men of iron-第3节

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and　mother　and　Prior　Edward　together；　waiting　for　his　coming。

〃We　three　have　been　talking　it　over　this　morning；〃　said　his　father；　〃and　so　think　each　one　that　the　time　hath　come　for　thee　to　quit　this　poor　home　of　ours。　An　thou　stay　here　ten　years　longer；　thou'lt　be　no　more　fit　to　go　then　than　now。　To…morrow　I　will　give　thee　a　letter　to　my　kinsman；　the　Earl　of　Mackworth。　He　has　thriven　in　these　days　and　I　have　fallen　away；　but　time　was　that　he　and　I　were　true　sworn　companions；　and　plighted　together　in　friendship　never　to　be　sundered。　Methinks；　as　I　remember　him；　he　will　abide　by　his　plighted　troth；　and　will　give　thee　his　aid　to　rise　in　the　world。　So；　as　I　said；　to…morrow　morning　thou　shalt　set　forth　with　Diccon　Bowman；　and　shall　go　to　Castle　Devlen；　and　there　deliver　this　letter　which　prayeth　him　to　give　thee　a　place　in　his　household。　Thou　mayst　have　this　afternoon　to　thyself　to　make　read　such　things　as　thou　shalt　take　with　thee。　And　bid　me　Diccon　to　take　the　gray　horse　to　the　village　and　have　it　shod。〃

Prior　Edward　had　been　standing　looking　out　of　the　window。　As　Lord　Falworth　ended　he　turned。

〃And；　Myles；〃　said　he；　〃thou　wilt　need　some　money；　so　I　will　give　thee　as　a　loan　forty　shillings；　which　some　day　thou　mayst　return　to　me　an　thou　wilt。　For　this　know；　Myles；　a　man　cannot　do　in　the　world　without　money。　Thy　father　hath　it　ready　for　thee　in　the　chest；　and　will　give　it　thee　to…morrow　ere　thou　goest。〃

Lord　Falworth　had　the　grim　strength　of　manhood's　hard　sense　to　upbear　him　in　sending　his　son　into　the　world；　but　the　poor　lady　mother　had　nothing　of　that　to　uphold　her。　No　doubt　it　was　as　hard　then　as　it　is　now　for　the　mother　to　see　the　nestling　thrust　from　the　nest　to　shift　for　itself。　What　tears　were　shed；　what　words　of　love　were　spoken　to　the　only　man…child；　none　but　the　mother　and　the　son　ever　knew。

The　next　morning　Myles　and　the　old　bowman　rode　away；　and　no　doubt　to　the　boy　himself　the　dark　shadows　of　leave…taking　were　lost　in　the　golden　light　of　hope　as　he　rode　out　into　the　great　world　to　seek　his　fortune。



CHAPTER　3

WHAT　MYLES　remembered　of　Falworth　loomed　great　and　grand　and　big；　as　things　do　in　the　memory　of　childhood；　but　even　memory　could　not　make　Falworth　the　equal　of　Devlen　Castle；　when；　as　he　and　Diccon　Bowman　rode　out　of　Devlentown　across　the　great；　rude　stone　bridge　that　spanned　the　river；　he　first　saw；　rising　above　the　crowns　of　the　trees；　those　huge　hoary　walls；　and　the　steep　roofs　and　chimneys　clustered　thickly　together；　like　the　roofs　and　chimneys　of　a　town。

The　castle　was　built　upon　a　plateau…like　rise　of　ground；　which　was　enclosed　by　the　outer　wall。　It　was　surrounded　on　three　sides　by　a　loop…like　bend　of　the　river；　and　on　the　fourth　was　protected　by　a　deep；　broad；　artificial　moat；　almost　as　wide　as　the　stream　from　which　it　was　fed。　The　road　from　the　town　wound　for　a　little　distance　along　by　the　edge　of　this　moat。　As　Myles　and　the　old　bowman　galloped　by；　with　the　answering　echo　of　their　horses'　hoof…beats　rattling　back　from　the　smooth　stone　face　of　the　walls；　the　lad　looked　up；　wondering　at　the　height　and　strength　of　the　great　ancient　fortress。　In　his　air…castle　building　Myles　had　pictured　the　Earl　receiving　him　as　the　son　of　his　one…time　comrade　in　armsreceiving　him；　perhaps；　with　somewhat　of　the　rustic　warmth　that　he　knew　at　Crosbey…Dale；　but　now；　as　he　stared　at　those　massive　walls　from　below；　and　realized　his　own　insignificance　and　the　greatness　of　this　great　Earl；　he　felt　the　first　keen；　helpless　ache　of　homesickness　shoot　through　his　breast；　and　his　heart　yearned　for　Crosbey…Holt　again。

