men of iron-第36节

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　so　going　knew　as　little　as　the　others　of　the　mad　court　that　the　Prince's　growing　liking　for　him　was；　perhaps；　more　than　all　else；　on　account　of　that　very　temperance。

Then；　by…and…by；　the　Prince　began　to　confide　in　him　as　he　did　in　none　of　the　others。　There　was　no　great　love　betwixt　the　King　and　his　son；　it　has　happened　very　often　that　the　Kings　of　England　have　felt　bitter　jealousy　towards　the　heirs…apparent　as　they　have　grown　in　power；　and　such　was　the　case　with　the　great　King　Henry　IV。　The　Prince　often　spoke　to　Myles　of　the　clashing　and　jarring　between　himself　and　his　father；　and　the　thought　began　to　come　to　Myles's　mind　by　degrees　that　maybe　the　King's　jealousy　accounted　not　a　little　for　the　Prince's　reckless　intemperance。

Once；　for　instance；　as　the　Prince　leaned　upon；　his　shoulder　waiting；　whilst　the　attendants　made　ready　the　barge　that　was　to　carry　them　down　the　river　to　the　city；　he　said；　abruptly：　〃Myles；　what　thinkest　thou　of　us　all？　Doth　not　thy　honesty　hold　us　in　contempt？〃

〃Nay；　Highness；〃　said　Myles。　〃How　could　I　hold　contempt？〃

〃Marry；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　myself　hold　contempt；　and　am　not　as　honest　a　man　as　thou。　But；　prithee；　have　patience　with　me；　Myles。　Some　day；　perhaps；　I　too　will　live　a　clean　life。　Now；　an　I　live　seriously；　the　King　will　be　more　jealous　of　me　than　ever；　and　that　is　not　a　little。　Maybe　I　live　thus　so　that　he　may　not　know　what　I　really　am　in　soothly　earnest。〃

The　Prince　also　often　talked　to　Myles　concerning　his　own　affairs；　of　the　battle　he　was　to　fight　for　his　father's　honor；　of　how　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　had　plotted　and　planned　to　bring　him　face　to　face　with　the　Earl　of　Alban。　He　spoke　to　Myles　more　than　once　of　the　many　great　changes　of　state　and　party　that　hung　upon　the　downfall　of　the　enemy　of　the　house　of　Falworth；　and　showed　him　how　no　hand　but　his　own　could　strike　that　enemy　down；　if　he　fell；　it　must　be　through　the　son　of　Falworth。　Sometimes　it　seemed　to　Myles　as　though　he　and　his　blind　father　were　the　centre　of　a　great　web　of　plot　and　intrigue；　stretching　far　and　wide；　that　included　not　only　the　greatest　houses　of　England；　but　royalty　and　the　political　balance　of　the　country　as　well；　and　even　before　the　greatness　of　it　all　he　did　not　flinch。

Then；　at　last；　came　the　beginning　of　the　time　for　action。　It　was　in　the　early　part　of　May；　and　Myles　had　been　a　member　of　the　Prince's　household　for　a　little　over　a　month。　One　morning　he　was　ordered　to　attend　the　Prince　in　his　privy　cabinet；　and；　obeying　the　summons；　he　found　the　Prince；　his　younger　brother；　the　Duke　of　Bedford；　and　his　uncle；　the　Bishop　of　Winchester；　seated　at　a　table；　where　they　had　just　been　refreshing　themselves　with　a　flagon　of　wine　and　a　plate　of　wafers。

〃My　poor　Myles；〃　said　the　Prince；　smiling；　as　the　young　knight　bowed　to　the　three；　and　then　stood　erect；　as　though　on　duty。　〃It　shames　my　heart；　brotherand　thou；　uncleit　shames　my　heart　to　be　one　privy　to　this　thing　which　we　are　set　upon　to　do。　Here　be　we；　the　greatest　Lords　of　England；　making　a　cat's…paw　of　this　ladfor　he　is　only　yet　a　boyand　of　his　blind　father；　for　to　achieve　our　ends　against　Alban's　faction。　It　seemeth　not　over…honorable　to　my　mind。〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　Highness；〃　said　Myles；　blushing　to　the　roots　of　his　hair；　〃but；　an　I　may　be　so　bold　as　to　speak；　I　reck　nothing　of　what　your　aims　may　be；　I　only　look　to　restoring　my　father's　honor　and　the　honor　of　our　house。〃

