men of iron-第20章

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e　house；　a　tall；　thin；　dark…eyed；　dark…haired；　handsome　young　dame　of　twenty　or　twenty…one　years　of　age；　hawk…nosed　like　her　father；　and　silent；　proud；　and　haughty；　Myles　heard　the　squires　say。　Lady　Alice；　the　Earl　of　Mackworth's　niece　and　ward；　a　great　heiress　in　her　own　right；　a　strikingly　pretty　black…eyed　girl　of　fourteen　or　fifteen。

These　composed　the　Earl's　personal　family；　but　besides　them　was　Lord　George　Beaumont；　his　Earl's　brother；　and　him　Myles　soon　came　to　know　better　than　any　of　the　chief　people　of　the　castle　excepting　Sir　James　Lee。

For　since　Myles's　great　battle　in　the　armory；　Lord　George　had　taken　a　laughing　sort　of　liking　to　the　lad；　encouraging　him　at　times　to　talk　of　his　adventures；　and　of　his　hopes　and　aspirations。

Perhaps　the　Earl's　younger　brotherwho　was　himself　somewhat　a　soldier　of　fortune；　having　fought　in　Spain；　France；　and　Germanyfelt　a　certain　kinship　in　spirit　with　the　adventurous　youngster　who　had　his　unfriended　way　to　make　in　the　world。　However　that　might　have　been；　Lord　George　was　very　kind　and　friendly　to　the　lad；　and　the　willing　service　that　Myles　rendered　him　reconciled　him　not　a　little　to　the　Earl's　obvious　neglect。

Besides　these　of　the　more　immediate　family　of　the　Earl　were　a　number　of　knights；　ladies；　and　gentlemen；　some　of　them　cadets；　some　of　them　retainers；　of　the　house　of　Beaumont；　for　the　princely　nobles　of　those　days　lived　in　state　little　less　royal　than　royalty　itself。

Most　of　the　knights　and　gentlemen　Myles　soon　came　to　know　by　sight；　meeting　them　in　Lord　George's　apartments　in　the　south　wing　of　the　great　house；　and　some　of　them；　following　the　lead　of　Lord　George；　singled　him　out　for　friendly　notice；　giving　him　a　nod　or　a　word　in　passing。


Every　season　has　its　pleasures　for　boys；　and　the　constant　change　that　they　bring　is　one　of　the　greatest　delights　of　boyhood's　days。

All　of　us；　as　we　grow　older；　have　in　our　memory　pictures　of　by…gone　times　that　are　somehow　more　than　usually　vivid；　the　colors　of　some　not　blurring　by　time　as　others　do。　One　of　which；　in　remembering；　always　filled　Myles's　heart　in　after…years　with　an　indefinable　pleasure；　was　the　recollection　of　standing　with　others　of　his　fellow　squires　in　the　crisp　brown　autumn　grass　of　the　paddock；　and　shooting　with　the　long…bow　at　wildfowl；　which；　when　the　east　wind　was　straining；　flew　low　overhead　to　pitch　to　the　lake　in　the　forbidden　precincts　of　the　deer　park　beyond　the　brow　of　the　hill。　More　than　once　a　brace　or　two　of　these　wildfowl；　shot　in　their　southward　flight　by　the　lads　and　cooked　by　fat；　good…natured　Mother　Joan；　graced　the　rude　mess…table　of　the　squires　in　the　long　hall；　and　even　the　toughest　and　fishiest　drake；　so　the　fruit　of　their　skill；　had　a　savor　that；　somehow　or　other；　the　daintiest　fare　lacked　in　after…years。

Then　fall　passed　and　winter　came；　bleak；　cold；　and　drearynot　winter　as　we　know　it　nowadays；　with　warm　fires　and　bright　lights　to　make　the　long　nights　sweet　and　cheerful　with　comfort；　but　winter　with　all　its　grimness　and　sternness。　In　the　great　cold　stone…walled　castles　of　those　days　the　only　fire　and　almost　the　only　light　were　those　from　the　huge　blazing　logs　that　roared　and　crackled　in　the　great　open　stone　fireplace；　around　which　the　folks　gathered；　sheltering　their　faces　as　best　they　could　from　the　scorching　heat；　and　cloaking　their　shoulders　from　the　biting　cold；　for　at　the　farther　end　of　the　room；　where　giant　shadows　swayed　and　bowed　and　danced　huge　and　black　against　the　high　walls；　the　white　frost　glistened　in　the　moonlight　on　the　stone　pavements；　and　the　breath　went　up　like　smoke。

In　those　days　were　no　books　to　read；　but　at　the　best　only　rude　stories　and　jests；　recited　by　some　strolling　mummer　or　minstrel　to　the　listening　circle；　gathered　around　the　blaze　and　welcoming　the　coarse；　gross　jests；　and　coarser；　grosser　songs　with　roars　of　boisterous　laughter。

Yet　bleak　and　dreary　as　was　the　winter　in　those　days；　and　cold　and　biting　as　was　the　frost　in　the　cheerless；　windy　halls　and　corridors　of　the　castle；　it　was　not　without　its　joys　to　the　young　lads；　for　then；　as　now；　boys　could　find　pleasure　even　in　slushy　weather；　when　the　sodden　snow　is　fit　for　nothing　but　to　make　snowballs　of。