Then　they　thundered　across　the　bridge　that　spanned　the　moat；　and　through　the　dark　shadows　of　the　great　gaping　gate…way；　and　Diccon；　bidding　him　stay　for　a　moment；　rode　forward　to　bespeak　the　gate…keeper。

The　gate…keeper　gave　the　two　in　charge　of　one　of　the　men…at…arms　who　were　lounging　upon　a　bench　in　the　archway；　who　in　turn　gave　them　into　the　care　of　one　of　the　house…servants　in　the　outer　court…yard。　So；　having　been　passed　from　one　to　another；　and　having　answered　many　questions；　Myles　in　due　time　found　himself　in　the　outer　waiting…room　sitting　beside　Diccon　Bowman　upon　a　wooden　bench　that　stood　along　the　wall　under　the　great　arch　of　a　glazed　window。

For　a　while　the　poor　country　lad　sat　stupidly　bewildered。　He　was　aware　of　people　coming　and　going；　he　was　aware　of　talk　and　laughter　sounding　around　him；　but　he　thought　of　nothing　but　his　aching　homesickness　and　the　oppression　of　his　utter　littleness　in　the　busy　life　of　this　great　castle。

Meantime　old　Diccon　Bowman　was　staring　about　him　with　huge　interest；　every　now　and　then　nudging　his　young　master；　calling　his　attention　now　to　this　and　now　to　that；　until　at　last　the　lad　began　to　awaken　somewhat　from　his　despondency　to　the　things　around。　Besides　those　servants　and　others　who　came　and　went；　and　a　knot　of　six　or　eight　men…at…arms　with　bills　and　pole…axes；　who　stood　at　the　farther　door…way　talking　together　in　low　tones；　now　and　then　broken　by　a　stifled　laugh；　was　a　group　of　four　young　squires；　who　lounged　upon　a　bench　beside　a　door…way　hidden　by　an　arras；　and　upon　them　Myles's　eyes　lit　with　a　sudden　interest。　Three　of　the　four　were　about　his　own　age；　one　was　a　year　or　two　older；　and　all　four　were　dressed　in　the　black…and…yellow　uniform　of　the　house　of　Beaumont。

Myles　plucked　the　bowman　by　the　sleeve。　〃Be　they　squires；　Diccon？〃　said　he；　nodding　towards　the　door。

〃Eh？〃　said　Diccon。　〃Aye；　they　be　squires。〃

〃And　will　my　station　be　with　them？〃　asked　the　boy。

〃Aye；　an　the　Earl　take　thee　to　service；　thou'lt　haply　be　taken　as　squire。〃

Myles　stared　at　them；　and　then　of　a　sudden　was　aware　that　the　young　men　were　talking　of　him。　He　knew　it　by　the　way　they　eyed　him　askance；　and　spoke　now　and　then　in　one　another's　ears。　One　of　the　four；　a　gay　young　fellow；　with　long　riding…　boots　laced　with　green　laces；　said　a　few　words；　the　others　gave　a　laugh；　and　poor　Myles；　knowing　how　ungainly　he　must　seem　to　them；　felt　the　blood　rush　to　his　cheeks；　and　shyly　turned　his　head。

Suddenly；　as　though　stirred　by　an　impulse；　the　same　lad　who　had　just　created　the　laugh　arose　from　the　bench；　and　came　directly　across　the　room　to　where　Myles　and　the　bowman　sat。

〃Give　thee　good…den；〃　said　he。　〃What　be'st　thy　name　and　whence　comest　thou；　an　I　may　make　bold　so　to　ask？〃

