a +guard-house beside the wall, arose and saluted as the well-known figure +of the Earl mounted the steps. The Earl nodded a cool answer, and +passing unchallenged through the gate, led the way up a pleached walk, +beyond which, as Myles could see, there stretched a little grassy lawn +and a stone-paved terrace. As the Earl and the two young men approached +the end of the walk, they were met by the sound of voices and laughter, +the clinking of glasses and the rattle of dishes. Turning a corner, +they came suddenly upon a party of young gentlemen, who sat at a late +breakfast under the shade of a wide-spreading lime-tree. They had +evidently just left the tilt-yard, for two of the guests--sturdy, +thick-set young knights--yet wore a part of their tilting armor. + +Behind the merry scene stood the gray, hoary old palace, a steep flight +of stone steps, and a long, open, stone-arched gallery, which evidently +led to the kitchen beyond, for along it hurried serving-men, running up +and down the tall flight of steps, and bearing trays and dishes and cups +and flagons. It was a merry sight and a pleasant one. The day was warm +and balmy, and the yellow sunlight fell in waving uncertain patches of +light, dappling the table-cloth, and twinkling and sparkling upon the +dishes, cups, and flagons. + +At the head of the table sat a young man some three or four years +older than Myles, dressed in a full suit of rich blue brocaded velvet, +embroidered with gold-thread and trimmed with black fur. His face, which +was turned towards them as they mounted from the lawn to the little +stone-flagged terrace, was frank and open; the cheeks smooth and fair; +the eyes dark and blue. He was tall and rather slight, and wore his +thick yellow hair hanging to his shoulders, where it was cut square +across, after the manner of the times. Myles did not need to be told +that it was the Prince of Wales. + +"Ho, Gaffer Fox!" he cried, as soon as he caught sight of the Earl of +Mackworth, "what wind blows thee hither among us wild mallard drakes? +I warrant it is not for love of us, but only to fill thine own larder +after the manner of Sir Fox among the drakes. Whom hast thou with thee? +Some gosling thou art about to pluck?" + +A sudden hush fell upon the company, and all faces were turned towards +the visitors. + +The Earl bowed with a soft smile. "Your Highness," said he, smoothly, +"is pleased to be pleasant. Sir, I bring you the young knight of whom I +spoke to you some time since--Sir Myles Falworth. You may be pleased to +bring to mind that you so condescended as to promise to take him into +your train until the fitting time arrived for that certain matter of +which we spoke." + +"Sir Myles," said the Prince of Wales, with a frank, pleasant smile, "I +have heard great reports of thy skill and prowess in France, both from +Mackworth and from others. It will pleasure me greatly to have thee in +my household; more especially," he added, "as it will get thee, callow +as thou art, out of my Lord Fox's clutches. Our faction cannot do +without the Earl of Mackworth's cunning wits, Sir Myles; ne'theless I +would not like to put all my fate and fortune into his hands without +bond. I hope that thou dost not rest thy fortunes entirely upon his aid +and countenance." + +All who were present felt the discomfort of the Prince's speech, It was +evident that one of his mad, wild humors was upon him. In another case +the hare-brained young courtiers around might have taken their cue +from him, but the Earl of Mackworth was no subject for their gibes +and witticisms. A constrained silence fell, in which the Earl alone +maintained a perfect ease of manner. + +Myles bowed to hide his own embarrassment. "Your Highness," said he, +evasively, "I rest my fortune, first of all, upon God, His strength and +justice." + +"Thou wilt find safer dependence there than upon the Lord of Mackworth," +said the Prince, dryly. "But come," he added, with a sudden change of +voice and manner, "these be jests that border too closely upon bitter +earnest for a merry breakfast. It is ill to idle with edged tools. Wilt +thou not stay and break thy fast with us, my Lord?" + +"Pardon me, your Highness," said the Earl, bowing, and smiling the same +smooth smile his lips had worn from the first--such a smile as Myles +had never thought to have seen upon his haughty face; "I crave your good +leave to decline. I must return home presently, for even now, haply, +your uncle, his Grace of Winchester, is awaiting my coming upon the +business you wot of. Haply your Highness will find more joyance in a +lusty young knight like Sir Myles than in an old fox like myself. So I +leave him with you, in your good care." + +Such was Myles's introduction to the wild young madcap Prince of Wales, +afterwards the famous Henry V, the conqueror of France. + +For a month or more thereafter he was a member of the princely +household, and, after a little while, a trusted and honored member. +Perhaps it was the calm sturdy strength, the courage of the young +knight, that first appealed to the Prince's royal heart; perhaps +afterwards it was the more sterling qualities that underlaid that +courage that drew him to the young man; certain it was that in two weeks +Myles was the acknowledged favorite. He made no protestation of virtue; +he always accompanied the Prince in those madcap ventures to London, +where he beheld all manner of wild revelry; he never held himself aloof +from his gay comrades, but he looked upon all their mad sports with the +same calm gaze that had carried him without taint through the courts of +Burgundy and the Dauphin. The gay, roistering young lords and gentlemen +dubbed him Saint Myles, and jested with him about hair-cloth shirts +and flagellations, but witticism and jest alike failed to move Myles's +patient virtue; he went his own gait in the habits of his life, and in +so going knew as little as the others of the mad court that the Prince's +growing liking for him was, perhaps, more than all else, on account of +that very temperance. + +Then, by-and-by, the Prince began to confide in him as he did in none of +the others. There was no great love betwixt the King and his son; it has +happened very often that the Kings of England have felt bitter jealousy +towards the heirs-apparent as they have grown in power, and such was the +case with the great King Henry IV. The Prince often spoke to Myles of +the clashing and jarring between himself and his father, and the thought +began to come to Myles's mind by degrees that maybe the King's jealousy +accounted not a little for the Prince's reckless intemperance. + +Once, for instance, as the Prince leaned upon, his shoulder waiting, +whilst the attendants made ready the barge that was to carry them down +the river to the city, he said, abruptly: "Myles, what thinkest thou of +us all? Doth not thy honesty hold us in contempt?" + +"Nay, Highness," said Myles. "How could I hold contempt?" + +"Marry," said the Prince, "I myself hold contempt, and am not as honest +a man as thou. But, prithee, have patience with me, Myles. Some day, +perhaps, I too will live a clean life. Now, an I live seriously, the +King will be more jealous of me than ever, and that is not a little. +Maybe I live thus so that he may not know what I really am in soothly +earnest." + +The Prince also often talked to Myles concerning his own affairs; of +the battle he was to fight for his father's honor, of how the Earl of +Mackworth had plotted and planned to bring him face to face with the +Earl of Alban. He spoke to Myles more than once of the many great +changes of state and party that hung upon the downfall of the enemy +of the house of Falworth, and showed him how no hand but his own could +strike that enemy down; if he fell, it must be through the son of +Falworth. Sometimes it seemed to Myles as though he and his blind father +were the centre of a great web of plot and intrigue, stretching far and +wide, that included not only the greatest houses of England, but royalty +and the political balance of the country as well, and even before the +greatness of it all he did not flinch. + +Then, at last, came the beginning of the time for action. It was in the +early part of May, and Myles had been a member of the Prince's household +for a little over a month. One morning he was ordered to attend the +Prince in his privy cabinet, and, obeying the summons, he found the +Prince, his younger brother, the Duke of Bedford, and his uncle, the +Bishop of Winchester, seated at a table, where they had just been +refreshing themselves with a flagon of wine and a plate of wafers. + +"My poor Myles," said the Prince, smiling, as the young knight bowed to +the three, and then stood erect, as though on duty. "It shames my heart, +brother--and thou, uncle--it shames my heart to be one privy to this +thing which we are set upon to do. Here be we, the greatest Lords of +England, making a cat's-paw of this lad--for he is only yet a boy--and +of his blind father, for to achieve our ends against Alban's faction. It +seemeth not over-honorable to my mind." + +"Pardon me, your Highness," said Myles, blushing to the roots of his +hair; "but, an I may be so bold as to speak, I reck nothing of what your +aims may be; I only look to restoring my father's honor and the honor of +our house." + +"Truly," said the Prince, smiling, "that is the only matter that maketh +me willing to lay my hands to this business. Dost thou know why I have +sent for thee? It is because this day thou must challenge the Duke of +Alban before the King. The Earl of Mackworth has laid all his plans and +the time is now ripe. Knowest that thy father is at Mackworth House?" + +"Nay," said Myles; "I knew it not." + +"He hath been there for nearly two days," said the Prince. "Just now the +Earl hath sent for us to come first to Mackworth House. Then to go +to the palace, for he hath gained audience with the King, and hath so +arranged it that the Earl of Alban is to be there as well. We all go +straightway; so get thyself ready as soon as may be." + +Perhaps Myles's heart began beating more quickly within him at the +nearness of that great happening which he had looked forward to for so +long. If it did, he made no sign of his emotion, but only asked, "How +must I clothe myself, your Highness?" + +"Wear thy light armor," said the Prince, "but no helmet, a juppon +bearing the arms and colors that the Earl gave thee when thou wert +knighted, and carry thy right-hand gauntlet under thy belt for thy +challenge. Now make haste, for time passes." + + + +CHAPTER 30 + +Adjoining the ancient palace of Westminster, where King Henry IV was +then holding his court, was a no less ancient stone building known as +the Painted Room. Upon the walls were depicted a series of battle scenes +in long bands reaching around this room, one above another. Some of +these pictures had been painted as far back as the days of Henry III, +others had been added since his time. They chronicled the various wars +of the King of England, and it was from them that the little hall took +its name of the Painted Room. + +This ancient wing, or offshoot, of the main buildings was more retired +from the hurly-burly of outer life than other parts of the palace, and +thither the sick King was very fond of retiring from the business of +State, which ever rested more and more heavily upon his shoulders, +sometimes to squander in quietness a spare hour or two; sometimes to +idle over a favorite book; sometimes to play a game of chess with a +favorite courtier. The cold painted walls had been hung with tapestry, +and its floor had been spread with arras carpet. These and the cushioned +couches and chairs that stood around gave its gloomy antiquity an air of +comfort--an air even of luxury. + +It was to this favorite retreat of the King's that Myles was brought +that morning with his father to face the great Earl of Alban. + +In the anteroom the little party of Princes and nobles who escorted +the father and son had held a brief consultation. Then the others had +entered, leaving Myles and his blind father in charge of Lord Lumley and +two knights of the court, Sir Reginald Hallowell and Sir Piers Averell. + +Myles, as he stood patiently waiting, with his father's arm resting in +his, could hear the muffled sound of voices from beyond the arras. Among +others, he recognized the well-remembered tones of the King. He fancied +that he heard his own name mentioned more than once, and then the sound +of talking ceased. The next moment the arras was drawn aside, and the +Earl entered the antechamber again. + +"All is ready, cousin," said he to Lord Falworth, in a suppressed voice. +"Essex hath done as he promised, and Alban is within there now." Then, +turning to Myles, speaking in the same low voice, and betraying more +agitation than Myles had thought it possible for him to show, "Sir +Myles," said he, "remember all that hath been told thee. Thou knowest +what thou hast to say and do." Then, without further word, he took Lord +Falworth by the hand, and led the way into the room, Myles following +close behind. + +The King half sat, half inclined, upon a cushioned seat close to which +stood the two Princes. There were some dozen others present, mostly +priests and noblemen of high quality who clustered in a group at a +little distance. Myles knew most of them at a glance having seen them +come and go at Scotland Yard. But among them all, he singled out only +one--the Earl of Alban. He had not seen that face since he was a little +child eight years old, but now that he beheld it again, it fitted +instantly and vividly into the remembrance of the time of that terrible +scene at Falworth Castle, when he had beheld the then Lord Brookhurst +standing above the dead body of Sir John Dale, with the bloody mace +clinched in his hand. There were the same heavy black brows, sinister +and gloomy, the same hooked nose, the same swarthy cheeks. He even +remembered the deep dent in the forehead, where the brows met in +perpetual frown. So it was that upon that face his looks centred and +rested. + +The Earl of Alban had just been speaking to some Lord who stood beside +him, and a half-smile still hung about the corners of his lips. At +first, as he looked up at the entrance of the newcomers, there was no +other expression; then suddenly came a flash of recognition, a look of +wide-eyed amazement; then the blood left the cheeks and the lips, and +the face grew very pale. No doubt he saw at a flash that some great +danger overhung him in this sudden coming of his old enemy, for he was +as keen and as astute a politician as he was a famous warrior. At least +he knew that the eyes of most of those present were fixed keenly and +searchingly upon him. After the first start of recognition, his left +hand, hanging at his side, gradually closed around the scabbard of his +sword, clutching it in a vice-like grip. + +Meantime the Earl of Mackworth had led the blind Lord to the King, where +both kneeled. + +"Why, how now, my Lord?" said the King. "Methought it was our young +Paladin whom we knighted at Devlen that was to be presented, and here +thou bringest this old man. A blind man, ha! What is the meaning of +this?" + +"Majesty," said the Earl, "I have taken this chance to bring to thy +merciful consideration one who hath most wofully and unjustly suffered +from thine anger. Yonder stands the young knight of whom we spake; this +is his father, Gilbert Reginald, whilom Lord Falworth, who craves mercy +and justice at thy hands." + +"Falworth," said the King, placing his hand to his head. "The name is +not strange to mine ears, but I cannot place it. My head hath troubled +me sorely to-day, and I cannot remember." + +At this point the Earl of Alban came quietly and deliberately forward. +"Sire," said he, "pardon my boldness in so venturing to address you, but +haply I may bring the name more clearly to your mind. He is, as my Lord +of Mackworth said, the whilom Baron Falworth, the outlawed, attainted +traitor; so declared for the harboring of Sir John Dale, who was one of +those who sought your Majesty's life at Windsor eleven years ago. +Sire, he is mine enemy as well, and is brought hither by my proclaimed +enemies. Should aught occur to my harm, I rest my case in your gracious +hands." + +The dusty red flamed into the King's pale, sickly face in answer, and he +rose hastily from his seat. + +"Aye," said he, "I remember me now--I remember me the man and the name! +Who hath dared bring him here before us?" All the dull heaviness of +sickness was gone for the moment, and King Henry was the King Henry of +ten years ago as he rolled his eyes balefully from one to another of the +courtiers who stood silently around. + +The Earl of Mackworth shot a covert glance at the Bishop of Winchester, +who came forward in answer. + +"Your Majesty," said he, "here am I, your brother, who beseech you as +your brother not to judge over-hastily in this matter. It is true +that this man has been adjudged a traitor, but he has been so adjudged +without a hearing. I beseech thee to listen patiently to whatsoever he +may have to say." + +The King fixed the Bishop with a look of the bitterest, deepest anger, +holding his nether lip tightly under his teeth--a trick he had when +strongly moved with anger--and the Bishop's eyes fell under the look. +Meantime the Earl of Alban stood calm and silent. No doubt he saw that +the King's anger was likely to befriend him more than any words that he +himself could say, and he perilled his case with no more speech which +could only prove superfluous. + +At last the King turned a face red and swollen with anger to the blind +Lord, who still kneeled before him. + +"What hast thou to say?" he said, in a deep and sullen voice. + +"Gracious and merciful Lord," said the blind nobleman, "I come to thee, +the fountain-head of justice, craving justice. Sire, I do now and here +deny my treason, which denial I could not before make, being blind and +helpless, and mine enemies strong and malignant. But now, sire, Heaven +hath sent me help, and therefore I do acclaim before thee that my +accuser, William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, is a foul and an +attainted liar in all that he hath accused me of. To uphold which +allegation, and to defend me, who am blinded by his unknightliness, I do +offer a champion to prove all that I say with his body in combat." + +The Earl of Mackworth darted a quick look at Myles, who came forward the +moment his father had ended, and kneeled beside him. The King offered no +interruption to his speech, but he bent a look heavy with anger upon the +young man. + +"My gracious Lord and King," said Myles, "I, the son of the accused, do +offer myself as his champion in this cause, beseeching thee of thy grace +leave to prove the truth of the same, being a belted knight by thy grace +and of thy creation and the peer of any who weareth spurs." Thereupon, +rising, he drew his iron gauntlet from his girdle, and flung it clashing +down upon the floor, and with his heart swelling within him with anger +and indignation and pity of his blind father, he cried, in a loud +voice, "I do accuse thee, William of Alban, that thou liest vilely as +aforesaid, and here cast down my gage, daring thee to take it up." + +The Earl of Alban made as though he would accept the challenge, but the +King stopped him hastily. + +"Stop!" he cried, harshly. "Touch not the gage! Let it lie--let it lie, +I tell thee, my Lord! Now then," said he, turning to the others, "tell +me what meaneth all this coil? Who brought this man hither?" + +He looked from one to another of those who stood silently around, but no +one answered. + +"I see," said he, "ye all have had to do with it. It is as my Lord of +Alban sayeth; ye are his enemies, and ye are my enemies as well. In this +I do smell a vile plot. I cannot undo what I have done, and since I have +made this young man a knight with mine own hands, I cannot deny that +he is fit to challenge my Lord of Alban. Ne'theless, the High Court of +Chivalry shall adjudge this case. Meantime," said he, turning to the +Earl Marshal, who was present, "I give thee this attainted Lord in +charge. Convey him presently to the Tower, and let him abide our +pleasure there. Also, thou mayst take up yon gage, and keep it till it +is redeemed according to our pleasure." + +He stood thoughtfully for a moment, and then raising his eyes, looked +fixedly at the Earl of Mackworth. "I know," he said, "that I be a right +sick man, and there be some who are already plotting to overthrow those +who have held up my hand with their own strength for all these years." +Then speaking more directly: "My Lord Earl of Mackworth, I see your hand +in this before all others. It was thou who so played upon me as to get +me to knight this young man, and thus make him worthy to challenge my +Lord of Alban. It was thy doings that brought him here to-day, backed +by mine own sons and my brother and by these noblemen." Then turning +suddenly to the Earl of Alban: "Come, my Lord," said he; "I am aweary +with all this coil. Lend me thine arm to leave this place." So it +was that he left the room, leaning upon the Earl of Alban's arm, and +followed by the two or three of the Alban faction who were present. + +"Your Royal Highness," said the Earl Marshal, "I must e'en do the King's +bidding, and take this gentleman into arrest." + +"Do thy duty," said the Prince. "We knew it must come to this. Meanwhile +he is to be a prisoner of honor, and see that he be well lodged and +cared for. Thou wilt find my barge at the stairs to convey him down the +river, and I myself will come this afternoon to visit him." + + + +CHAPTER 31 + +It was not until the end of July that the High Court of Chivalry +rendered its judgment. There were many unusual points in the case, some +of which bore heavily against Lord Falworth, some of which were in +his favor. He was very ably defended by the lawyers whom the Earl +of Mackworth had engaged upon his side; nevertheless, under ordinary +circumstances, the judgment, no doubt, would have been quickly rendered +against him. As it was, however, the circumstances were not ordinary, +and it was rendered in his favor. The Court besought the King to grant +the ordeal by battle, to accept Lord Falworth's champion, and to appoint +the time and place for the meeting. + +The decision must have been a most bitter, galling one for the sick +King. He was naturally of a generous, forgiving nature, but Lord +Falworth in his time of power had been an unrelenting and fearless +opponent, and his Majesty who, like most generous men, could on +occasions be very cruel and intolerant, had never forgiven him. He had +steadily thrown the might of his influence with the Court against the +Falworths' case, but that influence was no longer all-powerful for good +or ill. He was failing in health, and it could only be a matter of a few +years, probably of only a few months, before his successor sat upon the +throne. + +Upon the other hand, the Prince of Wales's faction had been steadily, +and of late rapidly, increasing in power, and in the Earl of Mackworth, +its virtual head, it possessed one of the most capable politicians and +astute intriguers in Europe. So, as the outcome of all the plotting and +counter-plotting, scheming and counter-scheming, the case was decided in +Lord Falworth's favor. The knowledge of the ultimate result was known +to the Prince of Wales's circle almost a week before it was finally +decided. Indeed, the Earl of Mackworth had made pretty sure of that +result before he had summoned Myles from France, but upon the King it +fell like the shock of a sudden blow. All that day he kept himself in +moody seclusion, nursing his silent, bitter anger, and making only +one outbreak, in which he swore by the Holy Rood that should Myles be +worsted in the encounter, he would not take the battle into his own +hands, but would suffer him to be slain, and furthermore, that should +the Earl show signs of failing at any time, he would do all in his power +to save him. One of the courtiers who had been present, and who was +secretly inclined to the Prince of Wales's faction, had repeated this +speech at Scotland Yard, and the Prince had said, "That meaneth, Myles, +that thou must either win or die." + +"And so I would have it to be, my Lord," Myles had answered. + +It was not until nearly a fortnight after the decision of the Court of +Chivalry had been rendered that the King announced the time and place +of battle--the time to be the 3d of September, the place to be +Smithfield--a spot much used for such encounters. + +During the three weeks or so that intervened between this announcement +and the time of combat, Myles went nearly every day to visit the lists +in course of erection. Often the Prince went with him; always two or +three of his friends of the Scotland Yard court accompanied him. + +The lists were laid out in the usual form. The true or principal list in +which the combatants were to engage was sixty yards long and forty yards +wide; this rectangular space being surrounded by a fence about six feet +high, painted vermilion. Between the fence and the stand where the King +and the spectators sat, and surrounding the central space, was the +outer or false list, also surrounded by a fence. In the false list the +Constable and the Marshal and their followers and attendants were to be +stationed at the time of battle to preserve the general peace during the +contest between the principals. + +One day as Myles, his princely patron, and his friends entered the +barriers, leaving their horses at the outer gate, they met the Earl of +Alban and his followers, who were just quitting the lists, which they +also were in the habit of visiting nearly every day. As the two parties +passed one another, the Earl spoke to a gentleman walking beside him and +in a voice loud enough to be clearly overheard by the others: "Yonder +is the young sprig of Falworth," said he. "His father, my Lords, is +not content with forfeiting his own life for his treason, but must, +forsooth, throw away his son's also. I have faced and overthrown many a +better knight than that boy." + +Myles heard the speech, and knew that it was intended for him to hear +it; but he paid no attention to it, walking composedly at the Prince's +side. The Prince had also overheard it, and after a little space of +silence asked, "Dost thou not feel anxiety for thy coming battle, +Myles?" + +"Yea, my Lord," said Myles; "sometimes I do feel anxiety, but not such +as my Lord of Alban would have me feel in uttering the speech that he +spake anon. It is anxiety for my father's sake and my mother's sake that +I feel, for truly there are great matters for them pending upon this +fight. Ne'theless, I do know that God will not desert me in my cause, +for verily my father is no traitor." + +"But the Earl of Alban," said the Prince, gravely, "is reputed one of +the best-skilled knights in all England; moreover, he is merciless and +without generosity, so that an he gain aught advantage over thee, he +will surely slay thee." + +"I am not afraid, my Lord," said Myles, still calmly and composedly. + +"Nor am I afraid for thee, Myles," said the Prince, heartily, putting +his arm, as he spoke, around the young man's shoulder; "for truly, wert +thou a knight of forty years, instead of one of twenty, thou couldst not +bear thyself with more courage." + +As the time for the duel approached, the days seemed to drag themselves +along upon leaden feet; nevertheless, the days came and went, as all +days do, bringing with them, at last, the fateful 3d of September. + +Early in the morning, while the sun was still level and red, the Prince +himself, unattended, came to Myles's apartment, in the outer room of +which Gascoyne was bustling busily about arranging the armor piece by +piece; renewing straps and thongs, but not whistling over his work as he +usually did. The Prince nodded to him, and then passed silently through +to the inner chamber. Myles was upon his knees, and Father Ambrose, +the Prince's chaplain, was beside him. The Prince stood silently at the +door, until Myles, having told his last bead, rose and turned towards +him. + +"My dear Lord," said the young knight, "I give you gramercy for the +great honor you do me in coming so early for to visit me." + +"Nay, Myles, give me no thanks," said the Prince, frankly reaching him +his hand, which Myles took and set to his lips. "I lay bethinking me of +thee this morning, while yet in bed, and so, as I could not sleep any +more, I was moved to come hither to see thee." + +Quite a number of the Prince's faction were at the breakfast at Scotland +Yard that morning; among others, the Earl of Mackworth. All were more or +less oppressed with anxiety, for nearly all of them had staked much upon +the coming battle. If Alban conquered, he would be more powerful to harm +them and to revenge himself upon them than ever, and Myles was a very +young champion upon whom to depend. Myles himself, perhaps, showed as +little anxiety as any; he certainly ate more heartily of his breakfast +that morning than many of the others. + +After the meal was ended, the Prince rose. "The boat is ready at the +stairs," said he; "if thou wouldst go to the Tower to visit thy father, +Myles, before hearing mass, I and Cholmondeley and Vere and Poins will +go with thee, if ye, Lords and gentlemen, will grant me your pardon +for leaving you. Are there any others that thou wouldst have accompany +thee?" + +"I would have Sir James Lee and my squire, Master Gascoyne, if thou art +so pleased to give them leave to go," answered Myles. + +"So be it," said the Prince. "We will stop at Mackworth stairs for the +knight." + +The barge landed at the west stairs of the Tower wharf, and the whole +party were received with more than usual civilities by the Governor, who +conducted them at once to the Tower where Lord Falworth was lodged. Lady +Falworth met them at the head of the stairs; her eyes were very red and +her face pale, and as Myles raised her hand and set a long kiss upon it, +her lips trembled, and she turned her face quickly away, pressing +her handkerchief for one moment to her eyes. Poor lady! What agony of +anxiety and dread did she not suffer for her boy's sake that day! Myles +had not hidden both from her and his father that he must either win or +die. + +As Myles turned from his mother, Prior Edward came out from the inner +chamber, and was greeted warmly by him. The old priest had arrived in +London only the day before, having come down from Crosbey Priory to be +with his friend's family during this their time of terrible anxiety. + +After a little while of general talk, the Prince and his attendants +retired, leaving the family together, only Sir James Lee and Gascoyne +remaining behind. + +Many matters that had been discussed before were now finally settled, +the chief of which was the disposition of Lady Falworth in case the +battle should go against them. Then Myles took his leave, kissing his +mother, who began crying, and comforting her with brave assurances. +Prior Edward accompanied him as far as the head of the Tower stairs, +where Myles kneeled upon the stone steps, while the good priest blessed +him and signed the cross upon his forehead. The Prince was waiting in +the walled garden adjoining, and as they rowed back again up the river +to Scotland Yard, all were thoughtful and serious, even Poins' and +Vere's merry tongues being stilled from their usual quips and jesting. + +It was about the quarter of the hour before eleven o'clock when Myles, +with Gascoyne, set forth for the lists. The Prince of Wales, together +with most of his court, had already gone on to Smithfield, leaving +behind him six young knights of his household to act as escort to the +young champion. Then at last the order to horse was given; the great +gate swung open, and out they rode, clattering and jingling, the +sunlight gleaming and flaming and flashing upon their polished armor. +They drew rein to the right, and so rode in a little cloud of dust along +the Strand Street towards London town, with the breeze blowing merrily, +and the sunlight shining as sweetly and blithesomely as though they were +riding to a wedding rather than to a grim and dreadful ordeal that meant +either victory or death. + + + +CHAPTER 32 + +In the days of King Edward III a code of laws relating to trial by +battle had been compiled for one of his sons, Thomas of Woodstock. In +this work each and every detail, to the most minute, had been arranged +and fixed, and from that time judicial combats had been regulated in +accordance with its mandates. + +It was in obedience to this code that Myles Falworth appeared at the +east gate of the lists (the east gate being assigned by law to the +challenger), clad in full armor of proof, attended by Gascoyne, and +accompanied by two of the young knights who had acted as his escort from +Scotland Yard. + +At the barriers he was met by the attorney Willingwood, the chief lawyer +who had conducted the Falworth case before the High Court of Chivalry, +and who was to attend him during the administration of the oaths before +the King. + +As Myles presented himself at the gate he was met by the Constable, the +Marshal, and their immediate attendants. The Constable, laying his hand +upon the bridle-rein, said, in a loud voice: "Stand, Sir Knight, and +tell me why thou art come thus armed to the gates of the lists. What is +thy name? Wherefore art thou come?" + +Myles answered, "I am Myles Falworth, a Knight of the Bath by grace of +his Majesty King Henry IV and by his creation, and do come hither to +defend my challenge upon the body of William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of +Alban, proclaiming him an unknightly knight and a false and perjured +liar, in that he hath accused Gilbert Reginald, Lord Falworth, of +treason against our beloved Lord, his Majesty the King, and may God +defend the right!" + +As he ended speaking, the Constable advanced close to his side, and +formally raising the umbril of the helmet, looked him in the face. +Thereupon, having approved his identity, he ordered the gates to be +opened, and bade Myles enter the lists with his squire and his friends. + +At the south side of the lists a raised scaffolding had been built for +the King and those who looked on. It was not unlike that which had +been erected at Devlen Castle when Myles had first jousted as belted +knight--here were the same raised seat for the King, the tapestries, the +hangings, the fluttering pennons, and the royal standard floating above; +only here were no fair-faced ladies looking down upon him, but instead, +stern-browed Lords and knights in armor and squires, and here were no +merry laughing and buzz of talk and flutter of fans and kerchiefs, but +all was very quiet and serious. + +Myles riding upon his horse, with Gascoyne holding the bridle-rein, +and his attorney walking beside him with his hand upon the stirrups, +followed the Constable across the lists to an open space in front of the +seat where the King sat. Then, having reached his appointed station, he +stopped, and the Constable, advancing to the foot of the stair-way that +led to the dais above, announced in a loud voice that the challenger had +entered the lists. + +"Then called the defendant straightway," said the King, "for noon +draweth nigh." + +The day was very warm, and the sun, bright and unclouded, shone fiercely +down upon the open lists. Perhaps few men nowadays could bear the +scorching heat of iron plates such as Myles wore, from which the body +was only protected by a leathern jacket and hose. But men's bodies in +those days were tougher and more seasoned to hardships of weather than +they are in these our times. Myles thought no more of the burning +iron plates that incased him than a modern soldier thinks of his dress +uniform in warm weather. Nevertheless, he raised the umbril of his +helmet to cool his face as he waited the coming of his opponent. He +turned his eyes upward to the row of seats on the scaffolding above, +and even in the restless, bewildering multitude of strange faces turned +towards him recognized those that he knew: the Prince of Wales, his +companions of the Scotland Yard household, the Duke of Clarence, +the Bishop of Winchester, and some of the noblemen of the Earl of +Mackworth's party, who had been buzzing about the Prince for the past +month or so. But his glance swept over all these, rather perceiving +than seeing them, and then rested upon a square box-like compartment not +unlike a prisoner's dock in the courtroom of our day, for in the box sat +his father, with the Earl of Mackworth upon one side and Sir James Lee +upon the other. The blind man's face was very pale, but still wore its +usual expression of calm serenity--the calm serenity of a blind face. +The Earl was also very pale, and he kept his eyes fixed steadfastly upon +Myles with a keen and searching look, as though to pierce to the very +bottom of the young man's heart, and discover if indeed not one little +fragment of dryrot of fear or uncertainty tainted the solid courage of +his knighthood. + +Then he heard the criers calling the defendant at the four corners of +the list: "Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, +come to this combat, in which you be enterprised this day to discharge +your sureties before the King, the Constable, and the Marshal, and to +encounter in your defence Myles Falworth, knight, the accepted champion +upon behalf of Gilbert Reginald Falworth, the challenger! Oyez! Oyez! +Oyez! Let the defendant come!" + +So they continued calling, until, by the sudden turning of all faces, +Myles knew that his enemy was at hand. + +Then presently he saw the Earl and his attendants enter the outer gate +at the west end of the barrier; he saw the Constable and Marshal meet +him; he saw the formal words of greeting pass; he saw the Constable +raise the umbril of the helmet. Then the gate opened, and the Earl of +Alban entered, clad cap-a-pie in a full suit of magnificent Milan armor +without juppon or adornment of any kind. As he approached across the +lists, Myles closed the umbril of his helmet, and then sat quite still +and motionless, for the time was come. + +So he sat, erect and motionless as a statue of iron, half hearing the +reading of the long intricately-worded bills, absorbed in many thoughts +of past and present things. At last the reading ended, and then he +calmly and composedly obeyed, under the direction of his attorney, +the several forms and ceremonies that followed; answered the various +official questions, took the various oaths. Then Gascoyne, leading the +horse by the bridle-rein, conducted him back to his station at the east +end of the lists. + +As the faithful friend and squire made one last and searching +examination of arms and armor, the Marshal and the clerk came to the +young champion and administered the final oath by which he swore that he +carried no concealed weapons. + +The weapons allowed by the High Court were then measured and attested. +They consisted of the long sword, the short sword, the dagger, the mace, +and a weapon known as the hand-gisarm, or glave-lot--a heavy swordlike +blade eight palms long, a palm in breadth, and riveted to a stout handle +of wood three feet long. + +The usual lance had not been included in the list of arms, the +hand-gisarm being substituted in its place. It was a fearful and +murderous weapon, though cumbersome, Unhandy, and ill adapted for quick +or dexterous stroke; nevertheless, the Earl of Alban had petitioned +the King to have it included in the list, and in answer to the King's +expressed desire the Court had adopted it in the stead of the lance, +yielding thus much to the royal wishes. Nor was it a small concession. +The hand-gisarm had been a weapon very much in vogue in King Richard's +day, and was now nearly if not entirely out of fashion with the younger +generation of warriors. The Earl of Alban was, of course, well used to +the blade; with Myles it was strange and new, either for attack or in +defence. + +With the administration of the final oath and the examination of the +weapons, the preliminary ceremonies came to an end, and presently Myles +heard the criers calling to clear the lists. As those around him moved +to withdraw, the young knight drew off his mailed gauntlet, and gave +Gascoyne's hand one last final clasp, strong, earnest, and intense with +the close friendship of young manhood, and poor Gascoyne looked up at +him with a face ghastly white. + +Then all were gone; the gates of the principal list and that of the +false list were closed clashing, and Myles was alone, face to face, with +his mortal enemy. + + + +CHAPTER 33 + +There was a little while of restless, rustling silence, during which the +Constable took his place in the seat appointed for him directly in +front of and below the King's throne. A moment or two when even the +restlessness and the rustling were quieted, and then the King leaned +forward and spoke to the Constable, who immediately called out, in a +loud, clear voice. + +"Let them go!" Then again, "Let them go!" Then, for the third and last +time, "Let them go and do their endeavor, in God's name!" + +At this third command the combatants, each of whom had till that moment +been sitting as motionless as a statue of iron, tightened rein, and rode +slowly and deliberately forward without haste, yet without hesitation, +until they met in the very middle of the lists. + +In the battle which followed, Myles fought with the long sword, the Earl +with the hand-gisarm for which he had asked. The moment they met, the +combat was opened, and for a time nothing was heard but the thunderous +clashing and clamor of blows, now and then beating intermittently, now +and then pausing. Occasionally, as the combatants spurred together, +checked, wheeled, and recovered, they would be hidden for a moment in +a misty veil of dust, which, again drifting down the wind, perhaps +revealed them drawn a little apart, resting their panting horses. Then, +again, they would spur together, striking as they passed, wheeling and +striking again. + +Upon the scaffolding all was still, only now and then for the buzz of +muffled exclamations or applause of those who looked on. Mostly the +applause was from Myles's friends, for from the very first he showed and +steadily maintained his advantage over the older man. "Hah! well struck! +well recovered!" "Look ye! the sword bit that time!" "Nay, look, saw ye +him pass the point of the gisarm?" Then, "Falworth! Falworth!" as some +more than usually skilful stroke or parry occurred. + +Meantime Myles's father sat straining his sightless eyeballs, as though +to pierce his body's darkness with one ray of light that would show him +how his boy held his own in the fight, and Lord Mackworth, leaning with +his lips close to the blind man's ear, told him point by point how the +battle stood. + +"Fear not, Gilbert," said he at each pause in the fight. "He holdeth his +own right well." Then, after a while: "God is with us, Gilbert. Alban +is twice wounded and his horse faileth. One little while longer and the +victory is ours!" + +A longer and more continuous interval of combat followed this +last assurance, during which Myles drove the assault fiercely and +unrelentingly as though to overbear his enemy by the very power +and violence of the blows he delivered. The Earl defended himself +desperately, but was borne back, back, back, farther and farther. Every +nerve of those who looked on was stretched to breathless tensity, when, +almost as his enemy was against the barriers, Myles paused and rested. + +"Out upon it!" exclaimed the Earl of Mackworth, almost shrilly in his +excitement, as the sudden lull followed the crashing of blows. "Why doth +the boy spare him? That is thrice he hath given him grace to recover; +an he had pushed the battle that time he had driven him back against the +barriers." + +It was as the Earl had said; Myles had three times given his enemy grace +when victory was almost in his very grasp. He had three times spared +him, in spite of all he and those dear to him must suffer should his +cruel and merciless enemy gain the victory. It was a false and foolish +generosity, partly the fault of his impulsive youth--more largely of +his romantic training in the artificial code of French chivalry. He felt +that the battle was his, and so he gave his enemy these three chances to +recover, as some chevalier or knight-errant of romance might have +done, instead of pushing the combat to a mercifully speedy end--and his +foolish generosity cost him dear. + +In the momentary pause that had thus stirred the Earl of Mackworth to +a sudden outbreak, the Earl of Alban sat upon his panting, sweating +war-horse, facing his powerful young enemy at about twelve paces +distant. He sat as still as a rock, holding his gisarm poised in front +of him. He had, as the Earl of Mackworth had said, been wounded twice, +and each time with the point of the sword, so much more dangerous than a +direct cut with the weapon. One wound was beneath his armor, and no one +but he knew how serious it might be; the other was under the overlapping +of the epauhere, and from it a finger's-breadth of blood ran straight +down his side and over the housings of his horse. From without, the +still motionless iron figure appeared calm and expressionless; within, +who knows what consuming blasts of hate, rage, and despair swept his +heart as with a fiery whirlwind. + +As Myles looked at the motionless, bleeding figure, his breast swelled +with pity. "My Lord," said he, "thou art sore wounded and the fight is +against thee; wilt thou not yield thee?" + +No one but that other heard the speech, and no one but Myles heard the +answer that came back, hollow, cavernous, "Never, thou dog! Never!" + +Then in an instant, as quick as a flash, his enemy spurred straight upon +Myles, and as he spurred he struck a last desperate, swinging blow, in +which he threw in one final effort all the strength of hate, of fury, +and of despair. Myles whirled his horse backward, warding the blow with +his shield as he did so. The blade glanced from the smooth face of the +shield, and, whether by mistake or not, fell straight and true, and with +almost undiminished force, upon the neck of Myles's war-horse, and just +behind the ears. The animal staggered forward, and then fell upon its +knees, and at the same instant the other, as though by the impetus of +the rush, dashed full upon it with all the momentum lent by the weight +of iron it carried. The shock was irresistible, and the stunned and +wounded horse was flung upon the ground, rolling over and over. As his +horse fell, Myles wrenched one of his feet out of the stirrup; the other +caught for an instant, and he was flung headlong with stunning violence, +his armor crashing as he fell. In the cloud of dust that arose no +one could see just what happened, but that what was done was done +deliberately no one doubted. The earl, at once checking and spurring +his foaming charger, drove the iron-shod war-horse directly over Myles's +prostrate body. Then, checking him fiercely with the curb, reined him +back, the hoofs clashing and crashing, over the figure beneath. So +he had ridden over the father at York, and so he rode over the son at +Smithfield. + +Myles, as he lay prostrate and half stunned by his fall, had seen his +enemy thus driving his rearing horse down upon him, but was not able to +defend himself. A fallen knight in full armor was utterly powerless to +rise without assistance; Myles lay helpless in the clutch of the very +iron that was his defence. He closed his eyes involuntarily, and then +horse and rider were upon him. There was a deafening, sparkling crash, +a glimmering faintness, then another crash as the horse was reined +furiously back again, and then a humming stillness. + +In a moment, upon the scaffolding all was a tumult of uproar and +confusion, shouting and gesticulation; only the King sat calm, sullen, +impassive. The Earl wheeled his horse and sat for a moment or two as +though to make quite sure that he knew the King's mind. The blow that +had been given was foul, unknightly, but the King gave no sign either of +acquiescence or rebuke; he had willed that Myles was to die. + +Then the Earl turned again, and rode deliberately up to his prostrate +enemy. + +When Myles opened his eyes after that moment of stunning silence, it was +to see the other looming above him on his war-horse, swinging his gisarm +for one last mortal blow--pitiless, merciless. + +The sight of that looming peril brought back Myles's wandering senses +like a flash of lightning. He flung up his shield, and met the blow even +as it descended, turning it aside. It only protracted the end. + +Once more the Earl of Alban raised the gisarm, swinging it twice around +his head before he struck. This time, though the shield glanced it, the +blow fell upon the shoulder-piece, biting through the steel plate and +leathern jack beneath even to the bone. Then Myles covered his head with +his shield as a last protecting chance for life. + +For the third time the Earl swung the blade flashing, and then it fell, +straight and true, upon the defenceless body, just below the left arm, +biting deep through the armor plates. For an instant the blade stuck +fast, and that instant was Myles's salvation. Under the agony of the +blow he gave a muffled cry, and almost instinctively grasped the shaft +of the weapon with both hands. Had the Earl let go his end of the +weapon, he would have won the battle at his leisure and most easily; as +it was, he struggled violently to wrench the gisarm away from Myles. In +that short, fierce struggle Myles was dragged to his knees, and then, +still holding the weapon with one hand, he clutched the trappings of the +Earl's horse with the other. The next moment he was upon his feet. The +other struggled to thrust him away, but Myles, letting go the gisarm, +which he held with his left hand, clutched him tightly by the sword-belt +in the intense, vise-like grip of despair. In vain the Earl strove to +beat him loose with the shaft of the gisarm, in vain he spurred and +reared his horse to shake him off; Myles held him tight, in spite of all +his struggles. + +He felt neither the streaming blood nor the throbbing agony of his +wounds; every faculty of soul, mind, body, every power of life, was +centered in one intense, burning effort. He neither felt, thought, nor +reasoned, but clutching, with the blindness of instinct, the heavy, +spiked, iron-headed mace that hung at the Earl's saddle-bow, he gave it +one tremendous wrench that snapped the plaited leathern thongs that held +it as though they were skeins of thread. Then, grinding his teeth as +with a spasm, he struck as he had never struck before--once, twice, +thrice full upon the front of the helmet. Crash! crash! And then, even +as the Earl toppled sidelong, crash! And the iron plates split and +crackled under the third blow. Myles had one flashing glimpse of an +awful face, and then the saddle was empty. + +Then, as he held tight to the horse, panting, dizzy, sick to death, he +felt the hot blood gushing from his side, filling his body armor, and +staining the ground upon which he stood. Still he held tightly to the +saddle-bow of the fallen man's horse until, through his glimmering +sight, he saw the Marshal, the Lieutenant, and the attendants gather +around him. He heard the Marshal ask him, in a voice that sounded faint +and distant, if he was dangerously wounded. He did not answer, and one +of the attendants, leaping from his horse, opened the umbril of his +helmet, disclosing the dull, hollow eyes, the ashy, colorless lips, and +the waxy forehead, upon which stood great beads of sweat. + +"Water! water!" he cried, hoarsely; "give me to drink!" Then, quitting +his hold upon the horse, he started blindly across the lists towards the +gate of the barrier. A shadow that chilled his heart seemed to fall upon +him. "It is death," he muttered; then he stopped, then swayed for an +instant, and then toppled headlong, crashing as he fell. + + + +CONCLUSION + +But Myles was not dead. Those who had seen his face when the umbril of +the helmet was raised, and then saw him fall as he tottered across the +lists, had at first thought so. But his faintness was more from loss +of blood and the sudden unstringing of nerve and sense from the intense +furious strain of the last few moments of battle than from the vital +nature of the wound. Indeed, after Myles had been carried out of the +lists and laid upon the ground in the shade between the barriers, +Master Thomas, the Prince's barber-surgeon, having examined the wounds, +declared that he might be even carried on a covered litter to Scotland +Yard without serious danger. The Prince was extremely desirous of having +him under his care, and so the venture was tried. Myles was carried to +Scotland Yard, and perhaps was none the worse therefore. The Prince, the +Earl of Mackworth, and two or three others stood silently watching as +the worthy shaver and leecher, assisted by his apprentice and Gascoyne, +washed and bathed the great gaping wound in the side, and bound it with +linen bandages. Myles lay with closed eyelids, still, pallid, weak as +a little child. Presently he opened his eyes and turned them, dull and +languid, to the Prince. + +"What hath happed my father, my Lord?" said he, in a faint, whispering +voice. + +"Thou hath saved his life and honor, Myles," the Prince answered. "He +is here now, and thy mother hath been sent for, and cometh anon with the +priest who was with them this morn." + +Myles dropped his eyelids again; his lips moved, but he made no sound, +and then two bright tears trickled across his white cheek. + +"He maketh a woman of me," the Prince muttered through his teeth, and +then, swinging on his heel, he stood for a long time looking out of the +window into the garden beneath. + +"May I see my father?" said Myles, presently, without opening his eyes. + +The Prince turned around and looked inquiringly at the surgeon. + +The good man shook his head. "Not to-day," said he; "haply to-morrow he +may see him and his mother. The bleeding is but new stanched, and such +matters as seeing his father and mother may make the heart to swell, and +so maybe the wound burst afresh and he die. An he would hope to live, he +must rest quiet until to-morrow day." + +But though Myles's wound was not mortal, it was very serious. The fever +which followed lingered longer than common--perhaps because of the hot +weather--and the days stretched to weeks, and the weeks to months, and +still he lay there, nursed by his mother and Gascoyne and Prior Edward, +and now and again by Sir James Lee. + +One day, a little before the good priest returned to Saint Mary's +Priory, as he sat by Myles's bedside, his hands folded, and his sight +turned inward, the young man suddenly said, "Tell me, holy father, is it +always wrong for man to slay man?" + +The good priest sat silent for so long a time that Myles began to think +he had not heard the question. But by-and-by he answered, almost with a +sigh, "It is a hard question, my son, but I must in truth say, meseems +it is not always wrong." + +"Sir," said Myles, "I have been in battle when men were slain, but never +did I think thereon as I have upon this matter. Did I sin in so slaying +my father's enemy?" + +"Nay," said Prior Edward, quietly, "thou didst not sin. It was for +others thou didst fight, my son, and for others it is pardonable to do +battle. Had it been thine own quarrel, it might haply have been more +hard to have answered thee." + +Who can gainsay, even in these days of light, the truth of this that the +good priest said to the sick lad so far away in the past? + + +One day the Earl of Mackworth came to visit Myles. At that time the +young knight was mending, and was sitting propped up with pillows, and +was wrapped in Sir James Lee's cloak, for the day was chilly. After a +little time of talk, a pause of silence fell. + +"My Lord," said Myles, suddenly, "dost thou remember one part of a +matter we spoke of when I first came from France?" + +The Earl made no pretence of ignorance. "I remember," said he, quietly, +looking straight into the young man's thin white face. + +"And have I yet won the right to ask for the Lady Alice de Mowbray to +wife?" said Myles, the red rising faintly to his cheeks. + +"Thou hast won it," said the Earl, with a smile. + +Myles's eyes shone and his lips trembled with the pang of sudden joy +and triumph, for he was still very weak. "My Lord," said he, presently +"belike thou camest here to see me for this very matter?" + +The Earl smiled again without answering, and Myles knew that he had +guessed aright. He reached out one of his weak, pallid hands from +beneath the cloak. The Earl of Mackworth took it with a firm pressure, +then instantly quitting it again, rose, as if ashamed of his emotion, +stamped his feet, as though in pretence of being chilled, and then +crossed the room to where the fire crackled brightly in the great stone +fireplace. + + +Little else remains to be told; only a few loose strands to tie, and the +story is complete. + +Though Lord Falworth was saved from death at the block, though his honor +was cleansed from stain, he was yet as poor and needy as ever. The +King, in spite of all the pressure brought to bear upon him, refused to +restore the estates of Falworth and Easterbridge--the latter of which +had again reverted to the crown upon the death of the Earl of Alban +without issue--upon the grounds that they had been forfeited not because +of the attaint of treason, but because of Lord Falworth having refused +to respond to the citation of the courts. So the business dragged along +for month after month, until in January the King died suddenly in the +Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster. Then matters went smoothly enough, and +Falworth and Mackworth swam upon the flood-tide of fortune. + + +So Myles was married, for how else should the story end? And one day +he brought his beautiful young wife home to Falworth Castle, which his +father had given him for his own, and at the gateway of which he was met +by Sir James Lee and by the newly-knighted Sir Francis Gascoyne. + +One day, soon after this home-coming, as he stood with her at an open +window into which came blowing the pleasant May-time breeze, he suddenly +said, "What didst thou think of me when I first fell almost into thy +lap, like an apple from heaven?" + +"I thought thou wert a great, good-hearted boy, as I think thou art +now," said she, twisting his strong, sinewy fingers in and out. + +"If thou thoughtst me so then, what a very fool I must have looked to +thee when I so clumsily besought thee for thy favor for my jousting at +Devlen. Did I not so?" + +"Thou didst look to me the most noble, handsome young knight that did +ever live; thou didst look to me Sir Galahad, as they did call thee, +withouten taint or stain." + +Myles did not even smile in answer, but looked at his wife with such a +look that she blushed a rosy red. Then, laughing, she slipped from his +hold, and before he could catch her again was gone. + +I am glad that he was to be rich and happy and honored and beloved after +all his hard and noble fighting. