men of iron-第14章

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Gascoyne　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃So　be　it；〃　said　he。　〃An　thou　hast　appetite　to　run　thy　head　against　hard　knocks；　do　it　i'　mercy's　name！　I　for　one　will　stand　thee　back　while　thou　art　taking　thy　raps。〃

There　was　a　spirit　of　drollery　in　Gascoyne's　speech　that　rubbed　against　Myles's　earnestness。

〃Out　upon　it！〃　cried　he；　his　patience　giving　way。　〃Seest　not　that　I　am　in　serious　earnest？　Why　then　dost　thou　still　jest　like　Mad　Noll；　my　Lord's　fool？　An　thou　wilt　not　lend　me　thine　aid　in　this　matter；　say　so　and　ha'　done　with　it；　and　I　will　bethink　me　of　somewhere　else　to　turn。〃

Then　Gascoyne　yielded　at　once；　as　he　always　did　when　his　friend　lost　his　temper；　and　having　once　assented　to　it；　entered　into　the　scheme　heart　and　soul。　Three　other　ladsone　of　them　that　tall　thin　squire　Edmund　Wilkes；　before　spoken　of　were　sounded　upon　the　subject。　They　also　entered　into　the　plan　of　the　secret　organization　with　an　enthusiasm　which　might　perhaps　not　have　been　quite　so　glowing　had　they　realized　how　very　soon　Myles　designed　embarking　upon　active　practical　operations。　One　day　Myles　and　Gascoyne　showed　them　the　strange　things　that　they　had　discovered　in　the　old　towerthe　inner　staircases；　the　winding　passage…ways；　the　queer　niches　and　cupboard；　and　the　black　shaft　of　a　well　that　pierced　down　into　the　solid　wall；　and　whence；　perhaps；　the　old　castle　folk　had　one　time　drawn　their　supply　of　water　in　time　of　siege；　and　with　every　new　wonder　of　the　marvellous　place　the　enthusiasm　of　the　three　recruits　rose　higher　and　higher。　They　rummaged　through　the　lumber　pile　in　the　great　circular　room　as　Myles　and　Gascoyne　had　done；　and　at　last；　tired　out；　they　ascended　to　the　airy　chapel；　and　there　sat　cooling　themselves　in　the　rustling　freshness　of　the　breeze　that　came　blowing　briskly　in　through　the　arched　windows。

It　was　then　and　there　that　the　five　discussed　and　finally　determined　upon　the　detailed　plans　of　their　organization；　canvassing　the　names　of　the　squirehood；　and　selecting　from　it　a　sufficient　number　of　bold　and　daring　spirits　to　make　up　a　roll　of　twenty　names　in　all。

Gascoyne　had；　as　I　said；　entered　into　the　matter　with　spirit；　and　perhaps　it　was　owing　more　to　him　than　to　any　other　that　the　project　caught　its　delightful　flavor　of　romance。

〃Perchance；〃　said　he；　as　the　five　lads　lay　in　the　rustling　stillness　through　which　sounded　the　monotonous　and　ceaseless　cooing　of　the　pigeons　〃perchance　there　may　be　dwarfs　and　giants　and　dragons　and　enchanters　and　evil　knights　and　what　not　even　nowadays。　And　who　knows　but　that　if　we　Knights　of　the　Rose　hold　together　we　may　go　forth　into　the　world；　and　do　battle　with　them；　and　save　beautiful　ladies；　and　have　tales　and　gestes　written　about　us　as　they　are　writ　about　the　Seven　Champions　and　Arthur　his　Round…table。〃

Perhaps　Myles；　who　lay　silently　listening　to　all　that　was　said；　was　the　only　one　who　looked　upon　the　scheme　at　all　in　the　light　of　real　utility；　but　I　think　that　even　with　him　the　fun　of　the　matter　outweighed　the　serious　part　of　the　business。

So　it　was　that　the　Sacred　Order　of　the　Twenty　Knights　of　the　Rose　came　to　be　initiated。　They　appointed　a　code　of　secret　passwords　and　countersigns　which　were　very　difficult　to　remember；　and　which　were　only　used　when　they　might　excite　the　curiosity　of　the　other　and　uninitiated　boys　by　their　mysterious　sound。　They　elected　Myles　as　their　Grand　High　Commander；　and　held　secret　meetings　in　the　ancient　tower；　where　many　mysteries　were　soberly　enacted。

Of　course　in　a　day　or　two　all　the　body　of　squires　knew　nearly　everything　concerning　the　Knights　of　the　Rose；　and　of　their　secret　meetings　in　the　old　tower。　The　lucky　twenty　were　the　objects　of　envy　of　all　not　so　fortunate　as　to　be　included　in　this　number；　and　there　was　a　marked　air　of　secrecy　about　everything　they　did　that　appealed　to　every　romantic　notion　of　the　youngsters　looking　on。　What　was　the　stormy　outcome　of　it　all　is　now　presently　to　be　told。



CHAPTER　12

Thus　it　was　that　Myles；　with　an　eye　to　open　war　with　the　bachelors；　gathered　a　following　to　his　support。　It　was　some　little　while　before　matters　were　brought　to　a　crisisa　week　or　ten　days。　Perhaps　even　Myles　had　no　great　desire　to　hasten　matters。　He　knew　that　whenever　war　was　declared；　he　himself　would　have　to　bear　the　brunt　of　the　battle；　and　even　the　bravest　man　hesitates　before　deliberately　thrusting　himself　into　a　fight。

