men of iron-第41节

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CONCLUSION

But　Myles　was　not　dead。　Those　who　had　seen　his　face　when　the　umbril　of　the　helmet　was　raised；　and　then　saw　him　fall　as　he　tottered　across　the　lists；　had　at　first　thought　so。　But　his　faintness　was　more　from　loss　of　blood　and　the　sudden　unstringing　of　nerve　and　sense　from　the　intense　furious　strain　of　the　last　few　moments　of　battle　than　from　the　vital　nature　of　the　wound。　Indeed；　after　Myles　had　been　carried　out　of　the　lists　and　laid　upon　the　ground　in　the　shade　between　the　barriers；　Master　Thomas；　the　Prince's　barber…surgeon；　having　examined　the　wounds；　declared　that　he　might　be　even　carried　on　a　covered　litter　to　Scotland　Yard　without　serious　danger。　The　Prince　was　extremely　desirous　of　having　him　under　his　care；　and　so　the　venture　was　tried。　Myles　was　carried　to　Scotland　Yard；　and　perhaps　was　none　the　worse　therefore。　The　Prince；　the　Earl　of　Mackworth；　and　two　or　three　others　stood　silently　watching　as　the　worthy　shaver　and　leecher；　assisted　by　his　apprentice　and　Gascoyne；　washed　and　bathed　the　great　gaping　wound　in　the　side；　and　bound　it　with　linen　bandages。　Myles　lay　with　closed　eyelids；　still；　pallid；　weak　as　a　little　child。　Presently　he　opened　his　eyes　and　turned　them；　dull　and　languid；　to　the　Prince。

〃What　hath　happed　my　father；　my　Lord？〃　said　he；　in　a　faint；　whispering　voice。

〃Thou　hath　saved　his　life　and　honor；　Myles；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃He　is　here　now；　and　thy　mother　hath　been　sent　for；　and　cometh　anon　with　the　priest　who　was　with　them　this　morn。〃

Myles　dropped　his　eyelids　again；　his　lips　moved；　but　he　made　no　sound；　and　then　two　bright　tears　trickled　across　his　white　cheek。

〃He　maketh　a　woman　of　me；〃　the　Prince　muttered　through　his　teeth；　and　then；　swinging　on　his　heel；　he　stood　for　a　long　time　looking　out　of　the　window　into　the　garden　beneath。

〃May　I　see　my　father？〃　said　Myles；　presently；　without　opening　his　eyes。

The　Prince　turned　around　and　looked　inquiringly　at　the　surgeon。

The　good　man　shook　his　head。　〃Not　to…day；〃　said　he；　〃haply　to…morrow　he　may　see　him　and　his　mother。　The　bleeding　is　but　new　stanched；　and　such　matters　as　seeing　his　father　and　mother　may　make　the　heart　to　swell；　and　so　maybe　the　wound　burst　afresh　and　he　die。　An　he　would　hope　to　live；　he　must　rest　quiet　until　to…morrow　day。〃

But　though　Myles's　wound　was　not　mortal；　it　was　very　serious。　The　fever　which　followed　lingered　longer　than　commonperhaps　because　of　the　hot　weatherand　the　days　stretched　to　weeks；　and　the　weeks　to　months；　and　still　he　lay　there；　nursed　by　his　mother　and　Gascoyne　and　Prior　Edward；　and　now　and　again　by　Sir　James　Lee。

One　day；　a　little　before　the　good　priest　returned　to　Saint　Mary's　Priory；　as　he　sat　by　Myles's　bedside；　his　hands　folded；　and　his　sight　turned　inward；　the　young　man　suddenly　said；　〃Tell　me；　holy　father；　is　it　always　wrong　for　man　to　slay　man？〃

The　good　priest　sat　silent　for　so　long　a　time　that　Myles　began　to　think　he　had　not　heard　the　question。　But　by…and…by　he　answered；　almost　with　a　sigh；　〃It　is　a　hard　question；　my　son；　but　I　must　in　truth　say；　meseems　it　is　not　always　wrong。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　have　been　in　battle　when　men　were　slain；　but　never　did　I　think　thereon　as　I　have　upon　this　matter。　Did　I　sin　in　so　slaying　my　father's　enemy？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Prior　Edward；　quietly；　〃thou　didst　not　sin。　It　was　for　others　thou　didst　fight；　my　son；　and　for　others　it　is　pardonable　to　do　battle。　Had　it　been　thine　own　quarrel；　it　might　haply　have　been　more　hard　to　have　answered　thee。〃

Who　can　gainsay；　even　in　these　days　of　light；　the　truth　of　this　that　the　good　priest　said　to　the　sick　lad　so　far　away　in　the　past？