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF IRON *** + +***** This file should be named 1557.txt or 1557.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/5/1557/ + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/1557.zip b/1557.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba05bd8 --- /dev/null +++ b/1557.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5aa7bc4 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #1557 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1557) diff --git a/old/femen10.txt b/old/femen10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3914b01 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/femen10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8069 @@ +************The Project Gutenberg Etext of Men of Iron********** +by Ernie Howard Pyle + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. +Project Gutenberg surfs with a modem donated by Supra. + + +Men of Iron + +by Ernie Howard Pyle + +December, 1998 [Etext #1557] + + +************The Project Gutenberg Etext of Men of Iron********** +******This file should be named femen10.txt or femen10.zip****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, femen11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, femen10a.txt + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. Therefore, we do NOT keep these books +in compliance with any particular paper edition, usually otherwise. + + +We are now trying to release all our books one month in advance +of the official release dates, for time for better editing. + +Please note: neither this list nor its contents are final till +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. To be sure you have an +up to date first edition [xxxxx10x.xxx] please check file sizes +in the first week of the next month. Since our ftp program has +a bug in it that scrambles the date [tried to fix and failed] a +look at the file size will have to do, but we will try to see a +new copy has at least one byte more or less. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +fifty hours is one conservative estimate for how long it we take +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour this year as we release thirty-two text +files per month, or 384 more Etexts in 1998 for a total of 1500+ +If these reach just 10% of the computerized population, then the +total should reach over 150 billion Etexts given away. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by the December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000=Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only 10% of the present number of computer users. 2001 +should have at least twice as many computer users as that, so it +will require us reaching less than 5% of the users in 2001. + + +We need your donations more than ever! + + +All donations should be made to "Project Gutenberg/CMU": and are +tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. (CMU = Carnegie- +Mellon University). + +For these and other matters, please mail to: + +Project Gutenberg +P. O. Box 2782 +Champaign, IL 61825 + +When all other email fails try our Executive Director: +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +We would prefer to send you this information by email +(Internet, Bitnet, Compuserve, ATTMAIL or MCImail). + +****** +If you have an FTP program (or emulator), please +FTP directly to the Project Gutenberg archives: +[Mac users, do NOT point and click. . .type] + +ftp uiarchive.cso.uiuc.edu +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd etext/etext90 through /etext96 +or cd etext/articles [get suggest gut for more information] +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET INDEX?00.GUT +for a list of books +and +GET NEW GUT for general information +and +MGET GUT* for newsletters. + +**Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor** +(Three Pages) + + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you can distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG- +tm etexts, is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor +Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at +Carnegie-Mellon University (the "Project"). Among other +things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the Project's "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] the Project (and any other party you may receive this +etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold the Project, its directors, +officers, members and agents harmless from all liability, cost +and expense, including legal fees, that arise directly or +indirectly from any of the following that you do or cause: +[1] distribution of this etext, [2] alteration, modification, +or addition to the etext, or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word pro- + cessing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the + net profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software + + + + + +MEN OF IRON + +by Ernie Howard Pyle + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +The year 1400 opened with more than usual peacefulness in +England. Only a few months before, Richard II--weak, wicked, and +treacherous --had been dethroned, and Henry IV declared King in +his stead. But it was only a seeming peacefulness, lasting but +for a little while; for though King Henry proved himself a just +and a merciful man--as justice and mercy went with the men of +iron of those days--and though he did not care to shed blood +needlessly, there were many noble families who had been benefited +by King Richard during his reign, and who had lost somewhat of +their power and prestige from the coming in of the new King. + +Among these were a number of great lords--the Dukes of Albemarle, +Surrey, and Exeter, the Marquis of Dorset, the Earl of +Gloucester, and others--who had been degraded to their former +titles and estates, from which King Richard had lifted them. +These and others brewed a secret plot to take King Henry's life, +which plot might have succeeded had not one of their own number +betrayed them. + +Their plan had been to fall upon the King and his adherents, and +to massacre them during a great tournament, to be held at Oxford. +But Henry did not appear at the lists; whereupon, knowing that he +had been lodging at Windsor with only a few attendants, the +conspirators marched thither against him. In the mean time the +King had been warned of the plot, so that, instead of finding him +in the royal castle, they discovered through their scouts that he +had hurried to London, whence he was even then marching against +them at the head of a considerable army. So nothing was left them +but flight. Some betook themselves one way, some another; some +sought sanctuary here, some there; but one and another, they were +all of them caught and killed. + +The Earl of Kent--one time Duke of Surrey-- and the Earl of +Salisbury were beheaded in the market-place at Cirencester; Lord +Le Despencer --once the Earl of Gloucester--and Lord Lumley met +the same fate at Bristol; the Earl of Huntingdon was taken in the +Essex fens, carried to the castle of the Duke of Gloucester, whom +he had betrayed to his death in King Richard's time, and was +there killed by the castle people. Those few who found friends +faithful and bold enough to afford them shelter, dragged those +friends down in their own ruin. + +Just such a case was that of the father of the boy hero of this +story, the blind Lord Gilbert Reginald Falworth, Baron of +Falworth and Easterbridge, who, though having no part in the +plot, suffered through it ruin, utter and complete. + +He had been a faithful counsellor and adviser to King Richard, +and perhaps it was this, as much and more than his roundabout +connection with the plot, that brought upon him the punishment he +suffered. + + + +CHAPTER I + +Myles Falworth was but eight years of age at that time, and it +was only afterwards, and when he grew old enough to know more of +the ins and outs of the matter, that he could remember by bits +and pieces the things that afterwards happened; how one evening a +knight came clattering into the court-yard upon a horse, +red-nostrilled and smeared with the sweat and foam of a desperate +ride--Sir John Dale, a dear friend of the blind Lord. + +Even though so young, Myles knew that something very serious had +happened to make Sir John so pale and haggard, and he dimly +remembered leaning against the knight's iron-covered knees, +looking up into his gloomy face, and asking him if he was sick to +look so strange. Thereupon those who had been too troubled before +to notice him, bethought themselves of him, and sent him to bed, +rebellious at having to go so early. + +He remembered how the next morning, looking out of a window high +up under the eaves, he saw a great troop of horsemen come riding +into the courtyard beneath, where a powdering of snow had +whitened everything, and of how the leader, a knight clad in +black armor, dismounted and entered the great hall door-way +below, followed by several of the band. + +He remembered how some of the castle women were standing in a +frightened group upon the landing of the stairs, talking together +in low voices about a matter he did not understand, excepting +that the armed men who had ridden into the courtyard had come for +Sir John Dale. None of the women paid any attention to him; so, +shunning their notice, he ran off down the winding stairs, +expecting every moment to be called back again by some one of +them. + +A crowd of castle people, all very serious and quiet, were +gathered in the hall, where a number of strange men-at-arms +lounged upon the benches, while two billmen in steel caps and +leathern jacks stood guarding the great door, the butts of their +weapons resting upon the ground, and the staves crossed, barring +the door-way. + +In the anteroom was the knight in black armor whom Myles had seen +from the window. He was sitting at the table, his great helmet +lying upon the bench beside him, and a quart beaker of spiced +wine at his elbow. A clerk sat at the other end of the same +table, with inkhorn in one hand and pen in the other, and a +parchment spread in front of him. + +Master Robert, the castle steward, stood before the knight, who +every now and then put to him a question, which the other would +answer, and the clerk write the answer down upon the parchment. + +His father stood with his back to the fireplace, looking down +upon the floor with his blind eyes, his brows drawn moodily +together, and the scar of the great wound that he had received at +the tournament at York--the wound that had made him +blind--showing red across his forehead, as it always did when he +was angered or troubled. + +There was something about it all that frightened Myles, who crept +to his father's side, and slid his little hand into the palm that +hung limp and inert. In answer to the touch, his father grasped +the hand tightly, but did not seem otherwise to notice that he +was there. Neither did the black knight pay any attention to him, +but continued putting his questions to Master Robert. + +Then, suddenly, there was a commotion in the hall without, loud +voices, and a hurrying here and there. The black knight half +arose, grasping a heavy iron mace that lay upon the bench beside +him, and the next moment Sir John Dale himself, as pale as death, +walked into the antechamber. He stopped in the very middle of the +room. "I yield me to my Lord's grace and mercy," said he to the +black knight, and they were the last words he ever uttered in +this world. + +The black knight shouted out some words of command, and swinging +up the iron mace in his hand, strode forward clanking towards Sir +John, who raised his arm as though to shield himself from the +blow. Two or three of those who stood in the hall without came +running into the room with drawn swords and bills, and little +Myles, crying out with terror, hid his face in his father's long +gown. + +The next instant came the sound of a heavy blow and of a groan, +then another blow and the sound of one falling upon the ground. +Then the clashing of steel, and in the midst Lord Falworth +crying, in a dreadful voice, "Thou traitor! thou coward! thou +murderer!" + +Master Robert snatched Myles away from his father, and bore him +out of the room in spite of his screams and struggles, and he +remembered just one instant's sight of Sir John lying still and +silent upon his face, and of the black knight standing above him, +with the terrible mace in his hand stained a dreadful red. + +It was the next day that Lord and Lady Falworth and little Myles, +together with three of the more faithful of their people, left +the castle. + +His memory of past things held a picture for Myles of old Diccon +Bowman standing over him in the silence of midnight with a +lighted lamp in his hand, and with it a recollection of being +bidden to hush when he would have spoken, and of being dressed by +Diccon and one of the women, bewildered with sleep, shuddering +and chattering with cold. + +He remembered being wrapped in the sheepskin that lay at the foot +of his bed, and of being carried in Diccon Bowman's arms down the +silent darkness of the winding stair-way, with the great black +giant shadows swaying and flickering upon the stone wall as the +dull flame of the lamp swayed and flickered in the cold breathing +of the night air. + +Below were his father and mother and two or three others. A +stranger stood warming his hands at a newly-made fire, and little +Myles, as he peeped from out the warm sheepskin, saw that he was +in riding-boots and was covered with mud. He did not know till +long years afterwards that the stranger was a messenger sent by a +friend at the King's court, bidding his father fly for safety. + +They who stood there by the red blaze of the fire were all very +still, talking in whispers and walking on tiptoes, and Myles's +mother hugged him in her arms, sheepskin and all, kissing him, +with the tears streaming down her cheeks, and whispering to him, +as though he could understand their trouble, that they were about +to leave their home forever. + +Then Diccon Bowman carried him out into the strangeness of the +winter midnight. + +Outside, beyond the frozen moat, where the osiers, stood stark +and stiff in their winter nakedness, was a group of dark figures +waiting for them with horses. In the pallid moonlight Myles +recognized the well-known face of Father Edward, the Prior of St. +Mary's. + +After that came a long ride through that silent night upon the +saddle-bow in front of Diccon Bowman; then a deep, heavy sleep, +that fell upon him in spite of the galloping of the horses. + +When next he woke the sun was shining, and his home and his whole +life were changed. + + + +CHAPTER 2 + +From the time the family escaped from Falworth Castle that +midwinter night to the time Myles was sixteen years old he knew +nothing of the great world beyond Crosbey-Dale. A fair was held +twice in a twelvemonth at the market-town of Wisebey, and three +times in the seven years old Diccon Bowman took the lad to see +the sights at that place. Beyond these three glimpses of the +outer world he lived almost as secluded a life as one of the +neighboring monks of St. Mary's Priory. + +Crosbey-Holt, their new home, was different enough from Falworth +or Easterbridge Castle, the former baronial seats of Lord +Falworth. It was a long, low, straw-thatched farm-house, once, +when the church lands were divided into two holdings, one of the +bailiff's houses. All around were the fruitful farms of the +priory, tilled by well-to-do tenant holders, and rich with fields +of waving grain, and meadow-lands where sheep and cattle grazed +in flocks and herds; for in those days the church lands were +under church rule, and were governed by church laws, and there, +when war and famine and waste and sloth blighted the outside +world, harvests flourished and were gathered, and sheep were +sheared and cows were milked in peace and quietness. + +The Prior of St. Mary's owed much if not all of the church's +prosperity to the blind Lord Falworth, and now he was paying it +back with a haven of refuge from the ruin that his former patron +had brought upon himself by giving shelter to Sir John Dale. + +I fancy that most boys do not love the grinding of school +life--the lessons to be conned, the close application during +study hours. It is not often pleasant to brisk, lively lads to be +so cooped up. I wonder what the boys of to-day would have thought +of Myles's training. With him that training was not only of the +mind, but of the body as well, and for seven years it was almost +unremitting. "Thou hast thine own way to make in the world, +sirrah," his father said more than once when the boy complained +of the grinding hardness of his life, and to make one's way in +those days meant a thousand times more than it does now; it meant +not only a heart to feel and a brain to think, but a hand quick +and strong to strike in battle, and a body tough to endure the +wounds and blows in return. And so it was that Myles's body as +well as his mind had to be trained to meet the needs of the dark +age in which he lived. + +Every morning, winter or summer, rain or shine he tramped away +six long miles to the priory school, and in the evenings his +mother taught him French. + +Myles, being prejudiced in the school of thought of his day, +rebelled not a little at that last branch of his studies. "Why +must I learn that vile tongue?" said he. + +"Call it not vile," said the blind old Lord, grimly; "belike, +when thou art grown a man, thou'lt have to seek thy fortune in +France land, for England is haply no place for such as be of +Falworth blood." And in after-years, true to his father's +prediction, the "vile tongue" served him well. + +As for his physical training, that pretty well filled up the +hours between his morning studies at the monastery and his +evening studies at home. Then it was that old Diccon Bowman took +him in hand, than whom none could be better fitted to shape his +young body to strength and his hands to skill in arms. The old +bowman had served with Lord Falworth's father under the Black +Prince both in France and Spain, and in long years of war had +gained a practical knowledge of arms that few could surpass. +Besides the use of the broadsword, the short sword, the +quarter-staff, and the cudgel, he taught Myles to shoot so +skilfully with the long- bow and the cross-bow that not a lad in +the country-side was his match at the village butts. Attack and +defence with the lance, and throwing the knife and dagger were +also part of his training. + +Then, in addition to this more regular part of his physical +training, Myles was taught in another branch not so often +included in the military education of the day--the art of +wrestling. It happened that a fellow lived in Crosbey village, by +name Ralph-the-Smith, who was the greatest wrestler in the +country-side, and had worn the champion belt for three years. +Every Sunday afternoon, in fair weather, he came to teach Myles +the art, and being wonderfully adept in bodily feats, he soon +grew so quick and active and firm- footed that he could cast any +lad under twenty years of age living within a range of five +miles. + +"It is main ungentle armscraft that he learneth," said Lord +Falworth one day to Prior Edward. "Saving only the broadsword, +the dagger, and the lance, there is but little that a gentleman +of his strain may use. Neth'less, he gaineth quickness and +suppleness, and if he hath true blood in his veins he will +acquire knightly arts shrewdly quick when the time cometh to +learn them." + +But hard and grinding as Myles's life was, it was not entirely +without pleasures. There were many boys living in Crosbey-Dale +and the village; yeomen's and farmers' sons, to be sure, but, +nevertheless, lads of his own age, and that, after all, is the +main requirement for friendship in boyhood's world. Then there +was the river to bathe in; there were the hills and valleys to +roam over, and the wold and woodland, with their wealth of nuts +and birds'-nests and what not of boyhood's treasures. + +Once he gained a triumph that for many a day was very sweet under +the tongue of his memory. As was said before, he had been three +times to the market-town at fair-time, and upon the last of these +occasions he had fought a bout of quarterstaff with a young +fellow of twenty, and had been the conqueror. He was then only a +little over fourteen years old. + +Old Diccon, who had gone with him to the fair, had met some +cronies of his own, with whom he had sat gossiping in the +ale-booth, leaving Myles for the nonce to shift for himself. +By-and-by the old man had noticed a crowd gathered at one part of +the fair-ground, and, snuffing a fight, had gone running, ale-pot +in hand. Then, peering over the shoulders of the crowd, he had +seen his young master, stripped to the waist, fighting like a +gladiator with a fellow a head taller than himself. Diccon was +about to force his way through the crowd and drag them asunder, +but a second look had showed his practised eye that Myles was not +only holding his own, but was in the way of winning the victory. +So he had stood with the others looking on, withholding himself +from any interference and whatever upbraiding might be necessary +until the fight had been brought to a triumphant close. Lord +Falworth never heard directly of the redoubtable affair, but old +Diccon was not so silent with the common folk of Crosbey-Dale, +and so no doubt the father had some inkling of what had happened. +It was shortly after this notable event that Myles was formally +initiated into squirehood. His father and mother, as was the +custom, stood sponsors for him. By them, each bearing a lighted +taper, he was escorted to the altar. It was at St. Mary's Priory, +and Prior Edward blessed the sword and girded it to the lad's +side. No one was present but the four, and when the good Prior +had given the benediction and had signed the cross upon his +forehead, Myles's mother stooped and kissed his brow just where +the priest's finger had drawn the holy sign. Her eyes brimmed +bright with tears as she did so. Poor lady! perhaps she only then +and for the first time realized how big her fledgling was growing +for his nest. Henceforth Myles had the right to wear a sword. + + +Myles had ended his fifteenth year. He was a bonny lad, with +brown face, curling hair, a square, strong chin, and a pair of +merry laughing blue eyes; his shoulders were broad; his chest was +thick of girth; his muscles and thews were as tough as oak. + +The day upon which he was sixteen years old, as he came whistling +home from the monastery school he was met by Diccon Bowman. + +"Master Myles," said the old man, with a snuffle in his +voice--"Master Myles, thy father would see thee in his chamber, +and bade me send thee to him as soon as thou didst come home. Oh, +Master Myles, I fear me that belike thou art going to leave home +to-morrow day." + +Myles stopped short. "To leave home!" he cried. + +"Aye," said old Diccon, "belike thou goest to some grand castle +to live there, and be a page there and what not, and then, haply, +a gentleman- at-arms in some great lord's pay." + +"What coil is this about castles and lords and +gentlemen-at-arms?" said Myles. "What talkest thou of, Diccon? +Art thou jesting?" + +"Nay," said Diccon, "I am not jesting. But go to thy father, and +then thou wilt presently know all. Only this I do say, that it is +like thou leavest us to- morrow day." + +And so it was as Diccon had said; Myles was to leave home the +very next morning. He found his father and mother and Prior +Edward together, waiting for his coming. + +"We three have been talking it over this morning," said his +father, "and so think each one that the time hath come for thee +to quit this poor home of ours. An thou stay here ten years +longer, thou'lt be no more fit to go then than now. To-morrow I +will give thee a letter to my kinsman, the Earl of Mackworth. He +has thriven in these days and I have fallen away, but time was +that he and I were true sworn companions, and plighted together +in friendship never to be sundered. Methinks, as I remember him, +he will abide by his plighted troth, and will give thee his aid +to rise in the world. So, as I said, to-morrow morning thou shalt +set forth with Diccon Bowman, and shall go to Castle Devlen, and +there deliver this letter which prayeth him to give thee a place +in his household. Thou mayst have this afternoon to thyself to +make read such things as thou shalt take with thee. And bid me +Diccon to take the gray horse to the village and have it shod." + +Prior Edward had been standing looking out of the window. As Lord +Falworth ended he turned. + +"And, Myles," said he, "thou wilt need some money, so I will give +thee as a loan forty shillings, which some day thou mayst return +to me an thou wilt. For this know, Myles, a man cannot do in the +world without money. Thy father hath it ready for thee in the +chest, and will give it thee to-morrow ere thou goest." + +Lord Falworth had the grim strength of manhood's hard sense to +upbear him in sending his son into the world, but the poor lady +mother had nothing of that to uphold her. No doubt it was as hard +then as it is now for the mother to see the nestling thrust from +the nest to shift for itself. What tears were shed, what words of +love were spoken to the only man-child, none but the mother and +the son ever knew. + +The next morning Myles and the old bowman rode away, and no doubt +to the boy himself the dark shadows of leave-taking were lost in +the golden light of hope as he rode out into the great world to +seek his fortune. + + + +CHAPTER 3 + +WHAT MYLES remembered of Falworth loomed great and grand and big, +as things do in the memory of childhood, but even memory could +not make Falworth the equal of Devlen Castle, when, as he and +Diccon Bowman rode out of Devlentown across the great, rude stone +bridge that spanned the river, he first saw, rising above the +crowns of the trees, those huge hoary walls, and the steep roofs +and chimneys clustered thickly together, like the roofs and +chimneys of a town. + +The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which +was enclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides +by a loop-like bend of the river, and on the fourth was protected +by a deep, broad, artificial moat, almost as wide as the stream +from which it was fed. The road from the town wound for a little +distance along by the edge of this moat. As Myles and the old +bowman galloped by, with the answering echo of their horses' +hoof-beats rattling back from the smooth stone face of the walls, +the lad looked up, wondering at the height and strength of the +great ancient fortress. In his air-castle building Myles had +pictured the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time +comrade in arms--receiving him, perhaps, with somewhat of the +rustic warmth that he knew at Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared +at those massive walls from below, and realized his own +insignificance and the greatness of this great Earl, he felt the +first keen, helpless ache of homesickness shoot through his +breast, and his heart yearned for Crosbey-Holt again. + +Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and +through the dark shadows of the great gaping gate-way, and +Diccon, bidding him stay for a moment, rode forward to bespeak +the gate-keeper. + +The gate-keeper gave the two in charge of one of the men-at-arms +who were lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave +them into the care of one of the house-servants in the outer +court-yard. So, having been passed from one to another, and +having answered many questions, Myles in due time found himself +in the outer waiting-room sitting beside Diccon Bowman upon a +wooden bench that stood along the wall under the great arch of a +glazed window. + +For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was +aware of people coming and going; he was aware of talk and +laughter sounding around him; but he thought of nothing but his +aching homesickness and the oppression of his utter littleness in +the busy life of this great castle. + +Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge +interest, every now and then nudging his young master, calling +his attention now to this and now to that, until at last the lad +began to awaken somewhat from his despondency to the things +around. Besides those servants and others who came and went, and +a knot of six or eight men-at-arms with bills and pole-axes, who +stood at the farther door-way talking together in low tones, now +and then broken by a stifled laugh, was a group of four young +squires, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden by an +arras, and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. +Three of the four were about his own age, one was a year or two +older, and all four were dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform +of the house of Beaumont. + +Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. "Be they squires, +Diccon?" said he, nodding towards the door. + +"Eh?" said Diccon. "Aye; they be squires." + +"And will my station be with them?" asked the boy. + +"Aye; an the Earl take thee to service, thou'lt haply be taken as +squire." + +Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the +young men were talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed +him askance, and spoke now and then in one another's ears. One of +the four, a gay young fellow, with long riding- boots laced with +green laces, said a few words, the others gave a laugh, and poor +Myles, knowing how ungainly he must seem to them, felt the blood +rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned his head. + +Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had +just created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly +across the room to where Myles and the bowman sat. + +"Give thee good-den," said he. "What be'st thy name and whence +comest thou, an I may make bold so to ask?" + +"My name is Myles Falworth," said Myles; "and I come from +Crosbey-Dale bearing a letter to my Lord." + +"Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale," said the squire. "But what +seekest here, if so be I may ask that much?" + +"I come seeking service," said Myles, "and would enter as an +esquire such as ye be in my Lord's household." + +Myles's new acquaintance grinned. "Thou'lt make a droll squire to +wait in a Lord's household," said he. "Hast ever been in such +service?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I have only been at school, and learned Latin +and French and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me +use of arms. + +The young squire laughed outright. "By'r Lady, thy talk doth +tickle me, friend Myles," said he. "Think'st thou such matters +will gain thee footing here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that +thou hadst a letter to my Lord. From whom is it?" + +"It is from my father," said Myles. "He is of noble blood, but +fallen in estate. He is a kinsman of my Lord's, and one time his +comrade in arms." + +"Sayst so?" said the other. "Then mayhap thy chances are not so +ill, after all." Then, after a moment, he added: "My name is +Francis Gascoyne, and I will stand thy friend in this matter. Get +thy letter ready, for my Lord and his Grace of York are within +and come forth anon. The Archbishop is on his way to Dalworth, +and my Lord escorts him so far as Uppingham. I and those others +are to go along. Dost thou know my Lord by sight?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I know him not." + +"Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!" said he, as a +confused clattering sounded in the court-yard without. "Yonder +are the horses now. They come presently. Busk thee with thy +letter, friend Myles." + +The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went +more hurriedly, and Myles knew that the Earl must be about to +come forth. He had hardly time to untie his pouch, take out the +letter, and tie the strings again when the arras at the door-way +was thrust suddenly aside, and a tall thin squire of about twenty +came forth, said some words to the young men upon the bench, and +then withdrew again. Instantly the squires arose and took their +station beside the door-way. A sudden hush fell upon all in the +room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line against the wall, stiff +and erect as though all at once transformed to figures of iron. +Once more the arras was drawn back, and in the hush Myles heard +voices in the other room. + +"My Lord cometh," whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt +his heart leap in answer. + +The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a +crowd of gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a +dignitary of the Church; the other Myles instantly singled out as +the Earl of Mackworth. + + + +CHAPTER 4 + +He was a tall man, taller even than Myles's father. He had a thin +face, deep-set bushy eyebrows, and a hawk nose. His upper lip was +clean shaven, but from his chin a flowing beard of iron- gray +hung nearly to his waist. He was clad in a riding-gown of black +velvet that hung a little lower than the knee, trimmed with otter +fur and embroidered with silver goshawks--the crest of the family +of Beaumont. + +A light shirt of link mail showed beneath the gown as he walked, +and a pair of soft undressed leather riding-boots were laced as +high as the knee, protecting his scarlet hose from mud and dirt. +Over his shoulders he wore a collar of enamelled gold, from which +hung a magnificent jewelled pendant, and upon his fist he carried +a beautiful Iceland falcon. + +As Myles stood staring, he suddenly heard Gascoyne's voice +whisper in his ear, "Yon is my Lord; go forward and give him thy +letter." + +Scarcely knowing what he did, he walked towards the Earl like a +machine, his heart pounding within him and a great humming in his +ears. As he drew near, the nobleman stopped for a moment and +stared at him, and Myles, as in a dream, kneeled, and presented +the letter. The Earl took it in his hand, turned it this way and +that, looked first at the bearer, then at the packet, and then at +the bearer again. + +"Who art thou?" said he; "and what is the matter thou wouldst +have of me?" + +"I am Myles Falworth," said the lad, in a low voice; "and I come +seeking service with you." + +The Earl drew his thick eyebrows quickly together, and shot a +keen look at the lad. "Falworth?" said he, sharply--"Falworth? I +know no Falworth!" + +"The letter will tell you," said Myles. "It is from one once dear +to you." + +The Earl took the letter, and handing it to a gentleman who stood +near, bade him break the seal. "Thou mayst stand," said he to +Myles; "needst not kneel there forever." Then, taking the opened +parchment again, he glanced first at the face and then at the +back, and, seeing its length, looked vexed. Then he read for an +earnest moment or two, skipping from line to line. Presently he +folded the letter and thrust it into the pouch at his side. "So +it is, your Grace," said he to the lordly prelate, "that we who +have luck to rise in the world must ever suffer by being plagued +at all times and seasons. Here is one I chanced to know a dozen +years ago, who thinks he hath a claim upon me, and saddles me +with his son. I must e'en take the lad, too, for the sake of +peace and quietness." He glanced around, and seeing Gascoyne, who +had drawn near, beckoned to him. "Take me this fellow," said he, +"to the buttery, and see him fed; and then to Sir James Lee, and +have his name entered in the castle books. And stay, sirrah," he +added; "bid me Sir James, if it may be so done, to enter him as a +squire-at-arms. Methinks he will be better serving so than in the +household, for he appeareth a soothly rough cub for a page." + +Myles did look rustic enough, standing clad in frieze in the +midst of that gay company, and a murmur of laughter sounded +around, though he was too bewildered to fully understand that he +was the cause of the merriment. Then some hand drew him back--it +was Gascoyne's--there was a bustle of people passing, and the +next minute they were gone, and Myles and old Diccon Bowman and +the young squire were left alone in the anteroom. + +Gascoyne looked very sour and put out. "Murrain upon it!" said +he; "here is good sport spoiled for me to see thee fed. I wish no +ill to thee, friend, but I would thou hadst come this afternoon +or to-morrow." + +"Methinks I bring trouble and dole to every one," said Myles, +somewhat bitterly. "It would have been better had I never come to +this place, methinks." + +His words and tone softened Gascoyne a little. "Ne'er mind," said +the squire; "it was not thy fault, and is past mending now. So +come and fill thy stomach, in Heaven's name." + +Perhaps not the least hard part of the whole trying day for Myles +was his parting with Diccon. Gascoyne and he had accompanied the +old retainer to the outer gate, in the archway of which they now +stood; for without a permit they could go no farther. The old +bowman led by the bridle- rein the horse upon which Myles had +ridden that morning. His own nag, a vicious brute, was restive to +be gone, but Diccon held him in with tight rein. He reached down, +and took Myles's sturdy brown hand in his crooked, knotted grasp. + +"Farewell, young master," he croaked, tremulously, with a watery +glimmer in his pale eyes. "Thou wilt not forget me when I am +gone?" + +"Nay," said Myles; "I will not forget thee." + +"Aye, aye," said the old man, looking down at him, and shaking +his head slowly from side to side; "thou art a great tall sturdy +fellow now, yet have I held thee on my knee many and many's the +time, and dandled thee when thou wert only a little weeny babe. +Be still, thou devil's limb!" he suddenly broke off, reining back +his restive raw- boned steed, which began again to caper and +prance. Myles was not sorry for the interruption; he felt awkward +and abashed at the parting, and at the old man's reminiscences, +knowing that Gascoyne's eyes were resting amusedly upon the +scene, and that the men-at-arms were looking on. Certainly old +Diccon did look droll as he struggled vainly with his vicious +high-necked nag. "Nay, a murrain on thee! an' thou wilt go, go!" +cried he at last, with a savage dig of his heels into the +animal's ribs, and away they clattered, the led-horse kicking up +its heels as a final parting, setting Gascoyne fairly alaughing. +At the bend of the road the old man turned and nodded his head; +the next moment he had disappeared around the angle of the wall, +and it seemed to Myles, as he stood looking after him, as though +the last thread that bound him to his old life had snapped and +broken. As he turned he saw that Gascoyne was looking at him. + +"Dost feel downhearted?" said the young squire, curiously. + +"Nay," said Myles, brusquely. Nevertheless his throat was tight +and dry, and the word came huskily in spite of himself. + + + +CHAPTER 5 + +THE EARL of Mackworth, as was customary among the great lords in +those days, maintained a small army of knights, gentlemen, +men-at-arms, and retainers, who were expected to serve him upon +all occasions of need, and from whom were supplied his quota of +recruits to fill such levies as might be made upon him by the +King in time of war. + +The knights and gentlemen of this little army of horse and foot +soldiers were largely recruited from the company of squires and +bachelors, as the young novitiate soldiers of the castle were +called. + +This company of esquires consisted of from eighty to ninety lads, +ranging in age from eight to twenty years. Those under fourteen +years were termed pages, and served chiefly the Countess and her +waiting gentlewomen, in whose company they acquired the graces +and polish of the times, such as they were. After reaching the +age of fourteen the lads were entitled to the name of esquire or +squire. + +In most of the great houses of the time the esquires were the +especial attendants upon the Lord and Lady of the house, holding +such positions as body-squires, cup-bearers, carvers, and +sometimes the office of chamberlain. But Devlen, like some other +of the princely castles of the greatest nobles, was more like a +military post or a fortress than an ordinary household. Only +comparatively few of the esquires could be used in personal +attendance upon the Earl; the others were trained more strictly +in arms, and served rather in the capacity of a sort of +body-guard than as ordinary squires. For, as the Earl rose in +power and influence, and as it so became well worth while for the +lower nobility and gentry to enter their sons in his family, the +body of squires became almost cumbersomely large. Accordingly, +that part which comprised the squires proper, as separate from +the younger pages, was divided into three classes-- first, +squires of the body, who were those just past pagehood, and who +waited upon the Earl in personal service; second, squires of the +household, who, having regular hours assigned for exercise in the +manual of arms, were relieved from personal service excepting +upon especial occasions; and thirdly and lastly, at the head of +the whole body of lads, a class called bachelors--young men +ranging from eighteen to twenty years of age. This class was +supposed to exercise a sort of government over the other and +younger squires--to keep them in order as much as possible, to +marshal them upon occasions of importance, to see that their arms +and equipments were kept in good order, to call the roll for +chapel in the morning, and to see that those not upon duty in the +house were present at the daily exercise at arms. Orders to the +squires were generally transmitted through the bachelors, and the +head of that body was expected to make weekly reports of affairs +in their quarters to the chief captain of the body. + +From this overlordship of the bachelors there had gradually risen +a system of fagging, such as is or was practised in the great +English public schools--enforced services exacted from the +younger lads--which at the time Myles came to Devlen had, in the +five or six years it had been in practice, grown to be an +absolute though unwritten law of the body--a law supported by all +the prestige of long-continued usage. At that time the bachelors +numbered but thirteen, yet they exercised over the rest of the +sixty-four squires and pages a rule of iron, and were +taskmasters, hard, exacting, and oftentimes cruel. + +The whole company of squires and pages was under the supreme +command of a certain one-eyed knight, by name Sir James Lee; a +soldier seasoned by the fire of a dozen battles, bearing a score +of wounds won in fight and tourney, and withered by hardship and +labor to a leather-like toughness. He had fought upon the King's +side in all the late wars, and had at Shrewsbury received a wound +that unfitted him for active service, so that now he was fallen +to the post of Captain of Esquires at Devlen Castle--a man +disappointed in life, and with a temper imbittered by that +failure as well as by cankering pain. + +Yet Perhaps no one could have been better fitted for the place he +held than Sir James Lee. The lads under his charge were a rude, +rough, unruly set, quick, like their elders, to quarrel, and to +quarrel fiercely, even to the drawing of sword or dagger. But +there was a cold, iron sternness about the grim old man that +quelled them, as the trainer with a lash of steel might quell a +den of young wolves. The apartments in which he was lodged, with +his clerk, were next in the dormitory of the lads, and even in +the midst of the most excited brawlings the distant sound of his +harsh voice, "Silence, messieurs!" would bring an instant hush to +the loudest uproar. + +It was into his grim presence that Myles was introduced by +Gascoyne. Sir James was in his office, a room bare of ornament or +adornment or superfluous comfort of any sort--without even so +much as a mat of rushes upon the cold stone pavement to make it +less cheerless. The old one- eyed knight sat gnawing his +bristling mustaches. To anyone who knew him it would have been +apparent that, as the castle phrase went, "the devil sat astride +of his neck," which meant that some one of his blind wounds was +aching more sorely than usual. + +His clerk sat beside him, with account-books and parchment spread +upon the table, and the head squire, Walter Blunt, a lad some +three or four years older than Myles, and half a head taller, +black-browed, powerfully built, and with cheek and chin darkened +by the soft budding of his adolescent beard, stood making his +report. + +Sir James listened in grim silence while Gascoyne told his +errand. + +"So, then, pardee, I am bid to take another one of ye, am I?" he +snarled. "As though ye caused me not trouble enow; and this one a +cub, looking a very boor in carriage and breeding. Mayhap the +Earl thinketh I am to train boys to his dilly-dally household +service as well as to use of arms." + +"Sir," said Gascoyne, timidly, "my Lord sayeth he would have this +one entered direct as a squire of the body, so that he need not +serve in the household." + +"Sayest so?" cried Sir James, harshly. "Then take thou my message +back again to thy Lord. Not for Mackworth--no, nor a better man +than he-- will I make any changes in my government. An I be set +to rule a pack of boys, I will rule them as I list, and not +according to any man's bidding. Tell him, sirrah, that I will +enter no lad as squire of the body without first testing an he be +fit at arms to hold that place." He sat for a while glowering at +Myles and gnawing his mustaches, and for the time no one dared to +break the grim silence. "What is thy name?" said he, suddenly. +And then, almost before Myles could answer, he asked the head +squire whether he could find a place to lodge him. + +"There is Gillis Whitlock's cot empty," said Blunt. "He is in the +infirmary, and belike goeth home again when he cometh thence. The +fever hath gotten into his bones, and--" + +"That will do," said the knight, interrupting him impatiently. +"Let him take that place, or any other that thou hast. And thou, +Jerome," said he to his clerk, "thou mayst enter him upon the +roll, though whether it be as page or squire or bachelor shall be +as I please, and not as Mackworth biddeth me. Now get ye gone." + +"Old Bruin's wound smarteth him sore," Gascoyne observed, as the +two lads walked across the armory court. He had good-naturedly +offered to show the new-comer the many sights of interest around +the castle, and in the hour or so of ramble that followed, the +two grew from acquaintances to friends with a quickness that +boyhood alone can bring about. They visited the armory, the +chapel, the stables, the great hall, the Painted Chamber, the +guard-house, the mess-room, and even the scullery and the +kitchen, with its great range of boilers and furnaces and ovens. +Last of all Myles's new friend introduced him to the +armor-smithy. + +"My Lord hath sent a piece of Milan armor thither to be +repaired," said he. "Belike thou would like to see it." + +"Aye," said Myles, eagerly, "that would I." + +The smith was a gruff, good-natured fellow, and showed the piece +of armor to Myles readily and willingly enough. It was a +beautiful bascinet of inlaid workmanship, and was edged with a +rim of gold. Myles scarcely dared touch it; he gazed at it with +an unconcealed delight that warmed the smith's honest heart. + +"I have another piece of Milan here," said he. "Did I ever show +thee my dagger, Master Gascoyne?" + +"Nay," said the squire. + +The smith unlocked a great oaken chest in the corner of the shop, +lifted the lid, and brought thence a beautiful dagger with the +handle of ebony and silver-gilt, and a sheath of Spanish leather, +embossed and gilt. The keen, well- tempered blade was beautifully +engraved and inlaid with niello-work, representing a group of +figures in a then popular subject--the dance of Death. It was a +weapon at once unique and beautiful, and even Gascoyne showed an +admiration scarcely less keen than Myles's openly-expressed +delight. + +"To whom doth it belong?" said he, trying the point upon his +thumb nail. + +"There," said the smith, "is the jest of the whole, for it +belongeth to me. Sir William Beauclerk bade me order the weapon +through Master Gildersworthy, of London town, and by the time it +came hither, lo! he had died, and so it fell to my hands. No one +here payeth the price for the trinket, and so I must e'en keep it +myself, though I be but a poor man." + +"How much dost thou hold it for?" said Gascoyne. + +"Seventeen shillings buyeth it," said the armorer, carelessly. + +"Aye, aye," said Gascoyne, with a sigh; "so it is to be poor, and +not be able to have such things as one loveth and would fain +possess. Seventeen shillings is nigh as much by half again as all +my yearly wage." + +Then a sudden thought came to Myles, and as it came his cheeks +glowed as hot as fire "Master Gascoyne," said he, with gruff +awkwardness, "thou hast been a very good, true friend to me since +I have come to this place, and hast befriended me in all ways +thou mightest do, and I, as well I know, but a poor rustic clod. +Now I have forty shillings by me which I may spend as I list, and +so I do beseech thee that thou wilt take yon dagger of me as a +love-gift, and have and hold it for thy very own. + +Gascoyne stared open-mouthed at Myles. "Dost mean it?" said he, +at last. + +"Aye," said Myles, "I do mean it. Master Smith, give him the +blade." + +At first the smith grinned, thinking it all a jest; but he soon +saw that Myles was serious enough, and when the seventeen +shillings were produced and counted down upon the anvil, he took +off his cap and made Myles a low bow as he swept them into his +pouch. "Now, by my faith and troth," quoth he, "that I do call a +true lordly gift. Is it not so, Master Gascoyne?" + +"Aye," said Gascoyne, with a gulp, "it is, in soothly earnest." +And thereupon, to Myles's great wonderment, he suddenly flung his +arms about his neck, and, giving him a great hug, kissed him upon +the cheek. "Dear Myles," said he, "I tell thee truly and of a +verity I did feel warm towards thee from the very first time I +saw thee sitting like a poor oaf upon the bench up yonder in the +anteroom, and now of a sooth I give thee assurance that I do love +thee as my own brother. Yea, I will take the dagger, and will +stand by thee as a true friend from this time forth. Mayhap thou +mayst need a true friend in this place ere thou livest long with +us, for some of us esquires be soothly rough, and knocks are more +plenty here than broad pennies, so that one new come is like to +have a hard time gaining a footing." + +"I thank thee," said Myles, "for thy offer of love and +friendship, and do tell thee, upon my part, that I also of all +the world would like best to have thee for my friend." + +Such was the manner In which Myles formed the first great +friendship of his life, a friendship that was destined to last +him through many years to come. As the two walked back across the +great quadrangle, upon which fronted the main buildings of the +castle, their arms were wound across one another's shoulders, +after the manner, as a certain great writer says, of boys and +lovers. + + + +CHAPTER 6 + +A boy's life is of a very flexible sort. It takes but a little +while for it to shape itself to any new surroundings in which it +may be thrown, to make itself new friends, to settle itself to +new habits; and so it was that Myles fell directly into the ways +of the lads of Devlen. On his first morning, as he washed his +face and hands with the other squires and pages in a great tank +of water in the armory court-yard, he presently found himself +splashing and dashing with the others, laughing and shouting as +loud as any, and calling some by their Christian names as though +he had known them for years instead of overnight. During chapel +he watched with sympathetic delight the covert pranks of the +youngsters during the half-hour that Father Emmanuel droned his +Latin, and with his dagger point he carved his own name among the +many cut deep into the back of the bench before him. When, after +breakfast, the squires poured like school-boys into the great +armory to answer to the roll-call for daily exercise, he came +storming in with the rest, beating the lad in front of him with +his cap. + +Boys are very keen to feel the influence of a forceful character. +A lad with a strong will is quick to reach his proper level as a +greater or lesser leader among the others, and Myles was of just +the masterful nature to make his individuality felt among the +Devlen squires. He was quick enough to yield obedience upon all +occasions to proper authority, but would never bend an inch to +the usurpation of tyranny. In the school at St. Mary's Priory at +Crosbey-Dale he would submit without a murmur or offer of +resistance to chastisement by old Father Ambrose, the regular +teacher; but once, when the fat old monk was sick, and a great +long-legged strapping young friar, who had temporarily taken his +place, undertook to administer punishment, Myles, with a +wrestling trip, flung him sprawling backward over a bench into +the midst of a shoal of small boys amid a hubbub of riotous +confusion. He had been flogged soundly for it under the +supervision of Prior Edward himself; but so soon as his +punishment was over, he assured the prior very seriously that +should like occasion again happen he would act in the same +manner, flogging or no flogging. + +It was this bold, outspoken spirit that gained him at once +friends and enemies at Devlen, and though it first showed itself +in what was but a little matter, nevertheless it set a mark upon +him that singled him out from the rest, and, although he did not +suspect it at the time, called to him the attention of Sir James +Lee himself, who regarded him as a lad of free and frank spirit. + +The first morning after the roll-call in the armory, as Walter +Blunt, the head bachelor, rolled up the slip of parchment, and +the temporary silence burst forth into redoubled noise and +confusion, each lad arming himself from a row of racks that stood +along the wall, he beckoned Myles to him. + +"My Lord himself hath spoken to Sir James Lee concerning thee," +said he. "Sir James maintaineth that he will not enter thee into +the body till thou hast first practised for a while at the pels, +and shown what thou canst do at broadsword. Hast ever fought at +the pel?" + +"Aye," answered Myles, "and that every day of my life sin I +became esquire four years ago, saving only Sundays and holy +days." + +"With shield and broadsword?" + +"Sometimes," said Myles, "and sometimes with the short sword." + +"Sir James would have thee come to the tilt- yard this morn; he +himself will take thee in hand to try what thou canst do. Thou +mayst take the arms upon yonder rack, and use them until +otherwise bidden. Thou seest that the number painted above it on +the wall is seventeen; that will be thy number for the nonce." + +So Myles armed himself from his rack as the others were doing +from theirs. The armor was rude and heavy, used to accustom the +body to the weight of the iron plates rather than for any +defence. It consisted of a cuirass, or breastplate of iron, +opening at the side with hinges, and catching with hooks and +eyes; epauliers, or shoulder-plates; arm-plates and leg-pieces; +and a bascinet, or open- faced helmet. A great triangular shield +covered with leather and studded with bosses of iron, and a heavy +broadsword, pointed and dulled at the edges, completed the +equipment. + +The practice at the pels which Myles was bidden to attend +comprised the chief exercise of the day with the esquires of +young cadet soldiers of that time, and in it they learned not +only all the strokes, cuts, and thrusts of sword-play then in +vogue, but also toughness, endurance, and elastic quickness. The +pels themselves consisted of upright posts of ash or oak, about +five feet six inches in height, and in girth somewhat thicker +than a man's thigh. They were firmly planted in the ground, and +upon them the strokes of the broadsword were directed. + +At Devlen the pels stood just back of the open and covered +tilting courts and the archery ranges, and thither those lads not +upon household duty were marched every morning excepting Fridays +and Sundays, and were there exercised under the direction of Sir +James Lee and two assistants. The whole company was divided into +two, sometimes into three parties, each of which took its turn at +the exercise, delivering at the word of command the various +strokes, feints, attacks, and retreats as the instructors +ordered. + +After five minutes of this mock battle the perspiration began to +pour down the faces, and the breath to come thick and short; but +it was not until the lads could absolutely endure no more that +the order was given to rest, and they were allowed to fling +themselves panting upon the ground, while another company took +its place at the triple row of posts. + +As Myles struck and hacked at the pel assigned to him, Sir James +Lee stood beside him watching him in grim silence. The lad did +his best to show the knight all that he knew of upper cut, under +cut, thrust, and back-hand stroke, but it did not seem to him +that Sir James was very well satisfied with his skill. + +"Thou fightest like a clodpole," said the old man. "Ha, that +stroke was but ill-recovered. Strike me it again, and get thou in +guard more quickly." + +Myles repeated the stroke. + +"Pest!" cried Sir James. "Thou art too slow by a week. Here, +strike thou the blow at me." + +Myles hesitated. Sir James held a stout staff in his hand, but +otherwise he was unarmed. + +"Strike, I say!" said Sir James. "What stayest thou for? Art +afeard?" + +It was Myles's answer that set the seal of individuality upon +him. "Nay," said he, boldly, "I am not afeard. I fear not thee +nor any man!" So saying, he delivered the stroke at Sir James +with might and main. It was met with a jarring blow that made his +wrist and arm tingle, and the next instant he received a stroke +upon the bascinet that caused his ears to ring and the sparks to +dance. and fly before his eyes. + +"Pardee!" said Sir James, grimly. "An I had had a mace in my +hand, I would have knocked thy cockerel brains out that time. +Thou mayst take that blow for answering me so pertly. And now we +are quits. Now strike me the stroke again an thou art not +afeard." + +Myles's eyes watered in spite of himself, and he shut the lids +tight to wink the dimness away. Nevertheless he spoke up +undauntedly as before. "Aye, marry, will I strike it again," said +he; and this time he was able to recover guard quickly enough to +turn Sir James's blow with his shield, instead of receiving it +upon his head. + +"So!" said Sir James. "Now mind thee of this, that when thou +strikest that lower cut at the legs, recover thyself more +quickly. Now, then, strike me it at the pel." + +Gascoyne and other of the lads who were just then lying stretched +out upon the grass beneath, a tree at the edge of the open court +where stood the pels, were interested spectators of the whole +scene. Not one of them in their memory had heard Sir James so +answered face to face as Myles had answered him, and, after all, +perhaps the lad himself would not have done so had he been longer +a resident in the squires' quarters at Devlen. + +"By 'r Lady! thou art a cool blade, Myles," said Gascoyne, as +they marched back to the armory again. "Never heard I one bespeak +Sir James as thou hast done this day." + +"And, after all," said another of the young squires, "old Bruin +was not so ill-pleased, methinks. That was a shrewd blow he +fetched thee on the crown, Falworth. Marry, I would not have had +it on my own skull for a silver penny." + + + +CHAPTER 7 + +So little does it take to make a body's reputation. + +That night all the squires' quarters buzzed with the story of how +the new boy, Falworth, had answered Sir James Lee to his face +without fear, and had exchanged blows with him hand to hand. +Walter Blunt himself was moved to some show of interest. + +"What said he to thee, Falworth?" asked he. + +"He said naught," said Myles, brusquely. "He only sought to show +me how to recover from the under cut." + +"It is passing strange that he should take so much notice of thee +as to exchange blows with thee with his own hand. Haply thou art +either very quick or parlous slow at arms." + +"It is quick that he is," said Gascoyne, speaking up in his +friend's behalf. "For the second time that Falworth delivered the +stroke, Sir James could not reach him to return; so I saw with +mine own eyes." + +But that very sterling independence that had brought Myles so +creditably through this adventure was certain to embroil him with +the rude, half-savage lads about him, some of whom, especially +among the bachelors, were his superiors as well in age as in +skill and training. As said before, the bachelors had enforced +from the younger boys a fagging sort of attendance on their +various personal needs, and it was upon this point that Myles +first came to grief. As it chanced, several days passed before +any demand was made upon him for service to the heads of the +squirehood, but when that demand was made, the bachelors were +very quick to see that the boy who was bold enough to speak up to +Sir James Lee was not likely to be a willing fag for them. + +"I tell thee, Francis," he said, as Gascoyne and he talked over +the matter one day--"I tell thee I will never serve them. +Prithee, what shame can be fouler than to do such menial service, +saving for one's rightful Lord?" + +"Marry!" quoth Gascoyne; "I reason not of shame at this or that. +All I know is that others serve them who are haply as good and +maybe better than I be, and that if I do not serve them I get +knocked i' th' head therefore, which same goeth soothly against +my stomach." + +"I judge not for thee," said Myles. "Thou art used to these +castle ways, but only I know that I will not serve them, though +they be thirty against me instead of thirteen." + +"Then thou art a fool," said Gascoyne, dryly. + +Now in this matter of service there was one thing above all +others that stirred Myles Falworth's ill-liking. The winter +before he had come to Devlen, Walter Blunt, who was somewhat of a +Sybarite in his way, and who had a repugnance to bathing in the +general tank in the open armory court in frosty weather, had had +Dick Carpenter build a trough in the corner of the dormitory for +the use of the bachelors, and every morning it was the duty of +two of the younger squires to bring three pails of water to fill +this private tank for the use of the head esquires. It was seeing +two of his fellow-esquires fetching and carrying this water that +Myles disliked so heartily, and every morning his bile was +stirred anew at the sight. + +"Sooner would I die than yield to such vile service," said he. + +He did not know how soon his protestations would be put to the +test. + +One night--it was a week or two after Myles had come to +Devlen--Blunt was called to attend the Earl at livery. The livery +was the last meal of the day, and was served with great pomp and +ceremony about nine o'clock at night to the head of the house as +he lay in bed. Curfew had not yet rung, and the lads in the +squires' quarters were still wrestling and sparring and romping +boisterously in and out around the long row of rude cots in the +great dormitory as they made ready for the night. Six or eight +flaring links in wrought-iron brackets that stood out from the +wall threw a great ruddy glare through the barrack-like room-- a +light of all others to romp by. Myles and Gascoyne were engaged +in defending the passage-way between their two cots against the +attack of three other lads, and Myles held his sheepskin coverlet +rolled up into a ball and balanced in his hand, ready for +launching at the head of one of the others so soon as it should +rise from behind the shelter of a cot. Just then Walter Blunt, +dressed with more than usual care, passed by on his way to the +Earl's house. He stopped for a moment and said, "Mayhaps I will +not be in until late to-night. Thou and Falworth, Gascoyne, may +fetch water to-morrow. + +Then he was gone. Myles stood staring after his retreating figure +with eyes open and mouth agape, still holding the ball of +sheepskin balanced in his hand. Gascoyne burst into a helpless +laugh at his blank, stupefied face, but the next moment he laid +his hand on his friend's shoulder. + +"Myles," he said, "thou wilt not make trouble, wilt thou?" + +Myles made no answer. He flung down his sheepskin and sat him +gloomily down upon the side of the cot. + +"I said that I would sooner die than fetch water for them," said +he. + +"Aye, aye," said Gascoyne; "but that was spoken in haste." + +Myles said nothing, but shook his head. + +But, after all, circumstances shape themselves. The next morning +when he rose up through the dark waters of sleep it was to feel +some one shaking him violently by the shoulder. + +"Come!" cried Gascoyne, as Myles opened his eyes--"come, time +passeth, and we are late." + +Myles, bewildered with his sudden awakening, and still fuddled +with the fumes of sleep, huddled into his doublet and hose, +hardly knowing what he was doing; tying a point here and a point +there, and slipping his feet into his shoes. Then he hurried +after Gascoyne, frowzy, half-dressed, and even yet only +half-awake. It was not until he was fairly out into the fresh air +and saw Gascoyne filling the three leathern buckets at the tank, +that he fully awakened to the fact that he was actually doing +that hateful service for the bachelors which he had protested he +would sooner die than render. + +The sun was just rising, gilding the crown of the donjon-keep +with a flame of ruddy light. Below, among the lesser buildings, +the day was still gray and misty. Only an occasional noise broke +the silence of the early morning: a cough from one of the rooms; +the rattle of a pot or a pan, stirred by some sleepy scullion; +the clapping of a door or a shutter, and now and then the crowing +of a cock back of the long row of stables--all sounding loud and +startling in the fresh dewy stillness. + +"Thou hast betrayed me," said Myles, harshly, breaking the +silence at last. "I knew not what I was doing, or else I would +never have come hither. Ne'theless, even though I be come, I will +not carry the water for them." + +"So be it," said Gascoyne, tartly. "An thou canst not stomach it, +let be, and I will e'en carry all three myself. It will make me +two journeys, but, thank Heaven, I am not so proud as to wish to +get me hard knocks for naught." So saying, he picked up two of +the buckets and started away across the court for the dormitory. + +Then Myles, with a lowering face, snatched up the third, and, +hurrying after, gave him his hand with the extra pail. So it was +that he came to do service, after all. + +"Why tarried ye so long?" said one of the older bachelors, +roughly, as the two lads emptied the water into the wooden +trough. He sat on the edge of the cot, blowzed and untrussed, +with his long hair tumbled and disordered. + +His dictatorial tone stung Myles to fury. "We tarried no longer +than need be," answered he, savagely. "Have we wings to fly +withal at your bidding?" + +He spoke so loudly that all in the room heard him; the younger +squires who were dressing stared in blank amazement, and Blunt +sat up suddenly in his cot. + +"Why, how now?" he cried. "Answerest thou back thy betters so +pertly, sirrah? By my soul, I have a mind to crack thy head with +this clog for thy unruly talk." + +He glared at Myles as he spoke, and Myles glared back again with +right good-will. Matters might have come to a crisis, only that +Gascoyne and Wilkes dragged their friend away before he had +opportunity to answer. + +"An ill-conditioned knave as ever I did see," growled Blunt, +glaring after him. + +"Myles, Myles," said Gascoyne, almost despairingly, "why wilt +thou breed such mischief for thyself? Seest thou not thou hast +got thee the ill-will of every one of the bachelors, from Wat +Blunt to Robin de Ramsey?" + +"I care not," said Myles, fiercely, recurring to his grievance. +"Heard ye not how the dogs upbraided me before the whole room? +That Blunt called me an ill-conditioned knave." + +"Marry!" said Gascoyne, laughing, "and so thou art." + +Thus it is that boldness may breed one enemies as well as gain +one friends. My own notion is that one's enemies are more quick +to act than one's friends. + + + +CHAPTER 8 + +Every one knows the disagreeable, lurking discomfort that follows +a quarrel--a discomfort that imbitters the very taste of life for +the time being. Such was the dull distaste that Myles felt that +morning after what had passed in the dormitory. Every one in the +proximity of such an open quarrel feels a reflected constraint, +and in Myles's mind was a disagreeable doubt whether that +constraint meant disapproval of him or of his late enemies. + +It seemed to him that Gascoyne added the last bitter twang to his +unpleasant feelings when, half an hour later, they marched with +the others to chapel. + +"Why dost thou breed such trouble for thyself, Myles?" said he, +recurring to what he had already said. "Is it not foolish for +thee to come hither to this place, and then not submit to the +ways thereof, as the rest of us do?" + +"Thou talkest not like a true friend to chide me thus," said +Myles, sullenly; and he withdrew his arm from his friend's. + +"Marry, come up!" said Gascoyne; "an I were not thy friend, I +would let thee jog thine own way. It aches not my bones to have +thine drubbed." + +Just then they entered the chapel, and words that might have led +to a quarrel were brought to a close. + +Myles was not slow to see that he had the ill will of the head of +their company. That morning in the armory he had occasion to ask +some question of Blunt; the head squire stared coldly at him for +a moment, gave him a short, gruff answer, and then, turning his +back abruptly, began talking with one of the other bachelors. +Myles flushed hot at the other's insulting manner, and looked +quickly around to see if any of the others had observed what had +passed. It was a comfort to him to see that all were too busy +arming themselves to think of anything else; nevertheless, his +face was very lowering as he turned away. + +"Some day I will show him that I am as good a man as he," he +muttered to himself. "An evil- hearted dog to put shame upon me!" + +The storm was brewing and ready to break. + + +That day was exceptionally hot and close, and permission had been +asked by and granted to those squires not on duty to go down to +the river for a bath after exercise at the pels. But as Myles +replaced his arms in the rack, a little page came with a bidding +to come to Sir James in his office. + +"Look now," said Myles, "here is just my ill- fortune. Why might +he not have waited an hour longer rather than cause me to miss +going with ye?" + +"Nay," said Gascoyne, "let not that grieve thee, Myles. Wilkes +and I will wait for thee in the dormitory--will we not, Edmund? +Make thou haste and go to Sir James." + +Sir James was sitting at the table studying over a scroll of +parchment, when Myles entered his office and stood before him at +the table. + +"Well, boy," said he, laying aside the parchment and looking up +at the lad, "I have tried thee fairly for these few days, and may +say that I have found thee worthy to be entered upon the rolls as +esquire of the body." + +"I give thee thanks, sir," said Myles. + +The knight nodded his head in acknowledgement, but did not at +once give the word of dismissal that Myles had expected. "Dost +mean to write thee a letter home soon?" said he, suddenly. + +"Aye," said Myles, gaping in great wonderment at the strangeness +of the question. + +"Then when thou dost so write," said Sir James, "give thou my +deep regards to thy father." Then he continued, after a brief +pause. "Him did I know well in times gone by, and we were right +true friends in hearty love, and for his sake I would befriend +thee--that is, in so much as is fitting." + +"Sir," said Myles; but Sir James held up his hand, and he stopped +short in his thanks. + +"But, boy," said he, "that which I sent for thee for to tell thee +was of more import than these. Dost thou know that thy father is +an attainted outlaw?" + +"Nay," cried Myles, his cheeks blazing up as red as fire; "who +sayeth that of him lieth in his teeth." + +"Thou dost mistake me," said Sir James, quietly. "It is sometimes +no shame to be outlawed and banned. Had it been so, I would not +have told thee thereof, nor have bidden thee send my true love to +thy father, as I did but now. But, boy, certes he standest +continually in great danger-- greater than thou wottest of. Were +it known where he lieth hid, it might be to his undoing and utter +ruin. Methought that belike thou mightest not know that; and so I +sent for thee for to tell thee that it behoovest thee to say not +one single word concerning him to any of these new friends of +thine, nor who he is, nor what he is." + +"But how came my father to be so banned?" said Myles, in a +constrained and husky voice, and after a long time of silence. + +"That I may not tell thee just now," said the old knight, "only +this--that I have been bidden to make it known to thee that thy +father hath an enemy full as powerful as my Lord the Earl +himself, and that through that enemy all his ill-fortune --his +blindness and everything--hath come. Moreover, did this enemy +know where thy father lieth, he would slay him right speedily." + +"Sir," cried Myles, violently smiting his open palm upon the +table, "tell me who this man is, and I will kill him!" + +Sir James smiled grimly. "Thou talkest like a boy," said he. +"Wait until thou art grown to be a man. Mayhap then thou mayst +repent thee of these bold words, for one time this enemy of thy +father's was reckoned the foremost knight in England, and he is +now the King's dear friend and a great lord." + +"But," said Myles, after another long time of heavy silence, +"will not my Lord then befriend me for the sake of my father, who +was one time his dear comrade?" + +Sir James shook his head. "It may not be," said he. "Neither thou +nor thy father must look for open favor from the Earl. An he +befriended Falworth, and it came to be known that he had given +him aid or succor, it might belike be to his own undoing. No, +boy; thou must not even look to be taken into the household to +serve with gentlemen as the other squires do serve, but must even +live thine own life here and fight thine own way." + +Myles's eyes blazed. "Then," cried he, fiercely, "it is shame and +attaint upon my Lord the Earl, and cowardice as well, and never +will I ask favor of him who is so untrue a friend as to turn his +back upon a comrade in trouble as he turneth his back upon my +father." + +"Thou art a foolish boy," said Sir James with a bitter smile, +"and knowest naught of the world. An thou wouldst look for man to +befriend man to his own danger, thou must look elsewhere than on +this earth. Was I not one time Mackworth's dear friend as well as +thy father? It could cost him naught to honor me, and here am I +fallen to be a teacher of boys. Go to! thou art a fool." + +Then, after a little pause of brooding silence, he went on to say +that the Earl was no better or worse than the rest of the world. +That men of his position had many jealous enemies, ever seeking +their ruin, and that such must look first of all each to himself, +or else be certainly ruined, and drag down others in that ruin. +Myles was silenced, but the bitterness had entered his heart, and +abided with him for many a day afterwards. + +Perhaps Sir James read his feelings in his frank face, for he sat +looking curiously at him, twirling his grizzled mustache the +while. "Thou art like to have hard knocks of it, lad, ere thou +hast gotten thee safe through the world," said he, with more +kindness in his harsh voice than was usual. "But get thee not +into fights before thy time." Then he charged the boy very +seriously to live at peace with his fellow-squires, and for his +father's sake as well as his own to enter into none of the broils +that were so frequent in their quarters. + +It was with this special admonition against brawling that Myles +was dismissed, to enter, before five minutes had passed, into the +first really great fight of his life. + + +Besides Gascoyne and Wilkes, he found gathered in the dormitory +six or eight of the company of squires who were to serve that day +upon household duty; among others, Walter Blunt and three other +bachelors, who were changing their coarse service clothes for +others more fit for the household. + +"Why didst thou tarry so long, Myles?" said Gascoyne, as he +entered. "Methought thou wert never coming." + +"Where goest thou, Falworth?" called Blunt from the other end of +the room, where he was lacing his doublet. + +Just now Myles had no heart in the swimming or sport of any sort, +but he answered, shortly, "I go to the river to swim." + +"Nay," said Blunt, "thou goest not forth from the castle to-day. +Hast thou forgot how thou didst answer me back about fetching the +water this morning? This day thou must do penance, so go thou +straight to the armory and scour thou up my breastplate." + +From the time he had arisen that morning everything had gone +wrong with Myles. He had felt himself already outrated in +rendering service to the bachelors, he had quarrelled with the +head of the esquires, he had nearly quarrelled with Gascoyne, and +then had come the bitterest and worst of all, the knowledge that +his father was an outlaw, and that the Earl would not stretch out +a hand to aid him or to give him any countenance. Blunt's words +brought the last bitter cut to his heart, and they stung him to +fury. For a while he could not answer, but stood glaring with a +face fairly convulsed with passion at the young man, who +continued his toilet, unconscious of the wrath of the new +recruit. + +Gascoyne and Wilkes, accepting Myles's punishment as a thing of +course, were about to leave the dormitory when Myles checked +them. + +"Stop, Francis!" he cried, hoarsely. "Thinkest thou that I will +stay behind to do yon dog's dirty work? No; I go with ye." + +A moment or two of dumb, silent amazement followed his bold +words; then Blunt cried, "Art thou mad?" + +"Nay," answered Myles in the same hoarse voice, "I am not mad. I +tell thee a better man than thou shouldst not stay me from going +an I list to go. + +"I will break thy cockerel head for that speech," said Blunt, +furiously. He stooped as he spoke, and picked up a heavy clog +that lay at his feet. + +It was no insignificant weapon either. The shoes of those days +were sometimes made of cloth, and had long pointed toes stuffed +with tow or wool. In muddy weather thick heavy clogs or wooden +soles were strapped, like a skate, to the bottom of the foot. +That clog which Blunt had seized was perhaps eighteen or twenty +inches long, two or two and a half inches thick at the heel, +tapering to a point at the toe. As the older lad advanced, +Gascoyne stepped between him and his victim. + +"Do not harm him, Blunt," he pleaded. "Bear thou in mind how +new-come he is among us. He knoweth not our ways as yet." + +"Stand thou back, Gascoyne," said Blunt, harshly, as he thrust +him aside. "I will teach him our ways so that he will not soon +forget them." + +Close to Myles's feet was another clog like that one which Blunt +held. He snatched it up, and set his back against the wall, with +a white face and a heart beating heavily and tumultuously, but +with courage steeled to meet the coming encounter. There was a +hard, grim look in his blue eyes that, for a moment perhaps, +quelled the elder lad. He hesitated. "Tom! Wat! Ned!" he called +to the other bachelors, "come hither, and lend me a hand with +this knave." + +"An ye come nigh me," panted Myles, "I will brain the first +within reach." + +Then Gascoyne dodged behind the others, and, without being seen, +slipped out of the room for help. + +The battle that followed was quick, sharp, and short. As Blunt +strode forward, Myles struck, and struck with might and main, but +he was too excited to deliver his blow with calculation. Blunt +parried it with the clog he held, and the next instant, dropping +his weapon, gripped Myles tight about the body, pinning his arms +to his sides. + +Myles also dropped the clog he held, and, wrenching out his right +arm with a sudden heave, struck Blunt full in the face, and then +with another blow sent him staggering back. It all passed in an +instant; the next the three other bachelors were upon him, +catching him by the body, the arms, the legs. For a moment or two +they swayed and stumbled hither and thither, and then down they +fell in a struggling heap. + +Myles fought like a wild-cat, kicking, struggling, scratching; +striking with elbows and fists. He caught one of the three by his +collar, and tore his jacket open from the neck to the waist; he +drove his foot into the pit of the stomach of another, and +knocked him breathless. The other lads not in the fight stood +upon the benches and the beds around, but such was the awe +inspired by the prestige of the bachelors that not one of them +dared to lend hand to help him, and so Myles fought his fierce +battle alone. + +But four to one were odds too great, and though Myles struggled +as fiercely as ever, by-and-by it was with less and less +resistance. + +Blunt had picked up the clog he had dropped when he first +attacked the lad, and now stood over the struggling heap, white +with rage, the blood running from his lip, cut and puffed where +Myles had struck him, and murder looking out from his face, if +ever it looked out of the face of any mortal being. + +"Hold him a little," said he, fiercely, "and I will still him for +you." + +Even yet it was no easy matter for the others to do his bidding, +but presently he got his chance and struck a heavy, cruel blow at +Myles's head. Myles only partly warded it with his arm. Hitherto +he had fought in silence, now he gave a harsh cry. + +"Holy Saints!" cried Edmund Wilkes. "They will kill him." + +Blunt struck two more blows, both of them upon the body, and then +at last they had the poor boy down, with his face upon the ground +and his arms pinned to his sides, and Blunt, bracing himself for +the stroke, with a grin of rage raised a heavy clog for one +terrible blow that should finish the fight. + + + +CHAPTER 9 + +"How now, messieurs?" said a harsh voice, that fell upon the +turmoil like a thunder-clap, and there stood Sir James Lee. +Instantly the struggle ceased, and the combatants scrambled to +their feet. + +The older lads stood silent before their chief, but Myles was +deaf and blind and mad with passion, he knew not where he stood +or what he said or did. White as death, he stood for a while +glaring about him, catching his breath convulsively. Then he +screamed hoarsely. + +"Who struck me? Who struck me when I was down? I will have his +blood that struck me!" He caught sight of Blunt. "It was he that +struck me!" he cried. "Thou foul traitor! thou coward!" and +thereupon leaped at his enemy like a wild-cat. + +"Stop!" cried Sir James Lee, clutching him by the arm. + +Myles was too blinded by his fury to see who it was that held +him. "I will not stop!" he cried, struggling and striking at the +knight. "Let me go! I will have his life that struck me when I +was down!" + +The next moment he found himself pinned close against the wall, +and then, as though his sight came back, he saw the grim face of +the old one- eyed knight looking into his. + +"Dost thou know who I am?" said a stern, harsh voice. + +Instantly Myles ceased struggling, and his arms fell at his side. +"Aye," he said, in a gasping voice, "I know thee." He swallowed +spasmodically for a moment or two, and then, in the sudden +revulsion of feeling, burst out sobbing convulsively. + +Sir James marched the two off to his office, he himself walking +between them, holding an arm of each, the other lads following +behind, awe-struck and silent. Entering the office, Sir James +shut the door behind him, leaving the group of squires clustered +outside about the stone steps, speculating in whispers as to what +would be the outcome of the matter. + +After Sir James had seated himself, the two standing facing him, +he regarded them for a while in silence. "How now, Walter Blunt," +said he at last, "what is to do?" + +"Why, this," said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip. "That fellow, +Myles Falworth, hath been breeding mutiny and revolt ever sin he +came hither among us, and because he was thus mutinous I would +punish him therefor." + +"In that thou liest!" burst out Myles. "Never have I been +mutinous in my life." + +"Be silent, sir," said Sir James, sternly. "I will hear thee +anon." + +"Nay," said Myles, with his lips twitching and writhing, "I will +not be silent. I am friendless here, and ye are all against me, +but I will not be silent, and brook to have lies spoken of me." + +Even Blunt stood aghast at Myles's boldness. Never had he heard +any one so speak to Sir James before. He did not dare for the +moment even to look up. Second after second of dead stillness +passed, while Sir James sat looking at Myles with a stern, +terrifying calmness that chilled him in spite of the heat of his +passion. + +"Sir," said the old man at last, in a hard, quiet voice, "thou +dost know naught of rules and laws of such a place as this. +Nevertheless, it is time for thee to learn them. So I will tell +thee now that if thou openest thy lips to say only one single +word more except at my bidding, I will send thee to the black +vault of the donjon to cool thy hot spirits on bread and water +for a week." There was something in the measured quietness of the +old knight's tone that quelled Myles utterly and entirely. A +little space of silence followed. "Now, then, Blunt," said Sir +James, turning to the bachelor, "tell me all the ins and outs of +this business without any more underdealing." + +This time Blunt's story, though naturally prejudiced in his own +favor, was fairly true. Then Myles told his side of the case, the +old knight listening attentively. + +"Why, how now, Blunt," said Sir James, when Myles had ended, "I +myself gave the lads leave to go to the river to bathe. Wherefore +shouldst thou forbid one of them?" + +"I did it but to punish this fellow for his mutiny," said the +bachelor. "Methought we at their head were to have oversight +concerning them." + +"So ye are," said the knight; "but only to a degree. Ere ye take +it upon ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye first +to me. Dost thou understand?" + +"Aye," answered Blunt, sullenly. + +"So be it, and now get thee gone," said the knight; "and let me +hear no more of beating out brains with wooden clogs. An ye fight +your battles, let there not be murder in them. This is twice that +the like hath happed; gin I hear more of such doings--" He did +utter his threat, but stopped short, and fixed his one eye +sternly upon the head squire. "Now shake hands, and be ye +friends," said he, abruptly. + +Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him. + +"Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck me while I was +down." + +"So be it," said the knight, grimly. "Now thou mayst go, Blunt. +Thou, Falworth, stay; I would bespeak thee further." + +"Tell me," said he, when the elder lad had left them, "why wilt +thou not serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is +the custom here. Why wilt thou not obey it?" + +"Because," said Myles, "I cannot stomach it, and they shall not +make me serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but +not at their command." + +"Nay," said the knight, "I do not bid thee do them service. That +lieth with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But how +canst thou hope to fight single-handed against the commands of a +dozen lads all older and mightier than thou?" + +"I know not," said Myles; "but were they an hundred, instead of +thirteen, they should not make me serve them." + +"Thou art a fool!" said the old knight, smiling faintly, "for +that be'st not courage, but folly. When one setteth about +righting a wrong, one driveth not full head against it, for in so +doing one getteth naught but hard knocks. Nay, go deftly about +it, and then, when the time is ripe, strike the blow. Now our +beloved King Henry, when he was the Earl of Derby, what could he +have gained had he stood so against the old King Richard, +brooking the King face to face? I tell thee he would have been +knocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day. Now +were I thee, and had to fight a fight against odds, I would first +get me friends behind me, and then--" He stopped short, but Myles +understood him well enough. + +"Sir," said he, with a gulp, "I do thank thee for thy friendship, +and ask thy pardon for doing as I did anon." + +"I grant thee pardon," said the knight, "but tell thee plainly, +an thou dost face me so again, I will truly send thee to the +black cell for a week. Now get thee away." + +All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth, save only the +faithful Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay with +his friend; and perhaps that little act of self-denial moved +Myles more than many a great thing might have done. + +"It was right kind of thee, Francis," said he, laying his hand +affectionately on his friend's shoulder. "I know not why thou +lovest me so." + +"Why, for one thing, this matter," answered his friend; "because +methinks thou art the best fighter and the bravest one of all of +us squires." + +Myles laughed. Nevertheless Gascoyne's words were a soothing balm +for much that had happened that day. "I will fight me no more +just now," said he; and then he told his friend all that Sir +James had advised about biding his time. + +Gascoyne blew a long whistle. "Beshrew me!" quoth he, "but +methinks old Bruin is on thy side of the quarrel, Myles. An that +be so, I am with thee also, and others that I can name as well." + +"So be it," said Myles. "Then am I content to abide the time when +we may become strong enough to stand against them." + + + +CHAPTER 10 + +Perhaps therE is nothing more delightful in the romance of +boyhood than the finding of some secret hiding-place whither a +body may creep away from the bustle of the world's life, to +nestle in quietness for an hour or two. More especially is such +delightful if it happen that, by peeping from out it, one may +look down upon the bustling matters of busy every-day life, while +one lies snugly hidden away unseen by any, as though one were in +some strange invisible world of one's own. + +Such a hiding-place as would have filled the heart of almost any +boy with sweet delight Myles and Gascoyne found one summer +afternoon. They called it their Eyry, and the name suited well +for the roosting-place of the young hawks that rested in its +windy stillness, looking down upon the shifting castle life in +the courts below. + +Behind the north stable, a great, long, rambling building, +thick-walled, and black with age, lay an older part of the castle +than that peopled by the better class of life--a cluster of great +thick walls, rudely but strongly built, now the dwelling-place of +stable-lads and hinds, swine and poultry. From one part of these +ancient walls, and fronting an inner court of the castle, arose a +tall, circular, heavy-buttressed tower, considerably higher than +the other buildings, and so mantled with a dense growth of aged +ivy as to stand a shaft of solid green. Above its crumbling crown +circled hundreds of pigeons, white and pied, clapping and +clattering in noisy flight through the sunny air. Several +windows, some closed with shutters, peeped here and there from +out the leaves, and near the top of the pile was a row of arched +openings, as though of a balcony or an airy gallery. + +Myles had more than once felt an idle curiosity about this tower, +and one day, as he and Gascoyne sat together, he pointed his +finger and said, "What is yon place?" + +"That," answered Gascoyne, looking over his shoulder--"that they +call Brutus Tower, for why they do say that Brutus he built it +when he came hither to Britain. I believe not the tale mine own +self; ne'theless, it is marvellous ancient, and old +Robin-the-Fletcher telleth me that there be stairways built in +the wall and passage-ways, and a maze wherein a body may get +lost, an he know not the way aright, and never see the blessed +light of day again." + +"Marry," said Myles, "those same be strange sayings. Who liveth +there now?" + +"No one liveth there," said Gascoyne, "saving only some of the +stable villains, and that half- witted goose-herd who flung +stones at us yesterday when we mocked him down in the paddock. He +and his wife and those others dwell in the vaults beneath, like +rabbits in any warren. No one else hath lived there since Earl +Robert's day, which belike was an hundred years agone. The story +goeth that Earl Robert's brother--or step- brother--was murdered +there, and some men say by the Earl himself. Sin that day it hath +been tight shut." + +Myles stared at the tower for a while in silence. "It is a +strange-seeming place from without," said he, at last, "and +mayhap it may be even more strange inside. Hast ever been within, +Francis?" + +"Nay," said Gascoyne; "said I not it hath been fast locked since +Earl Robert's day?" + +"By'r Lady," said Myles, "an I had lived here in this place so +long as thou, I wot I would have been within it ere this." + +"Beshrew me," said Gascoyne, "but I have never thought of such a +matter." He turned and looked at the tall crown rising into the +warm sunlight with a new interest, for the thought of entering it +smacked pleasantly of adventure. "How wouldst thou set about +getting within?" said he, presently. + +"Why, look," said Myles; "seest thou not yon hole in the ivy +branches? Methinks there is a window at that place. An I mistake +not, it is in reach of the stable eaves. A body might come up by +the fagot pile to the roof of the hen-house, and then by the long +stable to the north stable, and so to that hole." + +Gascoyne looked thoughtfully at the Brutus Tower, and then +suddenly inquired, "Wouldst go there?" + +"Aye," said Myles, briefly. + +"So be it. Lead thou the way in the venture, I will follow after +thee," said Gascoyne. + +As Myles had said, the climbing from roof to roof was a matter +easy enough to an active pair of lads like themselves; but when, +by-and-by, they reached the wall of the tower itself, they found +the hidden window much higher from the roof than they had judged +from below--perhaps ten or twelve feet--and it was, besides, +beyond the eaves and out of their reach. + +Myles looked up and looked down. Above was the bushy thickness of +the ivy, the branches as thick as a woman's wrist, knotted and +intertwined; below was the stone pavement of a narrow inner court +between two of the stable buildings. + +"Methinks I can climb to yon place," said he. + +"Thou'lt break thy neck an thou tryest," said Gascoyne, hastily. + +"Nay," quoth Myles, "I trust not; but break or make, we get not +there without trying. So here goeth for the venture." + +"Thou art a hare-brained knave as ever drew breath of life," +quoth Gascoyne, "and will cause me to come to grief some of these +fine days. Ne'theless, an thou be Jack Fool and lead the way, go, +and I will be Tom Fool and follow anon. If thy neck is worth so +little, mine is worth no more." + +It was indeed a perilous climb, but that special providence which +guards reckless lads befriended them, as it has thousands of +their kind before and since. So, by climbing from one knotted, +clinging stem to another, they were presently seated snugly in +the ivied niche in the window. It was barred from within by a +crumbling shutter, the rusty fastening of which, after some +little effort upon the part of the two, gave way, and entering +the narrow opening, they found themselves in a small triangular +passage-way, from which a steep flight of stone steps led down +through a hollow in the massive wall to the room below. + +At the bottom of the steps was a heavy oaken door, which stood +ajar, hanging upon a single rusty hinge, and from the room within +a dull, gray light glimmered faintly. Myles pushed the door +farther open; it creaked and grated horribly on its rusty hinge, +and, as in instant answer to the discordant shriek, came a faint +piping squeaking, a rustling and a pattering of soft footsteps. + +"The ghosts!" cried Gascoyne, in a quavering whisper, and for a +moment Myles felt the chill of goose-flesh creep up and down his +spine. But the next moment he laughed. + +"Nay," said he, "they be rats. Look at yon fellow, Francis! Be'st +as big as Mother Joan's kitten. Give me that stone." He flung it +at the rat, and it flew clattering across the floor. There was +another pattering rustle of hundreds of feet, and then a +breathless silence. + +The boys stood looking around them, and a strange enough sight it +was. The room was a perfect circle of about twenty feet across, +and was piled high with an indistinguishable mass of lumber--rude +tables, ruder chairs, ancient chests, bits and remnants of cloth +and sacking and leather, old helmets and pieces of armor of a +by-gone time, broken spears and pole-axes, pots and pans and +kitchen furniture of all sorts and kinds. + +A straight beam of sunlight fell through a broken shutter like a +bar of gold, and fell upon the floor in a long streak of dazzling +light that illuminated the whole room with a yellow glow. + +"By 'r Lady!" said Gascoyne at last, in a hushed voice, "here is +Father Time's garret for sure. Didst ever see the like, Myles? +Look at yon arbalist; sure Brutus himself used such an one!" + +"Nay," said Myles; "but look at this saddle. Marry, here be'st a +rat's nest in it." + +Clouds of dust rose as they rummaged among the mouldering mass, +setting them coughing and sneezing. Now and then a great gray rat +would shoot out beneath their very feet, and disappear, like a +sudden shadow, into some hole or cranny in the wall. + +"Come," said Myles at last, brushing the dust from his jacket, +"an we tarry here longer we will have chance to see no other +sights; the sun is falling low." + +An arched stair-way upon the opposite side of the room from which +they had entered wound upward through the wall, the stone steps +being lighted by narrow slits of windows cut through the massive +masonry. Above the room they had just left was another of the +same shape and size, but with an oak floor, sagging and rising +into hollows and hills, where the joist had rotted away beneath. +It was bare and empty, and not even a rat was to be seen. Above +was another room; above that, another; all the passages and +stairways which connected the one story with the other being +built in the wall, which was, where solid, perhaps fifteen feet +thick. + +From the third floor a straight flight of steps led upward to a +closed door, from the other side of which shone the dazzling +brightness of sunlight, and whence came a strange noise--a soft +rustling, a melodious murmur. The boys put their shoulders +against the door, which was fastened, and pushed with might and +main--once, twice; suddenly the lock gave way, and out they +pitched headlong into a blaze of sunlight. A deafening clapping +and uproar sounded in their ears, and scores of pigeons, suddenly +disturbed, rose in stormy flight. + +They sat up and looked around them in silent wonder. They were in +a bower of leafy green. It was the top story of the tower, the +roof of which had crumbled and toppled in, leaving it open to the +sky, with only here and there a slanting beam or two supporting a +portion of the tiled roof, affording shelter for the nests of the +pigeons crowded closely together. Over everything the ivy had +grown in a mantling sheet--a net-work of shimmering green, +through which the sunlight fell flickering. + +"This passeth wonder," said Gascoyne, at last breaking the +silence. + +"Aye," said Myles, "I did never see the like in all my life." +Then, "Look, yonder is a room beyond; let us see what it is, +Francis." + +Entering an arched door-way, the two found themselves in a +beautiful little vaulted chapel, about eighteen feet long and +twelve or fifteen wide. It comprised the crown of one of the +large massive buttresses, and from it opened the row of arched +windows which could be seen from below through the green +shimmering of the ivy leaves. The boys pushed aside the trailing +tendrils and looked out and down. The whole castle lay spread +below them, with the busy people unconsciously intent upon the +matters of their daily work. They could see the gardener, with +bowed back, patiently working among the flowers in the garden, +the stable-boys below grooming the horses, a bevy of ladies in +the privy garden playing at shuttlecock with battledoors of wood, +a group of gentlemen walking up and down in front of the Earl's +house. They could see the household servants hurrying hither and +thither, two little scullions at fisticuffs, and a kitchen girl +standing in the door-way scratching her frowzy head. + +It was all like a puppetshow of real life, each acting +unconsciously a part in the play. The cool wind came in through +the rustling leaves and fanned their cheeks, hot with the climb +up the winding stair-way. + +"We will call it our Eyry," said Gascoyne "and we will be the +hawks that live here." And that was how it got its name. + +The next day Myles had the armorer make him a score of large +spikes, which he and Gascoyne drove between the ivy branches and +into the cement of the wall, and so made a safe passageway by +which to reach the window niche in the wall. + + + +CHAPTER 11 + +THE TWO friends kept the secret of the Eyry to themselves for a +little while, now and then visiting the old tower to rummage +among the lumber stored in the lower room, or to loiter away the +afternoon in the windy solitudes of the upper heights. And in +that little time, when the ancient keep was to them a small world +unknown to any but themselves--a world far away above all the +dull matters of every-day life--they talked of many things that +might else never have been known to one another. Mostly they +spoke the crude romantic thoughts and desires of boyhood's +time--chaff thrown to the wind, in which, however, lay a few +stray seeds, fated to fall to good earth, and to ripen to +fruition in manhood's day. + +In the intimate talks of that time Myles imparted something of +his honest solidity to Gascoyne's somewhat weathercock nature, +and to Myles's ruder and more uncouth character Gascoyne lent a +tone of his gentler manners, learned in his pagehood service as +attendant upon the Countess and her ladies. + +In other things, also, the character and experience of the one +lad helped to supply what was lacking in the other. Myles was +replete with old Latin gestes, fables, and sermons picked up +during his school life, in those intervals of his more serious +studies when Prior Edward had permitted him to browse in the +greener pastures of the Gesta Romanorum and the Disciplina +Clericalis of the monastery library, and Gascoyne was never weary +of hearing him tell those marvellous stories culled from the +crabbed Latin of the old manuscript volumes. + +Upon his part Gascoyne was full of the lore of the waiting-room +and the antechamber, and Myles, who in all his life had never +known a lady, young or old, excepting his mother, was never tired +of lying silently listening to Gascoyne's chatter of the gay +doings of the castle gentle-life, in which he had taken part so +often in the merry days of his pagehood. + +"I do wonder," said Myles, quaintly, "that thou couldst ever find +the courage to bespeak a young maid, Francis. Never did I do so, +nor ever could. Rather would I face three strong men than one +young damsel." + +Whereupon Gascoyne burst out laughing. "Marry!" quoth he, "they +be no such terrible things, but gentle and pleasant spoken, and +soft and smooth as any cat." + +"No matter for that," said Myles; "I would not face one such for +worlds." + +It was during the short time when, so to speak, the two owned the +solitude of the Brutus Tower, that Myles told his friend of his +father's outlawry and of the peril in which the family stood. And +thus it was. + +"I do marvel," said Gascoyne one day, as the two lay stretched in +the Eyry, looking down into the castle court-yard below--"I do +marvel, now that thou art 'stablished here this month and more, +that my Lord doth never have thee called to service upon +household duty. Canst thou riddle me why it is so, Myles?" + +The subject was a very sore one with Myles. Until Sir James had +told him of the matter in his office that day he had never known +that his father was attainted and outlawed. He had accepted the +change from their earlier state and the bald poverty of their +life at Crosbey-Holt with the easy carelessness of boyhood, and +Sir James's words were the first to awaken him to a realization +of the misfortunes of the house of Falworth. His was a brooding +nature, and in the three or four weeks that passed he had +meditated so much over what had been told him, that by-and-by it +almost seemed as if a shadow of shame rested upon his father's +fair fame, even though the attaint set upon him was unrighteous +and unjust, as Myles knew it must be. He had felt angry and +resentful at the Earl's neglect, and as days passed and he was +not noticed in any way, his heart was at times very bitter. + +So now Gascoyne's innocent question touched a sore spot, and +Myles spoke with a sharp, angry pain in his voice that made the +other look quickly up. "Sooner would my Lord have yonder +swineherd serve him in the household than me," said he. + +"Why may that be, Myles?" said Gascoyne. + +"Because," answered Myles, with the same angry bitterness in his +voice, "either the Earl is a coward that feareth to befriend me, +or else he is a caitiff, ashamed of his own flesh and blood, and +of me, the son of his one-time comrade." + +Gascoyne raised himself upon his elbow, and opened his eyes wide +in wonder. "Afeard of thee, Myles!" quoth he. "Why should he be +afeared to befriend thee? Who art thou that the Earl should fear +thee?" + +Myles hesitated for a moment or two; wisdom bade him remain +silent upon the dangerous topic, but his heart yearned for +sympathy and companionship in his trouble. "I will tell thee," +said he, suddenly, and therewith poured out all of the story, so +far as he knew it, to his listening, wondering friend, and his +heart felt lighter to be thus eased of its burden. "And now," +said he, as he concluded, "is not this Earl a mean-hearted +caitiff to leave me, the son of his one-time friend and kinsman, +thus to stand or to fall alone among strangers and in a strange +place without once stretching me a helping hand?" He waited, and +Gascoyne knew that he expected an answer. + +"I know not that he is a mean-hearted caitiff, Myles," said he at +last, hesitatingly. "The Earl hath many enemies, and I have heard +that he hath stood more than once in peril, having been accused +of dealings with the King's foes. He was cousin to the Earl of +Kent, and I do remember hearing that he had a narrow escape at +that time from ruin. There be more reasons than thou wottest of +why he should not have dealings with thy father." + +"I had not thought," said Myles, bitterly, after a little pause, +"that thou wouldst stand up for him and against me in this +quarrel, Gascoyne. Him will I never forgive so long as I may +live, and I had thought that thou wouldst have stood by me." + +"So I do," said Gascoyne, hastily, "and do love thee more than +any one in all the world, Myles; but I had thought that it would +make thee feel more easy, to think that the Earl was not against +thee. And, indeed, from all thou has told me, I do soothly think +that he and Sir James mean to befriend thee and hold thee privily +in kind regard." + +"Then why doth he not stand forth like a man and befriend me and +my father openly, even if it be to his own peril?" said Myles, +reverting stubbornly to what he had first spoken. + +Gascoyne did not answer, but lay for a long while in silence. +"Knowest thou," he suddenly asked, after a while, "who is this +great enemy of whom Sir James speaketh, and who seeketh so to +drive thy father to ruin?