men of iron-第17章

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　service。

Myles　had　risen；　and　was　now　standing　listening　with　the　others。　When　Blunt　had　ended　reading　the　list　of　names；　he　rolled　up　the　parchment；　and　thrust　it　into　his　belt；　then　swinging　suddenly　on　his　heel；　he　strode　straight　up　to　Myles；　facing　him　front　to　front。　A　moment　or　two　of　deep　silence　followed；　not　a　sound　broke　the　stillness。　When　Blunt　spoke　every　one　in　the　armory　heard　his　words。

〃Sirrah！〃　said　he；　〃thou　didst　put　foul　shame　upon　me　some　time　sin。　Never　will　I　forget　or　forgive　that　offence；　and　will　have　a　reckoning　with　thee　right　soon　that　thou　wilt　not　forget　to　the　last　day　of　thy　life。〃

When　Myles　had　seen　his　enemy　turn　upon　him；　he　did　not　know　at　first　what　to　expect；　he　would　not　have　been　surprised　had　they　come　to　blows　there　and　then；　and　he　held　himself　prepared　for　any　event。　He　faced　the　other　pluckily　enough　and　without　flinching；　and　spoke　up　boldly　in　answer。　〃So　be　it；　Walter　Blunt；　I　fear　thee　not　in　whatever　way　thou　mayst　encounter　me。〃

〃Dost　thou　not？〃　said　Blunt。　〃By'r　Lady；　thou'lt　have　cause　to　fear　me　ere　I　am　through　with　thee。〃　He　smiled　a　baleful；　lingering　smile；　and　then　turned　slowly　and　walked　away。

〃What　thinkest　thou；　Myles？〃　said　Gascoyne；　as　the　two　left　the　armory　together。

〃I　think　naught；〃　said　Myles　gruffly。　〃He　will　not　dare　to　touch　me　to　harm　me。　I　fear　him　not。〃　Nevertheless；　he　did　not　speak　the　full　feelings　of　his　heart。

〃I　know　not；　Myles；〃　said　Gascoyne；　shaking　his　head　doubtfully。　〃Walter　Blunt　is　a　parlous　evil…minded　knave；　and　methinks　will　do　whatever　evil　he　promiseth。〃

〃I　fear　him　not；〃　said　Myles　again；　but　his　heart　foreboded　trouble。

The　coming　of　the　head　squire　made　a　very　great　change　in　the　condition　of　affairs。　Even　before　that　coming　the　bachelors　had　somewhat　recovered　from　their　demoralization；　and　now　again　they　began　to　pluck　up　their　confidence　and　to　order　the　younger　squires　and　pages　upon　this　personal　service　or　upon　that。

〃See　ye　not；〃　said　Myles　one　day；　when　the　Knights　of　the　Rose　were　gathered　in　the　Brutus　Tower〃see　ye　not　that　they　grow　as　bad　as　ever？　An　we　put　not　a　stop　to　this　overmastery　now；　it　will　never　stop。〃

〃Best　let　it　be；　Myles；〃　said　Wilkes。　〃They　will　kill　thee　an　thou　cease　not　troubling　them。　Thou　hast　bred　mischief　enow　for　thyself　already。〃

〃No　matter　for　that；〃　said　Myles；　〃it　is　not　to　be　borne　that　they　order　others　of　us　about　as　they　do。　I　mean　to　speak　to　them　to…night；　and　tell　them　it　shall　not　be。〃

He　was　as　good　as　his　word。　That　night；　as　the　youngsters　were　shouting　and　romping　and　skylarking；　as　they　always　did　before　turning　in；　he　stood　upon　his　cot　and　shouted：　〃Silence！　List　to　me　a　little！〃　And　then；　in　the　hush　that　followed　〃I　want　those　bachelors　to　hear　this：　that　we　squires　serve　them　no　longer；　and　if　they　would　ha'　some　to　wait　upon　them；　they　must　get　them　otherwheres　than　here。　There　be　twenty　of　us　to　stand　against　them　and　haply　more；　and　we　mean　that　they　shall　ha'　service　of　us　no　more。〃

Then　he　jumped　down　again　from　his　elevated　stand；　and　an　uproar　of　confusion　instantly　filled　the　place。　What　was　the　effect　of　his　words　upon　the　bachelors　he　could　not　see。　What　was　the　result　he　was　not　slow　in　discovering。

The　next　day　Myles　and　Gascoyne　were　throwing　their　daggers　for　a　wager　at　a　wooden　target　against　the　wall　back　of　the　armorer's　smithy。　Wilkes；　Gosse；　and　one　or　two　others　of　the　squires　were　sitting　on　a　bench　looking　on；　and　now　and　then　applauding　a　more　than　usually　well…aimed　cast　of　the　knife。　Suddenly　that　impish　little　page　spoken　of　before；　Robin　Ingoldsby；　thrust　his　shock　head　around　the　corner　of　the　smithy；　and　said：　〃Ho；　Falworth！　Blunt　is　going　to　serve　thee　out　to…day；　and　I　myself　heard　him　say　so。　He　says　he　is　going　to　slit　thine　ears。〃　And　then　he　was　gone　as　suddenly　as　he　had　appeared。

Myles　darted　after　him；　caught　him　midway　in　the　quadrangle；　and　brought　him　back　by　the　scuff　of　the　neck；　squalling　and　struggling。