One　day　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　came　to　visit　Myles。　At　that　time　the　young　knight　was　mending；　and　was　sitting　propped　up　with　pillows；　and　was　wrapped　in　Sir　James　Lee's　cloak；　for　the　day　was　chilly。　After　a　little　time　of　talk；　a　pause　of　silence　fell。

〃My　Lord；〃　said　Myles；　suddenly；　〃dost　thou　remember　one　part　of　a　matter　we　spoke　of　when　I　first　came　from　France？〃

The　Earl　made　no　pretence　of　ignorance。　〃I　remember；〃　said　he；　quietly；　looking　straight　into　the　young　man's　thin　white　face。

〃And　have　I　yet　won　the　right　to　ask　for　the　Lady　Alice　de　Mowbray　to　wife？〃　said　Myles；　the　red　rising　faintly　to　his　cheeks。

〃Thou　hast　won　it；〃　said　the　Earl；　with　a　smile。

Myles's　eyes　shone　and　his　lips　trembled　with　the　pang　of　sudden　joy　and　triumph；　for　he　was　still　very　weak。　〃My　Lord；〃　said　he；　presently　〃belike　thou　camest　here　to　see　me　for　this　very　matter？〃

The　Earl　smiled　again　without　answering；　and　Myles　knew　that　he　had　guessed　aright。　He　reached　out　one　of　his　weak；　pallid　hands　from　beneath　the　cloak。　The　Earl　of　Mackworth　took　it　with　a　firm　pressure；　then　instantly　quitting　it　again；　rose；　as　if　ashamed　of　his　emotion；　stamped　his　feet；　as　though　in　pretence　of　being　chilled；　and　then　crossed　the　room　to　where　the　fire　crackled　brightly　in　the　great　stone　fireplace。


Little　else　remains　to　be　told；　only　a　few　loose　strands　to　tie；　and　the　story　is　complete。

Though　Lord　Falworth　was　saved　from　death　at　the　block；　though　his　honor　was　cleansed　from　stain；　he　was　yet　as　poor　and　needy　as　ever。　The　King；　in　spite　of　all　the　pressure　brought　to　bear　upon　him；　refused　to　restore　the　estates　of　Falworth　and　Easterbridgethe　latter　of　which　had　again　reverted　to　the　crown　upon　the　death　of　the　Earl　of　Alban　without　issueupon　the　grounds　that　they　had　been　forfeited　not　because　of　the　attaint　of　treason；　but　because　of　Lord　Falworth　having　refused　to　respond　to　the　citation　of　the　courts。　So　the　business　dragged　along　for　month　after　month；　until　in　January　the　King　died　suddenly　in　the　Jerusalem　Chamber　at　Westminster。　Then　matters　went　smoothly　enough；　and　Falworth　and　Mackworth　swam　upon　the　flood…tide　of　fortune。


So　Myles　was　married；　for　how　else　should　the　story　end？　And　one　day　he　brought　his　beautiful　young　wife　home　to　Falworth　Castle；　which　his　father　had　given　him　for　his　own；　and　at　the　gateway　of　which　he　was　met　by　Sir　James　Lee　and　by　the　newly…knighted　Sir　Francis　Gascoyne。

One　day；　soon　after　this　home…coming；　as　he　stood　with　her　at　an　open　window　into　which　came　blowing　the　pleasant　May…time　breeze；　he　suddenly　said；　〃What　didst　thou　think　of　me　when　I　first　fell　almost　into　thy　lap；　like　an　apple　from　heaven？〃

〃I　thought　thou　wert　a　great；　good…hearted　boy；　as　I　think　thou　art　now；〃　said　she；　twisting　his　strong；　sinewy　fingers　in　and　out。

〃If　thou　thoughtst　me　so　then；　what　a　very　fool　I　must　have　looked　to　thee　when　I　so　clumsily　besought　thee　for　thy　favor　for　my　jousting　at　Devlen。　Did　I　not　so？〃

〃Thou　didst　look　to　me　the　most　noble；　handsome　young　knight　that　did　ever　live；　thou　didst　look　to　me　Sir　Galahad；　as　they　did　call　thee；　withouten　taint　or　stain。〃

Myles　did　not　even　smile　in　answer；　but　looked　at　his　wife　with　such　a　look　that　she　blushed　a　rosy　red。　Then；　laughing；　she　slipped　from　his　hold；　and　before　he　could　catch　her　again　was　gone。

I　am　glad　that　he　was　to　be　rich　and　happy　and　honored　and　beloved　after　all　his　hard　and　noble　fighting。





End