Thrice　that　bitter　winter　the　moat　was　frozen　over；　and　the　lads；　making　themselves　skates　of　marrow…bones；　which　they　bought　from　the　hall　cook　at　a　groat　a　pair；　went　skimming　over　the　smooth　surface；　red…checked　and　shouting；　while　the　crows　and　the　jackdaws　looked　down　at　them　from　the　top　of　the　bleak　gray　walls。

Then　at　Yule…tide；　which　was　somewhat　of　a　rude　semblance　to　the　Merry　Christmas　season　of　our　day；　a　great　feast　was　held　in　the　hall；　and　all　the　castle　folk　were　fed　in　the　presence　of　the　Earl　and　the　Countess。　Oxen　and　sheep　were　roasted　whole；　huge　suet　puddings；　made　of　barley　meal　sweetened　with　honey　and　stuffed　with　plums；　were　boiled　in　great　caldrons　in　the　open　courtyard；　whole　barrels　of　ale　and　malmsey　were　broached；　and　all　the　folk；　gentle　and　simple；　were　bidden　to　the　feast。　Afterwards　the　minstrels　danced　and　played　a　rude　play；　and　in　the　evening　a　miracle　show　was　performed　on　a　raised　platform　in　the　north　hall。

For　a　week　afterwards　the　castle　was　fed　upon　the　remains　of　the　good　things　left　from　that　great　feast；　until　everyone　grew　to　loathe　fine　victuals；　and　longed　for　honest　beef　and　mustard　again。

Then　at　last　in　that　constant　change　the　winter　was　gone；　and　even　the　lads　who　had　enjoyed　its　passing　were　glad　when　the　winds　blew　warm　once　more；　and　the　grass　showed　green　in　sunny　places；　and　the　leader　of　the　wild…fowl　blew　his　horn；　as　they　who　in　the　fall　had　flown　to　the　south　flew；　arrow…like；　northward　again；　when　the　buds　swelled　and　the　leaves　burst　forth　once　more；　and　crocuses　and　then　daffodils　gleamed　in　the　green　grass；　like　sparks　and　flames　of　gold。

With　the　spring　came　the　out…door　sports　of　the　season；　among　others　that　of　ballfor　boys　were　boys；　and　played　at　ball　even　in　those　faraway　daysa　game　called　trap…ball。　Even　yet　in　some　parts　of　England　it　is　played　just　as　it　was　in　Myles　Falworth's　day；　and　enjoyed　just　as　Myles　and　his　friends　enjoyed　it。

So　now　that　the　sun　was　warm　and　the　weather　pleasant　the　game　of　trap…ball　was　in　full　swing　every　afternoon；　the　play…ground　being　an　open　space　between　the　wall　that　surrounded　the　castle　grounds　and　that　of　the　privy　gardenthe　pleasance　in　which　the　ladies　of　the　Earl's　family　took　the　air　every　day；　and　upon　which　their　apartments　opened。

Now　one　fine　breezy　afternoon；　when　the　lads　were　shouting　and　playing　at　this；　then　their　favorite　game；　Myles　himself　was　at　the　trap　barehanded　and　barearmed。　The　wind　was　blowing　from　behind　him；　and；　aided　perhaps　by　it；　he　had　already　struck　three　of　four　balls　nearly　the　whole　length　of　the　courtan　unusual　distance　and　several　of　the　lads　had　gone　back　almost　as　far　as　the　wall　of　the　privy　garden　to　catch　any　ball　that　might　chance　to　fly　as　far　as　that。　Then　once　more　Myles　struck；　throwing　all　his　strength　into　the　blow。　The　ball　shot　up　into　the　air；　and　when　it　fell；　it　was　to　drop　within　the　privy　garden。

The　shouts　of　the　young　players　were　instantly　stilled；　and　Gascoyne；　who　stood　nearest　Myles；　thrust　his　hands　into　his　belt；　giving　a　long　shrill　whistle。

〃This　time　thou　hast　struck　us　all　out；　Myles；〃　said　he。　〃There　be　no　more　play　for　us　until　we　get　another　ball。〃

The　outfielders　came　slowly　trooping　in　until　they　had　gathered　in　a　little　circle　around　Myles。

〃I　could　not　help　it；〃　said　Myles；　in　answer　to　their　grumbling。　〃How　knew　I　the　ball　would　fly　so　far？　But　if　I　ha'　lost　the　ball；　I　can　get　it　again。　I　will　climb　the　wall　for　it。〃

〃Thou　shalt　do　naught　of　the　kind；　Myles；〃　said　Gascoyne；　hastily。　〃Thou　art　as　mad　as　a　March　hare　to　think　of　such　a　venture！　Wouldst　get　thyself　shot　with　a　bolt　betwixt　the　ribs；　like　poor　Diccon　Cook？〃

Of　all　places　about　the　castle　the　privy　garden　was　perhaps　the　most　sacred。　It　was　a　small　plot　of　ground；　only　a　few　rods　long　and　wide；　and　was　kept　absolutely　private　for　the　use　of　the　Countess　and　her　family。　Only　a　little　while　before　Myles　had　first　come　to　Devlen；　one　of　the　cook's　men　had　been　found　climbing　the　wall；　whereupon　the　soldier　who　saw　h