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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　interestedmuch　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　penancethat　for　the　first　three　days　of　his　knighthood　he　should　eat　his　meals　without　meat　and　in　his　own　apartmentand　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　scenethe　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　enemythat　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