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I know not, for my father hath never spoken +of these things, and Sir James would not tell me. But this I +know," said he, suddenly, grinding his teeth together, "an I do +not hunt him out some day and slay him like a dog--" He stopped +abruptly, and Gascoyne, looking askance at him, saw that his eyes +were full of tears, whereupon he turned his looks away again +quickly, and fell to shooting pebbles out through the open window +with his finger and thumb. + +"Thou wilt tell no one of these things that I have said?" said +Myles, after a while. + +"Not I," said Gascoyne. "Thinkest thou I could do such a thing?" + +"Nay," said Myles, briefly. + +Perhaps this talk more than anything else that had ever passed +between them knit the two friends the closer together, for, as I +have said, Myles felt easier now that he had poured out his +bitter thoughts and words; and as for Gascoyne, I think that +there is nothing so flattering to one's soul as to be made the +confidant of a stronger nature. + + +But the old tower served another purpose than that of a spot in +which to pass away a few idle hours, or in which to indulge the +confidences of friendship, for it was there that Myles gathered a +backing of strength for resistance against the tyranny of the +bachelors, and it is for that more than for any other reason that +it has been told how they found the place and of what they did +there, feeling secure against interruption. + +Myles Falworth was not of a kind that forgets or neglects a thing +upon which the mind has once been set. Perhaps his chief +objective since the talk with Sir James following his fight in +the dormitory had been successful resistance to the exactions of +the head of the body of squires. He was now (more than a month +had passed) looked upon by nearly if not all of the younger lads +as an acknowledged leader in his own class. So one day he +broached a matter to Gascoyne that had for some time been +digesting in his mind. It was the formation of a secret order, +calling themselves the "Knights of the Rose," their meeting-place +to be the chapel of the Brutus Tower, and their object to be the +righting of wrongs, "as they," said Myles, of Arthur his +Round-table did right wrongs." + +"But, prithee, what wrongs are there to right in this place?" +quoth Gascoyne, after listening intently to the plan which Myles +set forth. + +"Why, first of all, this," said Myles, clinching his fists, as he +had a habit of doing when anything stirred him deeply, "that we +set those vile bachelors to their right place; and that is, that +they be no longer our masters, but our fellows." + +Gascoyne shook his head. He hated clashing and conflict above all +things, and was for peace. Why should they thus rush to thrust +themselves into trouble? Let matters abide as they were a little +longer; surely life was pleasant enough without turning it all +topsy-turvy. Then, with a sort of indignation, why should Myles, +who had only come among them a month, take such service more to +heart than they who had endured it for years? And, finally, with +the hopefulness of so many of the rest of us, he advised Myles to +let matters alone, and they would right themselves in time. + +But Myles's mind was determined; his active spirit could not +brook resting passively under a wrong; he would endure no longer, +and now or never they must make their stand. + +"But look thee, Myles Falworth," said Gascoyne, "all this is not +to be done withouten fighting shrewdly. Wilt thou take that +fighting upon thine own self? As for me, I tell thee I love it +not." + +"Why, aye," said Myles; "I ask no man to do what I will not do +myself." + +Gascoyne shrugged his shoulders. "So be it," said he. "An thou +hast appetite to run thy head against hard knocks, do it i' +mercy's name! I for one will stand thee back while thou art +taking thy raps." + +There was a spirit of drollery in Gascoyne's speech that rubbed +against Myles's earnestness. + +"Out upon it!" cried he, his patience giving way. "Seest not that +I am in serious earnest? Why then dost thou still jest like Mad +Noll, my Lord's fool? An thou wilt not lend me thine aid in this +matter, say so and ha' done with it, and I will bethink me of +somewhere else to turn." + +Then Gascoyne yielded at once, as he always did when his friend +lost his temper, and having once assented to it, entered into the +scheme heart and soul. Three other lads--one of them that tall +thin squire Edmund Wilkes, before spoken of-- were sounded upon +the subject. They also entered into the plan of the secret +organization with an enthusiasm which might perhaps not have been +quite so glowing had they realized how very soon Myles designed +embarking upon active practical operations. One day Myles and +Gascoyne showed them the strange things that they had discovered +in the old tower--the inner staircases, the winding passage-ways, +the queer niches and cupboard, and the black shaft of a well that +pierced down into the solid wall, and whence, perhaps, the old +castle folk had one time drawn their supply of water in time of +siege, and with every new wonder of the marvellous place the +enthusiasm of the three recruits rose higher and higher. They +rummaged through the lumber pile in the great circular room as +Myles and Gascoyne had done, and at last, tired out, they +ascended to the airy chapel, and there sat cooling themselves in +the rustling freshness of the breeze that came blowing briskly in +through the arched windows. + +It was then and there that the five discussed and finally +determined upon the detailed plans of their organization, +canvassing the names of the squirehood, and selecting from it a +sufficient number of bold and daring spirits to make up a roll of +twenty names in all. + +Gascoyne had, as I said, entered into the matter with spirit, and +perhaps it was owing more to him than to any other that the +project caught its delightful flavor of romance. + +"Perchance," said he, as the five lads lay in the rustling +stillness through which sounded the monotonous and ceaseless +cooing of the pigeons-- "perchance there may be dwarfs and giants +and dragons and enchanters and evil knights and what not even +nowadays. And who knows but that if we Knights of the Rose hold +together we may go forth into the world, and do battle with them, +and save beautiful ladies, and have tales and gestes written +about us as they are writ about the Seven Champions and Arthur +his Round-table." + +Perhaps Myles, who lay silently listening to all that was said, +was the only one who looked upon the scheme at all in the light +of real utility, but I think that even with him the fun of the +matter outweighed the serious part of the business. + +So it was that the Sacred Order of the Twenty Knights of the Rose +came to be initiated. They appointed a code of secret passwords +and countersigns which were very difficult to remember, and which +were only used when they might excite the curiosity of the other +and uninitiated boys by their mysterious sound. They elected +Myles as their Grand High Commander, and held secret meetings in +the ancient tower, where many mysteries were soberly enacted. + +Of course in a day or two all the body of squires knew nearly +everything concerning the Knights of the Rose, and of their +secret meetings in the old tower. The lucky twenty were the +objects of envy of all not so fortunate as to be included in this +number, and there was a marked air of secrecy about everything +they did that appealed to every romantic notion of the youngsters +looking on. What was the stormy outcome of it all is now +presently to be told. + + + +CHAPTER 12 + +Thus it was that Myles, with an eye to open war with the +bachelors, gathered a following to his support. It was some +little while before matters were brought to a crisis--a week or +ten days. Perhaps even Myles had no great desire to hasten +matters. He knew that whenever war was declared, he himself would +have to bear the brunt of the battle, and even the bravest man +hesitates before deliberately thrusting himself into a fight. + +One morning Myles and Gascoyne and Wilkes sat under the shade of +two trees, between which was a board nailed to the trunks, making +a rude bench--always a favorite lounging-place for the lads in +idle moments. Myles was polishing his bascinet with lard and +wood-ashes, rubbing the metal with a piece of leather, and wiping +it clean with a fustian rag. The other two, who had just been +relieved from household duty, lay at length idly looking on. + +Just then one of the smaller pages, a boy of twelve or thirteen, +by name Robin Ingoldsby, crossed the court. He had been crying; +his face was red and blubbered, and his body was still shaken +with convulsive sniffs. + +Myles looked up. "Come hither, Robin," he called from where he +sat. "What is to do?" + +The little fellow came slowly up to where the three rested in the +shade. "Mowbray beat me with a strap," said he, rubbing his +sleeve across his eyes, and catching his breath at the +recollection. + +"Beat thee, didst say?" said Myles, drawing his brows together. +"Why did he beat thee?" + +"Because," said Robin, "I tarried overlong in fetching a pot of +beer from the buttery for him and Wyatt." Then, with a boy's +sudden and easy quickness in forgetting past troubles, "Tell me, +Falworth," said he, "when wilt thou give me that knife thou +promised me--the one thou break the blade of yesterday?" + +"I know not," said Myles, bluntly, vexed that the boy did not +take the disgrace of his beating more to heart. "Some time soon, +mayhap. Me thinks thou shouldst think more of thy beating than of +a broken knife. Now get thee gone to thy business." + +The youngster lingered for a moment or two watching Myles at his +work. "What is that on the leather scrap, Falworth?" said he, +curiously. + +"Lard and ashes," said Myles, testily. "Get thee gone, I say, or +I will crack thy head for thee;" and he picked up a block of +wood, with a threatening gesture. + +The youngster made a hideous grimace, and then scurried away, +ducking his head, lest in spite of Myles's well-known good-nature +the block should come whizzing after him. + +"Hear ye that now!" cried Myles, flinging down the block again +and turning to his two friends. "Beaten with straps because, +forsooth, he would not fetch and carry quickly enough to please +the haste of these bachelors. Oh, this passeth patience, and I +for one will bear it no longer." + +"Nay, Myles," said Gascoyne, soothingly, "the little imp is as +lazy as a dormouse and as mischievous as a monkey. I'll warrant +the hiding was his due, and that more of the like would do him +good." + +"Why, how dost thou talk, Francis!" said Myles, turning upon him +indignantly. "Thou knowest that thou likest to see the boy beaten +no more than I." Then, after a meditative pause, "How many, think +ye, we muster of our company of the Rose today?" + +Wilkes looked doubtfully at Gascoyne. "There be only seventeen of +us here now," said he at last. "Brinton and Lambourne are away to +Roby Castle in Lord George's train, and will not be back till +Saturday next. And Watt Newton is in the infirmary. + +"Seventeen be'st enou," said Myles, grimly. "Let us get together +this afternoon, such as may, in the Brutus Tower, for I, as I did +say, will no longer suffer these vile bachelors." + +Gascoyne and Wilkes exchanged looks, and then the former blew a +long whistle. + +So that afternoon a gloomy set of young faces were gathered +together in the Eyry--fifteen of the Knights of the Rose--and all +knew why they were assembled. The talk which followed was +conducted mostly by Myles. He addressed the others with a +straightforward vim and earnestness, but the response was only +half-hearted, and when at last, having heated himself up with his +own fire, he sat down, puffing out his red cheeks and glaring +round, a space of silence followed, the lads looked doubtfully at +one another. Myles felt the chill of their silence strike coldly +on his enthusiasm, and it vexed him. + +"What wouldst thou do, Falworth?" said one of the knights, at +last. "Wouldst have us open a quarrel with the bachelors?" + +"Nay," said Myles, gruffly. "I had thought that ye would all lend +me a hand in a pitched battle but now I see that ye ha' no +stomach for that. Ne'theless, I tell ye plainly I will not submit +longer to the bachelors. So now I will ask ye not to take any +venture upon yourselves, but only this: that ye will stand by me +when I do my fighting, and not let five or seven of them fall +upon me at once. + +"There is Walter Blunt; he is parlous strong, said one of the +others, after a time of silence. "Methinks he could conquer any +two of us." + +"Nay," said Myles; "ye do fear him too greatly. I tell ye I fear +not to stand up to try battle with him and will do so, too, if +the need arise. Only say ye that ye will stand by my back." + +"Marry," said Gascoyne, quaintly, "an thou wilt dare take the +heavy end upon thee, I for one am willing to stand by and see +that thou have thy fill of fighting." + +"I too will stand thee by, Myles," said Edmund Wilkes. + +"And I, and I, and I," said others, chiming in. + +Those who would still have held back were carried along by the +stream, and so it was settled that if the need should arise for +Myles to do a bit of fighting, the others should stand by to see +that he had fair play. + +"When thinkest thou that thou wilt take thy stand against them, +Myles?" asked Wilkes. + +Myles hesitated a moment. "To-morrow," said he, grimly. + +Several of the lads whistled softly. + +Gascoyne was prepared for an early opening of the war, but +perhaps not for such an early opening as this. "By 'r Lady, +Myles, thou art hungry for brawling," said he. + + + +CHAPTER 13 + +After the first excitement of meeting, discussing, and deciding +had passed, Myles began to feel the weight of the load he had so +boldly taken upon himself. He began to reckon what a serious +thing it was for him to stand as a single champion against the +tyranny that had grown so strong through years of custom. Had he +let himself do so, he might almost have repented, but it was too +late now for repentance. He had laid his hand to the plough, and +he must drive the furrow. + +Somehow the news of impending battle had leaked out among the +rest of the body of squires, and a buzz of suppressed excitement +hummed through the dormitory that evening. The bachelors, to +whom, no doubt, vague rumors had been blown, looked lowering, and +talked together in low voices, standing apart in a group. Some of +them made a rather marked show of secreting knives in the straw +of their beds, and no doubt it had its effect upon more than one +young heart that secretly thrilled at the sight of the shining +blades. However, all was undisturbed that evening. The lights +were put out, and the lads retired with more than usual +quietness, only for the murmur of whispering. + +All night Myles's sleep was more or less disturbed by dreams in +which he was now conquering, now being conquered, and before the +day had fairly broken he was awake. He lay upon his cot, keying +himself up for the encounter which he had set upon himself to +face, and it would not be the truth to say that the sight of +those knives hidden in the straw the night before had made no +impression upon him. By-and-by he knew the others were beginning +to awake, for he heard them softly stirring, and as the light +grew broad and strong, saw them arise, one by one, and begin +dressing in the gray morning. Then he himself arose and put on +his doublet and hose, strapping his belt tightly about his waist; +then he sat down on the side of his cot. + +Presently that happened for which he was waiting; two of the +younger squires started to bring the bachelors' morning supply of +water. As they crossed the room Myles called to them in a loud +voice--a little uneven, perhaps: "Stop! We draw no more water for +any one in this house, saving only for ourselves. Set ye down +those buckets, and go back to your places!" + +The two lads stopped, half turned, and then stood still, holding +the three buckets undecidedly. + +In a moment all was uproar and confusion, for by this time every +one of the lads had arisen, some sitting on the edge of their +beds, some nearly, others quite dressed. A half-dozen of the +Knights of the Rose came over to where Myles stood, gathering in +a body behind him and the others followed, one after another. + +The bachelors were hardly prepared for such prompt and vigorous +action. + +"What is to do?" cried one of them, who stood near the two lads +with the buckets. "Why fetch ye not the water?" + +"Falworth says we shall not fetch it," answered one of the lads, +a boy by the name of Gosse. + +"What mean ye by that, Falworth?" the young man called to Myles. + +Myles's heart was beating thickly and heavily within him, but +nevertheless he spoke up boldly enough. "I mean," said he, "that +from henceforth ye shall fetch and carry for yourselves," + +"Look'ee, Blunt," called the bachelor; "here is Falworth says +they squires will fetch no more water for us." + +The head bachelor had heard all that had passed, and was even +then hastily slipping on his doublet and hose. "Now, then, +Falworth," said he at last, striding forward, "what is to do? Ye +will fetch no more water, eh? By 'r Lady, I will know the reason +why." + +He was still advancing towards Myles, with two or three of the +older bachelors at his heels, when Gascoyne spoke. + +"Thou hadst best stand back, Blunt," said he, "else thou mayst be +hurt. We will not have ye bang Falworth again as ye once did, so +stand thou back!" + +Blunt stopped short and looked upon the lads standing behind +Myles, some of them with faces a trifle pale perhaps, but all +grim and determined looking enough. Then he turned upon his heel +suddenly, and walked back to the far end of the dormitory, where +the bachelors were presently clustered together. A few words +passed between them, and then the thirteen began at once arming +themselves, some with wooden clogs, and some with the knives +which they had so openly concealed the night before. At the sign +of imminent battle, all those not actively interested scuttled +away to right and left, climbing up on the benches and cots, and +leaving a free field to the combatants. The next moment would +have brought bloodshed. + +Now Myles, thanks to the training of the Crosbey-Dale smith, felt +tolerably sure that in a wrestling bout he was a match--perhaps +more than a match--for any one of the body of squires, and he had +determined, if possible, to bring the battle to a single-handed +encounter upon that footing. Accordingly he suddenly stepped +forward before the others. + +"Look'ee, fellow," he called to Blunt, "thou art he who struck me +whilst I was down some while since. Wilt thou let this quarrel +stand between thee and me, and meet me man to man without weapon? +See, I throw me down mine own, and will meet thee with bare +hands." And as he spoke, he tossed the clog he held in his hand +back upon the cot. + +"So be it," said Blunt, with great readiness, tossing down a +similar weapon which he himself held. + +"Do not go, Myles," cried Gascoyne, "he is a villain and a +traitor, and would betray thee to thy death. I saw him when he +first gat from bed hide a knife in his doublet." + +"Thou liest!" said Blunt. "I swear, by my faith, I be barehanded +as ye see me! Thy friend accuses me, Myles Falworth, because he +knoweth thou art afraid of me." + +"There thou liest most vilely!" exclaimed Myles. "Swear that thou +hast no knife, and I will meet thee." + +"Hast thou not heard me say that I have no knife?" said Blunt. +"What more wouldst thou have?" + +"Then I will meet thee halfway," said Myles. + +Gascoyne caught him by the sleeve, and would have withheld him, +assuring him that he had seen the bachelor conceal a knife. But +Myles, hot for the fight, broke away from his friend without +listening to him. + +As the two advanced steadily towards one another a breathless +silence fell upon the dormitory in sharp contrast to the uproar +and confusion that had filled it a moment before. The lads, +standing some upon benches, some upon beds, all watched with +breathless interest the meeting of the two champions. + +As they approached one another they stopped and stood for a +moment a little apart, glaring the one upon the other. They +seemed ill enough matched; Blunt was fully half a head taller +than Myles, and was thick-set and close-knit in young manhood. +Nothing but Myles's undaunted pluck could have led him to dare to +face an enemy so much older and stouter than himself. + +The pause was only for a moment. They who looked saw Blunt slide +his hand furtively towards his bosom. Myles saw too, and in the +flash of an instant knew what the gesture meant, and sprang upon +the other before the hand could grasp what it sought. As he +clutched his enemy he felt what he had in that instant expected +to feel--the handle of a dagger. The next moment he cried, in a +loud voice: "Oh, thou villain! Help, Gascoyne! He hath a knife +under his doublet!" + +In answer to his cry for help, Myles's friends started to his +aid. But the bachelors shouted, "Stand back and let them fight it +out alone, else we will knife ye too." And as they spoke, some of +them leaped from the benches whereon they stood, drawing their +knives and flourishing them. + +For just a few seconds Myles's friends stood cowed, and in those +few seconds the fight came to an end with a suddenness unexpected +to all. + +A struggle fierce and silent followed between the two; Blunt +striving to draw his knife, and Myles, with the energy of +despair, holding him tightly by the wrist. It was in vain the +elder lad writhed and twisted; he was strong enough to overbear +Myles, but still was not able to clutch the haft of his knife. + +"Thou shalt not draw it!" gasped Myles at last. "Thou shalt not +stab me!" + +Then again some of his friends started forward to his aid, but +they were not needed, for before they came, the fight was over. + +Blunt, finding that he was not able to draw the weapon, suddenly +ceased his endeavors, and flung his arms around Myles, trying to +bear him down upon the ground, and in that moment his battle was +lost. + +In an instant--so quick, so sudden, so unexpected that no one +could see how it happened-- his feet were whirled away from under +him, he spun with flying arms across Myles's loins, and pitched +with a thud upon the stone pavement, where he lay still, +motionless, while Myles, his face white with passion and his eyes +gleaming, stood glaring around like a young wild-boar beset by +the dogs. + +The next moment the silence was broken, and the uproar broke +forth with redoubled violence. The bachelors, leaping from the +benches, came hurrying forward on one side, and Myles's friends +from the other. + +"Thou shalt smart for this, Falworth," said one of the older +lads. " Belike thou hast slain him!" + +Myles turned upon the speaker like a flash, and with such a +passion of fury in his face that the other, a fellow nearly a +head taller than he, shrank back, cowed in spite of himself. Then +Gascoyne came and laid his hand on his friend's shoulder, + +"Who touches me?" cried Myles, hoarsely, turning sharply upon +him; and then, seeing who it was, "Oh, Francis, they would ha' +killed me!" + +"Come away, Myles," said Gascoyne; "thou knowest not what thou +doest; thou art mad; come away. What if thou hadst killed him?" + +The words called Myles somewhat to himself. "I care not!" said +he, but sullenly and not passionately, and then he suffered +Gascoyne and Wilkes to lead him away. + +Meantime Blunt's friends had turned him over, and, after feeling +his temples, his wrist, and his heart, bore him away to a bench +at the far end of the room. There they fell to chafing his hands +and sprinkling water in his face, a crowd of the others gathering +about. Blunt was hidden from Myles by those who stood around, and +the lad listened to the broken talk that filled the room with its +confusion, his anxiety growing keener as he became cooler. But at +last, with a heartfelt joy, he gathered from the confused buzz of +words that the other lad had opened his eyes and, after a while, +he saw him sit up, leaning his head upon the shoulder of one of +his fellow-bachelors, white and faint and sick as death. + +"Thank Heaven that thou didst not kill him!" said Edmund Wilkes, +who had been standing with the crowd looking on at the efforts of +Blunt's friends to revive him, and who had now come and sat down +upon the bed not far from Myles. + +"Aye," said Myles, gruffly, "I do thank Heaven for that." + + + +CHAPTER 14 + +If Myles fancied that one single victory over his enemy would +cure the evil against which he fought, he was grievously +mistaken; wrongs are not righted so easily as that. It was only +the beginning. Other and far more bitter battles lay before him +ere he could look around him and say, "I have won the victory." + +For a day--for two days--the bachelors were demoralized at the +fall of their leader, and the Knights of the Rose were +proportionately uplifted. + +The day that Blunt met his fall, the wooden tank in which the +water had been poured every morning was found to have been taken +away. The bachelors made a great show of indignation and inquiry. +Who was it stole their tank? If they did but know, he should +smart for it. + +"Ho! ho!" roared Edmund Wilkes, so that the whole dormitory heard +him, "smoke ye not their tricks, lads? See ye not that they have +stolen their own water-tank, so that they might have no need for +another fight over the carrying of the water?" + +The bachelors made an obvious show of not having heard what he +said, and a general laugh went around. No one doubted that Wilkes +had spoken the truth in his taunt, and that the bachelors had +indeed stolen their own tank. So no more water was ever carried +for the head squires, but it was plain to see that the war for +the upperhand was not yet over. + +Even if Myles had entertained comforting thoughts to the +contrary, he was speedily undeceived. One morning, about a week +after the fight, as he and Gascoyne were crossing the armory +court, they were hailed by a group of the bachelors standing at +the stone steps of the great building. + +"Holloa, Falworth!" they cried. "Knowest thou that Blunt is nigh +well again?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I knew it not. But I am right glad to hear +it." + +"Thou wilt sing a different song anon," said one of the +bachelors. "I tell thee he is hot against thee, and swears when +he cometh again he will carve thee soothly." + +"Aye, marry!" said another. "I would not be in thy skin a week +hence for a ducat! Only this morning he told Philip Mowbray that +he would have thy blood for the fall thou gavest him. Look to +thyself, Falworth; he cometh again Wednesday or Thursday next; +thou standest in a parlous state." + +"Myles," said Gascoyne, as they entered the great quadrangle, "I +do indeed fear me that he meaneth to do thee evil." + +"I know not," said Myles, boldly; "but I fear him not." +Nevertheless his heart was heavy with the weight of impending +ill. + +One evening the bachelors were more than usually noisy in their +end of the dormitory, laughing and talking and shouting to one +another. + +"Holloa, you sirrah, Falworth!" called one of them along the +length of the room. "Blunt cometh again to-morrow day." + +Myles saw Gascoyne direct a sharp glance at him; but he answered +nothing either to his enemy's words or his friend's look. + +As the bachelor had said, Blunt came the next morning. It was +just after chapel, and the whole body of squires was gathered in +the armory waiting for the orders of the day and the calling of +the roll of those chosen for household duty. Myles was sitting on +a bench along the wall, talking and jesting with some who stood +by, when of a sudden his heart gave a great leap within him. + +It was Walter Blunt. He came walking in at the door as if nothing +had passed, and at his unexpected coming the hubbub of talk and +laughter was suddenly checked. Even Myles stopped in his speech +for a moment, and then continued with a beating heart and a +carelessness of manner that was altogether assumed. In his hand +Blunt carried the house orders for the day, and without seeming +to notice Myles, he opened it and read the list of those called +upon for household service. + +Myles had risen, and was now standing listening with the others. +When Blunt had ended reading the list of names, he rolled up the +parchment, and thrust it into his belt; then swinging suddenly on +his heel, he strode straight up to Myles, facing him front to +front. A moment or two of deep silence followed; not a sound +broke the stillness. When Blunt spoke every one in the armory +heard his words. + +"Sirrah!" said he, "thou didst put foul shame upon me some time +sin. Never will I forget or forgive that offence, and will have a +reckoning with thee right soon that thou wilt not forget to the +last day of thy life." + +When Myles had seen his enemy turn upon him, he did not know at +first what to expect; he would not have been surprised had they +come to blows there and then, and he held himself prepared for +any event. He faced the other pluckily enough and without +flinching, and spoke up boldly in answer. "So be it, Walter +Blunt; I fear thee not in whatever way thou mayst encounter me." + +"Dost thou not?" said Blunt. "By'r Lady, thou'lt have cause to +fear me ere I am through with thee." He smiled a baleful, +lingering smile, and then turned slowly and walked away. + +"What thinkest thou, Myles?" said Gascoyne, as the two left the +armory together. + +"I think naught," said Myles gruffly. "He will not dare to touch +me to harm me. I fear him not." Nevertheless, he did not speak +the full feelings of his heart. + +"I know not, Myles," said Gascoyne, shaking his head doubtfully. +"Walter Blunt is a parlous evil-minded knave, and methinks will +do whatever evil he promiseth." + +"I fear him not," said Myles again; but his heart foreboded +trouble. + +The coming of the head squire made a very great change in the +condition of affairs. Even before that coming the bachelors had +somewhat recovered from their demoralization, and now again they +began to pluck up their confidence and to order the younger +squires and pages upon this personal service or upon that. + +"See ye not," said Myles one day, when the Knights of the Rose +were gathered in the Brutus Tower--"see ye not that they grow as +bad as ever? An we put not a stop to this overmastery now, it +will never stop." + +"Best let it be, Myles," said Wilkes. "They will kill thee an +thou cease not troubling them. Thou hast bred mischief enow for +thyself already." + +"No matter for that," said Myles; "it is not to be borne that +they order others of us about as they do. I mean to speak to them +to-night, and tell them it shall not be." + +He was as good as his word. That night, as the youngsters were +shouting and romping and skylarking, as they always did before +turning in, he stood upon his cot and shouted: "Silence! List to +me a little!" And then, in the hush that followed-- "I want those +bachelors to hear this: that we squires serve them no longer, and +if they would ha' some to wait upon them, they must get them +otherwheres than here. There be twenty of us to stand against +them and haply more, and we mean that they shall ha' service of +us no more." + +Then he jumped down again from his elevated stand, and an uproar +of confusion instantly filled the place. What was the effect of +his words upon the bachelors he could not see. What was the +result he was not slow in discovering. + +The next day Myles and Gascoyne were throwing their daggers for a +wager at a wooden target against the wall back of the armorer's +smithy. Wilkes, Gosse, and one or two others of the squires were +sitting on a bench looking on, and now and then applauding a more +than usually well-aimed cast of the knife. Suddenly that impish +little page spoken of before, Robin Ingoldsby, thrust his shock +head around the corner of the smithy, and said: "Ho, Falworth! +Blunt is going to serve thee out to-day, and I myself heard him +say so. He says he is going to slit thine ears." And then he was +gone as suddenly as he had appeared. + +Myles darted after him, caught him midway in the quadrangle, and +brought him back by the scuff of the neck, squalling and +struggling. + +"There!" said he, still panting from the chase and seating the +boy by no means gently upon the bench beside Wilkes. "Sit thou +there, thou imp of evil! And now tell me what thou didst mean by +thy words anon--an thou stop not thine outcry, I will cut thy +throat for thee," and he made a ferocious gesture with his +dagger. + +It was by no means easy to worm the story from the mischievous +little monkey; he knew Myles too well to be in the least afraid +of his threats. But at last, by dint of bribing and coaxing, +Myles and his friends managed to get at the facts. The youngster +had been sent to clean the riding-boots of one of the bachelors, +instead of which he had lolled idly on a cot in the dormitory, +until he had at last fallen asleep. He had been awakened by the +opening of the dormitory door and by the sound of voices--among +them was that of his taskmaster. Fearing punishment for his +neglected duty, he had slipped out of the cot, and hidden himself +beneath it. + +Those who had entered were Walter Blunt and three of the older +bachelors. Blunt's companions were trying to persuade him against +something, but without avail. It was--Myles's heart thrilled and +his blood boiled--to lie in wait for him, to overpower him by +numbers, and to mutilate him by slitting his ears--a disgraceful +punishment administered, as a rule, only for thieving and +poaching. + +"He would not dare to do such a thing!" cried Myles, with heaving +breast and flashing eyes. + +"Aye, but he would," said Gascoyne. "His father, Lord Reginald +Blunt, is a great man over Nottingham way, and my Lord would not +dare to punish him even for such a matter as that. But tell me, +Robin Ingoldsby, dost know aught more of this matter? Prithee +tell it me, Robin. Where do they propose to lie in wait for +Falworth?" + +"In the gate-way of the Buttery Court, so as to catch him when he +passes by to the armory," answered the boy. + +"Are they there now?" said Wilkes. + +"Aye, nine of them," said Robin. "I heard Blunt tell Mowbray to +go and gather the others. He heard thee tell Gosse, Falworth, +that thou wert going thither for thy arbalist this morn to shoot +at the rooks withal." + +"That will do, Robin," said Myles. "Thou mayst go." + +And therewith the little imp scurried off, pulling the lobes of +his ears suggestively as he darted around the corner. + +The others looked at one another for a while in silence. + +"So, comrades," said Myles at last, "what shall we do now?" + +"Go, and tell Sir James," said Gascoyne, promptly. + +"Nay," said Myles, "I take no such coward's part as that. I say +an they hunger to fight, give them their stomachful." + +The others were very reluctant for such extreme measures, but +Myles, as usual, carried his way, and so a pitched battle was +decided upon. It was Gascoyne who suggested the plan which they +afterwards followed. + +Then Wilkes started away to gather together those of the Knights +of the Rose not upon household duty, and Myles, with the others, +went to the armor smith to have him make for them a set of knives +with which to meet their enemies-- knives with blades a foot +long, pointed and double- edged. + +The smith, leaning with his hammer upon the anvil, listened to +them as they described the weapons. + +"Nay, nay, Master Myles," said he, when Myles had ended by +telling the use to which he intended putting them. "Thou art +going all wrong in this matter. With such blades, ere this battle +is ended, some one would be slain, and so murder done. Then the +family of him who was killed would haply have ye cited, and +mayhap it might e'en come to the hanging, for some of they boys +ha' great folkeys behind them. Go ye to Tom Fletcher, Master +Myles, and buy of him good yew staves, such as one might break a +head withal, and with them, gin ye keep your wits, ye may hold +your own against knives or short swords. I tell thee, e'en though +my trade be making of blades, rather would I ha' a good stout +cudgel in my hand than the best dagger that ever was forged." + +Myles stood thoughtfully for a moment or two; then, looking up, +"Methinks thou speaketh truly, Robin," said he; "and it were ill +done to have blood upon our hands." + + + +CHAPTER 15 + +From the long, narrow stone-paved Armory Court, and connecting it +with the inner Buttery Court, ran a narrow arched passage-way, in +which was a picket-gate, closed at night and locked from within. +It was in this arched passage-way that, according to little +Robert Ingoldsby's report, the bachelors were lying in wait for +Myles. Gascoyne's plan was that Myles should enter the court +alone, the Knights of the Rose lying ambushed behind the angle of +the armory building until the bachelors should show themselves. + +It was not without trepidation that Myles walked alone into the +court, which happened then to be silent and empty. His heart beat +more quickly than it was wont, and he gripped his cudgel behind +his back, looking sharply this way and that, so as not to be +taken unawares by a flank movement of his enemies. Midway in the +court he stopped and hesitated for a moment; then he turned as +though to enter the armory. The next moment he saw the bachelors +come pouring out from the archway. + +Instantly he turned and rushed back towards where his friends lay +hidden, shouting: "To the rescue! To the rescue!" + +"Stone him!" roared Blunt. "The villain escapes! + +He stopped and picked up a cobble-stone as he spoke, flinging it +after his escaping prey. It narrowly missed Myles's head; had it +struck him, there might have been no more of this story to tell. + +"To the rescue! To the rescue!" shouted Myles's friends in +answer, and the next moment he was surrounded by them. Then he +turned, and swinging his cudgel, rushed back upon his foes. + +The bachelors stopped short at the unexpected sight of the lads +with their cudgels. For a moment they rallied and drew their +knives; then they turned and fled towards their former place of +hiding. + +One of them turned for a moment, and flung his knife at Myles +with a deadly aim; but Myles, quick as a cat, ducked his body, +and the weapon flew clattering across the stony court. Then he +who had flung it turned again to fly, but in his attempt he had +delayed one instant too long. Myles reached him with a long-arm +stroke of his cudgel just as he entered the passage-way, knocking +him over like a bottle, stunned and senseless. + +The next moment the picket-gate was banged in their faces and the +bolt shot in the staples, and the Knights of the Rose were left +shouting and battering with their cudgels against the palings. + +By this time the uproar of fight had aroused those in the rooms +and offices fronting upon the Armory Court; heads were thrust +from many of the windows with the eager interest that a fight +always evokes. + +"Beware!" shouted Myles. "Here they come again!" He bore back +towards the entrance of the alley-way as he spoke, those behind +him scattering to right and left, for the bachelors had rallied, +and were coming again to the attack, shouting. + +They were not a moment too soon in this retreat, either, for the +next instant the pickets flew open, and a volley of stones flew +after the retreating Knights of the Rose. One smote Wilkes upon +the head, knocking him down headlong. Another struck Myles upon +his left shoulder, benumbing his arm from the finger-tips to the +armpit, so that he thought at first the limb was broken. + +"Get ye behind the buttresses!" shouted those who looked down +upon the fight from the windows-- "get ye behind the buttresses!" +And in answer the lads, scattering like a newly-flushed covey of +partridges, fled to and crouched in the sheltering angles of +masonry to escape from the flying stones. + +And now followed a lull in the battle, the bachelors fearing to +leave the protection of the arched passage-way lest their retreat +should be cut off, and the Knights of the Rose not daring to quit +the shelter of the buttresses and angles of the wall lest they +should be knocked down by the stones. + +The bachelor whom Myles had struck down with his cudgel was +sitting up rubbing the back of his head, and Wilkes had gathered +his wits enough to crawl to the shelter of the nearest buttress. +Myles, peeping around the corner behind which he stood, could see +that the bachelors were gathered into a little group consulting +together. Suddenly it broke asunder, and Blunt turned around. + +"Ho, Falworth!" he cried. "Wilt thou hold truce whiles we parley +with ye?" + +"Aye," answered Myles. + +"Wilt thou give me thine honor that ye will hold your hands from +harming us whiles we talk together?" + +"Yea," said Myles, "I will pledge thee mine honor." + +"I accept thy pledge. See! here we throw aside our stones and lay +down our knives. Lay ye by your clubs, and meet us in parley at +the horse- block yonder." + +"So be it," said Myles, and thereupon, standing his cudgel in the +angle of the wall, he stepped boldly out into the open +court-yard. Those of his party came scatteringly from right and +left, gathering about him; and the bachelors advanced in a body, +led by the head squire. + +"Now what is it thou wouldst have, Walter Blunt?" said Myles, +when both parties had met at the horse-block. + +"It is to say this to thee, Myles Falworth," said the other. "One +time, not long sin, thou didst challenge me to meet thee hand to +hand in the dormitory. Then thou didst put a vile affront upon +me, for the which I ha' brought on this battle to-day, for I knew +not then that thou wert going to try thy peasant tricks of +wrestling, and so, without guarding myself, I met thee as thou +didst desire." + +"But thou hadst thy knife, and would have stabbed him couldst +thou ha' done so," said Gascoyne. + +"Thou liest!" said Blunt. "I had no knife." And then, without +giving time to answer, "Thou canst not deny that I met thee then +at thy bidding, canst thou, Falworth?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "nor haply canst thou deny it either." And at +this covert reminder of his defeat Myles's followers laughed +scoffingly and Blunt bit his lip. + +"Thou hast said it," said he. "Then sin. I met thee at thy +bidding, I dare to thee to meet me now at mine, and to fight this +battle out between our two selves, with sword and buckler and +bascinet as gentles should, and not in a wrestling match like two +country hodges." + +"Thou art a coward caitiff, Walter Blunt!" burst out Wilkes, who +stood by with a swelling lump upon his head, already as big as a +walnut. "Well thou knowest that Falworth is no match for thee at +broadsword play. Is he not four years younger than thou, and hast +thou not had three times the practice in arms that he hath had? I +say thou art a coward to seek to fight with cutting weapons." + +Blunt made no answer to Wilkes's speech, but gazed steadfastly at +Myles, with a scornful smile curling the corners of his lips. +Myles stood looking upon the ground without once lifting his +eyes, not knowing what to answer, for he was well aware that he +was no match for Blunt with the broadsword. + +"Thou art afraid to fight me, Myles Falworth," said Blunt, +tauntingly, and the bachelors gave a jeering laugh in echo. + +Then Myles looked up, and I cannot say that his face was not a +trifle whiter than usual. "Nay," said he, "I am not afraid, and I +will fight thee, Blunt." + +"So be it," said Blunt. "Then let us go at it straightway in the +armory yonder, for they be at dinner in the Great Hall, and just +now there be'st no one by to stay us." + +"Thou shalt not fight him, Myles!" burst out Gascoyne. "He will +murther thee! Thou shalt not fight him, I say!" + +Myles turned away without answering him. + +"What is to do?" called one of those who were still looking out +of the windows as the crowd of boys passed beneath. + +"Blunt and Falworth are going to fight it out hand to hand in the +armory," answered one of the bachelors, looking up. + +The brawling of the squires was a jest to all the adjoining part +of the house. So the heads were withdrawn again, some laughing at +the "sparring of the cockerels." + +But it was no jesting matter to poor Myles. + + + +CHAPTER 16 + +I have no intention to describe the fight between Myles Falworth +and Walter Blunt. Fisticuffs of nowadays are brutal and debasing +enough, but a fight with a sharp-edged broadsword was not only +brutal and debasing, but cruel and bloody as well. + +From the very first of the fight Myles Falworth was palpably and +obviously overmatched. After fifteen minutes had passed, Blunt +stood hale and sound as at first; but poor Myles had more than +one red stain of warm blood upon doublet and hose, and more than +one bandage had been wrapped by Gascoyne and Wilkes about sore +wounds. + +He had received no serious injury as yet, for not only was his +body protected by a buckler, or small oblong shield, which he +carried upon his left arm, and his head by a bascinet, or light +helmet of steel, but perhaps, after all, Blunt was not +over-anxious to do him any dangerous harm. Nevertheless, there +could be but one opinion as to how the fight tended, and Myles's +friends were gloomy and downcast; the bachelors proportionately +exultant, shouting with laughter, and taunting Myles at every +unsuccessful stroke. + +Once, as he drew back panting, leaning upon Gascoyne's shoulder, +the faithful friend whispered, with trembling lips: "Oh, dear +Myles, carry it no further. Thou hurtest him not, and he will +slay thee ere he have done with thee." + +Thereupon Blunt, who caught the drift of the speech, put in a +word. "Thou art sore hurt, Myles Falworth," said he, "and I would +do thee no grievous harm. Yield thee and own thyself beaten, and +I will forgive thee. Thou hast fought a good fight, and there is +no shame in yielding now." + +"Never!" cried Myles, hoarsely--"never will I yield me! Thou +mayst slay me, Walter Blunt, and I reck not if thou dost do so, +but never else wilt thou conquer me." + +There was a tone of desperation in his voice that made all look +serious. + +"Nay," said Blunt; "I will fight thee no more, Myles Falworth; +thou hast had enough." + +"By heavens!" cried Myles, grinding his teeth, "thou shalt fight +me, thou coward! Thou hast brought this fight upon us, and either +thou or I get our quittance here. Let go, Gascoyne!" he cried, +shaking loose his friend's hold; "I tell thee he shall fight me!" + +From that moment Blunt began to lose his head. No doubt he had +not thought of such a serious fight as this when he had given his +challenge, and there was a savage bull-dog tenacity about Myles +that could not but have had a somewhat demoralizing effect upon +him. + +A few blows were given and taken, and then Myles's friends gave a +shout. Blunt drew back, and placed his hand to his shoulder. When +he drew it away again it was stained with red, and another red +stain grew and spread rapidly down the sleeve of his jacket. He +stared at his hand for a moment with a half-dazed look, and then +glanced quickly to right and left. + +"I will fight no more," said he, sullenly. + +"Then yield thee!" cried Myles, exultantly. + +The triumphant shouts of the Knights of the Rose stung Blunt like +a lash, and the battle began again. Perhaps some of the older +lads were of a mind to interfere at this point, certainly some +looked very serious, but before they interposed, the fight was +ended. + +Blunt, grinding his teeth, struck one undercut at his +opponent--the same undercut that Myles had that time struck at +Sir James Lee at the knight's bidding when he first practised at +the Devlen pels. Myles met the blow as Sir James had met the blow +that he had given, and then struck in return as Sir James had +struck--full and true. The bascinet that Blunt wore glanced the +blow partly, but not entirely. Myles felt his sword bite through +the light steel cap, and Blunt dropped his own blade clattering +upon the floor. It was all over in an instant, but in that +instant what he saw was stamped upon Myles's mind with an +indelible imprint. He saw the young man stagger backward; he saw +the eyes roll upward; and a red streak shoot out from under the +cap and run down across the cheek. + +Blunt reeled half around, and then fell prostrate upon his face; +and Myles stood staring at him with the delirious turmoil of his +battle dissolving rapidly into a dumb fear at that which he had +done. + +Once again he had won the victory--but what a victory! "Is he +dead?" he whispered to Gascoyne. + +"I know not," said Gascoyne, with a very pale face. "But come +away, Myles." And he led his friend out of the room. + +Some little while later one of the bachelors came to the +dormitory where Myles, his wounds smarting and aching and +throbbing, lay stretched upon his cot, and with a very serious +face bade him to go presently to Sir James, who had just come +from dinner, and was then in his office. + +By this time Myles knew that he had not slain his enemy, and his +heart was light in spite of the coming interview. There was no +one in the office but Sir James and himself, and Myles, without +concealing anything, told, point by point, the whole trouble. Sir +James sat looking steadily at him for a while after he had ended. + +"Never," said he, presently, "did I know any one of ye squires, +in all the time that I have been here, get himself into so many +broils as thou, Myles Falworth. Belike thou sought to take this +lad's life." + +"Nay," said Myles, earnestly; "God forbid!" + +"Ne'theless," said Sir James, "thou fetched him a main shrewd +blow; and it is by good hap, and no fault of thine, that he will +live to do more mischief yet. This is thy second venture at him; +the third time, haply, thou wilt end him for good." Then suddenly +assuming his grimmest and sternest manner: "Now, sirrah, do I put +a stop to this, and no more shall ye fight with edged tools. Get +thee to the dormitory, and abide there a full week without coming +forth. Michael shall bring thee bread and water twice a day for +that time. That is all the food thou shalt have, and we will see +if that fare will not cool thy hot humors withal." + +Myles had expected a punishment so much more severe than that +which was thus meted to him, that in the sudden relief he broke +into a convulsive laugh, and then, with a hasty sweep, wiped a +brimming moisture from his eyes. + +Sir James looked keenly at him for a moment. "Thou art white i' +the face," said he. "Art thou wounded very sorely?" + +"Nay" said Myles, "it is not much; but I be sick in my stomach." + +"Aye, aye," said Sir James; "I know that feeling well. It is thus +that one always feeleth in coming out from a sore battle when one +hath suffered wounds and lost blood. An thou wouldst keep thyself +hale, keep thyself from needless fighting. Now go thou to the +dormitory, and, as I said, come thou not forth again for a week. +Stay, sirrah!" he added; "I will send Georgebarber to thee to +look to thy sores. Green wounds are best drawn and salved ere +they grow cold." + +I wonder what Myles would have thought had he known that so soon +as he had left the office, Sir James had gone straight to the +Earl and recounted the whole matter to him, with a deal of dry +gusto, and that the Earl listened laughing. + +"Aye," said he, when Sir James had done, "the boy hath mettle, +sure. Nevertheless, we must transplant this fellow Blunt to the +office of gentleman- in-waiting. He must be old enough now, and +gin he stayeth in his present place, either he will do the boy a +harm, or the boy will do him a harm." + +So Blunt never came again to trouble the squires' quarters; and +thereafter the youngsters rendered no more service to the elders. + +Myles's first great fight in life was won. + + + +CHAPTER 17 + +The summer passed away, and the bleak fall came. Myles had long +since accepted his position as one set apart from the others of +his kind, and had resigned himself to the evident fact that he +was never to serve in the household in waiting upon the Earl. I +cannot say that it never troubled him, but in time there came a +compensation of which I shall have presently to speak. + +And then he had so much the more time to himself. The other lads +were sometimes occupied by their household duties when sports +were afoot in which they would liked to have taken part. Myles +was always free to enter into any matter of the kind after his +daily exercise had been performed at the pels, the butts, or the +tilting-court. + +But even though he was never called to do service in "my Lord's +house," he was not long in gaining a sort of second-hand +knowledge of all the family. My Lady, a thin, sallow, faded dame, +not yet past middle age, but looking ten years older. The Lady +Anne, the daughter of the house; a tall, thin, dark-eyed, +dark-haired, handsome young dame of twenty or twenty-one years of +age, hawk-nosed like her father, and silent, proud, and haughty, +Myles heard the squires say. Lady Alice, the Earl of Mackworth's +niece and ward, a great heiress in her own right, a strikingly +pretty black-eyed girl of fourteen or fifteen. + +These