men of iron-第33节

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Before；　he　had　been　conscious　of　the　critical　multitude　looking　down　upon　him；　now　it　was　a　conflict　of　man　to　man；　and　such　a　conflict　had　no　terrors　for　his　young　heart　of　iron。

The　spectators　had　somehow　come　to　the　knowledge　that　this　was　to　be　a　more　serious　encounter　than　the　two　which　had　preceded　it；　and　a　breathless　silence　fell　for　the　moment　or　two　that　the　knights　stood　in　place。

Once　more　he　breathed　a　short　prayer；　〃Holy　Mary；　guard　me！〃

Then　again；　for　the　third　time；　the　Marshal　raised　his　baton；　and　the　horn　sounded；　and　for　the　third　time　Myles　drove　his　spurs　into　his　horse's　flanks。　Again　he　saw　the　iron　figure　of　his　opponent　rushing　nearer；　nearer；　nearer。　He　centred；　with　a　straining　intensity；　every　faculty　of　soul；　mind；　and　body　upon　one　pointthe　cross　of　the　occularium；　the　mark　he　was　to　strike。　He　braced　himself　for　the　tremendous　shock　which　he　knew　must　meet　him；　and　then　in　a　flash　dropped　lance　point　straight　and　true。　The　next　instant　there　was　a　deafening　stunning　crasha　crash　like　the　stroke　of　a　thunder…bolt。　There　was　a　dazzling　blaze　of　blinding　light；　and　a　myriad　sparks　danced　and　flickered　and　sparkled　before　his　eyes。　He　felt　his　horse　stagger　under　him　with　the　recoil；　and　hardly　knowing　what　he　did；　he　drove　his　spurs　deep　into　its　sides　with　a　shout。　At　the　same　moment　there　resounded　in　his　ears　a　crashing　rattle　and　clatter；　he　knew　not　of　what；　and　then；　as　his　horse　recovered　and　sprang　forward；　and　as　the　stunning　bewilderment　passed；　he　found　that　his　helmet　had　been　struck　off。　He　heard　a　great　shout　arise　from　all；　and　thought；　with　a　sickening；　bitter　disappointment；　that　it　was　because　he　had　lost。　At　the　farther　end　of　the　course　he　turned　his　horse；　and　then　his　heart　gave　a　leap　and　a　bound　as　though　it　would　burst；　the　blood　leaped　to　his　cheeks　tingling；　and　his　bosom　thrilled　with　an　almost　agonizing　pang　of　triumph；　of　wonder；　of　amazement。

There；　in　a　tangle　of　his　horse's　harness　and　of　embroidered　trappings；　the　Sieur　de　la　Montaigne　lay　stretched　upon　the　ground；　with　his　saddle　near　by；　and　his　riderless　horse　was　trotting　aimlessly　about　at　the　farther　end　of　the　lists。

Myles　saw　the　two　squires　of　the　fallen　knight　run　across　to　where　their　master　lay；　he　saw　the　ladies　waving　their　kerchiefs　and　veils；　and　the　castle　people　swinging　their　hats　and　shouting　in　an　ecstasy　of　delight。　Then　he　rode　slowly　back　to　where　the　squires　were　now　aiding　the　fallen　knight　to　arise。　The　senior　squire　drew　his　dagger；　cut　the　leather　points；　and　drew　off　the　helm；　disclosing　the　knight's　facea　face　white　as　death；　and　convulsed　with　rage；　mortification；　and　bitter　humiliation。

