men of iron-第8节

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ment；　gave　him　a　short；　gruff　answer；　and　then；　turning　his　back　abruptly；　began　talking　with　one　of　the　other　bachelors。　Myles　flushed　hot　at　the　other's　insulting　manner；　and　looked　quickly　around　to　see　if　any　of　the　others　had　observed　what　had　passed。　It　was　a　comfort　to　him　to　see　that　all　were　too　busy　arming　themselves　to　think　of　anything　else；　nevertheless；　his　face　was　very　lowering　as　he　turned　away。

〃Some　day　I　will　show　him　that　I　am　as　good　a　man　as　he；〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃An　evil…　hearted　dog　to　put　shame　upon　me！〃

The　storm　was　brewing　and　ready　to　break。


That　day　was　exceptionally　hot　and　close；　and　permission　had　been　asked　by　and　granted　to　those　squires　not　on　duty　to　go　down　to　the　river　for　a　bath　after　exercise　at　the　pels。　But　as　Myles　replaced　his　arms　in　the　rack；　a　little　page　came　with　a　bidding　to　come　to　Sir　James　in　his　office。

〃Look　now；〃　said　Myles；　〃here　is　just　my　ill…　fortune。　Why　might　he　not　have　waited　an　hour　longer　rather　than　cause　me　to　miss　going　with　ye？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Gascoyne；　〃let　not　that　grieve　thee；　Myles。　Wilkes　and　I　will　wait　for　thee　in　the　dormitorywill　we　not；　Edmund？　Make　thou　haste　and　go　to　Sir　James。〃

Sir　James　was　sitting　at　the　table　studying　over　a　scroll　of　parchment；　when　Myles　entered　his　office　and　stood　before　him　at　the　table。

〃Well；　boy；〃　said　he；　laying　aside　the　parchment　and　looking　up　at　the　lad；　〃I　have　tried　thee　fairly　for　these　few　days；　and　may　say　that　I　have　found　thee　worthy　to　be　entered　upon　the　rolls　as　esquire　of　the　body。〃

〃I　give　thee　thanks；　sir；〃　said　Myles。

The　knight　nodded　his　head　in　acknowledgement；　but　did　not　at　once　give　the　word　of　dismissal　that　Myles　had　expected。　〃Dost　mean　to　write　thee　a　letter　home　soon？〃　said　he；　suddenly。

〃Aye；〃　said　Myles；　gaping　in　great　wonderment　at　the　strangeness　of　the　question。

〃Then　when　thou　dost　so　write；〃　said　Sir　James；　〃give　thou　my　deep　regards　to　thy　father。〃　Then　he　continued；　after　a　brief　pause。　〃Him　did　I　know　well　in　times　gone　by；　and　we　were　right　true　friends　in　hearty　love；　and　for　his　sake　I　would　befriend　theethat　is；　in　so　much　as　is　fitting。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Myles；　but　Sir　James　held　up　his　hand；　and　he　stopped　short　in　his　thanks。

〃But；　boy；〃　said　he；　〃that　which　I　sent　for　thee　for　to　tell　thee　was　of　more　import　than　these。　Dost　thou　know　that　thy　father　is　an　attainted　outlaw？〃

〃Nay；〃　cried　Myles；　his　cheeks　blazing　up　as　red　as　fire；　〃who　sayeth　that　of　him　lieth　in　his　teeth。〃

〃Thou　dost　mistake　me；〃　said　Sir　James；　quietly。　〃It　is　sometimes　no　shame　to　be　outlawed　and　banned。　Had　it　been　so；　I　would　not　have　told　thee　thereof；　nor　have　bidden　thee　send　my　true　love　to　thy　father；　as　I　did　but　now。　But；　boy；　certes　he　standest　continually　in　great　danger　greater　than　thou　wottest　of。　Were　it　known　where　he　lieth　hid；　it　might　be　to　his　undoing　and　utter　ruin。　Methought　that　belike　thou　mightest　not　know　that；　and　so　I　sent　for　thee　for　to　tell　thee　that　it　behoovest　thee　to　say　not　one　single　word　concerning　him　to　any　of　these　new　friends　of　thine；　nor　who　he　is；　nor　what　he　is。〃