composed the Earl's personal family; but besides them was +Lord George Beaumont, his Earl's brother, and him Myles soon came +to know better than any of the chief people of the castle +excepting Sir James Lee. + +For since Myles's great battle in the armory, Lord George had +taken a laughing sort of liking to the lad, encouraging him at +times to talk of his adventures, and of his hopes and +aspirations. + +Perhaps the Earl's younger brother--who was himself somewhat a +soldier of fortune, having fought in Spain, France, and +Germany--felt a certain kinship in spirit with the adventurous +youngster who had his unfriended way to make in the world. +However that might have been, Lord George was very kind and +friendly to the lad, and the willing service that Myles rendered +him reconciled him not a little to the Earl's obvious neglect. + +Besides these of the more immediate family of the Earl were a +number of knights, ladies, and gentlemen, some of them cadets, +some of them retainers, of the house of Beaumont, for the +princely nobles of those days lived in state little less royal +than royalty itself. + +Most of the knights and gentlemen Myles soon came to know by +sight, meeting them in Lord George's apartments in the south wing +of the great house, and some of them, following the lead of Lord +George, singled him out for friendly notice, giving him a nod or +a word in passing. + + +Every season has its pleasures for boys, and the constant change +that they bring is one of the greatest delights of boyhood's +days. + +All of us, as we grow older, have in our memory pictures of +by-gone times that are somehow more than usually vivid, the +colors of some not blurring by time as others do. One of which, +in remembering, always filled Myles's heart in after-years with +an indefinable pleasure, was the recollection of standing with +others of his fellow squires in the crisp brown autumn grass of +the paddock, and shooting with the long-bow at wildfowl, which, +when the east wind was straining, flew low overhead to pitch to +the lake in the forbidden precincts of the deer park beyond the +brow of the hill. More than once a brace or two of these +wildfowl, shot in their southward flight by the lads and cooked +by fat, good-natured Mother Joan, graced the rude mess-table of +the squires in the long hall, and even the toughest and fishiest +drake, so the fruit of their skill, had a savor that, somehow or +other, the daintiest fare lacked in after-years. + +Then fall passed and winter came, bleak, cold, and dreary--not +winter as we know it nowadays, with warm fires and bright lights +to make the long nights sweet and cheerful with comfort, but +winter with all its grimness and sternness. In the great cold +stone-walled castles of those days the only fire and almost the +only light were those from the huge blazing logs that roared and +crackled in the great open stone fireplace, around which the +folks gathered, sheltering their faces as best they could from +the scorching heat, and cloaking their shoulders from the biting +cold, for at the farther end of the room, where giant shadows +swayed and bowed and danced huge and black against the high +walls, the white frost glistened in the moonlight on the stone +pavements, and the breath went up like smoke. + +In those days were no books to read, but at the best only rude +stories and jests, recited by some strolling mummer or minstrel +to the listening circle, gathered around the blaze and welcoming +the coarse, gross jests, and coarser, grosser songs with roars of +boisterous laughter. + +Yet bleak and dreary as was the winter in those days, and cold +and biting as was the frost in the cheerless, windy halls and +corridors of the castle, it was not without its joys to the young +lads; for then, as now, boys could find pleasure even in slushy +weather, when the sodden snow is fit for nothing but to make +snowballs of. + +Thrice that bitter winter the moat was frozen over, and the lads, +making themselves skates of marrow-bones, which they bought from +the hall cook at a groat a pair, went skimming over the smooth +surface, red-checked and shouting, while the crows and the +jackdaws looked down at them from the top of the bleak gray +walls. + +Then at Yule-tide, which was somewhat of a rude semblance to the +Merry Christmas season of our day, a great feast was held in the +hall, and all the castle folk were fed in the presence of the +Earl and the Countess. Oxen and sheep were roasted whole; huge +suet puddings, made of barley meal sweetened with honey and +stuffed with plums, were boiled in great caldrons in the open +courtyard; whole barrels of ale and malmsey were broached, and +all the folk, gentle and simple, were bidden to the feast. +Afterwards the minstrels danced and played a rude play, and in +the evening a miracle show was performed on a raised platform in +the north hall. + +For a week afterwards the castle was fed upon the remains of the +good things left from that great feast, until everyone grew to +loathe fine victuals, and longed for honest beef and mustard +again. + +Then at last in that constant change the winter was gone, and +even the lads who had enjoyed its passing were glad when the +winds blew warm once more, and the grass showed green in sunny +places, and the leader of the wild-fowl blew his horn, as they +who in the fall had flown to the south flew, arrow-like, +northward again; when the buds swelled and the leaves burst forth +once more, and crocuses and then daffodils gleamed in the green +grass, like sparks and flames of gold. + +With the spring came the out-door sports of the season; among +others that of ball--for boys were boys, and played at ball even +in those faraway days--a game called trap-ball. Even yet in some +parts of England it is played just as it was in Myles Falworth's +day, and enjoyed just as Myles and his friends enjoyed it. + +So now that the sun was warm and the weather pleasant the game of +trap-ball was in full swing every afternoon, the play-ground +being an open space between the wall that surrounded the castle +grounds and that of the privy garden--the pleasance in which the +ladies of the Earl's family took the air every day, and upon +which their apartments opened. + +Now one fine breezy afternoon, when the lads were shouting and +playing at this, then their favorite game, Myles himself was at +the trap barehanded and barearmed. The wind was blowing from +behind him, and, aided perhaps by it, he had already struck three +of four balls nearly the whole length of the court--an unusual +distance-- and several of the lads had gone back almost as far as +the wall of the privy garden to catch any ball that might chance +to fly as far as that. Then once more Myles struck, throwing all +his strength into the blow. The ball shot up into the air, and +when it fell, it was to drop within the privy garden. + +The shouts of the young players were instantly stilled, and +Gascoyne, who stood nearest Myles, thrust his hands into his +belt, giving a long shrill whistle. + +"This time thou hast struck us all out, Myles," said he. "There +be no more play for us until we get another ball." + +The outfielders came slowly trooping in until they had gathered +in a little circle around Myles. + +"I could not help it," said Myles, in answer to their grumbling. +"How knew I the ball would fly so far? But if I ha' lost the +ball, I can get it again. I will climb the wall for it." + +"Thou shalt do naught of the kind, Myles," said Gascoyne, +hastily. "Thou art as mad as a March hare to think of such a +venture! Wouldst get thyself shot with a bolt betwixt the ribs, +like poor Diccon Cook?" + +Of all places about the castle the privy garden was perhaps the +most sacred. It was a small plot of ground, only a few rods long +and wide, and was kept absolutely private for the use of the +Countess and her family. Only a little while before Myles had +first come to Devlen, one of the cook's men had been found +climbing the wall, whereupon the soldier who saw him shot him +with his cross bow. The poor fellow dropped from the wall into +the garden, and when they found him, he still held a bunch of +flowers in his hand, which he had perhaps been gathering for his +sweetheart. + +Had Myles seen him carried on a litter to the infirmary as +Gascoyne and some of the others had done, he might have thought +twice before venturing to enter the ladies' private garden. As it +was, he only shook his stubborn head, and said again, "I will +climb the wall and fetch it." + +Now at the lower extremity of the court, and about twelve or +fifteen feet distant from the garden wall, there grew a +pear-tree, some of the branches of which overhung into the garden +beyond. So, first making sure that no one was looking that way, +and bidding the others keep a sharp lookout, Myles shinned up +this tree, and choosing one of the thicker limbs, climbed out +upon it for some little distance. Then lowering his body, he hung +at arm's-length, the branch bending with his weight, and slowly +let himself down hand under hand, until at last he hung directly +over the top of the wall, and perhaps a foot above it. Below him +he could see the leafy top of an arbor covered with a thick +growth of clematis, and even as he hung there he noticed the +broad smooth walks, the grassy terrace in front of the Countess's +apartments in the distance, the quaint flower-beds, the yew-trees +trimmed into odd shapes, and even the deaf old gardener working +bare-armed in the sunlight at a flower-bed in the far corner by +the tool-house. + +The top of the wall was pointed like a house roof, and +immediately below him was covered by a thick growth of green +moss, and it flashed through his mind as he hung there that maybe +it would offer a very slippery foothold for one dropping upon the +steep slopes of the top. But it was too late to draw back now. + +Bracing himself for a moment, he loosed his hold upon the limb +above. The branch flew back with a rush, and he dropped, striving +to grasp the sloping angle with his feet. Instantly the +treacherous slippery moss slid away from beneath him; he made a +vain clutch at the wall, his fingers sliding over the cold +stones, then, with a sharp exclamation, down he pitched bodily +into the garden beneath! A thousand thoughts flew through his +brain like a cloud of flies, and then a leafy greenness seemed to +strike up against him. A splintering crash sounded in his ears as +the lattice top of the arbor broke under him, and with one final +clutch at the empty air he fell heavily upon the ground beneath. + +He heard a shrill scream that seemed to find an instant echo; +even as he fell he had a vision of faces and bright colors, and +when he sat up, dazed and bewildered, he found himself face to +face with the Lady Anne, the daughter of the house, and her +cousin, the Lady Alice, who clutching one another tightly, stood +staring at him with wide scared eyes. + + + +CHAPTER 18 + +For a little time there was a pause of deep silence, during which +the fluttering leaves came drifting down from the broken arbor +above. + +It was the Lady Anne who first spoke. "Who art thou, and whence +comest thou?" said she, tremulously. + +Then Myles gathered himself up sheepishly. "My name is Myles +Falworth," said he, "and I am one of the squires of the body." + +"Oh! aye!" said the Lady Alice, suddenly. "Me thought I knew thy +face. Art thou not the young man that I have seen in Lord +George's train?" + +"Yes, lady," said Myles, wrapping and twining a piece of the +broken vine in and out among his fingers. "Lord George hath often +had me of late about his person." + +"And what dost thou do here, sirrah?" said Lady Anne, angrily. +"How darest thou come so into our garden?" + +"I meant not to come as I did," said Myles, clumsily, and with a +face hot and red. "But I slipped over the top of the wall and +fell hastily into the garden. Truly, lady, I meant ye no harm or +fright thereby." + +He looked so drolly abashed as he stood before them, with his +clothes torn and soiled from the fall, his face red, and his eyes +downcast, all the while industriously twisting the piece of +clematis in and around his fingers, that Lady Anne's +half-frightened anger could not last. She and her cousin +exchanged glances, and smiled at one another. + +"But," said she at last, trying to draw her pretty brows together +into a frown, "tell me; why didst thou seek to climb the wall?" + +"I came to seek a ball," said Myles, "which I struck over hither +from the court beyond." + +"And wouldst thou come into our privy garden for no better reason +than to find a ball?" said the young lady. + +"Nay," said Myles; "it was not so much to find the ball, but, in +good sooth, I did truly strike it harder than need be, and so, +gin I lost the ball, I could do no less than come and find it +again, else our sport is done for the day. So it was I came +hither." + +The two young ladies had by now recovered from their fright. The +Lady Anne slyly nudged her cousin with her elbow, and the younger +could not suppress a half-nervous laugh. Myles heard it, and felt +his face grow hotter and redder than ever. + +"Nay," said Lady Anne, "I do believe Master Giles--" + +"My name be'st Myles," corrected Myles. + +"Very well, then, Master Myles, I say I do believe that thou +meanest no harm in coming hither; ne'theless it was ill of thee +so to do. An my father should find thee here, he would have thee +shrewdly punished for such trespassing. Dost thou not know that +no one is permitted to enter this place--no, not even my uncle +George? One fellow who came hither to steal apples once had his +ears shaven close to his head, and not more than a year ago one +of the cook's men who climbed the wall early one morning was shot +by the watchman." + +"Aye," said Myles, "I knew of him who was shot, and it did go +somewhat against my stomach to venture, knowing what had happed +to him. Ne'theless, an I gat not the ball, how were we to play +more to-day at the trap?" + +"Marry, thou art a bold fellow, I do believe me," said the young +lady, "and sin thou hast come in the face of such peril to get +thy ball, thou shalt not go away empty. Whither didst thou strike +it?" + +"Over yonder by the cherry-tree," said Myles, jerking his head in +that direction. "An I may go get it, I will trouble ye no more." +As he spoke he made a motion to leave them. + +"Stay!" said the Lady Anne, hastily; "remain where thou art. An +thou cross the open, some one may haply see thee from the house, +and will give the alarm, and thou wilt be lost. I will go get thy +ball." + +And so she left Myles and her cousin, crossing the little plots +of grass and skirting the rosebushes to the cherry-tree. + +When Myles found himself alone with Lady Alice, he knew not where +to look or what to do, but twisted the piece of clematis which he +still held in and out more industriously than ever. + +Lady Alice watched him with dancing eyes for a little while. +"Haply thou wilt spoil that poor vine," said she by-and-by, +breaking the silence and laughing, then turning suddenly serious +again. "Didst thou hurt thyself by thy fall?" + +"Nay," said Myles, looking up, "such a fall as that was no great +matter. Many and many a time I have had worse." + +"Hast thou so?" said the Lady Alice. "Thou didst fright me +parlously, and my coz likewise." + +Myles hesitated for a moment, and then blurted out, "Thereat I +grieve, for thee I would not fright for all the world." + +The young lady laughed and blushed. "All the world is a great +matter," said she. + +"Yea," said he, "it is a great matter; but it is a greater matter +to fright thee, and so I would not do it for that, and more." + +The young lady laughed again, but she did not say anything +further, and a space of silence fell so long that by-and-by she +forced herself to say, "My cousin findeth not the ball +presently." + +"Nay," said Myles, briefly, and then again neither spoke, until +by-and-by the Lady Anne came, bringing the ball. Myles felt a +great sense of relief at that coming, and yet was somehow sorry. +Then he took the ball, and knew enough to bow his acknowledgment +in a manner neither ill nor awkward. + +"Didst thou hurt thyself?" asked Lady Anne. + +"Nay," said Myles, giving himself a shake; "seest thou not I be +whole, limb and bone? Nay, I have had shrewdly worse falls than +that. Once I fell out of an oak-tree down by the river and upon a +root, and bethought me I did break a rib or more. And then one +time when I was a boy in Crosbey-Dale --that was where I lived +before I came hither--l did catch me hold of the blade of the +windmill, thinking it was moving slowly, and that I would have a +ride i' th' air, and so was like to have had a fall ten thousand +times worse than this." + +"Oh, tell us more of that!" said the Lady Anne, eagerly. "I did +never hear of such an adventure as that. Come, coz, and sit down +here upon the bench, and let us have him tell us all of that +happening." + +Now the lads upon the other side of the wall had been whistling +furtively for some time, not knowing whether Myles had broken his +neck or had come off scot-free from his fall. "I would like right +well to stay with ye," said he, irresolutely, "and would gladly +tell ye that and more an ye would have me to do so; but hear ye +not my friends call me from beyond? Mayhap they think I break my +back, and are calling to see whether I be alive or no. An I might +whistle them answer and toss me this ball to them, all would then +be well, and they would know that I was not hurt, and so, haply, +would go away." + +"Then answer them," said the Lady Anne, "and tell us of that +thing thou spokest of anon--how thou tookest a ride upon the +windmill. We young ladies do hear little of such matters, not +being allowed to talk with lads. All that we hear of perils are +of knights and ladies and jousting, and such like. It would +pleasure us right well to have thee tell of thy adventures." + +So Myles tossed back the ball, and whistled in answer to his +friends. + +Then he told the two young ladies not only of his adventure upon +the windmill, but also of other boyish escapades, and told them +well, with a straightforward smack and vigor, for he enjoyed +adventure and loved to talk of it. In a little while he had +regained his ease; his shyness and awkwardness left him, and +nothing remained but the delightful fact that he was really and +actually talking to two young ladies, and that with just as much +ease and infinitely more pleasure than could be had in discourse +with his fellow-squires. But at last it was time for him to go. +"Marry," said he, with a half-sigh, "methinks I did never ha' so +sweet and pleasant a time in all my life before. Never did I know +a real lady to talk with, saving only my mother, and I do tell ye +plain methinks I would rather talk with ye than with any he in +Christendom--saving, perhaps, only my friend Gascoyne. I would I +might come hither again." + +The honest frankness of his speech was irresistible; the two +girls exchanged glances and then began laughing. "Truly," said +Lady Anne, who, as was said before, was some three or four years +older than Myles, "thou art a bold lad to ask such a thing. How +wouldst thou come hither? Wouldst tumble through our clematis +arbor again, as thou didst this day?" + +"Nay," said Myles, "I would not do that again, but if ye will bid +me do so, I will find the means to come hither." + +"Nay," said Lady Anne, "I dare not bid thee do such a foolhardy +thing. Nevertheless, if thou hast the courage to come--" + +"Yea," said Myles, eagerly, "I have the courage." + +"Then, if thou hast so, we will be here in the garden on Saturday +next at this hour. I would like right well to hear more of thy +adventures. But what didst thou say was thy name? I have forgot +it again." + +"It is Myles Falworth." + +"Then we shall yclep thee Sir Myles, for thou art a soothly +errant-knight. And stay! Every knight must have a lady to serve. +How wouldst thou like my Cousin Alice here for thy true lady?" + +"Aye," said Myles, eagerly, "I would like it right well." And +then he blushed fiery red at his boldness. + +"I want no errant-knight to serve me," said the Lady Alice, +blushing, in answer. "Thou dost ill tease me, coz! An thou art so +free in choosing him a lady to serve, thou mayst choose him +thyself for thy pains." + +"Nay," said the Lady Anne, laughing; "I say thou shalt be his +true lady, and he shall be thy true knight. Who knows? Perchance +he may serven thee in some wondrous adventure, like as Chaucer +telleth of. But now, Sir Errant-Knight, thou must take thy leave +of us, and I must e'en let thee privily out by the +postern-wicket. And if thou wilt take the risk upon thee and come +hither again, prithee be wary in that coming, lest in venturing +thou have thine ears clipped in most unknightly fashion." + +That evening, as he and Gascoyne sat together on a bench under +the trees in the great quadrangle, Myles told of his adventure of +the afternoon, and his friend listened with breathless interest. + +"But, Myles," cried Gascoyne, "did the Lady Anne never once seem +proud and unkind?" + +"Nay," said Myles; "only at first, when she chid me for falling +through the roof of their arbor. And to think, Francis! Lady Anne +herself bade me hold the Lady Alice as my true lady, and to serve +her in all knightliness!" Then he told his friend that he was +going to the privy garden again on the next Saturday, and that +the Lady Anne had given him permission so to do. + +Gascoyne gave a long, wondering whistle, and then sat quite +still, staring into the sky. By-and-by he turned to his friend +and said, "I give thee my pledge, Myles Falworth, that never in +all my life did I hear of any one that had such marvellous +strange happenings befall him as thou." + + +Whenever the opportunity occurred for sending a letter to +Crosbey-Holt, Myles wrote one to his mother; and one can guess +how they were treasured by the good lady, and read over and over +again to the blind old Lord as he sat staring into darkness with +his sightless eyes. + +About the time of this escapade he wrote a letter telling of +those doings, wherein, after speaking of his misadventure of +falling from the wall, and of his acquaintance with the young +ladies, he went on to speak of the matter in which he repeated +his visits. The letter was worded in the English of that day--the +quaint and crabbed language in which Chaucer wrote. Perhaps few +boys could read it nowadays, so, modernizing it somewhat, it ran +thus: + +"And now to let ye weet that thing that followed that happening +that made me acquaint with they two young Damoiselles. I take me +to the south wall of that garden one day four and twenty great +spikes, which Peter Smith did forge for me and for which I pay +him fivepence, and that all the money that I had left of my +half-year's wage, and wot not where I may get more at these +present, withouten I do betake me to Sir James, who, as I did +tell ye, hath consented to hold those moneys that Prior Edward +gave me till I need them. + +"Now these same spikes, I say, I take me them down behind the +corner of the wall, and there drave them betwixt the stones, my +very dear comrade and true friend Gascoyne holping me thereto to +do. And so come Saturday, I climb me over the wall and to the +roof of the tool-house below, seeking a fitting opportunity when +I might so do without being in too great jeopardy. + +"Yea; and who should be there but they two ladies, biding my +coming, who, seeing me, made as though they had expected me not, +and gave me greatest rebuke for adventuring so moughtily. Yet, +methinks, were they right well pleasured that I should so +aventure, which indeed I might not otherwise do, seeing as I have +telled to thee, that one of them is mine own true lady for to +serven, and so was the only way that I might come to speech with +her." + +Such was Myles's own quaint way of telling how he accomplished +his aim of visiting the forbidden garden, and no doubt the smack +of adventure and the savor of danger in the undertaking +recommended him not a little to the favor of the young ladies. + +After this first acquaintance perhaps a month passed, during +which Myles had climbed the wall some half a dozen times (for the +Lady Anne would not permit of too frequent visits), and during +which the first acquaintance of the three ripened rapidly to an +honest, pleasant friendship. More than once Myles, when in Lord +George's train, caught a covert smile or half nod from one or +both of the girls, not a little delightful in its very secret +friendliness. + + + +CHAPTER 19 + +As waS said, perhaps a month passed; then Myles's visits came to +an abrupt termination, and with it ended, in a certain sense, a +chapter of his life. + +One Saturday afternoon he climbed the garden wall, and skirting +behind a long row of rosebushes that screened him from the +Countess's terrace, came to a little summer-house where the two +young ladies had appointed to meet him that day. + +A pleasant half-hour or so was passed, and then it was time for +Myles to go. He lingered for a while before he took his final +leave, leaning against the door-post, and laughingly telling how +he and some of his brother squires had made a figure of straw +dressed in men's clothes, and had played a trick with it one +night upon a watchman against whom they bore a grudge. + +The young ladies were listening with laughing faces, when +suddenly, as Myles looked, he saw the smile vanish from Lady +Alice's eyes and a wide terror take its place. She gave a +half-articulate cry, and rose abruptly from the bench upon which +she was sitting. + +Myles turned sharply, and then his very heart seemed to stand +still within him; for there, standing in the broad sunlight +without, and glaring in upon the party with baleful eyes, was the +Earl of Mackworth himself. + +How long was the breathless silence that followed, Myles could +never tell. He knew that the Lady Anne had also risen, and that +she and her cousin were standing as still as statues. Presently +the Earl pointed to the house with his staff, and Myles noted +stupidly how it trembled in his hand. + +"Ye wenches," said he at last, in a hard, harsh voice--"ye +wenches, what meaneth this? Would ye deceive me so, and hold +parlance thus secretly with this fellow? I will settle with him +anon. Meantime get ye straightway to the house and to your rooms, +and there abide until I give ye leave to come forth again. Go, I +say!" + +"Father," said Lady Anne, in a breathless voice --she was as +white as death, and moistened her lips with her tongue before she +spoke--"father, thou wilt not do harm to this young man. Spare +him, I do beseech thee, for truly it was I who bade him come +hither. I know that he would not have come but at our bidding." + +The Earl stamped his foot upon the gravel. "Did ye not hear me?" +said he, still pointing towards the house with his trembling +staff. "I bade ye go to your rooms. I will settle with this +fellow, I say, as I deem fitting." + +"Father," began Lady Anne again; but the Earl made such a savage +gesture that poor Lady Alice uttered a faint shriek, and Lady +Anne stopped abruptly, trembling. Then she turned and passed out +the farther door of the summerhouse, poor little Lady Alice +following, holding her tight by the skirts, and trembling and +shuddering as though with a fit of the ague. + +The Earl stood looking grimly after them from under his shaggy +eyebrows, until they passed away behind the yew-trees, appeared +again upon the terrace behind, entered the open doors of the +women's house, and were gone. Myles heard their footsteps growing +fainter and fainter, but he never raised his eyes. Upon the +ground at his feet were four pebbles, and he noticed how they +almost made a square, and would do so if he pushed one of them +with his toe, and then it seemed strange to him that he should +think of such a little foolish thing at that dreadful time. + +He knew that the Earl was looking gloomily at him, and that his +face must be very pale. Suddenly Lord Mackworth spoke. "What hast +thou to say?" said he, harshly. + +Then Myles raised his eyes, and the Earl smiled grimly as he +looked his victim over. "I have naught to say," said the lad, +huskily. + +"Didst thou not hear what my daughter spake but now?" said the +Earl. "She said that thou came not of thy own free-will; what +sayst thou to that, sirrah--is it true?" + +Myles hesitated for a moment or two; his throat was tight and +dry. "Nay," said he at last, "she belieth herself. It was I who +first came into the garden. I fell by chance from the tree +yonder--I was seeking a ball--then I asked those two if I might +not come hither again, and so have done some several times in +all. But as for her--nay; it was not at her bidding that I came, +but through mine own asking." + +The Earl gave a little grunt in his throat. "And how often hast +thou been here?" said he, presently. + +Myles thought a moment or two. "This maketh the seventh time," +said he. + +Another pause of silence followed, and Myles began to pluck up +some heart that maybe all would yet be well. The Earl's next +speech dashed that hope into a thousand fragments. "Well thou +knowest," said he, "that it is forbid for any to come here. Well +thou knowest that twice have men been punished for this thing +that thou hast done, and yet thou camest in spite of all. Now +dost thou know what thou wilt suffer?" + +Myles picked with nervous fingers at a crack in the oaken post +against which he leaned. "Mayhap thou wilt kill me," said he at +last, in a dull, choking voice. + +Again the Earl smiled a grim smile. "Nay," said he, "I would not +slay thee, for thou hast gentle blood. But what sayest thou +should I shear thine ears from thine head, or perchance have thee +scourged in the great court?" + +The sting of the words sent the blood flying back to Myles's face +again, and he looked quickly up. "Nay," said he, with a boldness +that surprised himself; "thou shalt do no such unlordly thing +upon me as that. I be thy peer, sir, in blood; and though thou +mayst kill me, thou hast no right to shame me." + +Lord Mackworth bowed with a mocking courtesy. "Marry!" said he. +"Methought it was one of mine own saucy popinjay squires that I +caught sneaking here and talking to those two foolish young +lasses, and lo! it is a young Lord--or mayhap thou art a young +Prince--and commandeth me that I shall not do this and I shall +not do that. I crave your Lordship's honorable pardon, if I have +said aught that may have galled you." + +The fear Myles had felt was now beginning to dissolve in rising +wrath. "Nay," said he, stoutly, "I be no Lord and I be no Prince, +but I be as good as thou. For am I not the son of thy onetime +very true comrade and thy kinsman--to wit, the Lord Falworth, +whom, as thou knowest, is poor and broken, and blind, and +helpless, and outlawed, and banned? Yet," cried he, grinding his +teeth, as the thought of it all rushed in upon him, "I would +rather be in his place than in yours; for though he be ruined, +you--" + +He had just sense enough to stop there. + +The Earl, gripping his staff behind his back, and with his head a +little bent, was looking keenly at the lad from under his shaggy +gray brows. "Well," said he, as Myles stopped, "thou hast gone +too far now to draw back. Say thy say to the end. Why wouldst +thou rather be in thy father's stead than in mine?" + +Myles did not answer. + +"Thou shalt finish thy speech, or else show thyself a coward. +Though thy father is ruined, thou didst say I am--what?" + +Myles keyed himself up to the effort, and then blurted out, "Thou +art attainted with shame." + +A long breathless silence followed. + +"Myles Falworth," said the Earl at last (and even in the whirling +of his wits Myles wondered that he had the name so pat)--"Myles +Falworth, of all the bold, mad, hare-brained fools, thou art the +most foolish. How dost thou dare say such words to me? Dost thou +not know that thou makest thy coming punishment ten times more +bitter by such a speech?" + +"Aye!" cried Myles, desperately; "but what else could I do? An I +did not say the words, thou callest me coward, and coward I am +not." + +"By 'r Lady!" said the Earl, "I do believe thee. Thou art a bold, +impudent varlet as ever lived--to beard me so, forsooth! Hark'ee; +thou sayst I think naught of mine old comrade. I will show thee +that thou dost belie me. I will suffer what thou hast said to me +for his sake, and for his sake will forgive thee thy coming +hither--which I would not do in another case to any other man. +Now get thee gone straightway, and come hither no more. Yonder is +the postern-gate; mayhap thou knowest the way. But stay! How +camest thou hither?" + +Myles told him of the spikes he had driven in the wall, and the +Earl listened, stroking his beard. When the lad had ended, he +fixed a sharp look upon him. "But thou drove not those spikes +alone," said he; "who helped thee do it?" + +"That I may not tell," said Myles, firmly. + +"So be it," said the Earl. "I will not ask thee to tell his name. +Now get thee gone! And as for those spikes, thou mayst e'en knock +them out of the wall, sin thou drave them in. Play no more pranks +an thou wouldst keep thy skin whole. And now go, I say!" + +Myles needed no further bidding, but turned and left the Earl +without another word. As he went out the postern-gate he looked +over his shoulder, and saw the tall figure, in its long +fur-trimmed gown, still standing in the middle of the path, +looking after him from under the shaggy eyebrows. + +As he ran across the quadrangle, his heart still fluttering in +his breast, he muttered to himself, "The old grizzle-beard; an I +had not faced him a bold front, mayhap he would have put such +shame upon me as he said. I wonder why he stood so staring after +me as I left the garden." + +Then for the time the matter slipped from his mind, saving only +that part that smacked of adventure. + + + +CHAPTER 20 + +So for a little while Myles was disposed to congratulate himself +upon having come off so well from his adventure with the Earl. +But after a day or two had passed, and he had time for second +thought, he began to misdoubt whether, after all, he might not +have carried it with a better air if he had shown more chivalrous +boldness in the presence of his true lady; whether it would not +have redounded more to his credit if he had in some way asserted +his rights as the young dame's knight- errant and defender. Was +it not ignominious to resign his rights and privileges so easily +and tamely at a signal from the Earl? + +"For, in sooth," said he to Gascoyne, as the two talked the +matter over, "she hath, in a certain way, accepted me for her +knight, and yet I stood me there without saying so much as one +single word in her behalf." + +"Nay," said Gascoyne, "I would not trouble me on that score. +Methinks that thou didst come off wondrous well out of the +business. I would not have thought it possible that my Lord could +ha' been so patient with thee as he showed himself. Methinks, +forsooth, he must hold thee privily in right high esteem." + +"Truly," said Myles, after a little pause of meditative silence, +"I know not of any esteem, yet I do think he was passing patient +with me in this matter. But ne'theless, Francis, that changeth +not my stand in the case. Yea, I did shamefully, so to resign my +lady without speaking one word; nor will I so resign her even +yet. I have bethought me much of this matter of late, Francis, +and now I come to thee to help me from my evil case. I would have +thee act the part of a true friend to me--like that one I have +told thee of in the story of the Emperor Justinian. I would have +thee, when next thou servest in the house, to so contrive that my +Lady Alice shall get a letter which I shall presently write, and +wherein I may set all that is crooked straight again." + +"Heaven forbid," said Gascoyne, hastily, "that I should be such a +fool as to burn my fingers in drawing thy nuts from the fire! +Deliver thy letter thyself, good fellow!" + +So spoke Gascoyne, yet after all he ended, as he usually did, by +yielding to Myles's superior will and persistence. So the letter +was written and one day the good-natured Gascoyne carried it with +him to the house, and the opportunity offering, gave it to one of +the young ladies attendant upon the Countess's family--a lass +with whom he had friendly intimacy--to be delivered to Lady +Alice. + +But if Myles congratulated himself upon the success of this new +adventure, it was not for long. That night, as the crowd of pages +and squires were making themselves ready for bed, the call came +through the uproar for "Myles Falworth! Myles Falworth!" + +"Here I be," cried Myles, standing up on his cot. "Who calleth +me?" + +It was the groom of the Earl's bedchamber, and seeing Myles +standing thus raised above the others, he came walking down the +length of the room towards him, the wonted hubbub gradually +silencing as he advanced and the youngsters turning, staring, and +wondering. + +"My Lord would speak with thee, Myles Falworth," said the groom, +when he had come close enough to where Myles stood. "Busk thee +and make ready; he is at livery even now." + +The groom's words fell upon Myles like a blow. He stood for a +while staring wide-eyed. "My Lord speak with me, sayst thou!" he +ejaculated at last. + +"Aye," said the other, impatiently; "get thee ready quickly. I +must return anon." + +Myles's head was in a whirl as he hastily changed his clothes for +a better suit, Gascoyne helping him. What could the Earl want +with him at this hour? He knew in his heart what it was; the +interview could concern nothing but the letter that he had sent +to Lady Alice that day. As he followed the groom through the now +dark and silent courts, and across the corner of the great +quadrangle, and so to the Earl's house, he tried to brace his +failing courage to meet the coming interview. Nevertheless, his +heart beat tumultuously as he followed the other down the long +corridor, lit only by a flaring link set in a wrought-iron +bracket. Then his conductor lifted the arras at the door of the +bedchamber, whence came the murmuring sound of many voices, and +holding it aside, beckoned him to enter, and Myles passed within. +At the first, he was conscious of nothing but a crowd of people, +and of the brightness of many lighted candles; then he saw that +he stood in a great airy room spread with a woven mat of rushes. +On three sides the walls were hung with tapestry representing +hunting and battle scenes, at the farther end, where the bed +stood, the stone wall of the fourth side was covered with cloth +of blue, embroidered with silver goshawks. Even now, in the ripe +springtime of May, the room was still chilly, and a great fire +roared and crackled in the huge gaping mouth of the stone +fireplace. Not far from the blaze were clustered the greater part +of those present, buzzing in talk, now and then swelled by +murmuring laughter. Some of those who knew Myles nodded to him, +and two or three spoke to him as he stood waiting, whilst the +groom went forward to speak to the Earl; though what they said +and what he answered, Myles, in his bewilderment and trepidation, +hardly knew. + +As was said before, the livery was the last meal of the day, and +was taken in bed. It was a simple repast--a manchette, or small +loaf of bread of pure white flour, a loaf of household bread, +sometimes a lump of cheese, and either a great flagon of ale or +of sweet wine, warm and spiced. The Earl was sitting upright in +bed, dressed in a furred dressing-gown, and propped up by two +cylindrical bolsters of crimson satin. Upon the coverlet, and +spread over his knees, was a large wide napkin of linen fringed +with silver thread, and on it rested a silver tray containing the +bread and some cheese. Two pages and three gentlemen were waiting +upon him, and Mad Noll, the jester, stood at the head of the bed, +now and then jingling his bawble and passing some quaint jest +upon the chance of making his master smile. Upon a table near by +were some dozen or so waxen tapers struck upon as many spiked +candlesticks of silver-gilt, and illuminating that end of the +room with their bright twinkling flames. One of the gentlemen was +in the act of serving the Earl with a goblet of wine, poured from +a silver ewer by one of the squires, as the groom of the chamber +came forward and spoke. The Earl, taking the goblet, turned his +head, and as Myles looked, their eyes met. Then the Earl turned +away again and raised the cup to his lips, while Myles felt his +heart beat more rapidly than ever. + +But at last the meal was ended, and the Earl washed his hands and +his mouth and his beard from a silver basin of scented water held +by another one of the squires. Then, leaning back against the +pillows, he beckoned to Myles. + +In answer Myles walked forward the length of the room, conscious +that all eyes were fixed upon him. The Earl said something, and +those who stood near drew back as he came forward. Then Myles +found himself standing beside the bed, looking down upon the +quilted counterpane, feeling that the other was gazing fixedly at +him. + +"I sent for thee," said the Earl at last, still looking steadily +at him, "because this afternoon came a letter to my hand which +thou hadst written to my niece, the Lady Alice. I have it here," +said he, thrusting his hand under the bolster, "and have just now +finished reading it." Then, after a moment's pause, whilst he +opened the parchment and scanned it again, "I find no matter of +harm in it, but hereafter write no more such." He spoke entirely +without anger, and Myles looked up in wonder. "Here, take it," +said the Earl, folding the letter and tossing it to Myles, who +instinctively caught it, "and henceforth trouble thou my niece no +more either by letter or any other way. I thought haply thou +wouldst be at some such saucy trick, and I made Alice promise to +let me know when it happed. Now, I say, let this be an end of the +matter. Dost thou not know thou mayst injure her by such witless +folly as that of meeting her privily, and privily writing to +her?" + +"I meant no harm," said Myles. + +"I believe thee," said the Earl. "That will do now; thou mayst +go." + +Myles hesitated. + +"What wouldst thou say?" said Lord Mackworth. + +"Only this," said Myles, "an I have thy leave so to do, that the +Lady Alice hath chosen me to be her knight, and so, whether I may +see her or speak with her or no, the laws of chivalry give me, +who am gentle born, the right to serve her as a true knight may." + +"As a true fool may," said the Earl, dryly. "Why, how now, thou +art not a knight yet, nor anything but a raw lump of a boy. What +rights do the laws of chivalry give thee, sirrah? Thou art a +fool!" + +Had the Earl been ever so angry, his words would have been less +bitter to Myles than his cool, unmoved patience; it mortified his +pride and galled it to the quick. + +"I know that thou dost hold me in contempt," he mumbled. + +"Out upon thee!" said the Earl, testily. "Thou dost tease me +beyond patience. I hold thee in contempt, forsooth! Why, look +thee, hadst thou been other than thou art, I would have had thee +whipped out of my house long since. Thinkest thou I would have +borne so patiently with another one of ye squires had such an one +held secret meeting with my daughter and niece, and tampered, as +thou hast done, with my household, sending through one of my +people that letter? Go to; thou art a fool, Myles Falworth!" + +Myles stood staring at the Earl without making an effort to +speak. The words that he had heard suddenly flashed, as it were, +a new light into his mind. In that flash he fully recognized, and +for the first time, the strange and wonderful forbearance the +great Earl had shown to him, a poor obscure boy. What did it +mean? Was Lord Mackworth his secret friend, after all, as +Gascoyne had more than once asserted? So Myles stood silent, +thinking many things. + +Meantime the other lay back upon the cylindrical bolsters, +looking thoughtfully at him. "How old art thou?" said he at last. + +"Seventeen last April," answered Myles. + +"Then thou art old enough to have some of the thoughts of a man, +and to lay aside those of a boy. Haply thou hast had foolish +things in thy head this short time past; it is time that thou put +them away. Harkee, sirrah! the Lady Alice is a great heiress in +her own right, and mayst command the best alliance in England--an +Earl--a Duke. She groweth apace to a woman, and then her kind +lieth in Courts and great houses. As for thee, thou art but a +poor lad, penniless and without friends to aid thee to open +advancement. Thy father is attainted, and one whisper of where he +lieth hid would bring him thence to the Tower, and haply to the +block. Besides that, he hath an enemy, as Sir James Lee hath +already told thee--an enemy perhaps more great and powerful than +myself. That enemy watcheth for thy father and for thee; shouldst +thou dare raise thy head or thy fortune ever so little, he would +haply crop them both, and that parlously quick. Myles Falworth, +how dost thou dare to lift thine eyes to the Lady Alice de +Mowbray?" + +Poor Myles stood silent and motionless. "Sir," said he at last, +in a dry choking voice, "thou art right, and I have been a fool. +Sir, I will never raise mine eyes to look upon the Lady Alice +more." + +"I say not that either, boy," said the Earl; "but ere thou dost +so dare, thou must first place thyself and thy family whence ye +fell. Till then, as thou art an honest man, trouble her not. Now +get thee gone. + +As Myles crossed the dark and silent courtyards, and looked up at +the clear, still twinkle of the stars, he felt a kind of dull +wonder that they and the night and the world should seem so much +the same, and he be so different. + +The first stroke had been given that was to break in pieces his +boyhood life--the second was soon to follow. + + + +CHAPTER 21 + +There are now and then times in the life of every one when new +and strange things occur with such rapidity that one has hardly +time to catch one's breath between the happenings. It is as +though the old were crumbling away--breaking in pieces--to give +place to the new that is soon to take its place. + +So it was with Myles Falworth about this time. The very next day +after this interview in the bed- chamber, word came to him that +Sir James Lee wished to speak with him in the office. He found +the lean, grizzled old knight alone, sitting at the heavy oaken +table with a tankard of spiced ale at his elbow, and a dish of +wafers and some fragments of cheese on a pewter platter before +him. He pointed to his clerk's seat--a joint stool somewhat like +a camp-chair, but made of heavy oaken braces and with a seat of +hog-skin--and bade Myles be seated. + +It was the first time that Myles had ever heard of such courtesy +being extended to one of the company of squires, and, much +wondering, he obeyed the invitation, or rather command, and took +the seat. + +The old knight sat regarding him for a while in silence, his one +eye, as bright and as steady as that of a hawk, looking keenly +from under the penthouse of its bushy brows, the while he slowly +twirled and twisted his bristling wiry mustaches, as was his wont +when in meditation. At last he broke the silence. "How old art +thou?" said he, abruptly. + +"I be turned seventeen last April," Myles answered, as he had the +evening before to Lord Mackworth. + +"Humph!" said Sir James; "thou be'st big of bone and frame for +thine age. I would that thy heart were more that of a man +likewise, and less that of a giddy, hare-brained boy, thinking +continually of naught but mischief." + +Again he fell silent, and Myles sat quite still, wondering if it +was on account of any special one of his latest escapades that he +had been summoned to the office--the breaking of the window in +the Long Hall by the stone he had flung at the rook, or the +climbing of the South Tower for the jackdaw's nest. + +"Thou hast a friend," said Sir James, suddenly breaking into his +speculations, "of such a kind that few in this world possess. +Almost ever since thou hast been here he hath been watching over +thee. Canst thou guess of whom I speak?" + +"Haply it is Lord George Beaumont," said Myles; "he hath always +been passing kind to me. + +"Nay," said Sir James, "it is not of him that I speak, though +methinks he liketh thee well enow. Canst thou keep a secret, +boy?" he asked, suddenly. + +"Yea," answered Myles. + +"And wilt thou do so in this case if I tell thee who it is that +is thy best friend here?" + +"Yea." + +"Then it is my Lord who is that friend--the Earl himself; but see +that thou breathe not a word of it." + +Myles sat staring at the old knight in utter and profound +amazement, and presently Sir James continued: "Yea, almost ever +since thou hast come here my Lord hath kept oversight upon all +thy doings, upon all thy mad pranks and thy quarrels and thy +fights, thy goings out and comings in. What thinkest thou of +that, Myles Falworth?" + +Again the old knight stopped and regarded the lad, who sat +silent, finding no words to answer. He seemed to find a grim +pleasure in the youngster's bewilderment and wonder. Then a +sudden thought came to Myles. + +"Sir," said he, "did my Lord know that I went to the privy garden +as I did?" + +"Nay," said Sir James; "of that he knew naught at first until thy +father bade thy mother write and tell him." + +"My father!" ejaculated Myles. + +"Aye," said Sir James, twisting his mustaches more vigorously +than ever. "So soon as thy father heard of that prank, he wrote +straightway to my Lord that he should put a stop to what might in +time have bred mischief." + +"Sir," said Myles, in an almost breathless voice, "I know not how +to believe all these things, or whether I be awake or +a-dreaming." + +"Thou be'st surely enough awake," answered the old man; "but +there are other matters yet to be told. My Lord thinketh, as +others of us do--Lord George and myself--that it is now time for +thee to put away thy boyish follies, and learn those things +appertaining to manhood. Thou hast been here a year now, and hast +had freedom to do as thou might list; but, boy"--and the old +warrior spoke seriously, almost solemnly--"upon thee doth rest +matters of such great import that did I tell them to thee thou +couldst not grasp them. My Lord deems that thou hast, mayhap, +promise beyond the common of men; ne'theless it remaineth yet to +be seen an he be right; it is yet to test whether that promise +may be fulfilled. Next Monday I and Sir Everard Willoughby take +thee in hand to begin training thee in the knowledge and the use +of the jousting lance, of arms, and of horsemanship. Thou art to +go to Ralph Smith, and have him fit a suit of plain armor to thee +which he hath been charged to make for thee against this time. So +get thee gone, think well over all these matters, and prepare +thyself by next Monday. But stay, sirrah," he added, as Myles, +dazed and bewildered, turned to obey; "breathe to no living soul +what I ha' told thee--that my Lord is thy friend--neither speak +of anything concerning him. Such is his own heavy command laid +upon thee." + +Then Myles turned again without a word to leave the room. But as +he reached the door Sir James stopped him a second time. + +"Stay!" he called. "I had nigh missed telling thee somewhat else. +My Lord hath made thee a present this morning that thou wottest +not of. It is"--then he stopped for a few moments, perhaps to +enjoy the full flavor of what he had to say--"it is a great +Flemish horse of true breed and right mettle; a horse such as a +knight of the noblest strain might be proud to call his own. +Myles Falworth, thou wert born upon a lucky day!" + +"Sir," cried Myles, and then stopped short. Then, "Sir," he cried +again, "didst thou say it--the horse--was to be mine?" + +"Aye, it is to be thine." + +"My very own?" + +"Thy very own." + +How Myles Falworth left that place he never knew. He was like one +in some strange, some wonderful dream. He walked upon air, and +his heart was so full of joy and wonder and amazement that it +thrilled almost to agony. Of course his first thought was of +Gascoyne. How he ever found him he never could tell, but find him +he did. + +"Come, Francis!" he cried, "I have that to tell thee so +marvellous that had it come upon me from paradise it could not be +more strange." + +Then he dragged him away to their Eyry--it had been many a long +day since they had been there--and to all his friend's speeches, +to all his wondering questions, he answered never a word until +they had climbed the stairs, and so come to their old haunt. Then +he spoke. + +"Sit thee down, Francis," said he, "till I tell thee that which +passeth wonder." As Gascoyne obeyed, he himself stood looking +about him. "This is the last time I shall ever come hither," said +he. And thereupon he poured out his heart to his listening friend +in the murmuring solitude of the airy height. He did not speak of +the Earl, but of the wonderful new life that had thus suddenly +opened before him, with its golden future of limitless hopes, of +dazzling possibilities, of heroic ambitions. He told everything, +walking up and down the while--for he could not remain quiet--his +cheeks glowing and his eyes sparkling. + +Gascoyne sat quite still, staring straight before him. He knew +that his friend was ruffling eagle pinions for a flight in which +he could never hope to follow, and somehow his heart ached, for +he knew that this must be the beginning of the end of the dear, +delightful friendship of the year past. + + + +CHAPTER 22 + +And so ended Myles Falworth's boyhood. Three years followed, +during which he passed through that state which immediately +follows boyhood in all men's lives--a time when they are neither +lads nor grown men, but youths passing from the one to the other +period through what is often an uncouth and uncomfortable age. + +He had fancied, when he talked with Gascoyne in the Eyry that +time, that he was to become a man all at once; he felt just then +that he had forever done with boyish things. But that is not the +way it happens in men's lives. Changes do not come so suddenly +and swiftly as that, but by little and little. For three or four +days, maybe, he went his new way of life big with the great +change that had come upon him, and then, now in this and now in +that, he drifted back very much into his old ways of boyish +doings. As was said, one's young days do not end all at once, +even when they be so suddenly and sharply shaken, and Myles was +not different from others. He had been stirred to the core by +that first wonderful sight of the great and glorious life of +manhood opening before him, but he had yet many a sport to enjoy, +many a game to play, many a boisterous romp to riot in the +dormitory, many an expedition to make to copse and spinney and +river on days when he was off duty, and when permission had been +granted. + +Nevertheless, there was a great and vital change in his life; a +change which he hardly felt or realized. Even in resuming his old +life there was no longer the same vitality, the same zest, the +same enjoyment in all these things. It seemed as though they were +no longer a part of himself. The savor had gone from them, and +by-and-by it was pleasanter to sit looking