men of iron(铁人)-第17节
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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；
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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 matchperhaps more than
a matchfor 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。
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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 feelthe 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
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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 instantso 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
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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
