men of iron-第11章

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〃Tell　me；〃　said　he；　when　the　elder　lad　had　left　them；　〃why　wilt　thou　not　serve　these　bachelors　as　the　other　squires　do？　Such　is　the　custom　here。　Why　wilt　thou　not　obey　it？〃

〃Because；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　cannot　stomach　it；　and　they　shall　not　make　me　serve　them。　An　thou　bid　me　do　it；　sir；　I　will　do　it；　but　not　at　their　command。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　knight；　〃I　do　not　bid　thee　do　them　service。　That　lieth　with　thee；　to　render　or　not；　as　thou　seest　fit。　But　how　canst　thou　hope　to　fight　single…handed　against　the　commands　of　a　dozen　lads　all　older　and　mightier　than　thou？〃

〃I　know　not；〃　said　Myles；　〃but　were　they　an　hundred；　instead　of　thirteen；　they　should　not　make　me　serve　them。〃

〃Thou　art　a　fool！〃　said　the　old　knight；　smiling　faintly；　〃for　that　be'st　not　courage；　but　folly。　When　one　setteth　about　righting　a　wrong；　one　driveth　not　full　head　against　it；　for　in　so　doing　one　getteth　naught　but　hard　knocks。　Nay；　go　deftly　about　it；　and　then；　when　the　time　is　ripe；　strike　the　blow。　Now　our　beloved　King　Henry；　when　he　was　the　Earl　of　Derby；　what　could　he　have　gained　had　he　stood　so　against　the　old　King　Richard；　brooking　the　King　face　to　face？　I　tell　thee　he　would　have　been　knocked　on　the　head　as　thou　wert　like　to　have　been　this　day。　Now　were　I　thee；　and　had　to　fight　a　fight　against　odds；　I　would　first　get　me　friends　behind　me；　and　then〃　He　stopped　short；　but　Myles　understood　him　well　enough。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　with　a　gulp；　〃I　do　thank　thee　for　thy　friendship；　and　ask　thy　pardon　for　doing　as　I　did　anon。〃

〃I　grant　thee　pardon；〃　said　the　knight；　〃but　tell　thee　plainly；　an　thou　dost　face　me　so　again；　I　will　truly　send　thee　to　the　black　cell　for　a　week。　Now　get　thee　away。〃

All　the　other　lads　were　gone　when　Myles　came　forth；　save　only　the　faithful　Gascoyne；　who　sacrificed　his　bath　that　day　to　stay　with　his　friend；　and　perhaps　that　little　act　of　self…denial　moved　Myles　more　than　many　a　great　thing　might　have　done。

〃It　was　right　kind　of　thee；　Francis；〃　said　he；　laying　his　hand　affectionately　on　his　friend's　shoulder。　〃I　know　not　why　thou　lovest　me　so。〃

〃Why；　for　one　thing；　this　matter；〃　answered　his　friend；　〃because　methinks　thou　art　the　best　fighter　and　the　bravest　one　of　all　of　us　squires。〃

Myles　laughed。　Nevertheless　Gascoyne's　words　were　a　soothing　balm　for　much　that　had　happened　that　day。　〃I　will　fight　me　no　more　just　now；〃　said　he；　and　then　he　told　his　friend　all　that　Sir　James　had　advised　about　biding　his　time。

Gascoyne　blew　a　long　whistle。　〃Beshrew　me！〃　quoth　he；　〃but　methinks　old　Bruin　is　on　thy　side　of　the　quarrel；　Myles。　An　that　be　so；　I　am　with　thee　also；　and　others　that　I　can　name　as　well。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　Myles。　〃Then　am　I　content　to　abide　the　time　when　we　may　become　strong　enough　to　stand　against　them。〃



CHAPTER　10

Perhaps　therE　is　nothing　more　delightful　in　the　romance　of　boyhood　than　the　finding　of　some　secret　hiding…place　whither　a　body　may　creep　away　from　the　bustle　of　the　world's　life；　to　nestle　in　quietness　for　an　hour　or　two。　More　especially　is　such　delightful　if　it　happen　that；　by　peeping　from　out　it；　one　may　look　down　upon　the　bustling　matters　of　busy　every…day　life；　while　one　lies　snugly　hidden　away　unseen　by　any；　as　though　one　were　in　some　strange　invisible　world　of　one's　own。

Such　a　hiding…place　as　would　have　filled　the　heart　of　almost　any　boy　with　sweet　delight　Myles　and　Gascoyne　found　one　summer　afternoon。　They　called　it　their　Eyry；　and　the　name　suited　well　for　the　roosting…place　of　the　young　hawks　that　rested　in　its　windy　stillness；　looking　down　upon　the　shifting　castle　life　in　the　courts　below。

Behind　the　north　stable；　a　great；　long；　rambling　building；　thick…walled；　and　black　with　age；　lay　an　older　part　of　the　castle　than　that　peopled　by　the　better　class　of　lifea　cluster　of　great　thick　walls；　rudely　but　strongly　built；　now　the　dwelling…place　of　stable…lads　and　hinds；　swine　and　poultry。　From　one　part　of　these　ancient　walls；　and　fronting　an　inner　court　of　the　castle；　arose　a　tall；　circular；　heavy…buttressed　tower；　considerably　higher　than　the　other　buildings；　and　so　mantled　with　a　dense　growth　of　aged　ivy　as　to　stand　a　shaft　of　solid　green。　Above　its　crumbling　crown　circled　hundreds　of　pigeons；　white　and　pied；　clapping　and　clattering　in　noisy　flight　through　the　sunny　air。　Several　windows；　some　closed　with　shutters；　peeped　here　and　there　from　out　the　leaves；　and　near　the　top　of　the　pile　was　a　row　of　arched　openings；　as　though　of　a　balcony　or　an　airy　gallery。