on at the sports and +the games of the younger lads than to take active part in them. + +These three years of his life that had thus passed had been very +full; full mostly of work, grinding and monotonous; of training +dull, dry, laborious. For Sir James Lee was a taskmaster as hard +as iron and seemingly as cold as a stone. For two, perhaps for +three, weeks Myles entered into his new exercises with all the +enthusiasm that novelty brings; but these exercises hardly varied +a tittle from day to day, and soon became a duty, and finally a +hard and grinding task. He used, in the earlier days of his +castle life, to hate the dull monotony of the tri-weekly hacking +at the pels with a heavy broadsword as he hated nothing else; but +now, though he still had that exercise to perform, it was almost +a relief from the heavy dulness of riding, riding, riding in the +tilt-yard with shield and lance--couch--recover--en passant. + +But though he had nowadays but little time for boyish plays and +escapades, his life was not altogether without relaxation. Now +and then he was permitted to drive in mock battle with other of +the younger knights and bachelors in the paddock near the outer +walls. It was a still more welcome change in the routine of his +life when, occasionally, he would break a light lance in the +tilting-court with Sir Everard Willoughby; Lord George, perhaps, +and maybe one or two others of the Hall folk, looking on. + +Then one gilded day, when Lord Dudleigh was visiting at Devlen, +Myles ran a course with a heavier lance in the presence of the +Earl, who came down to the tilt-yard with his guest to see the +young novitiate ride against Sir Everard. He did his best, and +did it well. Lord Dudleigh praised his poise and carriage, and +Lord George, who was present, gave him an approving smile and +nod. But the Earl of Mackworth only sat stroking his beard +impassively, as was his custom. Myles would have given much to +know his thoughts. + +In all these years Sir James Lee almost never gave any expression +either of approbation or disapproval--excepting when Myles +exhibited some carelessness or oversight. Then his words were +sharp and harsh enough. More than once Myles's heart failed him, +and bitter discouragement took possession of him; then nothing +but his bull-dog tenacity and stubbornness brought him out from +the despondency of the dark hours. + +"Sir," he burst out one day, when his heart was heavy with some +failure, "tell me, I beseech thee, do I get me any of skill at +all? Is it in me ever to make a worthy knight, fit to hold lance +and sword with other men, or am I only soothly a dull heavy +block, worth naught of any good?" + +"Thou art a fool, sirrah!" answered Sir James, in his grimmest +tones. "Thinkest thou to learn all of knightly prowess in a year +and a half? Wait until thou art ripe, and then I will tell thee +if thou art fit to couch a lance or ride a course with a right +knight." + +"Thou art an old bear!" muttered Myles to himself, as the old +one-eyed knight turned on his heel and strode away. "Beshrew me! +an I show thee not that I am as worthy to couch a lance as thou +one of these fine days!" + +However, during the last of the three years the grinding routine +of his training had not been quite so severe as at first. His +exercises took him more often out into the fields, and it was +during this time of his knightly education that he sometimes rode +against some of the castle knights in friendly battle with sword +or lance or wooden mace. In these encounters he always held his +own; and held it more than well, though, in his boyish +simplicity, he was altogether unconscious of his own skill, +address, and strength. Perhaps it was his very honest modesty +that made him so popular and so heartily liked by all. + +He had by this time risen to the place of head squire or chief +bachelor, holding the same position that Walter Blunt had +occupied when he himself had first come, a raw country boy, to +Devlen. The lesser squires and pages fairly worshipped him as a +hero, albeit imposing upon his good-nature. All took a pride in +his practice in knightly exercises, and fabulous tales were +current among the young fry concerning his strength and skill. + +Yet, although Myles was now at the head of his class, he did not, +as other chief bachelors had done, take a leading position among +the squires in the Earl's household service. Lord Mackworth, for +his own good reasons, relegated him to the position of Lord +George's especial attendant. Nevertheless, the Earl always +distinguished him from the other esquires, giving him a cool nod +whenever they met; and Myles, upon his part--now that he had +learned better to appreciate how much his Lord had done for +him--would have shed the last drop of blood in his veins for the +head of the house of Beaumont. + +As for the two young ladies, he often saw them, and sometimes, +even in the presence of the Earl, exchanged a few words with +them, and Lord Mackworth neither forbade it nor seemed to notice +it. + +Towards the Lady Anne he felt the steady friendly regard of a lad +for a girl older than himself; towards the Lady Alice, now +budding into ripe young womanhood, there lay deep in his heart +the resolve to be some day her true knight in earnest as he had +been her knight in pretence in that time of boyhood when he had +so perilously climbed into the privy garden. + +In body and form he was now a man, and in thought and heart was +quickly ripening to manhood, for, as was said before, men matured +quickly in those days. He was a right comely youth, for the +promise of his boyish body had been fulfilled in a tall, +powerful, well-knit frame. His face was still round and boyish, +but on cheek and chin and lip was the curl of adolescent beard +--soft, yellow, and silky. His eyes were as blue as steel, and +quick and sharp in glance as those of a hawk; and as he walked, +his arms swung from his broad, square shoulders, and his body +swayed with pent-up strength ready for action at any moment. + +If little Lady Alice, hearing much talk of his doings and of his +promise in these latter times, thought of him now and then it is +a matter not altogether to be wondered at. + +Such were the changes that three years had wrought. And from now +the story of his manhood really begins. + + +Perhaps in all the history of Devlen Castle, even at this, the +high tide of pride and greatness of the house of Beaumont, the +most notable time was in the early autumn of the year 1411, when +for five days King Henry IV was entertained by the Earl of +Mackworth. The King was at that time making a progress through +certain of the midland counties, and with him travelled the Comte +de Vermoise. The Count was the secret emissary of the Dauphin's +faction in France, at that time in the very bitterest intensity +of the struggle with the Duke of Burgundy, and had come to +England seeking aid for his master in his quarrel. + +It was not the first time that royalty had visited Devlen. Once, +in Earl Robert's day, King Edward II had spent a week at the +castle during the period of the Scottish wars. But at that time +it was little else than a military post, and was used by the King +as such. Now the Beaumonts were in the very flower of their +prosperity, and preparations were made for the coming visit of +royalty upon a scale of such magnificence and splendor as Earl +Robert, or perhaps even King Edward himself, had never dreamed. + +For weeks the whole castle had been alive with folk hurrying +hither and thither; and with the daily and almost hourly coming +of pack-horses, laden with bales and boxes, from London. From +morning to night one heard the ceaseless chip- chipping of the +masons' hammers, and saw carriers of stones and mortar ascending +and descending the ladders of the scaffolding that covered the +face of the great North Hall. Within, that part of the building +was alive with the scraping of the carpenters' saws, the +clattering of lumber, and the rapping and banging of hammers. + +The North Hall had been assigned as the lodging place for the +King and his court, and St. George's Hall (as the older building +adjoining it was called) had been set apart as the lodging of the +Comte de Vermoise and the knights and gentlemen attendant upon +him. + +The great North Hall had been very much altered and changed for +the accommodation of the King and his people; a beautiful gallery +of carved wood-work had been built within and across the south +end of the room for the use of the ladies who were to look down +upon the ceremonies below. Two additional windows had been cut +through the wall and glazed, and passage-ways had been opened +connecting with the royal apartments beyond. In the bedchamber a +bed of carved wood and silver had been built into the wall, and +had been draped with hangings of pale blue and silver, and a +magnificent screen of wrought-iron and carved wood had been +erected around the couch; rich and beautiful tapestries brought +from Italy and Flanders were hung upon the walls; cushions of +velvets and silks stuffed with down covered benches and chairs. +The floor of the hall was spread with mats of rushes stained in +various colors, woven into curious patterns, and in the smaller +rooms precious carpets of arras were laid on the cold stones. + +All of the cadets of the House had been assembled; all of the +gentlemen in waiting, retainers and clients. The castle seemed +full to overflowing; even the dormitory of the squires was used +as a lodging place for many of the lesser gentry. + +So at last, in the midst of all this bustle of preparation, came +the day of days when the King was to arrive. The day before a +courier had come bringing the news that he was lodging at +Donaster Abbey overnight, and would make progress the next day to +Devlen. + +That morning, as Myles was marshalling the pages and squires, +and, with the list of names in his hand, was striving to evolve +some order out of the confusion, assigning the various +individuals their special duties--these to attend in the +household, those to ride in the escort--one of the gentlemen of +Lord George's household came with an order for him to come +immediately to the young nobleman's apartments. Myles hastily +turned over his duties to Gascoyne and Wilkes, and then hurried +after the messenger. He found Lord George in the antechamber, +three gentlemen squires arming him in a magnificent suit of +ribbed Milan. + +He greeted Myles with a nod and a smile as the lad entered. +"Sirrah," said he, "I have had a talk with Mackworth this morn +concerning thee, and have a mind to do thee an honor in my poor +way. How wouldst thou like to ride to-day as my special squire of +escort?" + +Myles flushed to the roots of his hair. "Oh, sir!" he cried, +eagerly, "an I be not too ungainly for thy purpose, no honor in +all the world could be such joy to me as that!" + +Lord George laughed. "A little matter pleases thee hugely," said +he; "but as to being ungainly, who so sayeth that of thee belieth +thee, Myles; thou art not ungainly, sirrah. But that is not to +the point. I have chosen thee for my equerry to- day; so make +thou haste and don thine armor, and then come hither again, and +Hollingwood will fit thee with a wreathed bascinet I have within, +and a juppon embroidered with my arms and colors." + +When Myles had made his bow and left his patron, he flew across +the quadrangle, and burst into the armory upon Gascoyne, whom he +found still lingering there, chatting with one or two of the +older bachelors. + +"What thinkest thou, Francis?" he cried, wild with excitement. +"An honor hath been done me this day I could never have hoped to +enjoy. Out of all this household, Lord George hath chose me his +equerry for the day to ride to meet the King. Come, hasten to +help me to arm! Art thou not glad of this thing for my sake, +Francis?" + +"Aye, glad am I indeed!" cried Gascoyne, that generous friend; +"rather almost would I have this befall thee than myself!" And +indeed he was hardly less jubilant than Myles over the honor. + +Five minutes later he was busy arming him in the little room at +the end of the dormitory which had been lately set apart for the +use of the head bachelor. "And to think," he said, looking up as +he kneeled, strapping the thigh-plates to his friend's legs, +"that he should have chosen thee before all others of the fine +knights and lords and gentlemen of quality that are here!" + +"Yea," said Myles, "it passeth wonder. I know not why he should +so single me out for such an honor. It is strangely marvellous." + +"Nay," said Gascoyne, "there is no marvel in it, and I know right +well why he chooseth thee. It is because he sees, as we all see, +that thou art the stoutest and the best-skilled in arms, and most +easy of carriage of any man in all this place." + +Myles laughed. "An thou make sport of me," said he, "I'll rap thy +head with this dagger hilt. Thou art a silly fellow, Francis, to +talk so. But tell me, hast thou heard who rides with my Lord?" + +"Yea, I heard Wilkes say anon that it was Sir James Lee." + +"I am right glad of that," said Myles; "for then he will show me +what to do and how to bear myself. It frights me to think what +would hap should I make some mistake in my awkwardness. Methinks +Lord George would never have me with him more should I do amiss +this day." + +"Never fear," said Gascoyne; "thou wilt not do amiss." + +And now, at last, the Earl, Lord George, and all their escort +were ready; then the orders were given to horse, the bugle +sounded, and away they all rode, with clashing of iron hoofs and +ringing and jingling of armor, out into the dewy freshness of the +early morning, the slant yellow sun of autumn blazing and flaming +upon polished helmets and shields, and twinkling like sparks of +fire upon spear points. Myles's heart thrilled within him for +pure joy, and he swelled out his sturdy young breast with great +draughts of the sweet fresh air that came singing across the +sunny hill- tops. Sir James Lee, who acted as the Earl's equerry +for the day, rode at a little distance, and there was an almost +pathetic contrast between the grim, steadfast impassiveness of +the tough old warrior and Myles's passionate exuberance of youth. + +At the head of the party rode the Earl and his brother side by +side, each clad cap-a-pie in a suit of Milan armor, the cuirass +of each covered with a velvet juppon embroidered in silver with +the arms and quarterings of the Beaumonts. The Earl wore around +his neck an "S S" collar, with a jewelled St. George hanging from +it, and upon his head a vizored bascinet, ornamented with a +wreath covered with black and yellow velvet and glistening with +jewels. + +Lord George, as was said before, was clad in a beautiful suit of +ribbed Milan armor. It was rimmed with a thin thread of gold, +and, like his brother, he wore a bascinet wreathed with black and +yellow velvet. + +Behind the two brothers and their equerries rode the rest in +their proper order--knights, gentlemen, esquires, men-at-arms--to +the number, perhaps, of two hundred and fifty; spears and lances +aslant, and banners, permons, and pencels of black and yellow +fluttering in the warm September air. + +From the castle to the town they rode, and then across the +bridge, and thence clattering up through the stony streets, where +the folk looked down upon them from the windows above, or crowded +the fronts of the shops of the tradesmen. Lusty cheers were +shouted for the Earl, but the great Lord rode staring ever +straight before him, as unmoved as a stone. Then out of the town +they clattered, and away in a sweeping cloud of dust across the +country-side. + +It was not until they had reached the windy top of Willoughby +Croft, ten miles away, that they met the King and his company. As +the two parties approached to within forty or fifty yards of one +another they stopped. + +As they came to a halt, Myles observed that a gentleman dressed +in a plain blue-gray riding- habit, and sitting upon a beautiful +white gelding, stood a little in advance of the rest of the +party, and he knew that that must be the King. Then Sir James +nodded to Myles, and leaping from his horse, flung the reins to +one of the attendants. Myles did the like; and then, still +following Sir James's lead as he served Lord Mackworth, went +forward and held Lord George's stirrup while he dismounted. The +two noblemen quickly removed each his bascinet, and Myles, +holding the bridle- rein of Lord George's horse with his left +hand, took the helmet in his right, resting it upon his hip. + +Then the two brothers walked forward bare- headed, the Earl, a +little in advance. Reaching the King he stopped, and then bent +his knee--stiffly in the armored plates--until it touched the +ground. Thereupon the King reached him his hand, and he, rising +again, took it, and set it to his lips. + +Then Lord George, advancing, kneeled as his brother had kneeled, +and to him also the King gave his hand. + +Myles could hear nothing, but he could see that a few words of +greeting passed between the three, and then the King, turning, +beckoned to a knight who stood just behind him and a little in +advance of the others of the troop. In answer, the knight rode +forward; the King spoke a few words of introduction, and the +stranger, ceremoniously drawing off his right gauntlet, clasped +the hand, first of the Earl, and then of Lord George. Myles knew +that he must be the great Comte de Vermoise, of whom he had heard +so much of late. + +A few moments of conversation followed, and then the King bowed +slightly. The French nobleman instantly reined back his horse, an +order was given, and then the whole company moved forward, the +two brothers walking upon either side of the King, the Earl +lightly touching the bridle-rein with his bare hand. + +Whilst all this was passing, the Earl of Mackworth's company had +been drawn up in a double line along the road-side, leaving the +way open to the other party. As the King reached the head of the +troop, another halt followed while he spoke a few courteous words +of greeting to some of the lesser nobles attendant upon the Earl +whom he knew. + +In that little time he was within a few paces of Myles, who stood +motionless as a statue, holding the bascinet and the bridle-rein +of Lord George's horse. + +What Myles saw was a plain, rather stout man, with a face fat, +smooth, and waxy, with pale-blue eyes, and baggy in the lids; +clean shaven, except for a mustache and tuft covering lips and +chin. Somehow he felt a deep disappointment. He had expected to +see something lion-like, something regal, and, after all, the +great King Henry was commonplace, fat, unwholesome-looking. It +came to him with a sort of a shock that, after all, a King was in +nowise different from other men. + +Meanwhile the Earl and his brother replaced their bascinets, and +presently the whole party moved forward upon the way to +Mackworth. + + + +CHAPTER 23 + +That same afternoon the squires' quarters were thrown into such a +ferment of excitement as had, perhaps, never before stirred them. +About one o'clock in the afternoon the Earl himself and Lord +George came walking slowly across the Armory Court wrapped in +deep conversation, and entered Sir James Lee's office. + +All the usual hubbub of noise that surrounded the neighborhood of +the dormitory and the armory was stilled at their coming, and +when the two noblemen had entered Sir James's office, the lads +and young men gathered in knots discussing with an almost awesome +interest what that visit might portend. + +After some time Sir James Lee came to the door at the head of the +long flight of stone steps, and whistling, beckoned one of the +smaller pages to him. He gave a short order that sent the little +fellow flying on some mission. In the course of a few minutes he +returned, hurrying across the stony court with Myles Falworth, +who presently entered Sir James's office. It was then and at this +sight that the intense half-suppressed excitement reached its +height of fever-heat. What did it all mean? The air was filled +with a thousand vague, wild rumors--but the very wildest surmises +fell short of the real truth. + +Perhaps Myles was somewhat pale when he entered the office; +certainly his nerves were in a tremor, for his heart told him +that something very portentous was about to befall him. The Earl +sat at the table, and in the seat that Sir James Lee usually +occupied; Lord George half sat, half leaned in the window-place. +Sir James stood with his back to the empty fireplace, and his +hands clasped behind him. All three were very serious. + +"Give thee good den, Myles Falworth," said the Earl, as Myles +bowed first to him and then to the others; "and I would have thee +prepare thyself for a great happening." Then, continuing directly +to the point: "Thou knowest, sirrah, why we have been training +thee so closely these three years gone; it is that thou shouldst +be able to hold thine own in the world. Nay, not only hold thine +own, but to show thyself to be a knight of prowess shouldst it +come to a battle between thee and thy father's enemy; for there +lieth no half-way place for thee, and thou must be either great +or else nothing. Well, sir, the time hath now come for thee to +show thy mettle. I would rather have chosen that thou hadst +labored a twelvemonth longer; but now, as I said, hath come a +chance to prove thyself that may never come again. Sir James +tells me that thou art passably ripe in skill. Thou must now show +whether that be so or no. Hast thou ever heard of the Sieur de la +Montaigne?" + +"Yea, my Lord. I have heard of him often," answered Myles. "It +was he who won the prize at the great tourney at Rochelle last +year." + +"I see that thou hast his fame pat to thy tongue's end," said the +Earl; "he is the chevalier of whom I speak, and he is reckoned +the best knight of Dauphiny. That one of which thou spokest was +the third great tourney in which he was adjudged the victor. I am +glad that thou holdest his prowess highly. Knowest thou that he +is in the train of the Comte de Vermoise?" + +"Nay," said Myles, flushing; "I did hear news he was in England, +but knew not that he was in this place." + +"Yea," said Lord Mackworth; "he is here." He paused for a moment; +then said, suddenly. "Tell me, Myles Falworth, an thou wert a +knight and of rank fit to run a joust with the Sieur de la +Montaigne, wouldst thou dare encounter him in the lists?" + +The Earl's question fell upon Myles so suddenly and unexpectedly +that for a moment or so he stood staring at the speaker with +mouth agape. Meanwhile the Earl sat looking calmly back at him, +slowly stroking his beard the while. + +It was Sir James Lee's voice that broke the silence. "Thou +heardst thy Lord speak," said he, harshly. "Hast thou no tongue +to answer, sirrah?" + +"Be silent, Lee," said Lord Mackworth, quietly. "Let the lad have +time to think before he speaketh." + +The sound of the words aroused Myles. He advanced to the table, +and rested his hand upon it. "My Lord--my Lord," said he, "I know +not what to say, I--I am amazed and afeard." + +"How! how!" cried Sir James Lee, harshly. "Afeard, sayst thou? An +thou art afeard, thou knave, thou needst never look upon my face +or speak to me more! I have done with thee forever an thou art +afeard even were the champion a Sir Alisander." + +"Peace, peace, Lee," said the Earl, holding up his hand. "Thou +art too hasty. The lad shall have his will in this matter, and +thou and no one shall constrain him. Methinks, also, thou dost +not understand him. Speak from thy heart, Myles; why art thou +afraid?" + +"Because," said Myles, "I am so young, sir; I am but a raw boy. +How should I dare be so hardy as to venture to set lance against +such an one as the Sieur de la Montaigne? What would I be but a +laughing-stock for all the world who would see me so foolish as +to venture me against one of such prowess and skill?" + +"Nay, Myles," said Lord George, "thou thinkest not well enough of +thine own skill and prowess. Thinkest thou we would undertake to +set thee against him, an we did not think that thou couldst hold +thine own fairly well?" + +"Hold mine own?" cried Myles, turning to Lord George. "Sir; thou +dost not mean--thou canst not mean, that I may hope or dream to +hold mine own against the Sieur de la Montaigne." + +"Aye," said Lord George, "that was what I did mean." + +"Come, Myles," said the Earl; "now tell me: wilt thou fight the +Sieur de la Montaigne?" + +"Yea," said Myles, drawing himself to his full height and +throwing out his chest. "Yea," and his cheeks and forehead +flushed red; "an thou bid me do so, I will fight him." + +"There spake my brave lad!" cried Lord George heartily. + +"I give thee joy, Myles," said the Earl, reaching him his hand, +which Myles took and kissed. "And I give thee double joy. I have +talked with the King concerning thee this morning, and he hath +consented to knight thee--yea, to knight thee with all honors of +the Bath--provided thou wilt match thee against the Sieur de la +Montaigne for the honor of England and Mackworth. Just now the +King lieth to sleep for a little while after his dinner; have +thyself in readiness when he cometh forth, and I will have thee +presented." + +Then the Earl turned to Sir James Lee, and questioned him as to +how the bachelors were fitted with clothes. Myles listened, only +half hearing the words through the tumbling of his thoughts. He +had dreamed in his day-dreams that some time he might be +knighted, but that time always seemed very, very distant. To be +knighted now, in his boyhood, by the King, with the honors of the +Bath, and under the patronage of the Earl of Mackworth; to +joust--to actually joust--with the Sieur de la Montaigne, one of +the most famous chevaliers of France! No wonder he only half +heard the words; half heard the Earl's questions concerning his +clothes and the discussion which followed; half heard Lord George +volunteer to array him in fitting garments from his own wardrobe. + +"Thou mayst go now," said the Earl, at last turning to him. "But +be thou at George's apartments by two of the clock to be dressed +fittingly for the occasion." + +Then Myles went out stupefied, dazed, bewildered. He looked +around, but he did not see Gascoyne. He said not a word to any of +the others in answer to the eager questions poured upon him by +his fellow-squires, but walked straight away. He hardly knew +where he went, but by-and-by he found himself in a grassy angle +below the end of the south stable; a spot overlooking the outer +wall and the river beyond. He looked around; no one was near, and +he flung himself at length, burying his face in his arms. How +long he lay there he did not know, but suddenly some one touched +him upon the shoulder, and he sprang up quickly. It was Gascoyne. + +"What is to do, Myles?" said his friend, anxiously. "What is all +this talk I hear concerning thee up yonder at the armory?" + +"Oh, Francis!" cried Myles, with a husky choking voice: "I am to +be knighted--by the King--by the King himself; and I--I am to +fight the Sieur de la Montaigne." + +He reached out his hand, and Gascoyne took it. They stood for a +while quite silent, and when at last the stillness was broken, it +was Gascoyne who spoke, in a choking voice. + +"Thou art going to be great, Myles," said he. "I always knew that +it must be so with thee, and now the time hath come. Yea, thou +wilt be great, and live at court amongst noble folk, and Kings +haply. Presently thou wilt not be with me any more, and wilt +forget me by-and-by." + +"Nay, Francis, never will I forget thee!" answered Myles, +pressing his friend's hand. "I will always love thee better than +any one in the world, saving only my father and my mother." + +Gascoyne shook his head and looked away, swallowing at the dry +lump in his throat. Suddenly he turned to Myles. "Wilt thou grant +me a boon?" + +"Yea," answered Myles. "What is it?" + +"That thou wilt choose me for thy squire." + +"Nay," said Myles; "how canst thou think to serve me as squire? +Thou wilt be a knight thyself some day, Francis, and why dost +thou wish now to be my squire?" + +"Because," said Gascoyne, with a short laugh, "I would rather be +in thy company as a squire than in mine own as a knight, even if +I might be banneret." + +Myles flung his arm around his friend's neck, and kissed him upon +the cheek. "Thou shalt have thy will," said he; "but whether +knight or squire, thou art ever mine own true friend." + +Then they went slowly back together, hand in hand, to the castle +world again. + +At two o'clock Myles went to Lord George's apartments, and there +his friend and patron dressed him out in a costume better fitted +for the ceremony of presentation--a fur-trimmed jacket of green +brocaded velvet embroidered with golden thread, a black velvet +hood-cap rolled like a turban and with a jewel in the front, a +pair of crimson hose, and a pair of black velvet shoes trimmed +and stitched with gold-thread. Myles had never worn such splendid +clothes in his life before, and he could not but feel that they +became him well. + +"Sir," said he, as he looked down at himself, "sure it is not +lawful for me to wear such clothes as these." + +In those days there was a law, known as a sumptuary law, which +regulated by statute the clothes that each class of people were +privileged to wear. It was, as Myles said, against the law for +him to wear such garments as those in which he was clad--either +velvet, crimson stuff, fur or silver or gold +embroidery--nevertheless such a solemn ceremony as presentation +to the King excused the temporary overstepping of the law, and so +Lord George told him. As he laid his hand upon the lad's shoulder +and held him off at arm's-length, he added, "And I pledge thee my +word, Myles, that thou art as lusty and handsome a lad as ever +mine eyes beheld." + +"Thou art very kind to me, sir," said Myles, in answer. + +Lord George laughed; and then giving him a shake, let go his +shoulder. + +It was about three o'clock when little Edmond de Montefort, Lord +Mackworth's favorite page, came with word that the King was then +walking in the Earl's pleasance. + +"Come, Myles," said Lord George, and then Myles arose from the +seat where he had been sitting, his heart palpitating and +throbbing tumultuously. + +At the wicket-gate of the pleasance two gentlemen- at-arms stood +guard in half-armor; they saluted Lord George, and permitted him +to pass with his protege. As he laid his hand upon the latch of +the wicket he paused for a moment and turned. + +"Myles," said he, in a low voice, "thou art a thoughtful and +cautious lad; for thy father's sake be thoughtful and cautious +now. Do not speak his name or betray that thou art his son." Then +he opened the wicket-gate and entered. + +Any lad of Myles's age, even one far more used to the world than +he, would perhaps have felt all the oppression that he +experienced under the weight of such a presentation. He hardly +knew what he was doing as Lord George led him to where the King +stood, a little apart from the attendants, with the Earl and the +Comte de Vermoise. Even in his confusion he knew enough to kneel, +and somehow his honest, modest diffidence became the young fellow +very well. He was not awkward, for one so healthful in mind and +body as he could not bear himself very ill, and he felt the +assurance that in Lord George he had a kind friend at his side, +and one well used to court ceremonies to lend him countenance. +Then there is something always pleasing in frank, modest +manliness such as was stamped on Myles's handsome, sturdy face. +No doubt the King's heart warmed towards the fledgling warrior +kneeling in the pathway before him. He smiled very kindly as he +gave the lad his hand to kiss, and that ceremony done, held fast +to the hard, brown, sinewy fist of the young man with his soft +white hand, and raised him to his feet. + +"By the mass!" said he, looking Myles over with smiling eyes, +"thou art a right champion in good sooth. Such as thou art haply +was Sir Galahad when he came to Arthur's court. And so they tell +me, thou hast stomach to brook the Sieur de la Montaigne, that +tough old boar of Dauphiny. Hast thou in good sooth the courage +to face him? Knowest thou what a great thing it is that thou hast +set upon thyself--to do battle, even in sport, with him?" + +"Yea, your Majesty," answered Myles, "well I wot it is a task +haply beyond me. But gladly would I take upon me even a greater +venture, and one more dangerous, to do your Majesty's pleasure!" + +The King looked pleased. "Now that was right well said, young +man," said he, "and I like it better that it came from such young +and honest lips. Dost thou speak French?" + +"Yea, your Majesty," answered Myles. "In some small measure do I +so." + +"I am glad of that," said the King; "for so I may make thee +acquainted with Sieur de la Montaigne." + +He turned as he ended speaking, and beckoned to a heavy, +thick-set, black-browed chevalier who stood with the other +gentlemen attendants at a little distance. He came instantly +forward in answer to the summons, and the King introduced the two +to one another. As each took the other formally by the hand, he +measured his opponent hastily, body and limb, and perhaps each +thought that he had never seen a stronger, stouter, better- knit +man than the one upon whom he looked. But nevertheless the +contrast betwixt the two was very great--Myles, young, boyish, +fresh-faced; the other, bronzed, weather beaten, and seamed with +a great white scar that ran across his forehead and cheek; the +one a novice, the other a warrior seasoned in twoscore battles. + +A few polite phrases passed between the two, the King listening +smiling, but with an absent and far-away look gradually stealing +upon his face. As they ended speaking, a little pause of silence +followed, and then the King suddenly aroused himself. + +"So," said he, "I am glad that ye two are acquainted. And now we +will leave our youthful champion in thy charge, Beaumont--and in +thine, Mon Sieur, as well--and so soon as the proper ceremonies +are ended, we will dub him knight with our own hands. And now, +Mackworth, and thou my Lord Count, let us walk a little; I have +bethought me further concerning these threescore extra men for +Dauphiny." + +Then Myles withdrew, under the charge of Lord George and the +Sieur de la Montaigne and while the King and the two nobles +walked slowly up and down the gravel path between the tall rose- +bushes, Myles stood talking with the gentlemen attendants, +finding himself, with a certain triumphant exultation, the peer +of any and the hero of the hour. + +That night was the last that Myles and Gascoyne spent lodging in +the dormitory in their squirehood service. The next day they were +assigned apartments in Lord George's part of the house, and +thither they transported themselves and their belongings, amid +the awestruck wonder and admiration of their fellow-squires. + + + +CHAPTER 24 + +In Myles Falworth's day one of the greatest ceremonies of courtly +life was that of the bestowal of knighthood by the King, with the +honors of the Bath. By far the greater number of knights were at +that time created by other knights, or by nobles, or by officers +of the crown. To be knighted by the King in person distinguished +the recipient for life. It was this signal honor that the Earl, +for his own purposes, wished Myles to enjoy, and for this end he +had laid not a few plans. + +The accolade was the term used for the creation of a knight upon +the field of battle. It was a reward of valor or of meritorious +service, and was generally bestowed in a more or less off-hand +way; but the ceremony of the Bath was an occasion of the greatest +courtly moment, and it was thus that Myles Falworth was to be +knighted in addition to the honor of a royal belting. + +A quaint old book treating of knighthood and chivalry gives a +full and detailed account of all the circumstances of the +ceremony of a creation of a Knight of the Bath. It tells us that +the candidate was first placed under the care of two squires of +honor, "grave and well seen in courtship and nurture, and also in +feats of chivalry," which same were likewise to be governors in +all things relating to the coming honors. + +First of all, the barber shaved him, and cut his hair in a +certain peculiar fashion ordained for the occasion, the squires +of honor supervising the operation. This being concluded, the +candidate was solemnly conducted to the chamber where the bath of +tepid water was prepared, "hung within and without with linen, +and likewise covered with rich cloths and embroidered linen." +While in the bath two "ancient, grave, and reverend knights" +attended the bachelor, giving him "meet instructions in the order +and feats of chivalry." The candidate was then examined as to his +knowledge and acquirements, and then, all questions being +answered to the satisfaction of his examiners, the elder of the +two dipped a handful of water out from the bath, and poured it +upon his head, at the same time signing his left shoulder with +the sign of the cross. + +As soon as this ceremony was concluded, the two squires of honor +helped their charge from the bath, and conducted him to a plain +bed without hangings, where they let him rest until his body was +warm and dry. Then they clad him in a white linen shirt, and over +it a plain robe of russet, "girdled about the loins with a rope, +and having a hood like unto a hermit." + +As soon as the candidate had arisen, the two "ancient knights" +returned, and all being in readiness he was escorted to the +chapel, the two walking, one upon either side of him, his squires +of honor marching before, and the whole party preceded by "sundry +minstrels making a loud noise of music." + +When they came to the chapel, the two knights who escorted him +took leave of the candidate, each saluting him with a kiss upon +the cheek. No one remained with him but his squires of honor, the +priest, and the chandler. + +In the mean time the novitiate's armor, sword, lance, and helmet +had been laid in readiness before the altar. These he watched and +guarded while the others slept, keeping vigil until sunrise, +during which time "he shall," says the ancient authority, "pass +the night in orisons, prayers, and meditation." At daylight he +confessed to the priest, heard matins, and communicated in mass, +and then presented a lighted candle at the altar, with a piece of +money stuck in it as close to the flame as could be done, the +candle being offered to the honor of God, and the money to the +honor of that person who was to make him a knight. + +So concluded the sacred ceremony, which being ended his squires +conducted the candidate to his chamber, and there made him +comfortable, and left him to repose for a while before the second +and final part of the ordinance. + +Such is a shortened account of the preparatory stages of the +ceremonies through which Myles Falworth passed. + +Matters had come upon him so suddenly one after the other, and +had come with such bewildering rapidity that all that week was to +him like some strange, wonderful, mysterious vision. He went +through it all like one in a dream. Lord George Beaumont was one +of his squires of honor; the other, by way of a fitting +complement to the courage of the chivalrous lad, was the Sieur de +la Montaigne, his opponent soon to be. They were well versed in +everything relating to knightcraft, and Myles followed all their +directions with passive obedience. Then Sir James Lee and the +Comte de Vermoise administered the ceremony of the Bath, the old +knight examining him in the laws of chivalry. + +It occurs perhaps once or twice in one's lifetime that one passes +through great happenings--sometimes of joy, sometimes of dreadful +bitterness--in just such a dazed state as Myles passed through +this. It is only afterwards that all comes back to one so sharply +and keenly that the heart thrills almost in agony in living it +over again. But perhaps of all the memory of that time, when it +afterwards came back piece by piece, none was so clear to Myles's +back-turned vision as the long night spent in the chapel, +watching his armor, thinking such wonderful thoughts, and +dreaming such wonderful wide-eyed dreams. At such times Myles saw +again the dark mystery of the castle chapel; he saw again the +half-moon gleaming white and silvery through the tall, narrow +window, and throwing a broad form of still whiteness across stone +floor, empty seats, and still, motionless figures of stone +effigies. At such times he stood again in front of the twinkling +tapers that lit the altar where his armor lay piled in a heap, +heard again the deep breathing of his companions of the watch +sleeping in some empty stall, wrapped each in his cloak, and saw +the old chandler bestir himself, and rise and come forward to +snuff the candles. At such times he saw again the day growing +clearer and clearer through the tall, glazed windows, saw it +change to a rosy pink, and then to a broad, ruddy glow that threw +a halo of light around Father Thomas's bald head bowed in sleep, +and lit up the banners and trophies hanging motionless against +the stony face of the west wall; heard again the stirring of life +without and the sound of his companions arousing themselves; saw +them come forward, and heard them wish him joy that his long +watch was ended. + + +It was nearly noon when Myles was awakened from a fitful sleep by +Gascoyne bringing in his dinner, but, as might be supposed, he +had but little hunger, and ate sparingly. He had hardly ended his +frugal meal before his two squires of honor came in, followed by +a servant carrying the garments for the coming ceremony. He +saluted them gravely, and then arising, washed his face and hands +in a basin which Gascoyne held; then kneeled in prayer, the +others standing silent at a little distance. As he arose, Lord +George came forward. + +"The King and the company come presently to the Great Hall, +Myles," said he; "it is needful for thee to make all the haste +that thou art able." + +Perhaps never had Devlen Castle seen a more brilliant and goodly +company gathered in the great hall than that which came to +witness King Henry create Myles Falworth a knight bachelor. + +At the upper end of the hall was a raised dais, upon which stood +a throne covered with crimson satin and embroidered with lions +and flower- deluces; it was the King's seat. He and his personal +attendants had not yet come, but the rest of the company were +gathered. The day being warm and sultry, the balcony was all +aflutter with the feather fans of the ladies of the family and +their attendants, who from this high place looked down upon the +hall below. Up the centre of the hall was laid a carpet of arras, +and the passage was protected by wooden railings. Upon the one +side were tiers of seats for the castle gentlefolks and the +guests. Upon the other stood the burghers from the town, clad in +sober dun and russet, and yeomanry in green and brown. The whole +of the great vaulted hall was full of the dull hum of many people +waiting, and a ceaseless restlessness stirred the crowded throng. +But at last a whisper went around that the King was coming. A +momentary hush fell, and through it was heard the noisy clatter +of horses' feet coming nearer and nearer, and then stopping +before the door. The sudden blare of trumpets broke through the +hush; another pause, and then in through the great door-way of +the hall came the royal procession. + +First of all marched, in the order of their rank, and to the +number of a score or more, certain gentlemen, esquires and +knights, chosen mostly from the King's attendants. Behind these +came two pursuivants-at-arms in tabards, and following them a +party of a dozen more bannerets and barons. Behind these again, a +little space intervening, came two heralds, also in tabards, a +group of the greater nobles attendant upon the King following in +the order of their rank. Next came the King-at-arms and, at a +little distance and walking with sober slowness, the King +himself, with the Earl and the Count directly attendant upon +him-- the one marching upon the right hand and the other upon the +left. A breathless silence filled the whole space as the royal +procession advanced slowly up the hall. Through the stillness +could be heard the muffled sound of the footsteps on the carpet, +the dry rustling of silk and satin garments, and the clear clink +and jingle of chains and jewelled ornaments, but not the sound of +a single voice. + +After the moment or two of bustle and confusion of the King +taking his place had passed, another little space of expectant +silence fell. At last there suddenly came the noise of +acclamation of those who stood without the door--cheering and the +clapping of hands--sounds heralding the immediate advent of Myles +and his attendants. The next moment the little party entered the +hall. + +First of all, Gascoyne, bearing Myles's sword in both hands, the +hilt resting against his breast, the point elevated at an angle +of forty-five degrees. It was sheathed in a crimson scabbard, and +the belt of Spanish leather studded with silver bosses was wound +crosswise around it. From the hilt of the sword dangled the gilt +spurs of his coming knighthood. At a little distance behind his +squire followed Myles, the centre of all observation. He was clad +in a novitiate dress, arranged under Lord George's personal +supervision. It had been made somewhat differently from the +fashion usual at such times, and was intended to indicate in a +manner the candidate's extreme youthfulness and virginity in +arms. The outer garment was a tabard robe of white wool, +embroidered at the hem with fine lines of silver, and gathered +loosely at the waist with a belt of lavender leather stitched +with thread of silver. Beneath he was clad in armor (a present +from the Earl), new and polished till it shone with dazzling +brightness, the breastplate covered with a juppon of white satin, +embroidered with silver. Behind Myles, and upon either hand, came +his squires of honor, sponsors, and friends-- a little company of +some half-dozen in all. As they advanced slowly up the great, +dim, high-vaulted room, the whole multitude broke forth into a +humming buzz of applause. Then a sudden clapping of hands began +near the door-way, ran down through the length of the room, and +was taken up by all with noisy clatter. + +"Saw I never youth so comely," whispered one of the Lady Anne's +attendant gentlewomen. "Sure he looketh as Sir Galahad looked +when he came first to King Arthur's court." + +Myles knew that he was very pale; he felt rather than saw the +restless crowd of faces upon either side, for his eyes were fixed +directly before him, upon the dais whereon sat the King, with the +Earl of Mackworth standing at his right hand, the Comte de +Vermoise upon the left, and the others ranged around and behind +the throne. It was with the same tense feeling of dreamy +unreality that Myles walked slowly up the length of the hall, +measuring his steps by those of Gascoyne. Suddenly he felt Lord +George Beaumont touch him lightly upon the arm, and almost +instinctively he stopped short--he was standing just before the +covered steps of the throne. + +He saw Gascoyne mount to the third step, stop short, kneel, and +offer the sword and the spurs he carried to the King, who took +the weapon and laid it across his knees. Then the squire bowed +low, and walking backward withdrew to one side, leaving Myles +standing alone facing the throne. The King unlocked the spur +chains from the sword- hilt, and then, holding the gilt spurs in +his hand for a moment, he looked Myles straight in the eyes and +smiled. Then he turned, and gave one of the spurs to the Earl of +Mackworth. + +The Earl took it with a low bow, turned, and came slowly down the +steps to where Myles stood. Kneeling upon one knee, and placing +Myles's foot upon the other, Lord Mackworth set the spur in its +place and latched the chain over the instep. He drew the sign of +the cross upon Myles's bended knee, set the foot back upon the +ground, rose with slow dignity, and bowing to the King, drew a +little to one side. + +As soon as the Earl had fulfilled his office the King gave the +second spur to the Comte de Vermoise, who set it to Myles's other +foot with the same ceremony that the Earl had observed, +withdrawing as he had done to one side. + +An instant pause of motionless silence followed, and then the +King slowly arose, and began deliberately to unwind the belt from +around the scabbard of the sword he held. As soon as he stood, +the Earl and the Count advanced, and taking Myles by either hand, +led him forward and up the steps of the dais to the platform +above. As they drew a little to one side, the King stooped and +buckled the sword-belt around Myles's waist, then, rising again, +lifted his hand and struck him upon the shoulder, crying, in a +loud voice. + +"Be thou a good knight!" + +Instantly a loud sound of applause and the clapping of hands +filled the whole hall, in the midst of which the King laid both +hands upon Myles's shoulders and kissed him upon the right cheek. +So the ceremony ended; Myles was no longer Myles Falworth, but +Sir Myles Falworth, Knight by Order of the Bath and by grace of +the King! + + + +CHAPTER 25 + +It was the custom to conclude the ceremonies of the bestowal of +knighthood by a grand feast given in honor of the newly-created +knight. But in Myles's instance the feast was dispensed with. The +Earl of Mackworth had planned that Myles might be created a +Knight of the Bath with all possible pomp and ceremony; that his +personality might be most favorably impressed upon the King; that +he might be so honorably knighted as to make him the peer of any +who wore spurs in all England; and, finally, that he might +celebrate his new honors by jousting with some knight of high +fame and approved valor. All these desiderata chance had +fulfilled in the visit of the King to Devlen. + +As the Earl had said to Myles, he would rather have waited a +little while longer until the lad was riper in years and +experience, but the opportunity was not to be lost. Young as he +was, Myles must take his chances against the years and grim +experience of the Sieur de la Montaigne. But it was also a part +of the Earl's purpose that the King and Myles should not be +brought too intimately together just at that time. Though every +particular of circumstance should be fulfilled in the ceremony, +it would have been ruination to the Earl's plans to have the +knowledge come prematurely to the King that Myles was the son of +the attainted Lord Falworth. The Earl knew that Myles was a +shrewd, coolheaded lad; but the King had already hinted that the +name was familiar to his ears, and a single hasty answer or +unguarded speech upon the young knight's part might awaken him to +a full knowledge. Such a mishap was, of all things, to be avoided +just then, for, thanks to the machinations of that enemy of his +father of whom Myles had heard so much, and was soon to hear +more, the King had always retained and still held a bitter and +rancorous enmity against the unfortunate nobleman. + +It was no very difficult matter for the Earl to divert the King's +attention from the matter of the feast. His Majesty was very +intent just then upon supplying a quota of troops to the Dauphin, +and the chief object of his visit to Devlen was to open +negotiations with the Earl looking to that end. He was +interested--much interested in Myles and in the coming jousting +in which the young warrior was to prove himself, but he was +interested in it by way of a relaxation from the other and more +engrossing matter. So, though he made some passing and half +preoccupied inquiry about the feast he was easily satisfied with +the Earl's reasons for not holding it: which were that he had +arranged a consultation for that morning in regard to the troops +for the Dauphin, to which meeting he had summoned a number of his +own more important dependent nobles, that the King himself needed +repose and the hour or so of rest that his barber- surgeon had +ordered him to take after his mid-day meal; that Father Thomas +had laid upon Myles a petty penance--that for the first three +days of his knighthood he should eat his meals without meat and +in his own apartment--and various other reasons equally good and +sufficient. So the King was satisfied, and the feast was +dispensed with. + +The next morning had been set for the jousting, and all that day +the workmen were busy erecting the lists in the great quadrangle +upon which, as was said before, looked the main buildings of the +castle. The windows of Myles's apartment opened directly upon the +bustling scene--the carpenters hammering and sawing, the +upholsterers snipping, cutting, and tacking. Myles and Gascoyne +stood gazing out from the open casement, with their arms lying +across one another's shoulders in the old boyhood fashion, and +Myles felt his heart shrink with a sudden tight pang as the +realization came sharply and vividly upon him that all these +preparations were being made for him, and that the next day he +should, with almost the certainty of death, meet either glory or +failure under the eyes not only of all the greater and lesser +castle folk, but of the King himself and noble strangers +critically used to deeds of chivalry and prowess. Perhaps he had +never fully realized the magnitude of the reality before. In that +tight pang at his heart he drew a deep breath, almost a sigh. +Gascoyne turned his head abruptly, and looked at his friend, but +he did not ask the cause of the sigh. No doubt the same thoughts +that were in Myles's mind were in his also. + + +It was towards the latter part of the afternoon that a message +came from the Earl, bidding Myles attend him in his private +closet. After Myles had bowed and kissed his lordship's hand, the +Earl motioned him to take a seat, telling him that he had some +final words to say that might occupy a considerable time. He +talked to the young man for about half an hour in his quiet, +measured voice, only now and then showing a little agitation by +rising and walking up and down the room for a turn or two. Very +many things were disclosed in that talk that had caused Myles +long hours of brooding thought, for the Earl spoke freely, and +without concealment to him concerning his father and the fortunes +of the house of Falworth. + +Myles had surmised many things, but it was not until then that he +knew for a certainty who was his father's malignant and powerful +enemy--that it was the great Earl of Alban, the rival and bitter +enemy of the Earl of Mackworth. It was not until then that he +knew that the present Earl of Alban was the Lord Brookhurst, who +had killed Sir John Dale in the anteroom at Falworth Castle that +morning so long ago in his early childhood. It was not until then +that he knew all the circumstances of his father's blindness; +that he had been overthrown in the melee at the great tournament +at York, and that that same Lord Brookhurst had ridden his +iron-shod war-horse twice over his enemy's prostrate body before +his squire could draw him from the press, and had then and there +given him the wound from which he afterwards went blind. The Earl +swore to Myles that Lord Brookhurst