men of iron-第4章

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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　nearly　to　his　waist。　He　was　clad　in　a　riding…gown　of　black　velvet　that　hung　a　little　lower　than　the　knee；　trimmed　with　otter　fur　and　embroidered　with　silver　goshawksthe　crest　of　the　family　of　Beaumont。

A　light　shirt　of　link　mail　showed　beneath　the　gown　as　he　walked；　and　a　pair　of　soft　undressed　leather　riding…boots　were　laced　as　high　as　the　knee；　protecting　his　scarlet　hose　from　mud　and　dirt。　Over　his　shoulders　he　wore　a　collar　of　enamelled　gold；　from　which　hung　a　magnificent　jewelled　pendant；　and　upon　his　fist　he　carried　a　beautiful　Iceland　falcon。

As　Myles　stood　staring；　he　suddenly　heard　Gascoyne's　voice　whisper　in　his　ear；　〃Yon　is　my　Lord；　go　forward　and　give　him　thy　letter。〃

Scarcely　knowing　what　he　did；　he　walked　towards　the　Earl　like　a　machine；　his　heart　pounding　within　him　and　a　great　humming　in　his　ears。　As　he　drew　near；　the　nobleman　stopped　for　a　moment　and　stared　at　him；　and　Myles；　as　in　a　dream；　kneeled；　and　presented　the　letter。　The　Earl　took　it　in　his　hand；　turned　it　this　way　and　that；　looked　first　at　the　bearer；　then　at　the　packet；　and　then　at　the　bearer　again。

〃Who　art　thou？〃　said　he；　〃and　what　is　the　matter　thou　wouldst　have　of　me？〃

〃I　am　Myles　Falworth；〃　said　the　lad；　in　a　low　voice；　〃and　I　come　seeking　service　with　you。〃

The　Earl　drew　his　thick　eyebrows　quickly　together；　and　shot　a　keen　look　at　the　lad。　〃Falworth？〃　said　he；　sharply〃Falworth？　I　know　no　Falworth！〃

〃The　letter　will　tell　you；〃　said　Myles。　〃It　is　from　one　once　dear　to　you。〃

The　Earl　took　the　letter；　and　handing　it　to　a　gentleman　who　stood　near；　bade　him　break　the　seal。　〃Thou　mayst　stand；〃　said　he　to　Myles；　〃needst　not　kneel　there　forever。〃　Then；　taking　the　opened　parchment　again；　he　glanced　first　at　the　face　and　then　at　the　back；　and；　seeing　its　length；　looked　vexed。　Then　he　read　for　an　earnest　moment　or　two；　skipping　from　line　to　line。　Presently　he　folded　the　letter　and　thrust　it　into　the　pouch　at　his　side。　〃So　it　is；　your　Grace；〃　said　he　to　the　lordly　prelate；　〃that　we　who　have　luck　to　rise　in　the　world　must　ever　suffer　by　being　plagued　at　all　times　and　seasons。　Here　is　one　I　chanced　to　know　a　dozen　years　ago；　who　thinks　he　hath　a　claim　upon　me；　and　saddles　me　with　his　son。　I　must　e'en　take　the　lad；　too；　for　the　sake　of　peace　and　quietness。〃　He　glanced　around；　and　seeing　Gascoyne；　who　had　drawn　near；　beckoned　to　him。　〃Take　me　this　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃to　the　buttery；　and　see　him　fed；　and　then　to　Sir　James　Lee；　and　have　his　name　entered　in　the　castle　books。　And　stay；　sirrah；〃　he　added；　〃bid　me　Sir　James；　if　it　may　be　so　done；　to　enter　him　as　a　squire…at…arms。　Methinks　he　will　be　better　serving　so　than　in　the　household；　for　he　appeareth　a　soothly　rough　cub　for　a　page。〃

Myles　did　look　rustic　enough；　standing　clad　in　frieze　in　the　midst　of　that　gay　company；　and　a　murmur　of　laughter　sounded　around；　though　he　was　too　bewildered　to　fully　understand　that　he　was　the　cause　of　the　merriment。　Then　some　hand　drew　him　backit　was　Gascoyne'sthere　was　a　bustle　of　people　passing；　and　the　next　minute　they　were　gone；　and　Myles　and　old　Diccon　Bowman　and　the　young　squire　were　left　alone　in　the　anteroom。

Gascoyne　looked　very　sour　and　put　out。　〃Murrain　upon　it！〃　said　he；　〃here　is　good　sport　spoiled　for　me　to　see　thee　fed。　I　wish　no　ill　to　thee；　friend；　but　I　would　thou　hadst　come　this　afternoon　or　to…morrow。〃

〃Methinks　I　bring　trouble　and　dole　to　every　one；〃　said　Myles；　somewhat　bitterly。　〃It　would　have　been　better　had　I　never　come　to　this　place；　methinks。〃

His　words　and　tone　softened　Gascoyne　a　little。　〃Ne'er　mind；〃　said　the　squire；　〃it　was　not　thy　fault；　and　is　past　mending　now。　So　come　and　fill　thy　stomach；　in　Heaven's　name。〃

Perhaps　not　the　least　hard　part　of　the　whole　trying　day　for　Myles　was　his　parting　with　Diccon。　Gascoyne　and　he　had　accompanied　the　old　retainer　to　the　outer　gate；　in　the　archway　of　which　they　now　stood；　for　without　a　permit　they　could　go　no　farther。　The　old　bowman　led　by　the　bridle…　rein　the　horse　upon　which　Myles　had　ridden　that　morning。　His　own　nag；　a　vicious　brute；　was　restive　to　be　gone；　but　Diccon　held　him　in　with　tight　rein。　He　reached　down；　and　took　Myles's　sturdy　brown　hand　in　his　crooked；　knotted　grasp。

〃Farewell；　young　master；〃　he　croaked；　tremulously；　with　a　watery　glimmer　in　his　pale　eyes。　〃Thou　wilt　not　forget　me　when　I　am　gone？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　will　not　forget　thee。〃

〃Aye；　aye；〃　said　the　old　man；　looking　down　at　him；　and　shaking　his　head　slowly　from　side　to　side；　〃thou　art　a　great　tall　sturdy　fellow　now；　yet　have　I　held　thee　on　my　knee　many　and　many's　the　time；　and　dandled　thee　when　thou　wert　only　a　little　weeny　babe。　Be　still；　thou　devil's　limb！〃　he　suddenly　broke　off；　reining　back　his　restive　raw…　boned　steed；　which　began　again　to　caper　and　prance。　Myles　was　not　sorry　for　the　interruption；　he　felt　awkward　and　abashed　at　the　parting；　and　at　the　old　man's　reminiscences；　knowing　that　Gascoyne's　eyes　were　resting　amusedly　upon　the　scene；　and　that　the　men…at…arms　were　looking　on。　Certainly　old　Diccon　did　l