〃My　name　is　Myles　Falworth；〃　said　Myles；　〃and　I　come　from　Crosbey…Dale　bearing　a　letter　to　my　Lord。〃

〃Never　did　I　hear　of　Crosbey…Dale；〃　said　the　squire。　〃But　what　seekest　here；　if　so　be　I　may　ask　that　much？〃

〃I　come　seeking　service；〃　said　Myles；　〃and　would　enter　as　an　esquire　such　as　ye　be　in　my　Lord's　household。〃

Myles's　new　acquaintance　grinned。　〃Thou'lt　make　a　droll　squire　to　wait　in　a　Lord's　household；〃　said　he。　〃Hast　ever　been　in　such　service？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　have　only　been　at　school；　and　learned　Latin　and　French　and　what　not。　But　Diccon　Bowman　here　hath　taught　me　use　of　arms。

The　young　squire　laughed　outright。　〃By'r　Lady；　thy　talk　doth　tickle　me；　friend　Myles；〃　said　he。　〃Think'st　thou　such　matters　will　gain　thee　footing　here？　But　stay！　Thou　didst　say　anon　that　thou　hadst　a　letter　to　my　Lord。　From　whom　is　it？〃

〃It　is　from　my　father；〃　said　Myles。　〃He　is　of　noble　blood；　but　fallen　in　estate。　He　is　a　kinsman　of　my　Lord's；　and　one　time　his　comrade　in　arms。〃

〃Sayst　so？〃　said　the　other。　〃Then　mayhap　thy　chances　are　not　so　ill；　after　all。〃　Then；　after　a　moment；　he　added：　〃My　name　is　Francis　Gascoyne；　and　I　will　stand　thy　friend　in　this　matter。　Get　thy　letter　ready；　for　my　Lord　and　his　Grace　of　York　are　within　and　come　forth　anon。　The　Archbishop　is　on　his　way　to　Dalworth；　and　my　Lord　escorts　him　so　far　as　Uppingham。　I　and　those　others　are　to　go　along。　Dost　thou　know　my　Lord　by　sight？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　know　him　not。〃

〃Then　I　will　tell　thee　when　he　cometh。　Listen！〃　said　he；　as　a　confused　clattering　sounded　in　the　court…yard　without。　〃Yonder　are　the　horses　now。　They　come　presently。　Busk　thee　with　thy　letter；　friend　Myles。〃

The　attendants　who　passed　through　the　anteroom　now　came　and　went　more　hurriedly；　and　Myles　knew　that　the　Earl　must　be　about　to　come　forth。　He　had　hardly　time　to　untie　his　pouch；　take　out　the　letter；　and　tie　the　strings　again　when　the　arras　at　the　door…way　was　thrust　suddenly　aside；　and　a　tall　thin　squire　of　about　twenty　came　forth；　said　some　words　to　the　young　men　upon　the　bench；　and　then　withdrew　again。　Instantly　the　squires　arose　and　took　their　station　beside　the　door…way。　A　sudden　hush　fell　upon　all　in　the　room；　and　the　men…at…arms　stood　in　a　line　against　the　wall；　stiff　and　erect　as　though　all　at　once　transformed　to　figures　of　iron。　Once　more　the　arras　was　drawn　back；　and　in　the　hush　Myles　heard　voices　in　the　other　room。

〃My　Lord　cometh；〃　whispered　Gascoyne　in　his　ear；　and　Myles　felt　his　heart　leap　in　answer。

The　next　moment　two　noblemen　came　into　the　anteroom　followed　by　a　crowd　of　gentlemen；　squires；　and　pages。　One　of　the　two　was　a　dignitary　of　the　Church；　the　other　Myles　instantly　singled　out　as　the　Earl　of　Mackworth。



CHAPTER　4

He　was　a　tall　man；　taller　even　than　Myles's　father。　He　had　a　thin　face；　deep…set　bushy　eyebrows；　and　a　hawk　nose。　His　upper　lip　was　clean　shaven；　but　from　his　chin　a　flowing　beard　of　iron…　gray　hung