〃There！〃　said　he；　still　panting　from　the　chase　and　seating　the　boy　by　no　means　gently　upon　the　bench　beside　Wilkes。　〃Sit　thou　there；　thou　imp　of　evil！　And　now　tell　me　what　thou　didst　mean　by　thy　words　anonan　thou　stop　not　thine　outcry；　I　will　cut　thy　throat　for　thee；〃　and　he　made　a　ferocious　gesture　with　his　dagger。

It　was　by　no　means　easy　to　worm　the　story　from　the　mischievous　little　monkey；　he　knew　Myles　too　well　to　be　in　the　least　afraid　of　his　threats。　But　at　last；　by　dint　of　bribing　and　coaxing；　Myles　and　his　friends　managed　to　get　at　the　facts。　The　youngster　had　been　sent　to　clean　the　riding…boots　of　one　of　the　bachelors；　instead　of　which　he　had　lolled　idly　on　a　cot　in　the　dormitory；　until　he　had　at　last　fallen　asleep。　He　had　been　awakened　by　the　opening　of　the　dormitory　door　and　by　the　sound　of　voicesamong　them　was　that　of　his　taskmaster。　Fearing　punishment　for　his　neglected　duty；　he　had　slipped　out　of　the　cot；　and　hidden　himself　beneath　it。

Those　who　had　entered　were　Walter　Blunt　and　three　of　the　older　bachelors。　Blunt's　companions　were　trying　to　persuade　him　against　something；　but　without　avail。　It　wasMyles's　heart　thrilled　and　his　blood　boiledto　lie　in　wait　for　him；　to　overpower　him　by　numbers；　and　to　mutilate　him　by　slitting　his　earsa　disgraceful　punishment　administered；　as　a　rule；　only　for　thieving　and　poaching。

〃He　would　not　dare　to　do　such　a　thing！〃　cried　Myles；　with　heaving　breast　and　flashing　eyes。

〃Aye；　but　he　would；〃　said　Gascoyne。　〃His　father；　Lord　Reginald　Blunt；　is　a　great　man　over　Nottingham　way；　and　my　Lord　would　not　dare　to　punish　him　even　for　such　a　matter　as　that。　But　tell　me；　Robin　Ingoldsby；　dost　know　aught　more　of　this　matter？　Prithee　tell　it　me；　Robin。　Where　do　they　propose　to　lie　in　wait　for　Falworth？〃

〃In　the　gate…way　of　the　Buttery　Court；　so　as　to　catch　him　when　he　passes　by　to　the　armory；〃　answered　the　boy。

〃Are　they　there　now？〃　said　Wilkes。

〃Aye；　nine　of　them；〃　said　Robin。　〃I　heard　Blunt　tell　Mowbray　to　go　and　gather　the　others。　He　heard　thee　tell　Gosse；　Falworth；　that　thou　wert　going　thither　for　thy　arbalist　this　morn　to　shoot　at　the　rooks　withal。〃

〃That　will　do；　Robin；〃　said　Myles。　〃Thou　mayst　go。〃

And　therewith　the　little　imp　scurried　off；　pulling　the　lobes　of　his　ears　suggestively　as　he　darted　around　the　corner。

The　others　looked　at　one　another　for　a　while　in　silence。

〃So；　comrades；〃　said　Myles　at　last；　〃what　shall　we　do　now？〃

〃Go；　and　tell　Sir　James；〃　said　Gascoyne；　promptly。

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　take　no　such　coward's　part　as　that。　I　say　an　they　hunger　to　fight；　give　them　their　stomachful。〃

The　others　were　very　reluctant　for　such　extreme　measures；　but　Myles；　as　usual；　carried　his　way；　and　so　a　pitched　battle　was　decided　upon。　It　was　Gascoyne　who　suggested　the　plan　which　they　afterwards　followed。

Then　Wilkes　started　away　to　gather　together　those　of　the　Knights　of　the　Rose　not　upon　household　duty；　and　Myles；　with　the　others；　went　to　the　armor　smith　to　have　him　make　for　them　a　set　of　knives　with　which　to　meet　their　enemies　knives　with　blades　a　foot　long；　pointed　and　double…　edged。

The　smith；　leaning　with　his　hammer　upon　the　anvil；　listened　to　them　as　they　described　the　weapons。

〃Nay；　nay；　Master　Myles；〃　said　he；　when　Myles　had　ended　by　telling　the　use　to　which　he　intended　putting　them。　〃Thou　art　going　all　wrong　in　this　matter。　With　such　blades；　ere　this　battle　is　ended；　some　one　would　be　slain；　and　so　murder　done。　Then　the　family　of　him　who　was　killed　would　haply　have　ye　cited；　and　mayhap　it　might　e'en　come　to　the　hanging；　for　some　of　they　boys　ha'　great　folkeys　behind　them。　Go　ye　to　Tom　Fletcher；　Master　Myles；　and　buy　of　him　good　yew　staves；　such　as　one　might　break　a　head　withal；　and　with　them；　gin　ye　keep　your　wits；　ye　may　hold　your　own　against　knives　or　short　swords。　I　tell　thee；　e'en　though　my　trade　be　making　of　blades；　rather　would　I　ha'　a　good　stout　cudgel　in　my　hand　than　the　best　dagger　that　ever　was　forged。〃

Myles　stood　thoughtfully　for　a　moment　or　two；　then；　looking　up；　〃Methinks　thou　speaketh　truly；　Robin；〃　said　he；　〃and　it　were　ill　done　to　have　blood　upon　our　hands。〃



CHAPTER　15

From　the　long；　narrow　stone…paved　Armory　Court；　and　connecting　it　with　the　inner　Buttery　Court；