men of iron-第11节

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〃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　noisea　soft　rustling；　a　melodious　murmur。　The　boys　put　their　shoulders　against　the　door；　which　was　fastened；　and　pushed　with　might　and　mainonce；　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　sheeta　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　themselvesa　world　far　away　above　all　the　dull　matters　of　every…day　lifethey　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　timechaff　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。