men of iron-第24节

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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　disapprovalexcepting　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　partnow　that　he　had　learned　better　to　appreciate　how　much　his　Lord　had　done　for　himwould　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　dutiesthese　to　attend　in　the　household；　those　to　ride　in　the　escortone　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　mes