One　morning　Myles　and　Gascoyne　and　Wilkes　sat　under　the　shade　of　two　trees；　between　which　was　a　board　nailed　to　the　trunks；　making　a　rude　benchalways　a　favorite　lounging…place　for　the　lads　in　idle　moments。　Myles　was　polishing　his　bascinet　with　lard　and　wood…ashes；　rubbing　the　metal　with　a　piece　of　leather；　and　wiping　it　clean　with　a　fustian　rag。　The　other　two；　who　had　just　been　relieved　from　household　duty；　lay　at　length　idly　looking　on。

Just　then　one　of　the　smaller　pages；　a　boy　of　twelve　or　thirteen；　by　name　Robin　Ingoldsby；　crossed　the　court。　He　had　been　crying；　his　face　was　red　and　blubbered；　and　his　body　was　still　shaken　with　convulsive　sniffs。

Myles　looked　up。　〃Come　hither；　Robin；〃　he　called　from　where　he　sat。　〃What　is　to　do？〃

The　little　fellow　came　slowly　up　to　where　the　three　rested　in　the　shade。　〃Mowbray　beat　me　with　a　strap；〃　said　he；　rubbing　his　sleeve　across　his　eyes；　and　catching　his　breath　at　the　recollection。

〃Beat　thee；　didst　say？〃　said　Myles；　drawing　his　brows　together。　〃Why　did　he　beat　thee？〃

〃Because；〃　said　Robin；　〃I　tarried　overlong　in　fetching　a　pot　of　beer　from　the　buttery　for　him　and　Wyatt。〃　Then；　with　a　boy's　sudden　and　easy　quickness　in　forgetting　past　troubles；　〃Tell　me；　Falworth；〃　said　he；　〃when　wilt　thou　give　me　that　knife　thou　promised　methe　one　thou　break　the　blade　of　yesterday？〃

〃I　know　not；〃　said　Myles；　bluntly；　vexed　that　the　boy　did　not　take　the　disgrace　of　his　beating　more　to　heart。　〃Some　time　soon；　mayhap。　Me　thinks　thou　shouldst　think　more　of　thy　beating　than　of　a　broken　knife。　Now　get　thee　gone　to　thy　business。〃

The　youngster　lingered　for　a　moment　or　two　watching　Myles　at　his　work。　〃What　is　that　on　the　leather　scrap；　Falworth？〃　said　he；　curiously。

〃Lard　and　ashes；〃　said　Myles；　testily。　〃Get　thee　gone；　I　say；　or　I　will　crack　thy　head　for　thee；〃　and　he　picked　up　a　block　of　wood；　with　a　threatening　gesture。

The　youngster　made　a　hideous　grimace；　and　then　scurried　away；　ducking　his　head；　lest　in　spite　of　Myles's　well…known　good…nature　the　block　should　come　whizzing　after　him。

〃Hear　ye　that　now！〃　cried　Myles；　flinging　down　the　block　again　and　turning　to　his　two　friends。　〃Beaten　with　straps　because；　forsooth；　he　would　not　fetch　and　carry　quickly　enough　to　please　the　haste　of　these　bachelors。　Oh；　this　passeth　patience；　and　I　for　one　will　bear　it　no　longer。〃

〃Nay；　Myles；〃　said　Gascoyne；　soothingly；　〃the　little　imp　is　as　lazy　as　a　dormouse　and　as　mischievous　as　a　monkey。　I'll　warrant　the　hiding　was　his　due；　and　that　more　of　the　like　would　do　him　good。〃

〃Why；　how　dost　thou　talk；　Francis！〃　said　Myles；　turning　upon　him　indignantly。　〃Thou　knowest　that　thou　likest　to　see　the　boy　beaten　no　more　than　I。〃　Then；　after　a　meditative　pause；　〃How　many；　think　ye；　we　muster　of　our　company　of　the　Rose　today？〃

Wilkes　looked　doubtfully　at　Gascoyne。　〃There　be　only　seventeen　of　us　here　now；〃　said　he　at　last。　〃Brinton　and　Lambourne　are　away　to　Roby　Castle　in　Lord　George's　train；　and　will　not　be　back　till　Saturday　next。　And　Watt　Newton　is　in　the　infirmary。

〃Seventeen　be'st　enou；〃　said　Myles；　grimly。　〃Let　us　get　together　this　afternoon；　such　as　may；　in　the　Brutus　Tower；　for　I；　as　I　did　say；　will　no　longer　suffer　these　vile　bachelors。〃

Gascoyne　and　Wilkes　exchanged　looks；　and　then　the　former　blew　a　long　whistle。

So　that　afternoon　a　gloomy　set　of　young　faces　were　gathered　together　in　the　Eyryfifteen　of　the　Knights　of　the　Roseand　all　knew　why　they　were　assembled。　The　talk　which　followed　was　conducted　mostly　by　Myles。　He　addressed　the　others　with　a　straightforward　vim　and　earnestness；　but　the　response　was　only　half…hearted；　and　when　at　last；　having　heated　himself　up　with　his　own　fire；　he　sat　down；　puffing　out　his　red　cheeks　and　glaring　round；　a　space　of　silence　followed；　the　lads　looked　doubtfully　at　one　another。　Myles　felt　the　chill　of　their　silence　strike　coldly　on　his　enthusi