〃I　was　not　rightly　unhorsed！〃　he　cried；　hoarsely　and　with　livid　lips；　to　the　Marshal　and　his　attendants；　who　had　ridden　up。　〃I　unhelmed　him　fairly　enough；　but　my　over…girth　and　breast…strap　burst；　and　my　saddle　slipped。　I　was　not　unhorsed；　I　say；　and　I　lay　claim　that　I　unhelmed　him。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　Marshal　calmly；　and　speaking　in　French；　〃surely　thou　knowest　that　the　loss　of　helmet　does　not　decide　an　encounter。　I　need　not　remind　thee；　my　Lord；　that　it　was　so　awarded　by　John　of　Gaunt；　Duke　of　Lancaster；　when　in　the　jousting　match　between　Reynand　de　Roye　and　John　de　Holland；　the　Sieur　Reynand　left　every　point　of　his　helm　loosened；　so　that　the　helm　was　beaten　off　at　each　stroke。　If　he　then　was　justified　in　doing　so　of　his　own　choice；　and　wilfully　suffering　to　be　unhelmed；　how　then　can　this　knight　be　accused　of　evil　who　suffered　it　by　chance？〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　said　the　Sieur　de　la　Montaigne；　in　the　same　hoarse；　breathless　voice；　〃I　do　affirm；　and　will　make　my　affirmation　good　with　my　body；　that　I　fell　only　by　the　breaking　of　my　girth。　Who　says　otherwise　lies！〃

〃It　is　the　truth　he　speaketh；〃　said　Myles。　〃I　myself　saw　the　stitches　were　some　little　what　burst；　and　warned　him　thereof　before　we　ran　this　course。

〃Sir；〃　said　the　Marshal　to　the　Sieur　de　la　Montaigne；　〃how　can　you　now　complain　of　that　thing　which　your　own　enemy　advised　you　of　and　warned　you　against？　Was　it　not　right　knightly　for　him　so　to　do？〃

The　Sieur　de　la　Montaigne　stood　quite　still　for　a　little　while；　leaning　on　the　shoulder　of　his　chief　squire；　looking　moodily　upon　the　ground；　then；　without　making　answer；　he　turned；　and　walked　slowly　away　to　his　pavilion；　still　leaning　on　his　squire's　shoulder；　whilst　the　other　attendant　followed　behind；　bearing　his　shield　and　helmet。

Gascoyne　had　picked　up　Myles's　fallen　helmet　as　the　Sieur　de　la　Montaigne　moved　away；　and　Lord　George　and　Sir　James　Lee　came　walking　across　the　lists　to　where　Myles　still　sat。　Then；　the　one　taking　his　horse　by　the　bridle…rein；　and　the　other　walking　beside　the　saddle；　they　led　him　before　the　raised　dais　where　the　King　sat。

Even　the　Comte　de　Vermoise；　mortified　and　amazed　as　he　must　have　been　at　the　overthrow　of　his　best　knight；　joined　in　the　praise　and　congratulation　that　poured　upon　the　young　conqueror。　Myles；　his　heart　swelling　with　a　passion　of　triumphant　delight；　looked　up　and　met　the　gaze　of　Lady　Alice　fixed　intently　upon　him。　A　red　spot　of　excitement　still　burned　in　either　cheek；　and　it　flamed　to　a　rosier　red　as　he　bowed　his　head　to　her　before　turning　away。

Gascoyne　had　just　removed　Myles's　breastplate　and　gorget；　when　Sir　James　Lee　burst　into　the　pavilion。　All　his　grim　coldness　was　gone；　and　he　flung　his　arms　around　the　young　man's　neck；　hugging　him　heartily；　and　kissing　him　upon　either　cheek。

Ere　he　let　him　go；　〃Mine　own　dear　boy；〃　he　said；　holding　him　off　at　arm's…length；　and　winking　his　one　keen　eye　rapidly；　as　though　to　wink　away　a　dampness　of　which　he　was　ashamed〃mine　own　dear　boy；　I　do　tell　thee　truly　this　is　as　sweet　to　me　as　though　thou　wert　mine　own　son；　sweeter　to　me　than　when　I　first　broke　mine　own　lance　in　triumph；　and　felt　myself　to　be　a　right　knight。〃

〃Sir；〃　answered　Myles；　〃what　thou　sayest　doth　rejoice　my　very　heart。　Ne'theless；　it　is　but　just　to　say　that　both　his　breast…piece　and　over…girth　were　burst　in　the　stitches　before　he　ran　his　course；　for　so　I　saw　with　mine　own　eyes。〃