〃But　how　came　my　father　to　be　so　banned？〃　said　Myles；　in　a　constrained　and　husky　voice；　and　after　a　long　time　of　silence。

〃That　I　may　not　tell　thee　just　now；〃　said　the　old　knight；　〃only　thisthat　I　have　been　bidden　to　make　it　known　to　thee　that　thy　father　hath　an　enemy　full　as　powerful　as　my　Lord　the　Earl　himself；　and　that　through　that　enemy　all　his　ill…fortune　his　blindness　and　everythinghath　come。　Moreover；　did　this　enemy　know　where　thy　father　lieth；　he　would　slay　him　right　speedily。〃

〃Sir；〃　cried　Myles；　violently　smiting　his　open　palm　upon　the　table；　〃tell　me　who　this　man　is；　and　I　will　kill　him！〃

Sir　James　smiled　grimly。　〃Thou　talkest　like　a　boy；〃　said　he。　〃Wait　until　thou　art　grown　to　be　a　man。　Mayhap　then　thou　mayst　repent　thee　of　these　bold　words；　for　one　time　this　enemy　of　thy　father's　was　reckoned　the　foremost　knight　in　England；　and　he　is　now　the　King's　dear　friend　and　a　great　lord。〃

〃But；〃　said　Myles；　after　another　long　time　of　heavy　silence；　〃will　not　my　Lord　then　befriend　me　for　the　sake　of　my　father；　who　was　one　time　his　dear　comrade？〃

Sir　James　shook　his　head。　〃It　may　not　be；〃　said　he。　〃Neither　thou　nor　thy　father　must　look　for　open　favor　from　the　Earl。　An　he　befriended　Falworth；　and　it　came　to　be　known　that　he　had　given　him　aid　or　succor；　it　might　belike　be　to　his　own　undoing。　No；　boy；　thou　must　not　even　look　to　be　taken　into　the　household　to　serve　with　gentlemen　as　the　other　squires　do　serve；　but　must　even　live　thine　own　life　here　and　fight　thine　own　way。〃

Myles's　eyes　blazed。　〃Then；〃　cried　he；　fiercely；　〃it　is　shame　and　attaint　upon　my　Lord　the　Earl；　and　cowardice　as　well；　and　never　will　I　ask　favor　of　him　who　is　so　untrue　a　friend　as　to　turn　his　back　upon　a　comrade　in　trouble　as　he　turneth　his　back　upon　my　father。〃

〃Thou　art　a　foolish　boy；〃　said　Sir　James　with　a　bitter　smile；　〃and　knowest　naught　of　the　world。　An　thou　wouldst　look　for　man　to　befriend　man　to　his　own　danger；　thou　must　look　elsewhere　than　on　this　earth。　Was　I　not　one　time　Mackworth's　dear　friend　as　well　as　thy　father？　It　could　cost　him　naught　to　honor　me；　and　here　am　I　fallen　to　be　a　teacher　of　boys。　Go　to！　thou　art　a　fool。〃

Then；　after　a　little　pause　of　brooding　silence；　he　went　on　to　say　that　the　Earl　was　no　better　or　worse　than　the　rest　of　the　world。　That　men　of　his　position　had　many　jealous　enemies；　ever　seeking　their　ruin；　and　that　such　must　look　first　of　all　each　to　himself；　or　else　be　certainly　ruined；　and　drag　down　others　in　that　ruin。　Myles　was　silenced；　but　the　bitterness　had　entered　his　heart；　and　abided　with　him　for　many　a　day　afterwards。

Perhaps　Sir　James　read　his　feelings　in　his　frank　face；　for　he　sat　looking　curiously　at　him；　twirling　his　grizzled　mustache　the　while。　〃Thou　art　like　to　have　hard　knocks　of　it；　lad；　ere　thou　hast　gotten　thee　safe　through　the　world；〃　said　he；　with　more　kindness　in　his　harsh　voice　than　was　usual。　〃But　get　thee　not　into　fights　before　thy　time。〃　Then　he　charged　the　boy　very　seriously　to　live　at　peace　with　his　fellow…squires；　and　for　his　father's　sake　as　well　as　his　own　to　enter　into　none　of　the　broils　that　were　so　frequent　in　their　quarters。