Myles　had　more　than　once　felt　an　idle　curiosity　about　this　tower；　and　one　day；　as　he　and　Gascoyne　sat　together；　he　pointed　his　finger　and　said；　〃What　is　yon　place？〃

〃That；〃　answered　Gascoyne；　looking　over　his　shoulder〃that　they　call　Brutus　Tower；　for　why　they　do　say　that　Brutus　he　built　it　when　he　came　hither　to　Britain。　I　believe　not　the　tale　mine　own　self；　ne'theless；　it　is　marvellous　ancient；　and　old　Robin…the…Fletcher　telleth　me　that　there　be　stairways　built　in　the　wall　and　passage…ways；　and　a　maze　wherein　a　body　may　get　lost；　an　he　know　not　the　way　aright；　and　never　see　the　blessed　light　of　day　again。〃

〃Marry；〃　said　Myles；　〃those　same　be　strange　sayings。　Who　liveth　there　now？〃

〃No　one　liveth　there；〃　said　Gascoyne；　〃saving　only　some　of　the　stable　villains；　and　that　half…　witted　goose…herd　who　flung　stones　at　us　yesterday　when　we　mocked　him　down　in　the　paddock。　He　and　his　wife　and　those　others　dwell　in　the　vaults　beneath；　like　rabbits　in　any　warren。　No　one　else　hath　lived　there　since　Earl　Robert's　day；　which　belike　was　an　hundred　years　agone。　The　story　goeth　that　Earl　Robert's　brotheror　step…　brotherwas　murdered　there；　and　some　men　say　by　the　Earl　himself。　Sin　that　day　it　hath　been　tight　shut。〃

Myles　stared　at　the　tower　for　a　while　in　silence。　〃It　is　a　strange…seeming　place　from　without；〃　said　he；　at　last；　〃and　mayhap　it　may　be　even　more　strange　inside。　Hast　ever　been　within；　Francis？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Gascoyne；　〃said　I　not　it　hath　been　fast　locked　since　Earl　Robert's　day？〃

〃By'r　Lady；〃　said　Myles；　〃an　I　had　lived　here　in　this　place　so　long　as　thou；　I　wot　I　would　have　been　within　it　ere　this。〃

〃Beshrew　me；〃　said　Gascoyne；　〃but　I　have　never　thought　of　such　a　matter。〃　He　turned　and　looked　at　the　tall　crown　rising　into　the　warm　sunlight　with　a　new　interest；　for　the　thought　of　entering　it　smacked　pleasantly　of　adventure。　〃How　wouldst　thou　set　about　getting　within？〃　said　he；　presently。

〃Why；　look；〃　said　Myles；　〃seest　thou　not　yon　hole　in　the　ivy　branches？　Methinks　there　is　a　window　at　that　place。　An　I　mistake　not；　it　is　in　reach　of　the　stable　eaves。　A　body　might　come　up　by　the　fagot　pile　to　the　roof　of　the　hen…house；　and　then　by　the　long　stable　to　the　north　stable；　and　so　to　that　hole。〃

Gascoyne　looked　thoughtfully　at　the　Brutus　Tower；　and　then　suddenly　inquired；　〃Wouldst　go　there？〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Myles；　briefly。

〃So　be　it。　Lead　thou　the　way　in　the　venture；　I　will　follow　after　thee；〃　said　Gascoyne。

As　Myles　had　said；　the　climbing　from　roof　to　roof　was　a　matter　easy　enough　to　an　active　pair　of　lads　like　themselves；　but　when；　by…and…by；　they　reached　the　wall　of　the　tower　itself；　they　found　the　hidden　window　much　higher　from　the　roof　than　they　had　judged　from　belowperhaps　ten　or　twelve　feetand　it　was；　besides；　beyond　the　eaves　and　out　of　their　reach。

Myles　looked　up　and　looked　down。　Above　was　the　bushy　thickness　of　the　ivy；　the　branches　as　thick　as　a　woman's　wrist；　knotted　and　intertwined；　below　was　the　stone　pavement　of　a　narrow　inner　court　between　two　of　the　stable　buildings。

〃Methinks　I　can　climb　to　yon　place；〃　said　he。

〃Thou'lt　break　thy　neck　an　thou　tryest；〃　said　Gascoyne；　hastily。

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Myles；　〃I　trust　not；　but　break　or　make；　we　get　not　there　without　trying。　So　here　goeth　for　the　venture。〃

〃Thou　art　a　hare…brained　knave　as　ever　drew　breath　of　life；〃　quoth　Gascoyne；　〃and　will　cause　me　to　come　to　grief　some　of　these　fine　days。　Ne'theless；　an　thou　be　Jack　Fool　and　lead　the　way；　go；　and　I　will　be　Tom　Fool　and　follow　anon。　If　thy　neck　is　worth　so　little；　mine　is　worth　no　more。〃

It　was　indeed　a　perilous　climb；　but　that　special　providence　which　guards　reckless　lads　befriended　them；　as　it　has　thousands　of　their　kind　before　and　since。　So；　by　climbing　from　one　knotted；　clinging　stem　to