〃Burst　in　the　stitches！〃　snorted　Sir　James。　〃Thinkest　thou　he　did　not　know　in　what　condition　was　his　horse's　gearing？　I　tell　thee　he　went　down　because　thou　didst　strike　fair　and　true；　and　he　did　not　so　strike　thee。　Had　he　been　Guy　of　Warwick　he　had　gone　down　all　the　same　under　such　a　stroke　and　in　such　case。〃



CHAPTER　28

It　waS　not　until　more　than　three　weeks　after　the　King　had　left　Devlen　Castle　that　Lord　George　and　his　company　of　knights　and　archers　were　ready　for　the　expedition　to　France。　Two　weeks　of　that　time　Myles　spent　at　Crosbey…Dale　with　his　father　and　mother。　It　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　seen　them　since；　four　years　ago；　he　had　quitted　the　low；　narrow；　white…walled　farmhouse　for　the　castle　of　the　great　Earl　of　Mackworth。　He　had　never　appreciated　before　how　low　and　narrow　and　poor　the　farm…house　was。　Now；　with　his　eyes　trained　to　the　bigness　of　Devlen　Castle；　he　looked　around　him　with　wonder　and　pity　at　his　father's　humble　surroundings。　He　realized　as　he　never　else　could　have　realized　how　great　was　the　fall　in　fortune　that　had　cast　the　house　of　Falworth　down　from　its　rightful　station　to　such　a　level　as　that　upon　which　it　now　rested。　And　at　the　same　time　that　he　thus　recognized　how　poor　was　their　lot；　how　dependent　upon　the　charity　of　others；　he　also　recognized　how　generous　was　the　friendship　of　Prior　Edward；　who　perilled　his　own　safety　so　greatly　in　affording　the　family　of　the　attainted　Lord　an　asylum　in　its　bitter　hour　of　need　and　peril。

Myles　paid　many　visits　to　the　gentle　old　priest　during　those　two　weeks'　visit；　and　had　many　long　and　serious　talks　with　him。　One　warm　bright　afternoon；　as　he　and　the　old　man　walked　together　in　the　priory　garden；　after　a　game　or　two　of　draughts；　the　young　knight　talked　more　freely　and　openly　of　his　plans；　his　hopes；　his　ambitions；　than　perhaps　he　had　ever　done。　He　told　the　old　man　all　that　the　Earl　had　disclosed　to　him　concerning　the　fallen　fortunes　of　his　father's　house；　and　of　how　all　who　knew　those　circumstances　looked　to　him　to　set　the　family　in　its　old　place　once　more。　Prior　Edward　added　many　things　to　those　which　Myles　already　knewthings　of　which　the　Earl　either　did　not　know；　or　did　not　choose　to　speak。　He　told　the　young　man；　among　other　matters；　the　reason　of　the　bitter　and　lasting　enmity　that　the　King　felt　for　the　blind　nobleman：　that　Lord　Falworth　had　been　one　of　King　Richard's　council　in　times　past；　that　it　was　not　a　little　owing　to　him　that　King　Henry；　when　Earl　of　Derby；　had　been　banished　from　England；　and　that　though　he　was　then　living　in　the　retirement　of　private　life；　he　bitterly　and　steadfastly　opposed　King　Richard's　abdication。　He　told　Myles　that　at　the　time　when　Sir　John　Dale　found　shelter　at　Falworth　Castle；　vengeance　was　ready　to　fall　upon　his　father　at　any　moment；　and　it　needed　only　such　a　pretext　as　that　of　sheltering　so　prominent　a　conspirator　as　Sir　John　to　complete　his　ruin。

Myles；　as　he　listened　intently；　could　not　but　confess　in　his　own　mind　that　the　King　had　many　rational；　perhaps　just；　grounds　for　grievance　against　such　an　ardent　opponent　as　the　blind　Lord　had　shown　himself　to　be。　〃But；　sir；〃　said　he；　after　a　little　space　of　silence；　when　Prior　Edward　h