had done what he did +wilfully, and had afterwards boasted of it. Then, with some +hesitation, he told Myles the reason of Lord Brookhurst's enmity, +and that it had arisen on account of Lady Falworth, whom he had +one time sought in marriage, and that he had sworn vengeance +against the man who had won her. + +Piece by piece the Earl of Mackworth recounted every circumstance +and detail of the revenge that the blind man's enemy had +afterwards wreaked upon him. He told Myles how, when his father +was attainted of high-treason, and his estates forfeited to the +crown, the King had granted the barony of Easterbridge to the +then newly- created Earl of Alban in spite of all the efforts of +Lord Falworth's friends to the contrary; that when he himself had +come out from an audience with the King, with others of his +father's friends, the Earl of Alban had boasted in the anteroom, +in a loud voice, evidently intended for them all to hear, that +now that he had Falworth's fat lands, he would never rest till he +had hunted the blind man out from his hiding, and brought his +head to the block. + +"Ever since then," said the Earl of Mackworth "he hath been +striving by every means to discover thy father's place of +concealment. Some time, haply, he may find it, and then--" + +Myles had felt for a long time that he was being moulded and +shaped, and that the Earl of Mackworth's was the hand that was +making him what he was growing to be; but he had never realized +how great were the things expected of him should he pass the +first great test, and show himself what his friends hoped to see +him. Now he knew that all were looking upon him to act, sometime, +as his father's champion, and when that time should come, to +challenge the Earl of Alban to the ordeal of single combat, to +purge his father's name of treason, to restore him to his rank, +and to set the house of Falworth where it stood before misfortune +fell upon it. + +But it was not alone concerning his and his father's affairs that +the Earl of Mackworth talked to Myles. He told him that the Earl +of Alban was the Earl of Mackworth's enemy also; that in his +younger days he had helped Lord Falworth, who was his kinsman, to +win his wife, and that then, Lord Brookhurst had sworn to compass +his ruin as he had sworn to compass the ruin of his friend. He +told Myles how, now that Lord Brookhurst was grown to be Earl of +Alban, and great and powerful, he was forever plotting against +him, and showed Myles how, if Lord Falworth were discovered and +arrested for treason, he also would be likely to suffer for +aiding and abetting him. Then it dawned upon Myles that the Earl +looked to him to champion the house of Beaumont as well as that +of Falworth. + +"Mayhap," said the Earl, "thou didst think that it was all for +the pleasant sport of the matter that I have taken upon me this +toil and endeavor to have thee knighted with honor that thou +mightst fight the Dauphiny knight. Nay, nay, Myles Falworth, I +have not labored so hard for such a small matter as that. I have +had the King, unknown to himself, so knight thee that thou mayst +be the peer of Alban himself, and now I would have thee to hold +thine own with the Sieur de la Montaigne, to try whether thou +be'st Alban's match, and to approve thyself worthy of the honor +of thy knighthood. I am sorry, ne'theless," he added, after a +moment's pause, "that this could not have been put off for a +while longer, for my plans for bringing thee to battle with that +vile Alban are not yet ripe. But such a chance of the King coming +hither haps not often. And then I am glad of this much--that a +good occasion offers to get thee presently away from England. I +would have thee out of the King's sight so soon as may be after +this jousting. He taketh a liking to thee, and I fear me lest he +should inquire more nearly concerning thee and so all be +discovered and spoiled. My brother George goeth upon the first of +next month to France to take service with the Dauphin, having +under his command a company of tenscore men--knights and archers; +thou shalt go with him, and there stay till I send for thee to +return." + +With this, the protracted interview concluded, the Earl charging +Myles to say nothing further about the French expedition for the +present--even to his friend--for it was as yet a matter of +secrecy, known only to the King and a few nobles closely +concerned in the venture. + +Then Myles arose to take his leave. He asked and obtained +permission for Gascoyne to accompany him to France. Then he +paused for a moment or two, for it was strongly upon him to speak +of a matter that had been lying in his mind all day--a matter +that he had dreamed of much with open eyes during the long vigil +of the night before. + +The Earl looked up inquiringly. "What is it thou wouldst ask?" +said he. + +Myles's heart was beating quickly within him at the thought of +his own boldness, and as he spoke his cheeks burned like fire. +"Sir," said he, mustering his courage at last, "haply thou hast +forgot it, but I have not; ne'theless, a long time since when I +spoke of serving the--the Lady Alice as her true knight, thou +didst wisely laugh at my words, and bade me wait first till I had +earned my spurs. But now, sir, I have gotten my spurs, and--and +do now crave thy gracious leave that I may serve that lady as her +true knight." + +A space of dead silence fell, in which Myles's heart beat +tumultuously within him. + +"I know not what thou meanest," said the Earl at last, in a +somewhat constrained voice. "How wouldst thou serve her? What +wouldst thou have?" + +"I would have only a little matter just now," answered Myles. "I +would but crave of her a favor for to wear in the morrow's +battle, so that she may know that I hold her for my own true +lady, and that I may have the courage to fight more boldly, +having that favor to defend." + +The Earl sat looking at him for a while in brooding silence, +stroking his beard the while. Suddenly his brow cleared. "So be +it," said he. "I grant thee my leave to ask the Lady Alice for a +favor, and if she is pleased to give it to thee, I shall not say +thee nay. But I set this upon thee as a provision: that thou +shalt not see her without the Lady Anne be present. Thus it was, +as I remember, thou saw her first, and with it thou must now be +satisfied. Go thou to the Long Gallery, and thither they will +come anon if naught hinder them." + +Myles waited in the Long Gallery perhaps some fifteen or twenty +minutes. No one was there but himself. It was a part of the +castle connecting the Earl's and the Countess's apartments, and +was used but little. During that time he stood looking absently +out of the open casement into the stony court-yard beyond, trying +to put into words that which he had to say; wondering, with +anxiety, how soon the young ladies would come; wondering whether +they would come at all. At last the door at the farther end of +the gallery opened, and turning sharply at the sound, he saw the +two young ladies enter, Lady Alice leaning upon Lady Anne's arm. +It was the first time that he had seen them since the ceremony of +the morning, and as he advanced to meet them, the Lady Anne came +frankly forward, and gave him her hand, which Myles raised to his +lips. + +"I give thee joy of thy knighthood, Sir Myles," said she, "and do +believe, in good sooth, that if any one deserveth such an honor, +thou art he." + +At first little Lady Alice hung back behind her cousin, saying +nothing until the Lady Anne, turning suddenly, said: "Come, coz, +has thou naught to say to our new-made knight? Canst thou not +also wish him joy of his knighthood?" + +Lady Alice hesitated a minute, then gave Myles a timid hand, +which he, with a strange mixture of joy and confusion, took as +timidly as it was offered. He raised the hand, and set it lightly +and for an instant to his lips, as he had done with the Lady +Anne's hand, but with very different emotions. + +"I give you joy of your knighthood, sir," said Lady Alice, in a +voice so low that Myles could hardly hear it. + +Both flushed red, and as he raised his head again, Myles saw that +the Lady Anne had withdrawn to one side. Then he knew that it was +to give him the opportunity to proffer his request. + +A little space of silence followed, the while he strove to key +his courage to the saying of that which lay at his mind. "Lady," +said he at last, and then again--"Lady, I--have a favor for to +ask thee." + +"What is it thou wouldst have, Sir Myles?" she murmured, in +reply. + +"Lady," said he, "ever sin I first saw thee I have thought that +if I might choose of all the world, thou only wouldst I choose +for--for my true lady, to serve as a right knight should." Here +he stopped, frightened at his own boldness. Lady Alice stood +quite still, with her face turned away. "Thou--thou art not +angered at what I say?" he said. + +She shook her head. + +"I have longed and longed for the time," said he, to ask a boon +of thee, and now hath that time come. Lady, to-morrow I go to +meet a right good knight, and one skilled in arms and in +jousting, as thou dost know. Yea, he is famous in arms, and I be +nobody. Ne'theless, I fight for the honor of England and +Mackworth--and--and for thy sake. I-- Thou art not angered at +what I say?" + +Again the Lady Alice shook her head. + +"I would that thou--I would that thou would give me some favor +for to wear--thy veil or thy necklace." + +He waited anxiously for a little while, but Lady Alice did not +answer immediately. + +"I fear me," said Myles, presently, "that I have in sooth +offended thee in asking this thing. I know that it is a parlous +bold matter for one so raw in chivalry and in courtliness as I +am, and one so poor in rank, to ask thee for thy favor. An I ha' +offended, I prithee let it be as though I had not asked it." + +Perhaps it was the young man's timidity that brought a sudden +courage to Lady Alice; perhaps it was the graciousness of her +gentle breeding that urged her to relieve Myles's somewhat +awkward humility, perhaps it was something more than either that +lent her bravery to speak, even knowing that the Lady Anne heard +all. She turned quickly to him: "Nay, Sir Myles," she said, "I am +foolish, and do wrong thee by my foolishness and silence, for, +truly, I am proud to have thee wear my favor." She unclasped, as +she spoke, the thin gold chain from about her neck. "I give thee +this chain," said she, "and it will bring me joy to have it +honored by thy true knightliness, and, giving it, I do wish thee +all success." Then she bowed her head, and, turning, left him +holding the necklace in his hand. + +Her cousin left the window to meet her, bowing her head with a +smile to Myles as she took her cousin's arm again and led her +away. He stood looking after them as they left the room, and when +they were gone, he raised the necklace to his lips with a heart +beating tumultuously with a triumphant joy it had never felt +before. + + + +CHAPTER 26 + +And now, at last, had come the day of days for Myles Falworth; +the day when he was to put to the test all that he had acquired +in the three years of his training, the day that was to disclose +what promise of future greatness there was in his strong young +body. And it was a noble day; one of those of late September, +when the air seems sweeter and fresher than at other times; the +sun bright and as yellow as gold, the wind lusty and strong, +before which the great white clouds go sailing majestically +across the bright blueness of the sky above, while their dusky +shadows skim across the brown face of the rusty earth beneath. + +As was said before, the lists had been set up in the great +quadrangle of the castle, than which, level and smooth as a +floor, no more fitting place could be chosen. The course was of +the usual size --sixty paces long--and separated along its whole +length by a barrier about five feet high. Upon the west side of +the course and about twenty paces distant from it, a scaffolding +had been built facing towards the east so as to avoid the glare +of the afternoon sun. In the centre was a raised dais, hung round +with cloth of blue embroidered with lions rampant. Upon the dais +stood a cushioned throne for the King, and upon the steps below, +ranged in the order of their dignity, were seats for the Earl, +his guests, the family, the ladies, knights, and gentlemen of the +castle. In front, the scaffolding was covered with the gayest +tapestries and brightest-colored hangings that the castle could +afford. And above, parti-colored pennants and streamers, +surmounted by the royal ensign of England, waved and fluttered in +the brisk wind. + +At either end of the lists stood the pavilions of the knights. +That of Myles was at the southern extremity and was hung, by the +Earl's desire, with cloth of the Beaumont colors (black and +yellow), while a wooden shield bearing three goshawks spread (the +crest of the house) was nailed to the roof, and a long streamer +of black and yellow trailed out in the wind from the staff above. +Myles, partly armed, stood at the door-way of the pavilion, +watching the folk gathering at the scaffolding. The ladies of the +house were already seated, and the ushers were bustling hither +and thither, assigning the others their places. A considerable +crowd of common folk and burghers from the town had already +gathered at the barriers opposite, and as he looked at the +restless and growing multitude he felt his heart beat quickly and +his flesh grow cold with a nervous trepidation --just such as the +lad of to-day feels when he sees the auditorium filling with +friends and strangers who are to listen by-and-by to the reading +of his prize poem. + +Suddenly there came a loud blast of trumpets. A great gate at the +farther extremity of the lists was thrown open, and the King +appeared, riding upon a white horse, preceded by the King-at-arms +and the heralds, attended by the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise, +and followed by a crowd of attendants. Just then Gascoyne, who, +with Wilkes, was busied lacing some of the armor plates with new +thongs, called Myles, and he turned and entered the pavilion. + +As the two squires were adjusting these last pieces, strapping +them in place and tying the thongs, Lord George and Sir James Lee +entered the pavilion. Lord George took the young man by the hand, +and with a pleasant smile wished him success in the coming +encounter. + +Sir James seemed anxious and disturbed. He said nothing, and +after Gascoyne had placed the open bascinet that supports the +tilting helm in its place, he came forward and examined the armor +piece by piece, carefully and critically, testing the various +straps and leather points and thongs to make sure of their +strength. + +"Sir," said Gascoyne, who stood by watching him anxiously, "I do +trust that I have done all meetly and well." + +"I see nothing amiss, sirrah," said the old knight, half +grudgingly. "So far as I may know, he is ready to mount." + +Just then a messenger entered, saying that the King was seated, +and Lord George bade Myles make haste to meet the challenger. + +"Francis," said Myles, "prithee give me my pouch yonder." + +Gascoyne handed him the velvet bag, and he opened it, and took +out the necklace that the Lady Alice had given him the day +before. + +"Tie me this around my arm," said he. He looked down, keeping his +eyes studiously fixed on Gascoyne's fingers, as they twined the +thin golden chain around the iron plates of his right arm, +knowing that Lord George's eyes were upon him, and blushing fiery +red at the knowledge. + +Sir James was at that moment examining the great tilting helm, +and Lord George watched him, smiling amusedly. "And hast thou +then already chosen thee a lady?" he said, presently. + +"Aye, my Lord," answered Myles, simply. + +"Marry, I trust we be so honored that she is one of our castle +folk," said the Earl's brother. + +For a moment Myles did not reply; then he looked up. "My Lord," +said he, "the favor was given to me by the Lady Alice." + +Lord George looked grave for the moment; then he laughed. "Marry, +thou art a bold archer to shoot for such high game." + +Myles did not answer, and at that moment two grooms led his horse +up to the door of the pavilion. Gascoyne and Wilkes helped him to +his saddle, and then, Gascoyne holding his horse by the +bridle-rein, he rode slowly across the lists to the little open +space in front of the scaffolding and the King's seat just as the +Sieur de la Montaigne approached from the opposite direction. + +As soon as the two knights champion had reached each his +appointed station in front of the scaffolding, the Marshal bade +the speaker read the challenge, which, unrolling the parchment, +he began to do in a loud, clear voice, so that all might hear. It +was a quaint document, wrapped up in the tangled heraldic +verbiage of the time. + +The pith of the matter was that the Sieur Brian Philip Francis de +la Montaigne proclaimed before all men the greater chivalry and +skill at arms of the knights of France and of Dauphiny, and +likewise the greater fairness of the ladies of France and +Dauphiny, and would there defend those sayings with his body +without fear or attaint as to the truth of the same. As soon as +the speaker had ended, the Marshal bade him call the defendant of +the other side. + +Then Myles spoke his part, with a voice trembling somewhat with +the excitement of the moment, but loudly and clearly enough: "I, +Myles Edward Falworth, knight, so created by the hand and by the +grace of his Majesty King Henry IV of England, do take upon me +the gage of this battle, and will defend with my body the +chivalry of the knights of England and the fairness of the ladies +thereof!" + +Then, after the speaker ended his proclamation and had retired to +his place, the ceremony of claiming and redeeming the helmet, to +which all young knights were subjected upon first entering the +lists, was performed. + +One of the heralds cried in a loud voice, "I, Gilles Hamerton, +herald to the most noble Clarencieux King-at-arms, do claim the +helm of Sir Myles Edward Falworth by this reason, that he hath +never yet entered joust or tourney." + +To which Myles answered, "I do acknowledge the right of that +claim, and herewith proffer thee in ransom for the same this +purse of one hundred marks in gold." + +As he spoke, Gascoyne stepped forward and delivered the purse, +with the money, to the Herald. It was a more than usually +considerable ransom, and had been made up by the Earl and Lord +George that morning. + +"Right nobly hast thou redeemed thy helm," said the Herald, "and +hereafter be thou free to enter any jousting whatsoever, and in +whatever place." + +So, all being ended, both knights bowed to the King, and then, +escorted each by his squire, returned to his pavilion, saluted by +the spectators with a loud clapping of hands. + +Sir James Lee met Myles in front of his tent. Coming up to the +side of the horse, the old man laid his hand upon the saddle, +looking up into the young man's face. + +"Thou wilt not fail in this venture and bring shame upon me?" +said he. + +"Nay, my dear master," said Myles; "I will do my best." + +"I doubt it not," said the old man; "and I believe me thou wilt +come off right well. From what he did say this morning, methinks +the Sieur de la Montaigne meaneth only to break three lances with +thee, and will content himself therewith, without seeking to +unhorse thee. Ne'theless, be thou bold and watchful, and if thou +find that he endeavor to cast thee, do thy best to unhorse him. +Remember also those things which I have told thee ten thousand +times before: hold thy toes well down and grip the stirrup hard, +more especially at the moment of meeting; bend thy body forward, +and keep thine elbow close to thy side. Bear thy lance point one +foot above thine adversary's helm until within two lengths of +meeting, and strike thou in the very middle of his shield. So, +Myles, thou mayst hold thine own, and come off with glory." + +As he ended speaking he drew back, and Gascoyne, mounting upon a +stool, covered his friend's head and bascinet with the great +jousting helm, making fast the leathern points that held it to +the iron collar. + +As he was tying the last thong a messenger came from the Herald, +saying that the challenger was ready, and then Myles knew the +time had come, and reaching down and giving Sir James a grip of +the hand, he drew on his gauntlet, took the jousting lance that +Wilkes handed him, and turned his horse's head towards his end of +the lists. + + + +CHAPTER 27 + +As Myles took his place at the south end of the lists, he found +the Sieur de la Montaigne already at his station. Through the +peep-hole in the face of the huge helmet, a transverse slit known +as the occularium, he could see, like a strange narrow picture, +the farther end of the lists, the spectators upon either side +moving and shifting with ceaseless restlessness, and in the +centre of all, his opponent, sitting with spear point directed +upward, erect, motionless as a statue of iron, the sunlight +gleaming and flashing upon his polished plates of steel, and the +trappings of his horse swaying and fluttering in the rushing of +the fresh breeze. + +Upon that motionless figure his sight gradually centred with +every faculty of mind and soul. He knew the next moment the +signal would be given that was to bring him either glory or shame +from that iron statue. He ground his teeth together with stern +resolve to do his best in the coming encounter, and murmured a +brief prayer in the hallow darkness of his huge helm. Then with a +shake he settled himself more firmly in his saddle, slowly raised +his spear point until the shaft reached the exact angle, and +there suffered it to rest motionless. There was a moment of dead, +tense, breathless pause, then he rather felt than saw the Marshal +raise his baton. He gathered himself together, and the next +moment a bugle sounded loud and clear. In one blinding rush he +drove his spurs into the sides of his horse, and in instant +answer felt the noble steed spring forward with a bound. + +Through all the clashing of his armor reverberating in the hollow +depths of his helmet, he saw the mail-clad figure from the other +end of the lists rushing towards him, looming larger and larger +as they came together. He gripped his saddle with his knees, +clutched the stirrup with the soles of his feet, and bent his +body still more forward. In the instant of meeting, with almost +the blindness of instinct, he dropped the point of his spear +against the single red flower-de-luce in the middle of the +on-coming shield. There was a thunderous crash that seemed to +rack every joint, he heard the crackle of splintered wood, he +felt the momentary trembling recoil of the horse beneath him, and +in the next instant had passed by. As he checked the onward rush +of his horse at the far end of the course, he heard faintly in +the dim hollow recess of the helm the loud shout and the clapping +of hands of those who looked on, and found himself gripping with +nervous intensity the butt of a broken spear, his mouth clammy +with excitement, and his heart thumping in his throat. + +Then he realized that he had met his opponent, and had borne the +meeting well. As he turned his horse's head towards his own end +of the lists, he saw the other trotting slowly back towards his +station, also holding a broken spear shaft in his hand. + +As he passed the iron figure a voice issued from the helmet, +"Well done, Sir Myles, nobly done!" and his heart bounded in +answer to the words of praise. When he had reached his own end of +the lists, he flung away his broken spear, and Gascoyne came +forward with another. + +"Oh, Myles!" he said, with sob in his voice, "it was nobly done. +Never did I see a better ridden course in all my life. I did not +believe that thou couldst do half so well. Oh, Myles, prithee +knock him out of his saddle an thou lovest me!" + +Myles, in his high-keyed nervousness, could not forbear a short +hysterical laugh at his friend's warmth of enthusiasm. He took +the fresh lance in his hand, and then, seeing that his opponent +was walking his horse slowly up and down at his end of the lists, +did the same during the little time of rest before the next +encounter. + +When, in answer to the command of the Marshal, he took his place +a second time, he found himself calmer and more collected than +before, but every faculty no less intensely fixed than it had +been at first. Once more the Marshal raised his baton, once more +the horn sounded, and once more the two rushed together with the +same thunderous crash, the same splinter of broken spears, the +same momentary trembling recoil of the horse, and the same onward +rush past one another. Once more the spectators applauded and +shouted as the two knights turned their horses and rode back +towards their station. + +This time as they met midway the Sieur de la Montaigne reined in +his horse. "Sir Myles," said his muffled voice, "I swear to thee, +by my faith, I had not thought to meet in thee such an opponent +as thou dost prove thyself to be. I had thought to find in thee a +raw boy, but find instead a Paladin. Hitherto I have given thee +grace as I would give grace to any mere lad, and thought of +nothing but to give thee opportunity to break thy lance. Now I +shall do my endeavor to unhorse thee as I would an acknowledged +peer in arms. Nevertheless, on account of thy youth, I give thee +this warning, so that thou mayst hold thyself in readiness." + +"I give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, my Lord," answered Myles, +speaking in French; "and I will strive to encounter thee as best +I may, and pardon me if I seem forward in so saying, but were I +in thy place, my Lord, I would change me yon breast-piece and +over-girth of my saddle; they are sprung in the stitches." + +"Nay," said the Sieur de la Montaigne, laughing, "breast-piece +and over-girth have carried me through more tilts than one, and +shall through this. An thou give me a blow so true as to burst +breast-piece and over-girth, I will own myself fairly conquered +by thee." So saying, he saluted Myles with the butt of the spear +he still held, and passed by to his end of the lists. + +Myles, with Gascoyne running beside him, rode across to his +pavilion, and called to Edmund Wilkes to bring him a cup of +spiced wine. After Gascoyne had taken off his helmet, and as he +sat wiping the perspiration from his face Sir James came up and +took him by the hand. + +"My dear boy," said he, gripping the hand he held, "never could I +hope to be so overjoyed in mine old age as I am this day. Thou +dost bring honor to me, for I tell thee truly thou dost ride like +a knight seasoned in twenty tourneys." + +"It doth give me tenfold courage to hear thee so say, dear +master," answered Myles. "And truly," he added, "I shall need all +my courage this bout, for the Sieur de la Montaigne telleth me +that he will ride to unhorse me this time." + +"Did he indeed so say?" said Sir James. "Then belike he meaneth +to strike at thy helm. Thy best chance is to strike also at his. +Doth thy hand tremble?" + +"Not now," answered Myles. + +"Then keep thy head cool and thine eye true. Set thy trust in +God, and haply thou wilt come out of this bout honorably in spite +of the rawness of thy youth." + +Just then Edmund Wilkes presented the cup of wine to Myles, who +drank it off at a draught, and thereupon Gascoyne replaced the +helm and tied the thongs. + +The charge that Sir James Lee had given to Myles to strike at his +adversary's helm was a piece of advice he probably would not have +given to so young a knight, excepting as a last resort. A blow +perfectly delivered upon the helm was of all others the most +difficult for the recipient to recover from, but then a blow upon +the helm was not one time in fifty perfectly given. The huge +cylindrical tilting helm was so constructed in front as to slope +at an angle in all directions to one point. That point was the +centre of a cross formed by two iron bands welded to the +steel-face plates of the helm where it was weakened by the +opening slit of the occularium, or peephole. In the very centre +of this cross was a little flattened surface where the bands were +riveted together, and it was upon that minute point that the blow +must be given to be perfect, and that stroke Myles determined to +attempt. + +As he took his station Edmund Wilkes came running across from the +pavilion with a lance that Sir James had chosen, and Myles, +returning the one that Gascoyne had just given him, took it in +his hand. It was of seasoned oak, somewhat thicker than the +other, a tough weapon, not easily to be broken even in such an +encounter as he was like to have. He balanced the weapon, and +found that it fitted perfectly to his grasp. As he raised the +point to rest, his opponent took his station at the farther +extremity of the lists, and again there was a little space of +breathless pause. Myles was surprised at his own coolness; every +nervous tremor was gone. Before, he had been conscious of the +critical multitude looking down upon him; now it was a conflict +of man to man, and such a conflict had no terrors for his young +heart of iron. + +The spectators had somehow come to the knowledge that this was to +be a more serious encounter than the two which had preceded it, +and a breathless silence fell for the moment or two that the +knights stood in place. + +Once more he breathed a short prayer, "Holy Mary, guard me!" + +Then again, for the third time, the Marshal raised his baton, and +the horn sounded, and for the third time Myles drove his spurs +into his horse's flanks. Again he saw the iron figure of his +opponent rushing nearer, nearer, nearer. He centred, with a +straining intensity, every faculty of soul, mind, and body upon +one point--the cross of the occularium, the mark he was to +strike. He braced himself for the tremendous shock which he knew +must meet him, and then in a flash dropped lance point straight +and true. The next instant there was a deafening stunning +crash--a crash like the stroke of a thunder-bolt. There was a +dazzling blaze of blinding light, and a myriad sparks danced and +flickered and sparkled before his eyes. He felt his horse stagger +under him with the recoil, and hardly knowing what he did, he +drove his spurs deep into its sides with a shout. At the same +moment there resounded in his ears a crashing rattle and clatter, +he knew not of what, and then, as his horse recovered and sprang +forward, and as the stunning bewilderment passed, he found that +his helmet had been struck off. He heard a great shout arise from +all, and thought, with a sickening, bitter disappointment, that +it was because he had lost. At the farther end of the course he +turned his horse, and then his heart gave a leap and a bound as +though it would burst, the blood leaped to his cheeks tingling, +and his bosom thrilled with an almost agonizing pang of triumph, +of wonder, of amazement. + +There, in a tangle of his horse's harness and of embroidered +trappings, the Sieur de la Montaigne lay stretched upon the +ground, with his saddle near by, and his riderless horse was +trotting aimlessly about at the farther end of the lists. + +Myles saw the two squires of the fallen knight run across to +where their master lay, he saw the ladies waving their kerchiefs +and veils, and the castle people swinging their hats and shouting +in an ecstasy of delight. Then he rode slowly back to where the +squires were now aiding the fallen knight to arise. The senior +squire drew his dagger, cut the leather points, and drew off the +helm, disclosing the knight's face--a face white as death, and +convulsed with rage, mortification, and bitter humiliation. + +"I was not rightly unhorsed!" he cried, hoarsely and with livid +lips, to the Marshal and his attendants, who had ridden up. "I +unhelmed him fairly enough, but my over-girth and breast-strap +burst, and my saddle slipped. I was not unhorsed, I say, and I +lay claim that I unhelmed him." + +"Sir," said the Marshal calmly, and speaking in French, "surely +thou knowest that the loss of helmet does not decide an +encounter. I need not remind thee, my Lord, that it was so +awarded by John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, when in the jousting +match between Reynand de Roye and John de Holland, the Sieur +Reynand left every point of his helm loosened, so that the helm +was beaten off at each stroke. If he then was justified in doing +so of his own choice, and wilfully suffering to be unhelmed, how +then can this knight be accused of evil who suffered it by +chance?" + +"Nevertheless," said the Sieur de la Montaigne, in the same +hoarse, breathless voice, "I do affirm, and will make my +affirmation good with my body, that I fell only by the breaking +of my girth. Who says otherwise lies!" + +"It is the truth he speaketh," said Myles. "I myself saw the +stitches were some little what burst, and warned him thereof +before we ran this course. + +"Sir," said the Marshal to the Sieur de la Montaigne, "how can +you now complain of that thing which your own enemy advised you +of and warned you against? Was it not right knightly for him so +to do?" + +The Sieur de la Montaigne stood quite still for a little while, +leaning on the shoulder of his chief squire, looking moodily upon +the ground; then, without making answer, he turned, and walked +slowly away to his pavilion, still leaning on his squire's +shoulder, whilst the other attendant followed behind, bearing his +shield and helmet. + +Gascoyne had picked up Myles's fallen helmet as the Sieur de la +Montaigne moved away, and Lord George and Sir James Lee came +walking across the lists to where Myles still sat. Then, the one +taking his horse by the bridle-rein, and the other walking beside +the saddle, they led him before the raised dais where the King +sat. + +Even the Comte de Vermoise, mortified and amazed as he must have +been at the overthrow of his best knight, joined in the praise +and congratulation that poured upon the young conqueror. Myles, +his heart swelling with a passion of triumphant delight, looked +up and met the gaze of Lady Alice fixed intently upon him. A red +spot of excitement still burned in either cheek, and it flamed to +a rosier red as he bowed his head to her before turning away. + +Gascoyne had just removed Myles's breastplate and gorget, when +Sir James Lee burst into the pavilion. All his grim coldness was +gone, and he flung his arms around the young man's neck, hugging +him heartily, and kissing him upon either cheek. + +Ere he let him go, "Mine own dear boy," he said, holding him off +at arm's-length, and winking his one keen eye rapidly, as though +to wink away a dampness of which he was ashamed--"mine own dear +boy, I do tell thee truly this is as sweet to me as though thou +wert mine own son; sweeter to me than when I first broke mine own +lance in triumph, and felt myself to be a right knight." + +"Sir," answered Myles, "what thou sayest doth rejoice my very +heart. Ne'theless, it is but just to say that both his +breast-piece and over-girth were burst in the stitches before he +ran his course, for so I saw with mine own eyes." + +"Burst in the stitches!" snorted Sir James. "Thinkest thou he did +not know in what condition was his horse's gearing? I tell thee +he went down because thou didst strike fair and true, and he did +not so strike thee. Had he been Guy of Warwick he had gone down +all the same under such a stroke and in such case." + + + +CHAPTER 28 + +It waS not until more than three weeks after the King had left +Devlen Castle that Lord George and his company of knights and +archers were ready for the expedition to France. Two weeks of +that time Myles spent at Crosbey-Dale with his father and mother. +It was the first time that he had seen them since, four years +ago, he had quitted the low, narrow, white-walled farmhouse for +the castle of the great Earl of Mackworth. He had never +appreciated before how low and narrow and poor the farm-house +was. Now, with his eyes trained to the bigness of Devlen Castle, +he looked around him with wonder and pity at his father's humble +surroundings. He realized as he never else could have realized +how great was the fall in fortune that had cast the house of +Falworth down from its rightful station to such a level as that +upon which it now rested. And at the same time that he thus +recognized how poor was their lot, how dependent upon the charity +of others, he also recognized how generous was the friendship of +Prior Edward, who perilled his own safety so greatly in affording +the family of the attainted Lord an asylum in its bitter hour of +need and peril. + +Myles paid many visits to the gentle old priest during those two +weeks' visit, and had many long and serious talks with him. One +warm bright afternoon, as he and the old man walked together in +the priory garden, after a game or two of draughts, the young +knight talked more freely and openly of his plans, his hopes, his +ambitions, than perhaps he had ever done. He told the old man all +that the Earl had disclosed to him concerning the fallen fortunes +of his father's house, and of how all who knew those +circumstances looked to him to set the family in its old place +once more. Prior Edward added many things to those which Myles +already knew--things of which the Earl either did not know, or +did not choose to speak. He told the young man, among other +matters, the reason of the bitter and lasting enmity that the +King felt for the blind nobleman: that Lord Falworth had been one +of King Richard's council in times past; that it was not a little +owing to him that King Henry, when Earl of Derby, had been +banished from England, and that though he was then living in the +retirement of private life, he bitterly and steadfastly opposed +King Richard's abdication. He told Myles that at the time when +Sir John Dale found shelter at Falworth Castle, vengeance was +ready to fall upon his father at any moment, and it needed only +such a pretext as that of sheltering so prominent a conspirator +as Sir John to complete his ruin. + +Myles, as he listened intently, could not but confess in his own +mind that the King had many rational, perhaps just, grounds for +grievance against such an ardent opponent as the blind Lord had +shown himself to be. "But, sir," said he, after a little space of +silence, when Prior Edward had ended, "to hold enmity and to +breed treason are very different matters. Haply my father was +Bolingbroke's enemy, but, sure, thou dost not believe he is +justly and rightfully tainted with treason?" + +"Nay," answered the priest, "how canst thou ask me such a thing? +Did I believe thy father a traitor, thinkest thou I would thus +tell his son thereof? Nay, Myles, I do know thy father well, and +have known him for many years, and this of him, that few men are +so honorable in heart and soul as he. But I have told thee all +these things to show that the King is not without some reason to +be thy father's unfriend. Neither, haply, is the Earl of Alban +without cause of enmity against him. So thou, upon thy part, +shouldst not feel bitter rancor against the King for what hath +happed to thy house, nor even against William Brookhurst--I mean +the Earl of Alban--for, I tell thee, the worst of our enemies and +the worst of men believe themselves always to have right and +justice upon their side, even when they most wish evil to +others." + +So spoke the gentle old priest, who looked from his peaceful +haven with dreamy eyes upon the sweat and tussle of the world's +battle. Had he instead been in the thick of the fight, it might +have been harder for him to believe that his enemies ever had +right upon their side. + +"But tell me this," said Myles, presently, "dost thou, then, +think that I do evil in seeking to do a battle of life or death +with this wicked Earl of Alban, who hath so ruined my father in +body and fortune?" + +"Nay," said Prior Edward, thoughtfully, "I say not that thou +doest evil. War and bloodshed seem hard and cruel matters to me; +but God hath given that they be in the world, and may He forbid +that such a poor worm as I should say that they be all wrong and +evil. Meseems even an evil thing is sometimes passing good when +rightfully used." + +Myles did not fully understand what the old man meant, but this +much he gathered, that his spiritual father did not think ill of +his fighting the Earl of Alban for his temporal father's sake. + +So Myles went to France in Lord George's company, a soldier of +fortune, as his Captain was. He was there for only six months, +but those six months wrought a great change in his life. In the +fierce factional battles that raged around the walls of Paris; in +the evil life which he saw at the Burgundian court in Paris +itself after the truce--a court brilliant and wicked, witty and +cruel--the wonderful liquor of youth had evaporated rapidly, and +his character had crystallized as rapidly into the hardness of +manhood. The warfare, the blood, the evil pleasures which he had +seen had been a fiery, crucible test to his soul, and I love my +hero that he should have come forth from it so well. He was no +longer the innocent Sir Galahad who had walked in pure white up +the Long Hall to be knighted by the King, but his soul was of +that grim, sterling, rugged sort that looked out calmly from his +gray eyes upon the wickedness and debauchery around him, and +loved it not. + +Then one day a courier came, bringing a packet. It was a letter +from the Earl, bidding Myles return straightway to England and to +Mackworth House upon the Strand, nigh to London, without delay, +and Myles knew that his time had come. + +It was a bright day in April when he and Gascoyne rode clattering +out through Temple Bar, leaving behind them quaint old London +town, its blank stone wall, its crooked, dirty streets, its high- +gabled wooden houses, over which rose the sharp spire of St. +Paul's, towering high into the golden air. Before them stretched +the straight, broad highway of the Strand, on one side the great +houses and palaces of princely priests and powerful nobles; on +the other the Covent Garden, (or the Convent Garden, as it was +then called), and the rolling country, where great stone +windmills swung their slow-moving arms in the damp, soft April +breeze, and away in the distance the Scottish Palace, the White +Hall, and Westminster. + +It was the first time that Myles had seen famous London town. In +that dim and distant time of his boyhood, six months before, he +would have been wild with delight and enthusiasm. Now he jogged +along with Gascoyne, gazing about him with calm interest at open +shops and booths and tall, gabled houses; at the busy throng of +merchants and craftsmen, jostling and elbowing one another; at +townsfolk--men and dames--picking their way along the muddy +kennel of a sidewalk. He had seen so much of the world that he +had lost somewhat of interest in new things. So he did not care +to tarry, but rode, with a mind heavy with graver matters, +through the streets and out through the Temple Bar direct for +Mackworth House, near the Savoy Palace. + +It was with a great deal of interest that Myles and his patron +regarded one another when they met for the first time after that +half-year which the young soldier had spent in France. To Myles +it seemed somehow very strange that his Lordship's familiar face +and figure should look so exactly the same. To Lord Mackworth, +perhaps, it seemed even more strange that six short months should +have wrought so great a change in the young man. The rugged +exposure in camp and field during the hard winter that had passed +had roughened the smooth bloom of his boyish complexion and +bronzed his fair skin almost as much as a midsummer's sun could +have done. His beard and mustache had grown again, (now heavier +and more mannish from having been shaved), and the white seam of +a scar over the right temple gave, if not a stern, at least a +determined look to the strong, square-jawed young face. So the +two stood for a while regarding one another. Myles was the first +to break the silence. + +"My Lord," said he, "thou didst send for me to come back to +England; behold, here am I." + +"When didst thou land, Sir Myles?" said the Earl. + +"I and my squire landed at Dover upon Tuesday last," answered the +young man. + +The Earl of Mackworth stroked his beard softly. "Thou art +marvellous changed," said he. "I would not have thought it +possible." + +Myles smiled somewhat grimly. "I have seen such things, my Lord, +in France and in Paris," said he, quietly, "as, mayhap, may make +a lad a man before his time." + +"From which I gather," said the Earl, "that many adventures have +befallen thee. Methought thou wouldst find troublesome times in +the Dauphin's camp, else I would not have sent thee to France." + +A little space of silence followed, during which the Earl sat +musingly, half absently, regarding the tall, erect, powerful +young figure standing before him, awaiting his pleasure in +motionless, patient, almost dogged silence. The strong, sinewy +hands were clasped and rested upon the long heavy sword, around +the scabbard of which the belt was loosely wrapped, and the +plates of mail caught and reflected in flashing, broken pieces, +the bright sunlight from the window behind. + +"Sir Myles," said the Earl, suddenly, breaking the silence at +last, "dost thou know why I sent for thee hither?" + +"Aye," said Myles, calmly, "how can I else? Thou wouldst not have +called me from Paris but for one thing. Methinks thou hast sent +for me to fight the Earl of Alban, and lo! I am here." + +"Thou speakest very boldly," said the Earl. "I do hope that thy +deeds be as bold as thy words." + +"That," said Myles, "thou must ask other men. Methinks no one may +justly call me coward." + +"By my troth!" said the Earl, smiling, "looking upon thee--limbs +and girth, bone and sinew--I would not like to be the he that +would dare accuse thee of such a thing. As for thy surmise, I may +tell thee plain that thou art right, and that it was to fight the +Earl of Alban I sent for thee hither. The time is now nearly +ripe, and I will straightway send for thy father to come to +London. Meantime it would not be safe either for thee or for me +to keep thee in my service. I have spoken to his Highness the +Prince of Wales, who, with other of the Princes, is upon our side +in this quarrel. He hath promised to take thee into his service +until the fitting time comes to bring thee and thine enemy +together, and to-morrow I shall take thee to Scotland Yard, where +his Highness is now lodging." + +As the Earl ended his speech, Myles bowed, but did not speak. The +Earl waited for a little while, as though to give him the +opportunity to answer. + +"Well, sirrah," said he at last, with a shade of impatience, +"hast thou naught to say? Meseems thou takest all this with +marvellous coolness." + +"Have I then my Lord's permission to speak my mind?" + +"Aye," said the Earl, "say thy say." + +"Sir," said Myles, "I have thought and pondered this matter much +while abroad, and would now ask thee a plain question in all +honest an I ha' thy leave. " + +The Earl nodded his head. + +"Sir, am I not right in believing that thou hast certain weighty +purposes and aims of thine own to gain an I win this battle +against the Earl of Alban?" + +"Has my brother George been telling thee aught to such a +purpose?" said the Earl, after a moment or two of silence. + +Myles did not answer. + +"No matter," added Lord Mackworth. "I will not ask thee who told +thee such a thing. As for thy question--well, sin thou ask it +frankly, I will be frank with thee. Yea, I have certain ends to +gain in having the Earl of Alban overthrown." + +Myles bowed. "Sir," said he, "haply thine ends are as much beyond +aught that I can comprehend as though I were a little child; only +this I know, that they must be very great. Thou knowest well that +in any case I would fight me this battle for my father's sake and +for the honor of my house; nevertheless, in return for all that +it will so greatly advantage thee, wilt thou not grant me a boon +in return should I overcome mine enemy?" + +"What is thy boon, Sir Myles?" + +"That thou wilt grant me thy favor to seek the Lady Alice de +Mowbray for my wife." + +The Earl of Mackworth started up from his seat. "Sir Myles +Falworth"--he began, violently, and then stopped short, drawing +his bushy eyebrows together into a frown stern, if not sinister. + +Myles withstood his look calmly and impassively, and presently +the Earl turned on his heel, and strode to the open window. A +long time passed in silence while he stood there, gazing out of +the window into the garden beyond with his back to the young man. + +Suddenly he swung around again. "Sir Myles," said he, "the family +of Falworth is as good as any in Derbyshire. Just now it is poor +and fallen in estate, but if it is again placed in credit and +honor, thou, who art the son of the house, shalt have thy suit +weighed with as much respect and consideration as though thou +wert my peer in all things, Such is my answer. Art thou +satisfied?" + +"I could ask no more," answered Myles. + + + +CHAPTER 29 + +That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House. The next morning, as +soon as he had broken his fast, which he did in the privacy of +his own apartments, the Earl bade him and Gascoyne to make ready +for the barge, which was then waiting at the river stairs to take +them to Scotland Yard. + +The Earl himself accompanied them, and as the heavy snub-nosed +boat, rowed by the six oarsmen in Mackworth livery, slid slowly +and heavily up against the stream, the Earl, leaning back in his +cushioned seat, pointed out the various inns of the great priests +or nobles; palatial town residences standing mostly a little +distance back from the water behind terraced high-walled gardens +and lawns. Yon was the Bishop of Exeter's Close; yon was the +Bishop of Bath's; that was York House; and that Chester Inn. So +passing by gardens and lawns and palaces, they came at last to +Scotland Yard stairs, a broad flight of marble steps that led +upward to a stone platform above, upon which opened the gate-way +of the garden beyond. + +The Scotland Yard of Myles Falworth's day was one of the more +pretentious and commodious of the palaces of the Strand. It took +its name from having been from ancient times the London inn which +the tributary Kings of Scotland occupied when on their periodical +visits of homage to England. Now, during this time of Scotland's +independence, the Prince of Wales had taken up his lodging in the +old palace, and made it noisy with the mad, boisterous mirth of +his court. + +As the watermen drew the barge close to the landing-place of the +stairs, the Earl stepped ashore, and followed by Myles and +Gascoyne, ascended to the broad gate-way of the river wall of the +garden. Three men-at-arms who lounged upon a bench under the +shade of the little pent roof of a guard-house beside the wall, +arose and saluted as the well-known figure of the Earl mounted +the steps. The Earl nodded a cool answer, and passing +unchallenged through the gate, led the way up a pleached walk, +beyond which, as Myles could see, there stretched a little grassy +lawn and a stone-paved terrace. As the Earl and the two young men +approached the end of the walk, they were met by the sound of +voices and laughter, the clinking of glasses and the rattle of +dishes. Turning a corner, they came suddenly upon a party of +young gentlemen, who sat at a late breakfast under the shade of a +wide-spreading lime-tree. They had evidently just left the +tilt-yard, for two of the guests--sturdy, thick-set young +knights--yet wore a part of their tilting armor. + +Behind the merry scene stood the gray, hoary old palace, a steep +flight of stone steps, and a long, open, stone-arched gallery, +which evidently led to the kitchen beyond, for along it hurried +serving- men, running up and down the tall flight of steps, and +bearing trays and dishes and cups and flagons. It was a merry +sight and a pleasant one. The day was warm and balmy, and the +yellow sunlight fell in waving uncertain patches of light, +dappling the table-cloth, and twinkling and sparkling upon the +dishes, cups, and flagons. + +At the head of the table sat a young man some three or four years +older than Myles, dressed in a full suit of rich blue brocaded +velvet, embroidered with gold-thread and trimmed with black fur. +His face, which was turned towards them as they mounted from the +lawn to the little stone-flagged terrace, was frank and open; the +cheeks smooth and fair; the eyes dark and blue. He was tall and +rather slight, and wore his thick yellow hair hanging to his +shoulders, where it was cut square across, after the manner of +the times. Myles did not need to be told that it was the Prince +of Wales. + +"Ho, Gaffer Fox!" he cried, as soon as he caught sight of the +Earl of Mackworth, "what wind blows thee hither among us wild +mallard drakes? I warrant it is not for love of us, but only to +fill thine own larder after the manner of Sir Fox among the +drakes. Whom hast thou with thee? Some gosling thou art about to +pluck?" + +A sudden hush fell upon the company, and all faces were turned +towards the visitors. + +The Earl bowed with a soft smile. "Your Highness," said he, +smoothly, "is pleased to be pleasant. Sir, I bring you the young +knight of whom I spoke to you some time since--Sir Myles +Falworth. You may be pleased to bring to mind that you so +condescended as to promise to take him into your train until the +fitting time arrived for that certain matter of which we spoke." + +"Sir Myles," said the Prince of Wales, with a frank, pleasant +smile, "I have heard great reports of thy skill and prowess in +France, both from Mackworth and from others. It will pleasure me +greatly to have thee in my household; more especially," he added, +"as it will get thee, callow as thou art, out of my Lord Fox's +clutches. Our faction cannot do without the Earl of Mackworth's +cunning wits, Sir Myles; ne'theless I would not like to put all +my fate and fortune into his hands without bond. I hope that thou +dost not rest thy fortunes entirely upon his aid and +countenance." + +All who were present felt the discomfort of the Prince's speech, +It was evident that one of his mad, wild humors was upon him. In +another case the hare-brained young courtiers around might have +taken their cue from him, but the Earl of Mackworth was no +subject for their gibes and witticisms. A constrained silence +fell, in which the Earl alone maintained a perfect ease of +manner. + +Myles bowed to hide his own embarrassment. "Your Highness," said +he, evasively, "I rest my fortune, first of all, upon God, His +strength and justice." + +"Thou wilt find safer dependence there than upon the Lord of +Mackworth," said the Prince, dryly. "But come," he added, with a +sudden change of voice and manner, "these be jests that border +too closely upon bitter earnest for a merry breakfast. It is ill +to idle with edged tools. Wilt thou not stay and break thy fast +with us, my Lord?" + +"Pardon me, your Highness," said the Earl, bowing, and smiling +the same smooth smile his lips had worn from the first--such a +smile as Myles