men of iron-第13节

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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　benchalways　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　methe　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　Eyryfifteen　of　the　Knights　of　the　Roseand　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　voicea　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　sli