〃Truly；〃　said　the　Prince；　smiling；　〃that　is　the　only　matter　that　maketh　me　willing　to　lay　my　hands　to　this　business。　Dost　thou　know　why　I　have　sent　for　thee？　It　is　because　this　day　thou　must　challenge　the　Duke　of　Alban　before　the　King。　The　Earl　of　Mackworth　has　laid　all　his　plans　and　the　time　is　now　ripe。　Knowest　that　thy　father　is　at　Mackworth　House？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　knew　it　not。〃

〃He　hath　been　there　for　nearly　two　days；〃　said　the　Prince。　〃Just　now　the　Earl　hath　sent　for　us　to　come　first　to　Mackworth　House。　Then　to　go　to　the　palace；　for　he　hath　gained　audience　with　the　King；　and　hath　so　arranged　it　that　the　Earl　of　Alban　is　to　be　there　as　well。　We　all　go　straightway；　so　get　thyself　ready　as　soon　as　may　be。〃

Perhaps　Myles's　heart　began　beating　more　quickly　within　him　at　the　nearness　of　that　great　happening　which　he　had　looked　forward　to　for　so　long。　If　it　did；　he　made　no　sign　of　his　emotion；　but　only　asked；　〃How　must　I　clothe　myself；　your　Highness？〃

〃Wear　thy　light　armor；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃but　no　helmet；　a　juppon　bearing　the　arms　and　colors　that　the　Earl　gave　thee　when　thou　wert　knighted；　and　carry　thy　right…hand　gauntlet　under　thy　belt　for　thy　challenge。　Now　make　haste；　for　time　passes。〃



CHAPTER　30

Adjoining　the　ancient　palace　of　Westminster；　where　King　Henry　IV　was　then　holding　his　court；　was　a　no　less　ancient　stone　building　known　as　the　Painted　Room。　Upon　the　walls　were　depicted　a　series　of　battle　scenes　in　long　bands　reaching　around　this　room；　one　above　another。　Some　of　these　pictures　had　been　painted　as　far　back　as　the　days　of　Henry　III；　others　had　been　added　since　his　time。　They　chronicled　the　various　wars　of　the　King　of　England；　and　it　was　from　them　that　the　little　hall　took　its　name　of　the　Painted　Room。

This　ancient　wing；　or　offshoot；　of　the　main　buildings　was　more　retired　from　the　hurly…burly　of　outer　life　than　other　parts　of　the　palace；　and　thither　the　sick　King　was　very　fond　of　retiring　from　the　business　of　State；　which　ever　rested　more　and　more　heavily　upon　his　shoulders；　sometimes　to　squander　in　quietness　a　spare　hour　or　two；　sometimes　to　idle　over　a　favorite　book；　sometimes　to　play　a　game　of　chess　with　a　favorite　courtier。　The　cold　painted　walls　had　been　hung　with　tapestry；　and　its　floor　had　been　spread　with　arras　carpet。　These　and　the　cushioned　couches　and　chairs　that　stood　around　gave　its　gloomy　antiquity　an　air　of　comfortan　air　even　of　luxury。

It　was　to　this　favorite　retreat　of　the　King's　that　Myles　was　brought　that　morning　with　his　father　to　face　the　great　Earl　of　Alban。

In　the　anteroom　the　little　party　of　Princes　and　nobles　who　escorted　the　father　and　son　had　held　a　brief　consultation。　Then　the　others　had　entered；　leaving　Myles　and　his　blind　father　in　charge　of　Lord　Lumley　and　two　knights　of　the　court；　Sir　Reginald　Hallowell　and　Sir　Piers　Averell。