had never thought to have seen upon his haughty +face; "I crave your good leave to decline. I must return home +presently, for even now, haply, your uncle, his Grace of +Winchester, is awaiting my coming upon the business you wot of. +Haply your Highness will find more joyance in a lusty young +knight like Sir Myles than in an old fox like myself. So I leave +him with you, in your good care." + +Such was Myles's introduction to the wild young madcap Prince of +Wales, afterwards the famous Henry V, the conqueror of France. + +For a month or more thereafter he was a member of the princely +household, and, after a little while, a trusted and honored +member. Perhaps it was the calm sturdy strength, the courage of +the young knight, that first appealed to the Prince's royal +heart; perhaps afterwards it was the more sterling qualities that +underlaid that courage that drew him to the young man; certain it +was that in two weeks Myles was the acknowledged favorite. He +made no protestation of virtue; he always accompanied the Prince +in those madcap ventures to London, where he beheld all manner of +wild revelry; he never held himself aloof from his gay comrades, +but he looked upon all their mad sports with the same calm gaze +that had carried him without taint through the courts of Burgundy +and the Dauphin. The gay, roistering young lords and gentlemen +dubbed him Saint Myles, and jested with him about hair-cloth +shirts and flagellations, but witticism and jest alike failed to +move Myles's patient virtue; he went his own gait in the habits +of his life, and in so going knew as little as the others of the +mad court that the Prince's growing liking for him was, perhaps, +more than all else, on account of that very temperance. + +Then, by-and-by, the Prince began to confide in him as he did in +none of the others. There was no great love betwixt the King and +his son; it has happened very often that the Kings of England +have felt bitter jealousy towards the heirs-apparent as they have +grown in power, and such was the case with the great King Henry +IV. The Prince often spoke to Myles of the clashing and jarring +between himself and his father, and the thought began to come to +Myles's mind by degrees that maybe the King's jealousy accounted +not a little for the Prince's reckless intemperance. + +Once, for instance, as the Prince leaned upon, his shoulder +waiting, whilst the attendants made ready the barge that was to +carry them down the river to the city, he said, abruptly: "Myles, +what thinkest thou of us all? Doth not thy honesty hold us in +contempt?" + +"Nay, Highness," said Myles. "How could I hold contempt?" + +"Marry," said the Prince, "I myself hold contempt, and am not as +honest a man as thou. But, prithee, have patience with me, Myles. +Some day, perhaps, I too will live a clean life. Now, an I live +seriously, the King will be more jealous of me than ever, and +that is not a little. Maybe I live thus so that he may not know +what I really am in soothly earnest." + +The Prince also often talked to Myles concerning his own affairs; +of the battle he was to fight for his father's honor, of how the +Earl of Mackworth had plotted and planned to bring him face to +face with the Earl of Alban. He spoke to Myles more than once of +the many great changes of state and party that hung upon the +downfall of the enemy of the house of Falworth, and showed him +how no hand but his own could strike that enemy down; if he fell, +it must be through the son of Falworth. Sometimes it seemed to +Myles as though he and his blind father were the centre of a +great web of plot and intrigue, stretching far and wide, that +included not only the greatest houses of England, but royalty and +the political balance of the country as well, and even before the +greatness of it all he did not flinch. + +Then, at last, came the beginning of the time for action. It was +in the early part of May, and Myles had been a member of the +Prince's household for a little over a month. One morning he was +ordered to attend the Prince in his privy cabinet, and, obeying +the summons, he found the Prince, his younger brother, the Duke +of Bedford, and his uncle, the Bishop of Winchester, seated at a +table, where they had just been refreshing themselves with a +flagon of wine and a plate of wafers. + +"My poor Myles," said the Prince, smiling, as the young knight +bowed to the three, and then stood erect, as though on duty. "It +shames my heart, brother--and thou, uncle--it shames my heart to +be one privy to this thing which we are set upon to do. Here be +we, the greatest Lords of England, making a cat's-paw of this +lad--for he is only yet a boy--and of his blind father, for to +achieve our ends against Alban's faction. It seemeth not +over-honorable to my mind." + +"Pardon me, your Highness," said Myles, blushing to the roots of +his hair; "but, an I may be so bold as to speak, I reck nothing +of what your aims may be; I only look to restoring my father's +honor and the honor of our house." + +"Truly," said the Prince, smiling, "that is the only matter that +maketh me willing to lay my hands to this business. Dost thou +know why I have sent for thee? It is because this day thou must +challenge the Duke of Alban before the King. The Earl of +Mackworth has laid all his plans and the time is now ripe. +Knowest that thy father is at Mackworth House?" + +"Nay," said Myles; "I knew it not." + +"He hath been there for nearly two days," said the Prince. "Just +now the Earl hath sent for us to come first to Mackworth House. +Then to go to the palace, for he hath gained audience with the +King, and hath so arranged it that the Earl of Alban is to be +there as well. We all go straightway; so get thyself ready as +soon as may be." + +Perhaps Myles's heart began beating more quickly within him at +the nearness of that great happening which he had looked forward +to for so long. If it did, he made no sign of his emotion, but +only asked, "How must I clothe myself, your Highness?" + +"Wear thy light armor," said the Prince, "but no helmet, a juppon +bearing the arms and colors that the Earl gave thee when thou +wert knighted, and carry thy right-hand gauntlet under thy belt +for thy challenge. Now make haste, for time passes." + + + +CHAPTER 30 + +Adjoining the ancient palace of Westminster, where King Henry IV +was then holding his court, was a no less ancient stone building +known as the Painted Room. Upon the walls were depicted a series +of battle scenes in long bands reaching around this room, one +above another. Some of these pictures had been painted as far +back as the days of Henry III, others had been added since his +time. They chronicled the various wars of the King of England, +and it was from them that the little hall took its name of the +Painted Room. + +This ancient wing, or offshoot, of the main buildings was more +retired from the hurly-burly of outer life than other parts of +the palace, and thither the sick King was very fond of retiring +from the business of State, which ever rested more and more +heavily upon his shoulders, sometimes to squander in quietness a +spare hour or two; sometimes to idle over a favorite book; +sometimes to play a game of chess with a favorite courtier. The +cold painted walls had been hung with tapestry, and its floor had +been spread with arras carpet. These and the cushioned couches +and chairs that stood around gave its gloomy antiquity an air of +comfort--an air even of luxury. + +It was to this favorite retreat of the King's that Myles was +brought that morning with his father to face the great Earl of +Alban. + +In the anteroom the little party of Princes and nobles who +escorted the father and son had held a brief consultation. Then +the others had entered, leaving Myles and his blind father in +charge of Lord Lumley and two knights of the court, Sir Reginald +Hallowell and Sir Piers Averell. + +Myles, as he stood patiently waiting, with his father's arm +resting in his, could hear the muffled sound of voices from +beyond the arras. Among others, he recognized the well-remembered +tones of the King. He fancied that he heard his own name +mentioned more than once, and then the sound of talking ceased. +The next moment the arras was drawn aside, and the Earl entered +the antechamber again. + +"All is ready, cousin," said he to Lord Falworth, in a suppressed +voice. "Essex hath done as he promised, and Alban is within there +now." Then, turning to Myles, speaking in the same low voice, and +betraying more agitation than Myles had thought it possible for +him to show, "Sir Myles," said he, "remember all that hath been +told thee. Thou knowest what thou hast to say and do." Then, +without further word, he took Lord Falworth by the hand, and led +the way into the room, Myles following close behind. + +The King half sat, half inclined, upon a cushioned seat close to +which stood the two Princes. There were some dozen others +present, mostly priests and noblemen of high quality who +clustered in a group at a little distance. Myles knew most of +them at a glance having seen them come and go at Scotland Yard. +But among them all, he singled out only one--the Earl of Alban. +He had not seen that face since he was a little child eight years +old, but now that he beheld it again, it fitted instantly and +vividly into the remembrance of the time of that terrible scene +at Falworth Castle, when he had beheld the then Lord Brookhurst +standing above the dead body of Sir John Dale, with the bloody +mace clinched in his hand. There were the same heavy black brows, +sinister and gloomy, the same hooked nose, the same swarthy +cheeks. He even remembered the deep dent in the forehead, where +the brows met in perpetual frown. So it was that upon that face +his looks centred and rested. + +The Earl of Alban had just been speaking to some Lord who stood +beside him, and a half-smile still hung about the corners of his +lips. At first, as he looked up at the entrance of the newcomers, +there was no other expression; then suddenly came a flash of +recognition, a look of wide-eyed amazement; then the blood left +the cheeks and the lips, and the face grew very pale. No doubt he +saw at a flash that some great danger overhung him in this sudden +coming of his old enemy, for he was as keen and as astute a +politician as he was a famous warrior. At least he knew that the +eyes of most of those present were fixed keenly and searchingly +upon him. After the first start of recognition, his left hand, +hanging at his side, gradually closed around the scabbard of his +sword, clutching it in a vice-like grip. + +Meantime the Earl of Mackworth had led the blind Lord to the +King, where both kneeled. + +"Why, how now, my Lord?" said the King. "Methought it was our +young Paladin whom we knighted at Devlen that was to be +presented, and here thou bringest this old man. A blind man, ha! +What is the meaning of this?" + +"Majesty," said the Earl, "I have taken this chance to bring to +thy merciful consideration one who hath most wofully and unjustly +suffered from thine anger. Yonder stands the young knight of whom +we spake; this is his father, Gilbert Reginald, whilom Lord +Falworth, who craves mercy and justice at thy hands." + +"Falworth," said the King, placing his hand to his head. "The +name is not strange to mine ears, but I cannot place it. My head +hath troubled me sorely to-day, and I cannot remember." + +At this point the Earl of Alban came quietly and deliberately +forward. "Sire," said he, "pardon my boldness in so venturing to +address you, but haply I may bring the name more clearly to your +mind. He is, as my Lord of Mackworth said, the whilom Baron +Falworth, the outlawed, attainted traitor; so declared for the +harboring of Sir John Dale, who was one of those who sought your +Majesty's life at Windsor eleven years ago. Sire, he is mine +enemy as well, and is brought hither by my proclaimed enemies. +Should aught occur to my harm, I rest my case in your gracious +hands." + +The dusty red flamed into the King's pale, sickly face in answer, +and he rose hastily from his seat. + +"Aye," said he, "I remember me now--I remember me the man and the +name! Who hath dared bring him here before us?" All the dull +heaviness of sickness was gone for the moment, and King Henry was +the King Henry of ten years ago as he rolled his eyes balefully +from one to another of the courtiers who stood silently around. + +The Earl of Mackworth shot a covert glance at the Bishop of +Winchester, who came forward in answer. + +"Your Majesty," said he, "here am I, your brother, who beseech +you as your brother not to judge over-hastily in this matter. It +is true that this man has been adjudged a traitor, but he has +been so adjudged without a hearing. I beseech thee to listen +patiently to whatsoever he may have to say. + +The King fixed the Bishop with a look of the bitterest, deepest +anger, holding his nether lip tightly under his teeth--a trick he +had when strongly moved with anger--and the Bishop's eyes fell +under the look. Meantime the Earl of Alban stood calm and silent. +No doubt he saw that the King's anger was likely to befriend him +more than any words that he himself could say, and he perilled +his case with no more speech which could only prove superfluous. + +At last the King turned a face red and swollen with anger to the +blind Lord, who still kneeled before him. + +"What hast thou to say?" he said, in a deep and sullen voice. + +"Gracious and merciful Lord," said the blind nobleman, "I come to +thee, the fountain-head of justice, craving justice. Sire, I do +now and here deny my treason, which denial I could not before +make, being blind and helpless, and mine enemies strong and +malignant. But now, sire, Heaven hath sent me help, and therefore +I do acclaim before thee that my accuser, William Bushy +Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, is a foul and an attainted liar in all +that he hath accused me of. To uphold which allegation, and to +defend me, who am blinded by his unknightliness, I do offer a +champion to prove all that I say with his body in combat." + +The Earl of Mackworth darted a quick look at Myles, who came +forward the moment his father had ended, and kneeled beside him. +The King offered no interruption to his speech, but he bent a +look heavy with anger upon the young man. + +"My gracious Lord and King," said Myles, "I, the son of the +accused, do offer myself as his champion in this cause, +beseeching thee of thy grace leave to prove the truth of the +same, being a belted knight by thy grace and of thy creation and +the peer of any who weareth spurs." Thereupon, rising, he drew +his iron gauntlet from his girdle, and flung it clashing down +upon the floor, and with his heart swelling within him with anger +and indignation and pity of his blind father, he cried, in a loud +voice, "I do accuse thee, William of Alban, that thou liest +vilely as aforesaid, and here cast down my gage, daring thee to +take it up. + +The Earl of Alban made as though he would accept the challenge, +but the King stopped him hastily. + +"Stop!" he cried, harshly. "Touch not the gage! Let it lie--let +it lie, I tell thee, my Lord! Now then," said he, turning to the +others, "tell me what meaneth all this coil? Who brought this man +hither?" + +He looked from one to another of those who stood silently around, +but no one answered. + +"I see," said he, "ye all have had to do with it. It is as my +Lord of Alban sayeth; ye are his enemies, and ye are my enemies +as well. In this I do smell a vile plot. I cannot undo what I +have done, and since I have made this young man a knight with +mine own hands, I cannot deny that he is fit to challenge my Lord +of Alban. Ne'theless, the High Court of Chivalry shall adjudge +this case. Meantime," said he, turning to the Earl Marshal, who +was present, "I give thee this attainted Lord in charge. Convey +him presently to the Tower, and let him abide our pleasure there. +Also, thou mayst take up yon gage, and keep it till it is +redeemed according to our pleasure." + +He stood thoughtfully for a moment, and then raising his eyes, +looked fixedly at the Earl of Mackworth. "I know," he said, "that +I be a right sick man, and there be some who are already plotting +to overthrow those who have held up my hand with their own +strength for all these years." Then speaking more directly: "My +Lord Earl of Mackworth, I see your hand in this before all +others. It was thou who so played upon me as to get me to knight +this young man, and thus make him worthy to challenge my Lord of +Alban. It was thy doings that brought him here to-day, backed by +mine own sons and my brother and by these noblemen." Then turning +suddenly to the Earl of Alban: "Come, my Lord," said he; "I am +aweary with all this coil. Lend me thine arm to leave this +place." So it was that he left the room, leaning upon the Earl of +Alban's arm, and followed by the two or three of the Alban +faction who were present. + +"Your Royal Highness," said the Earl Marshal, "I must e'en do the +King's bidding, and take this gentleman into arrest." + +"Do thy duty," said the Prince. "We knew it must come to this. +Meanwhile he is to be a prisoner of honor, and see that he be +well lodged and cared for. Thou wilt find my barge at the stairs +to convey him down the river, and I myself will come this +afternoon to visit him." + + + +CHAPTER 31 + +It was not until the end of July that the High Court of Chivalry +rendered its judgment. There were many unusual points in the +case, some of which bore heavily against Lord Falworth, some of +which were in his favor. He was very ably defended by the lawyers +whom the Earl of Mackworth had engaged upon his side; +nevertheless, under ordinary circumstances, the judgment, no +doubt, would have been quickly rendered against him. As it was, +however, the circumstances were not ordinary, and it was rendered +in his favor. The Court besought the King to grant the ordeal by +battle, to accept Lord Falworth's champion, and to appoint the +time and place for the meeting. + +The decision must have been a most bitter, galling one for the +sick King. He was naturally of a generous, forgiving nature, but +Lord Falworth in his time of power had been an unrelenting and +fearless opponent, and his Majesty who, like most generous men, +could on occasions be very cruel and intolerant, had never +forgiven him. He had steadily thrown the might of his influence +with the Court against the Falworths' case, but that influence +was no longer all-powerful for good or ill. He was failing in +health, and it could only be a matter of a few years, probably of +only a few months, before his successor sat upon the throne. + +Upon the other hand, the Prince of Wales's faction had been +steadily, and of late rapidly, increasing in power, and in the +Earl of Mackworth, its virtual head, it possessed one of the most +capable politicians and astute intriguers in Europe. So, as the +outcome of all the plotting and counter-plotting, scheming and +counter-scheming, the case was decided in Lord Falworth's favor. +The knowledge of the ultimate result was known to the Prince of +Wales's circle almost a week before it was finally decided. +Indeed, the Earl of Mackworth had made pretty sure of that result +before he had summoned Myles from France, but upon the King it +fell like the shock of a sudden blow. All that day he kept +himself in moody seclusion, nursing his silent, bitter anger, and +making only one outbreak, in which he swore by the Holy Rood that +should Myles be worsted in the encounter, he would not take the +battle into his own hands, but would suffer him to be slain, and +furthermore, that should the Earl show signs of failing at any +time, he would do all in his power to save him. One of the +courtiers who had been present, and who was secretly inclined to +the Prince of Wales's faction, had repeated this speech at +Scotland Yard, and the Prince had said, "That meaneth, Myles, +that thou must either win or die." + +"And so I would have it to be, my Lord," Myles had answered. + +It was not until nearly a fortnight after the decision of the +Court of Chivalry had been rendered that the King announced the +time and place of battle--the time to be the 3d of September, the +place to be Smithfield--a spot much used for such encounters. + +During the three weeks or so that intervened between this +announcement and the time of combat, Myles went nearly every day +to visit the lists in course of erection. Often the Prince went +with him; always two or three of his friends of the Scotland Yard +court accompanied him. + +The lists were laid out in the usual form. The true or principal +list in which the combatants were to engage was sixty yards long +and forty yards wide; this rectangular space being surrounded by +a fence about six feet high, painted vermilion. Between the fence +and the stand where the King and the spectators sat, and +surrounding the central space, was the outer or false list, also +surrounded by a fence. In the false list the Constable and the +Marshal and their followers and attendants were to be stationed +at the time of battle to preserve the general peace during the +contest between the principals. + +One day as Myles, his princely patron, and his friends entered +the barriers, leaving their horses at the outer gate, they met +the Earl of Alban and his followers, who were just quitting the +lists, which they also were in the habit of visiting nearly every +day. As the two parties passed one another, the Earl spoke to a +gentleman walking beside him and in a voice loud enough to be +clearly overheard by the others: "Yonder is the young sprig of +Falworth," said he. "His father, my Lords, is not content with +forfeiting his own life for his treason, but must, forsooth, +throw away his son's also. I have faced and overthrown many a +better knight than that boy." + +Myles heard the speech, and knew that it was intended for him to +hear it; but he paid no attention to it, walking composedly at +the Prince's side. The Prince had also overheard it, and after a +little space of silence asked, "Dost thou not feel anxiety for +thy coming battle, Myles?" + +"Yea, my Lord," said Myles; "sometimes I do feel anxiety, but not +such as my Lord of Alban would have me feel in uttering the +speech that he spake anon. It is anxiety for my father's sake and +my mother's sake that I feel, for truly there are great matters +for them pending upon this fight. Ne'theless, I do know that God +will not desert me in my cause, for verily my father is no +traitor." + +"But the Earl of Alban," said the Prince, gravely, "is reputed +one of the best-skilled knights in all England; moreover, he is +merciless and without generosity, so that an he gain aught +advantage over thee, he will surely slay thee." + +"I am not afraid, my Lord," said Myles, still calmly and +composedly. + +"Nor am I afraid for thee, Myles," said the Prince, heartily, +putting his arm, as he spoke, around the young man's shoulder; +"for truly, wert thou a knight of forty years, instead of one of +twenty, thou couldst not bear thyself with more courage." + +As the time for the duel approached, the days seemed to drag +themselves along upon leaden feet; nevertheless, the days came +and went, as all days do, bringing with them, at last, the +fateful 3d of September. + +Early in the morning, while the sun was still level and red, the +Prince himself, unattended, came to Myles's apartment, in the +outer room of which Gascoyne was bustling busily about arranging +the armor piece by piece; renewing straps and thongs, but not +whistling over his work as he usually did. The Prince nodded to +him, and then passed silently through to the inner chamber. Myles +was upon his knees, and Father Ambrose, the Prince's chaplain, +was beside him. The Prince stood silently at the door, until +Myles, having told his last bead, rose and turned towards him. + +"My dear Lord," said the young knight, "I give you gramercy for +the great honor you do me in coming so early for to visit me." + +"Nay, Myles, give me no thanks," said the Prince, frankly +reaching him his hand, which Myles took and set to his lips. "I +lay bethinking me of thee this morning, while yet in bed, and so, +as I could not sleep any more, I was moved to come hither to see +thee." + +Quite a number of the Prince's faction were at the breakfast at +Scotland Yard that morning; among others, the Earl of Mackworth. +All were more or less oppressed with anxiety, for nearly all of +them had staked much upon the coming battle. If Alban conquered, +he would be more powerful to harm them and to revenge himself +upon them than ever, and Myles was a very young champion upon +whom to depend. Myles himself, perhaps, showed as little anxiety +as any; he certainly ate more heartily of his breakfast that +morning than many of the others. + +After the meal was ended, the Prince rose. "The boat is ready at +the stairs," said he; "if thou wouldst go to the Tower to visit +thy father, Myles, before hearing mass, I and Cholmondeley and +Vere and Poins will go with thee, if ye, Lords and gentlemen, +will grant me your pardon for leaving you. Are there any others +that thou wouldst have accompany thee?" + +"I would have Sir James Lee and my squire, Master Gascoyne, if +thou art so pleased to give them leave to go," answered Myles. + +"So be it," said the Prince. "We will stop at Mackworth stairs +for the knight." + +The barge landed at the west stairs of the Tower wharf, and the +whole party were received with more than usual civilities by the +Governor, who conducted them at once to the Tower where Lord +Falworth was lodged. Lady Falworth met them at the head of the +stairs; her eyes were very red and her face pale, and as Myles +raised her hand and set a long kiss upon it, her lips trembled, +and she turned her face quickly away, pressing her handkerchief +for one moment to her eyes. Poor lady! What agony of anxiety and +dread did she not suffer for her boy's sake that day! Myles had +not hidden both from her and his father that he must either win +or die. + +As Myles turned from his mother, Prior Edward came out from the +inner chamber, and was greeted warmly by him. The old priest had +arrived in London only the day before, having come down from +Crosbey Priory to be with his friend's family during this their +time of terrible anxiety. + +After a little while of general talk, the Prince and his +attendants retired, leaving the family together, only Sir James +Lee and Gascoyne remaining behind. + +Many matters that had been discussed before were now finally +settled, the chief of which was the disposition of Lady Falworth +in case the battle should go against them. Then Myles took his +leave, kissing his mother, who began crying, and comforting her +with brave assurances. Prior Edward accompanied him as far as the +head of the Tower stairs, where Myles kneeled upon the stone +steps, while the good priest blessed him and signed the cross +upon his forehead. The Prince was waiting in the walled garden +adjoining, and as they rowed back again up the river to Scotland +Yard, all were thoughtful and serious, even Poins' and Vere's +merry tongues being stilled from their usual quips and jesting. + +It was. about the quarter of the hour before eleven o'clock when +Myles, with Gascoyne, set forth for the lists. The Prince of +Wales, together with most of his court, had already gone on to +Smithfield, leaving behind him six young knights of his household +to act as escort to the young champion. Then at last the order to +horse was given; the great gate swung open, and out they rode, +clattering and jingling, the sunlight gleaming and flaming and +flashing upon their polished armor. They drew rein to the right, +and so rode in a little cloud of dust along the Strand Street +towards London town, with the breeze blowing merrily, and the +sunlight shining as sweetly and blithesomely as though they were +riding to a wedding rather than to a grim and dreadful ordeal +that meant either victory or death. + + + +CHAPTER 32 + +In the days of King Edward III a code of laws relating to trial +by battle had been compiled for one of his sons, Thomas of +Woodstock. In this work each and every detail, to the most +minute, had been arranged and fixed, and from that time judicial +combats had been regulated in accordance with its mandates. + +It was in obedience to this code that Myles Falworth appeared at +the east gate of the lists (the east gate being assigned by law +to the challenger), clad in full armor of proof, attended by +Gascoyne, and accompanied by two of the young knights who had +acted as his escort from Scotland Yard. + +At the barriers he was met by the attorney Willingwood, the chief +lawyer who had conducted the Falworth case before the High Court +of Chivalry, and who was to attend him during the administration +of the oaths before the King. + +As Myles presented himself at the gate he was met by the +Constable, the Marshal, and their immediate attendants. The +Constable, laying his hand upon the bridle-rein, said, in a loud +voice: "Stand, Sir Knight, and tell me why thou art come thus +armed to the gates of the lists. What is thy name? Wherefore art +thou come?" + +Myles answered, "I am Myles Falworth, a Knight of the Bath by +grace of his Majesty King Henry IV and by his creation, and do +come hither to defend my challenge upon the body of William Bushy +Brookhurst, Earl of Alban, proclaiming him an unknightly knight +and a false and perjured liar, in that he hath accused Gilbert +Reginald, Lord Falworth, of treason against our beloved Lord, his +Majesty the King, and may God defend the right!" + +As he ended speaking, the Constable advanced close to his side, +and formally raising the umbril of the helmet, looked him in the +face. Thereupon, having approved his identity, he ordered the +gates to be opened, and bade Myles enter the lists with his +squire and his friends. + +At the south side of the lists a raised scaffolding had been +built for the King and those who looked on. It was not unlike +that which had been erected at Devlen Castle when Myles had first +jousted as belted knight--here were the same raised seat for the +King, the tapestries, the hangings, the fluttering pennons, and +the royal standard floating above; only here were no fair-faced +ladies looking down upon him, but instead, stern-browed Lords and +knights in armor and squires, and here were no merry laughing and +buzz of talk and flutter of fans and kerchiefs, but all was very +quiet and serious. + +Myles riding upon his horse, with Gascoyne holding the +bridle-rein, and his attorney walking beside him with his hand +upon the stirrups, followed the Constable across the lists to an +open space in front of the seat where the King sat. Then, having +reached his appointed station, he stopped, and the Constable, +advancing to the foot of the stair-way that led to the dais +above, announced in a loud voice that the challenger had entered +the lists. + +"Then called the defendant straightway," said the King, "for noon +draweth nigh." + +The day was very warm, and the sun, bright and unclouded, shone +fiercely down upon the open lists. Perhaps few men nowadays could +bear the scorching heat of iron plates such as Myles wore, from +which the body was only protected by a leathern jacket and hose. +But men's bodies in those days were tougher and more seasoned to +hardships of weather than they are in these our times. Myles +thought no more of the burning iron plates that incased him than +a modern soldier thinks of his dress uniform in warm weather. +Nevertheless, he raised the umbril of his helmet to cool his face +as he waited the coming of his opponent. He turned his eyes +upward to the row of seats on the scaffolding above, and even in +the restless, bewildering multitude of strange faces turned +towards him recognized those that he knew: the Prince of Wales, +his companions of the Scotland Yard household, the Duke of +Clarence, the Bishop of Winchester, and some of the noblemen of +the Earl of Mackworth's party, who had been buzzing about the +Prince for the past month or so. But his glance swept over all +these, rather perceiving than seeing them, and then rested upon a +square box-like compartment not unlike a prisoner's dock in the +courtroom of our day, for in the box sat his father, with the +Earl of Mackworth upon one side and Sir James Lee upon the other. +The blind man's face was very pale, but still wore its usual +expression of calm serenity--the calm serenity of a blind face. +The Earl was also very pale, and he kept his eyes fixed +steadfastly upon Myles with a keen and searching look, as though +to pierce to the very bottom of the young man's heart, and +discover if indeed not one little fragment of dryrot of fear or +uncertainty tainted the solid courage of his knighthood. + +Then he heard the criers calling the defendant at the four +corners of the list: "Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! William Bushy Brookhurst, +Earl of Alban, come to this combat, in which you be enterprised +this day to discharge your sureties before the King, the +Constable, and the Marshal, and to encounter in your defence +Myles Falworth, knight, the accepted champion upon behalf of +Gilbert Reginald Falworth, the challenger! Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Let +the defendant come!" + +So they continued calling, until, by the sudden turning of all +faces, Myles knew that his enemy was at hand. + +Then presently he saw the Earl and his attendants enter the outer +gate at the west end of the barrier; he saw the Constable and +Marshal meet him; he saw the formal words of greeting pass; he +saw the Constable raise the umbril of the helmet. Then the gate +opened, and the Earl of Alban entered, clad cap-a-pie in a full +suit of magnificent Milan armor without juppon or adornment of +any kind. As he approached across the lists, Myles closed the +umbril of his helmet, and then sat quite still and motionless, +for the time was come. + +So he sat, erect and motionless as a statue of iron, half hearing +the reading of the long intricately- worded bills, absorbed in +many thoughts of past and present things. At last the reading +ended, and then he calmly and composedly obeyed, under the +direction of his attorney, the several forms and ceremonies that +followed; answered the various official questions, took the +various oaths. Then Gascoyne, leading the horse by the bridle- +rein, conducted him back to his station at the east end of the +lists. + +As the faithful friend and squire made one last and searching +examination of arms and armor, the Marshal and the clerk came to +the young champion and administered the final oath by which he +swore that he carried no concealed weapons. + +The weapons allowed by the High Court were then measured and +attested. They consisted of the long sword, the short sword, the +dagger, the mace, and a weapon known as the hand-gisarm, or +glave- lot--a heavy swordlike blade eight palms long, a palm in +breadth, and riveted to a stout handle of wood three feet long. + +The usual lance had not been included in the list of arms, the +hand-gisarm being substituted in its place. It was a fearful and +murderous weapon, though cumbersome, Unhandy, and ill adapted for +quick or dexterous stroke; nevertheless, the Earl of Alban had +petitioned the King to have it included in the list, and in +answer to the King's expressed desire the Court had adopted it in +the stead of the lance, yielding thus much to the royal wishes. +Nor was it a small concession. The hand-gisarm had been a weapon +very much in vogue in King Richard's day, and was now nearly if +not entirely out of fashion with the younger generation of +warriors. The Earl of Alban was, of course, well used to the +blade; with Myles it was strange and new, either for attack or in +defence. + +With the administration of the final oath and the examination of +the weapons, the preliminary ceremonies came to an end, and +presently Myles heard the criers calling to clear the lists. As +those around him moved to withdraw, the young knight drew off his +mailed gauntlet, and gave Gascoyne's hand one last final clasp, +strong, earnest, and intense with the close friendship of young +manhood, and poor Gascoyne looked up at him with a face ghastly +white. + +Then all were gone; the gates of the principal list and that of +the false list were closed clashing, and Myles was alone, face to +face, with his mortal enemy. + + + +CHAPTER 33 + +There was a little while of restless, rustling silence, during +which the Constable took his place in the seat appointed for him +directly in front of and below the King's throne. A moment or two +when even the restlessness and the rustling were quieted, and +then the King leaned forward and spoke to the Constable, who +immediately called out, in a loud, clear voice. + +"Let them go!" Then again, "Let them go!" Then, for the third and +last time, "Let them go and do their endeavor, in God's name!" + +At this third command the combatants, each of whom had till that +moment been sitting as motionless as a statue of iron, tightened +rein, and rode slowly and deliberately forward without haste, yet +without hesitation, until they met in the very middle of the +lists. + +In the battle which followed, Myles fought with the long sword, +the Earl with the hand-gisarm for which he had asked. The moment +they met, the combat was opened, and for a time nothing was heard +but the thunderous clashing and clamor of blows, now and then +beating intermittently, now and then pausing. Occasionally, as +the combatants spurred together, checked, wheeled, and recovered, +they would be hidden for a moment in a misty veil of dust, which, +again drifting down the wind, perhaps revealed them drawn a +little apart, resting their panting horses. Then, again, they +would spur together, striking as they passed, wheeling and +striking again. + +Upon the scaffolding all was still, only now and then for the +buzz of muffled exclamations or applause of those who looked on. +Mostly the applause was from Myles's friends, for from the very +first he showed and steadily maintained his advantage over the +older man. "Hah! well struck! well recovered!" "Look ye! the +sword bit that time!" "Nay, look, saw ye him pass the point of +the gisarm?" Then, "Falworth! Falworth!" as some more than +usually skilful stroke or parry occurred. + +Meantime Myles's father sat straining his sightless eyeballs, as +though to pierce his body's darkness with one ray of light that +would show him how his boy held his own in the fight, and Lord +Mackworth, leaning with his lips close to the blind man's ear, +told him point by point how the battle stood. + +"Fear not, Gilbert," said he at each pause in the fight. "He +holdeth his own right well." Then, after a while: "God is with +us, Gilbert. Alban is twice wounded and his horse faileth. One +little while longer and the victory is ours!" + +A longer and more continuous interval of combat followed this +last assurance, during which Myles drove the assault fiercely and +unrelentingly as though to overbear his enemy by the very power +and violence of the blows he delivered. The Earl defended himself +desperately, but was borne back, back, back, farther and farther. +Every nerve of those who looked on was stretched to breathless +tensity, when, almost as his enemy was against the barriers, +Myles paused and rested. + +"Out upon it!" exclaimed the Earl of Mackworth, almost shrilly in +his excitement, as the sudden lull followed the crashing of +blows. "Why doth the boy spare him? That is thrice he hath given +him grace to recover; an he had pushed the battle that time he +had driven him back against the barriers." + +It was as the Earl had said; Myles had three times given his +enemy grace when victory was almost in his very grasp. He had +three times spared him, in spite of all he and those dear to him +must suffer should his cruel and merciless enemy gain the +victory. It was a false and foolish generosity, partly the fault +of his impulsive youth--more largely of his romantic training in +the artificial code of French chivalry. He felt that the battle +was his, and so he gave his enemy these three chances to recover, +as some chevalier or knight- errant of romance might have done, +instead of pushing the combat to a mercifully speedy end-- and +his foolish generosity cost him dear. + +In the momentary pause that had thus stirred the Earl of +Mackworth to a sudden outbreak, the Earl of Alban sat upon his +panting, sweating war- horse, facing his powerful young enemy at +about twelve paces distant. He sat as still as a rock, holding +his gisarm poised in front of him. He had, as the Earl of +Mackworth had said, been wounded twice, and each time with the +point of the sword, so much more dangerous than a direct cut with +the weapon. One wound was beneath his armor, and no one but he +knew how serious it might be; the other was under the overlapping +of the epauhere, and from it a finger's-breadth of blood ran +straight down his side and over the housings of his horse. From +without, the still motionless iron figure appeared calm and +expressionless; within, who knows what consuming blasts of hate, +rage, and despair swept his heart as with a fiery whirlwind. + +As Myles looked at the motionless, bleeding figure, his breast +swelled with pity. "My Lord," said he, "thou art sore wounded and +the fight is against thee; wilt thou not yield thee?" + +No one but that other heard the speech, and no one but Myles +heard the answer that came back, hollow, cavernous, "Never, thou +dog! Never!" + +Then in an instant, as quick as a flash, his enemy spurred +straight upon Myles, and as he spurred he struck a last +desperate, swinging blow, in which he threw in one final effort +all the strength of hate, of fury, and of despair. Myles whirled +his horse backward, warding the blow with his shield as he did +so. The blade glanced from the smooth face of the shield, and, +whether by mistake or not, fell straight and true, and with +almost undiminished force, upon the neck of Myles's war-horse, +and just behind the ears. The animal staggered forward, and then +fell upon its knees, and at the same instant the other, as though +by the impetus of the rush, dashed full upon it with all the +momentum lent by the weight of iron it carried. The shock was +irresistible, and the stunned and wounded horse was flung upon +the ground, rolling over and over. As his horse fell, Myles +wrenched one of his feet out of the stirrup; the other caught for +an instant, and he was flung headlong with stunning violence, his +armor crashing as he fell. In the cloud of dust that arose no one +could see just what happened, but that what was done was done +deliberately no one doubted. The earl, at once checking and +spurring his foaming charger, drove the iron-shod war-horse +directly over Myles's prostrate body. Then, checking him fiercely +with the curb, reined him back, the hoofs clashing and crashing, +over the figure beneath. So he had ridden over the father at +York, and so he rode over the son at Smithfield. + +Myles, as he lay prostrate and half stunned by his fall, had seen +his enemy thus driving his rearing horse down upon him, but was +not able to defend himself. A fallen knight in full armor was +utterly powerless to rise without assistance; Myles lay helpless +in the clutch of the very iron that was his defence. He closed +his eyes involuntarily, and then horse and rider were upon him. +There was a deafening, sparkling crash, a glimmering faintness, +then another crash as the horse was reined furiously back again, +and then a humming stillness. + +In a moment, upon the scaffolding all was a tumult of uproar and +confusion, shouting and gesticulation; only the King sat calm, +sullen, impassive. The Earl wheeled his horse and sat for a +moment or two as though to make quite sure that he knew the +King's mind. The blow that had been given was foul, unknightly, +but the King gave no sign either of acquiescence or rebuke; he +had willed that Myles was to die. + +Then the Earl turned again, and rode deliberately up to his +prostrate enemy. + +When Myles opened his eyes after that moment of stunning silence, +it was to see the other looming above him on his war-horse, +swinging his gisarm for one last mortal blow--pitiless, +merciless. + +The sight of that looming peril brought back Myles's wandering +senses like a flash of lightning. He flung up his shield, and met +the blow even as it descended, turning it aside. It only +protracted the end. + +Once more the Earl of Alban raised the gisarm, swinging it twice +around his head before he struck. This time, though the shield +glanced it, the blow fell upon the shoulder-piece, biting through +the steel plate and leathern jack beneath even to the bone. Then +Myles covered his head with his shield as a last protecting +chance for life. + +For the third time the Earl swung the blade flashing, and then it +fell, straight and true, upon the defenceless body, just below +the left arm, biting deep through the armor plates. For an +instant the blade stuck fast, and that instant was Myles's +salvation. Under the agony of the blow he gave a muffled cry, and +almost instinctively grasped the shaft of the weapon with both +hands. Had the Earl let go his end of the weapon, he would have +won the battle at his leisure and most easily; as it was, he +struggled violently to wrench the gisarm away from Myles. In that +short, fierce struggle Myles was dragged to his knees, and then, +still holding the weapon with one hand, he clutched the trappings +of the Earl's horse with the other. The next moment he was upon +his feet. The other struggled to thrust him away, but Myles, +letting go the gisarm, which he held with his left hand, clutched +him tightly by the sword-belt in the intense, vise-like grip of +despair. In vain the Earl strove to beat him loose with the shaft +of the gisarm, in vain he spurred and reared his horse to shake +him off; Myles held him tight, in spite of all his struggles. + +He felt neither the streaming blood nor the throbbing agony of +his wounds; every faculty of soul, mind, body, every power of +life, was centered in one intense, burning effort. He neither +felt, thought, nor reasoned, but clutching, with the blindness of +instinct, the heavy, spiked, iron- headed mace that hung at the +Earl's saddle-bow, he gave it one tremendous wrench that snapped +the plaited leathern thongs that held it as though they were +skeins of thread. Then, grinding his teeth as with a spasm, he +struck as he had never struck before--once, twice, thrice full +upon the front of the helmet. Crash! crash! And then, even as the +Earl toppled sidelong, crash! And the iron plates split and +crackled under the third blow. Myles had one flashing glimpse of +an awful face, and then the saddle was empty. + +Then, as he held tight to the horse, panting, dizzy, sick to +death, he felt the hot blood gushing from his side, filling his +body armor, and staining the ground upon which he stood. Still he +held tightly to the saddle-bow of the fallen man's horse until, +through his glimmering sight, he saw the Marshal, the Lieutenant, +and the attendants gather around him. He heard the Marshal ask +him, in a voice that sounded faint and distant, if he was +dangerously wounded. He did not answer, and one of the +attendants, leaping from his horse, opened the umbril of his +helmet, disclosing the dull, hollow eyes, the ashy, colorless +lips, and the waxy forehead, upon which stood great beads of +sweat. + +"Water! water!" he cried, hoarsely; "give me to drink!" Then, +quitting his hold upon the horse, he started blindly across the +lists towards the gate of the barrier. A shadow that chilled his +heart seemed to fall upon him. "It is death," he muttered; then +he stopped, then swayed for an instant, and then toppled +headlong, crashing as he fell. + + + +CONCLUSION + +But Myles was not dead. Those who had seen his face when the +umbril of the helmet was raised, and then saw him fall as he +tottered across the lists, had at first thought so. But his +faintness was more from loss of blood and the sudden unstringing +of nerve and sense from the intense furious strain of the last +few moments of battle than from the vital nature of the wound. +Indeed, after Myles had been carried out of the lists and laid +upon the ground in the shade between the barriers, Master Thomas, +the Prince's barber-surgeon, having examined the wounds, declared +that he might be even carried on a covered litter to Scotland +Yard without serious danger. The Prince was extremely desirous of +having him under his care, and so the venture was tried. Myles +was carried to Scotland Yard, and perhaps was none the worse +therefore. The Prince, the Earl of Mackworth, and two or three +others stood silently watching as the worthy shaver and leecher, +assisted by his apprentice and Gascoyne, washed and bathed the +great gaping wound in the side, and bound it with linen bandages. +Myles lay with closed eyelids, still, pallid, weak as a little +child. Presently he opened his eyes and turned them, dull and +languid, to the Prince. + +"What hath happed my father, my Lord?" said he, in a faint, +whispering voice. + +"Thou hath saved his life and honor, Myles," the Prince answered. +"He is here now, and thy mother hath been sent for, and cometh +anon with the priest who was with them this morn." + +Myles dropped his eyelids again; his lips moved, but he made no +sound, and then two bright tears trickled across his white cheek. + +"He maketh a woman of me," the Prince muttered through his teeth, +and then, swinging on his heel, he stood for a long time looking +out of the window into the garden beneath. + +"May I see my father?" said Myles, presently, without opening his +eyes. + +The Prince turned around and looked inquiringly at the surgeon. + +The good man shook his head. "Not to-day," said he; "haply +to-morrow he may see him and his mother. The bleeding is but new +stanched, and such matters as seeing his father and mother may +make the heart to swell, and so maybe the wound burst afresh and +he die. An he would hope to live, he must rest quiet until +to-morrow day." + +But though Myles's wound was not mortal, it was very serious. The +fever which followed lingered longer than common--perhaps because +of the hot weather--and the days stretched to weeks, and the +weeks to months, and still he lay there, nursed by his mother and +Gascoyne and Prior Edward, and now and again by Sir James Lee. + +One day, a little before the good priest returned to Saint Mary's +Priory, as he sat by Myles's bedside, his hands folded, and his +sight turned inward, the young man suddenly said, "Tell me, holy +father, is it always wrong for man to slay man?" + +The good priest sat silent for so long a time that Myles began to +think he had not heard the question. But by-and-by he answered, +almost with a sigh, "It is a hard question, my son, but I must in +truth say, meseems it is not always wrong." + +"Sir," said Myles, "I have been in battle when men were slain, +but never did I think thereon as I have upon this matter. Did I +sin in so slaying my father's enemy?" + +"Nay," said Prior Edward, quietly, "thou didst not sin. It was +for others thou didst fight, my son, and for others it is +pardonable to do battle. Had it been thine own quarrel, it might +haply have been more hard to have answered thee." + +Who can gainsay, even in these days of light, the truth of this +that the good priest said to the sick lad so far away in the +past? + + +One day the Earl of Mackworth came to visit Myles. At that time +the young knight was mending, and was sitting propped up with +pillows, and was wrapped in Sir James Lee's cloak, for the day +was chilly. After a little time of talk, a pause of silence fell. + +"My Lord," said Myles, suddenly, "dost thou remember one part of +a matter we spoke of when I first came from France?" + +The Earl made no pretence of ignorance. "I remember," said he, +quietly, looking straight into the young man's thin white face. + +"And have I yet won the right to ask for the Lady Alice de +Mowbray to wife?" said Myles, the red rising faintly to his +cheeks. + +"Thou hast won it," said the Earl, with a smile. + +Myles's eyes shone and his lips trembled with the pang of sudden +joy and triumph, for he was still very weak. "My Lord," said he, +presently "belike thou camest here to see me for this very +matter?" + +The Earl smiled again without answering, and Myles knew that he +had guessed aright. He reached out one of his weak, pallid hands +from beneath the cloak. The Earl of Mackworth took it with a firm +pressure, then instantly quitting it again, rose, as if ashamed +of his emotion, stamped his feet, as though in pretence of being +chilled, and then crossed the room to where the fire crackled +brightly in the great stone fireplace. + + +Little else remains to be told; only a few loose strands to tie, +and the story is complete. + +Though Lord Falworth was saved from death at the block, though +his honor was cleansed from stain, he was yet as poor and needy +as ever. The King, in spite of all the pressure brought to bear +upon him, refused to restore the estates of Falworth and +Easterbridge--the latter of which had again reverted to the crown +upon the death of the Earl of Alban without issue--upon the +grounds that they had been forfeited not because of the attaint +of treason, but because of Lord Falworth having refused to +respond to the citation of the courts. So the business dragged +along for month after month, until in January the King died +suddenly in the Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster. Then matters +went smoothly enough, and Falworth and Mackworth swam upon the +flood-tide of fortune. + + +So Myles was married, for how else should the story end? And one +day he brought his beautiful young wife home to Falworth Castle, +which his father had given him for his own, and at the gateway of +which he was met by Sir James Lee and by the newly-knighted Sir +Francis Gascoyne. + +One day, soon after this home-coming, as he stood with her at an +open window into which came blowing the pleasant May-time breeze, +he suddenly said, "What didst thou think of me when I first fell +almost into thy lap, like an apple from heaven?" + +"I thought thou wert a great, good-hearted boy, as I think thou +art now," said she, twisting his strong, sinewy fingers in and +out. + +"If thou thoughtst me so then, what a very fool I must have +looked to thee when I so clumsily besought thee for thy favor for +my jousting at Devlen. Did I not so?" + +"Thou didst look to me the most noble, handsome young knight that +did ever live; thou didst look to me Sir Galahad, as they did +call thee, withouten taint or stain." + +Myles did not even smile in answer, but looked at his wife with +such a look that she blushed a rosy red. Then, laughing, she +slipped from his hold, and before he could catch her again was +gone. + +I am glad that he was to be rich and happy and honored and +beloved after all his hard and noble fighting. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg etext of Men of Iron. + diff --git a/old/femen10.zip b/old/femen10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a6135c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/femen10.zip |