It　was　with　this　special　admonition　against　brawling　that　Myles　was　dismissed；　to　enter；　before　five　minutes　had　passed；　into　the　first　really　great　fight　of　his　life。


Besides　Gascoyne　and　Wilkes；　he　found　gathered　in　the　dormitory　six　or　eight　of　the　company　of　squires　who　were　to　serve　that　day　upon　household　duty；　among　others；　Walter　Blunt　and　three　other　bachelors；　who　were　changing　their　coarse　service　clothes　for　others　more　fit　for　the　household。

〃Why　didst　thou　tarry　so　long；　Myles？〃　said　Gascoyne；　as　he　entered。　〃Methought　thou　wert　never　coming。〃

〃Where　goest　thou；　Falworth？〃　called　Blunt　from　the　other　end　of　the　room；　where　he　was　lacing　his　doublet。

Just　now　Myles　had　no　heart　in　the　swimming　or　sport　of　any　sort；　but　he　answered；　shortly；　〃I　go　to　the　river　to　swim。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Blunt；　〃thou　goest　not　forth　from　the　castle　to…day。　Hast　thou　forgot　how　thou　didst　answer　me　back　about　fetching　the　water　this　morning？　This　day　thou　must　do　penance；　so　go　thou　straight　to　the　armory　and　scour　thou　up　my　breastplate。〃

From　the　time　he　had　arisen　that　morning　everything　had　gone　wrong　with　Myles。　He　had　felt　himself　already　outrated　in　rendering　service　to　the　bachelors；　he　had　quarrelled　with　the　head　of　the　esquires；　he　had　nearly　quarrelled　with　Gascoyne；　and　then　had　come　the　bitterest　and　worst　of　all；　the　knowledge　that　his　father　was　an　outlaw；　and　that　the　Earl　would　not　stretch　out　a　hand　to　aid　him　or　to　give　him　any　countenance。　Blunt's　words　brought　the　last　bitter　cut　to　his　heart；　and　they　stung　him　to　fury。　For　a　while　he　could　not　answer；　but　stood　glaring　with　a　face　fairly　convulsed　with　passion　at　the　young　man；　who　continued　his　toilet；　unconscious　of　the　wrath　of　the　new　recruit。

Gascoyne　and　Wilkes；　accepting　Myles's　punishment　as　a　thing　of　course；　were　about　to　leave　the　dormitory　when　Myles　checked　them。

〃Stop；　Francis！〃　he　cried；　hoarsely。　〃Thinkest　thou　that　I　will　stay　behind　to　do　yon　dog's　dirty　work？　No；　I　go　with　ye。〃

A　moment　or　two　of　dumb；　silent　amazement　followed　his　bold　words；　then　Blunt　cried；　〃Art　thou　mad？〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　Myles　in　the　same　hoarse　voice；　〃I　am　not　mad。　I　tell　thee　a　better　man　than　thou　shouldst　not　stay　me　from　going　an　I　list　to　go。

〃I　will　break　thy　cockerel　head　for　that　speech；〃　said　Blunt；　furiously。　He　stooped　as　he　spoke；　and　picked　up　a　heavy　clog　that　lay　at　his　feet。

It　was　no　insignificant　weapon　either。　The　shoes　of　those　days　were　sometimes　made　of　cloth；　and　had　long　pointed　toes　stuffed　with　tow　or　wool。　In　muddy　weather　thick　heavy　clogs　or　wooden　soles　were　strapped；　like　a　skate；　to　the　bottom　of　the　foot。　That　clog　which　Blunt　had　seized　was　perhaps　eighteen　or　twenty　inches　long；　two　or　two　and　a　half　inches　thick　at　the　heel；　tapering　to　a　point　at　the　toe。　As　the　older　lad　advanced；　Gascoyne　stepped　between　him　and　his　victim。

〃Do　not　harm　him；　Blunt；〃　he　pleaded。　〃Bear　thou　in　mind　how　new…come　he　is　among　us。　He　knoweth　not　our　ways　as