Myles；　as　he　stood　patiently　waiting；　with　his　father's　arm　resting　in　his；　could　hear　the　muffled　sound　of　voices　from　beyond　the　arras。　Among　others；　he　recognized　the　well…remembered　tones　of　the　King。　He　fancied　that　he　heard　his　own　name　mentioned　more　than　once；　and　then　the　sound　of　talking　ceased。　The　next　moment　the　arras　was　drawn　aside；　and　the　Earl　entered　the　antechamber　again。

〃All　is　ready；　cousin；〃　said　he　to　Lord　Falworth；　in　a　suppressed　voice。　〃Essex　hath　done　as　he　promised；　and　Alban　is　within　there　now。〃　Then；　turning　to　Myles；　speaking　in　the　same　low　voice；　and　betraying　more　agitation　than　Myles　had　thought　it　possible　for　him　to　show；　〃Sir　Myles；〃　said　he；　〃remember　all　that　hath　been　told　thee。　Thou　knowest　what　thou　hast　to　say　and　do。〃　Then；　without　further　word；　he　took　Lord　Falworth　by　the　hand；　and　led　the　way　into　the　room；　Myles　following　close　behind。

The　King　half　sat；　half　inclined；　upon　a　cushioned　seat　close　to　which　stood　the　two　Princes。　There　were　some　dozen　others　present；　mostly　priests　and　noblemen　of　high　quality　who　clustered　in　a　group　at　a　little　distance。　Myles　knew　most　of　them　at　a　glance　having　seen　them　come　and　go　at　Scotland　Yard。　But　among　them　all；　he　singled　out　only　onethe　Earl　of　Alban。　He　had　not　seen　that　face　since　he　was　a　little　child　eight　years　old；　but　now　that　he　beheld　it　again；　it　fitted　instantly　and　vividly　into　the　remembrance　of　the　time　of　that　terrible　scene　at　Falworth　Castle；　when　he　had　beheld　the　then　Lord　Brookhurst　standing　above　the　dead　body　of　Sir　John　Dale；　with　the　bloody　mace　clinched　in　his　hand。　There　were　the　same　heavy　black　brows；　sinister　and　gloomy；　the　same　hooked　nose；　the　same　swarthy　cheeks。　He　even　remembered　the　deep　dent　in　the　forehead；　where　the　brows　met　in　perpetual　frown。　So　it　was　that　upon　that　face　his　looks　centred　and　rested。

The　Earl　of　Alban　had　just　been　speaking　to　some　Lord　who　stood　beside　him；　and　a　half…smile　still　hung　about　the　corners　of　his　lips。　At　first；　as　he　looked　up　at　the　entrance　of　the　newcomers；　there　was　no　other　expression；　then　suddenly　came　a　flash　of　recognition；　a　look　of　wide…eyed　amazement；　then　the　blood　left　the　cheeks　and　the　lips；　and　the　face　grew　very　pale。　No　doubt　he　saw　at　a　flash　that　some　great　danger　overhung　him　in　this　sudden　coming　of　his　old　enemy；　for　he　was　as　keen　and　as　astute　a　politician　as　he　was　a　famous　warrior。　At　least　he　knew　that　the　eyes　of　most　of　those　present　were　fixed　keenly　and　searchingly　upon　him。　After　the　first　start　of　recognition；　his　left　hand；　hanging　at　his　side；　gradually　closed　around　the　scabbard　of　his　sword；　clutching　it　in　a　vice…like　grip。

Meantime　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　had　led　the　blind　Lord　to　the　King；　where　both　kneeled。

〃Why；　how　now；　my　Lord？〃　said　the　King。　〃Methought　it　was　our　young　Paladin　whom　we　knighted　at　Devlen　that　was　to　be　presented；　and　here　thou　bringest　this　old　man。　A　blind　man；　ha！　What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃

〃Majesty；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃I　have　taken　th