men of iron-第21章

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e　to　Devlen；　one　of　the　cook's　men　had　been　found　climbing　the　wall；　whereupon　the　soldier　who　saw　him　shot　him　with　his　cross　bow。　The　poor　fellow　dropped　from　the　wall　into　the　garden；　and　when　they　found　him；　he　still　held　a　bunch　of　flowers　in　his　hand；　which　he　had　perhaps　been　gathering　for　his　sweetheart。

Had　Myles　seen　him　carried　on　a　litter　to　the　infirmary　as　Gascoyne　and　some　of　the　others　had　done；　he　might　have　thought　twice　before　venturing　to　enter　the　ladies'　private　garden。　As　it　was；　he　only　shook　his　stubborn　head；　and　said　again；　〃I　will　climb　the　wall　and　fetch　it。〃

Now　at　the　lower　extremity　of　the　court；　and　about　twelve　or　fifteen　feet　distant　from　the　garden　wall；　there　grew　a　pear…tree；　some　of　the　branches　of　which　overhung　into　the　garden　beyond。　So；　first　making　sure　that　no　one　was　looking　that　way；　and　bidding　the　others　keep　a　sharp　lookout；　Myles　shinned　up　this　tree；　and　choosing　one　of　the　thicker　limbs；　climbed　out　upon　it　for　some　little　distance。　Then　lowering　his　body；　he　hung　at　arm's…length；　the　branch　bending　with　his　weight；　and　slowly　let　himself　down　hand　under　hand；　until　at　last　he　hung　directly　over　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　perhaps　a　foot　above　it。　Below　him　he　could　see　the　leafy　top　of　an　arbor　covered　with　a　thick　growth　of　clematis；　and　even　as　he　hung　there　he　noticed　the　broad　smooth　walks；　the　grassy　terrace　in　front　of　the　Countess's　apartments　in　the　distance；　the　quaint　flower…beds；　the　yew…trees　trimmed　into　odd　shapes；　and　even　the　deaf　old　gardener　working　bare…armed　in　the　sunlight　at　a　flower…bed　in　the　far　corner　by　the　tool…house。

The　top　of　the　wall　was　pointed　like　a　house　roof；　and　immediately　below　him　was　covered　by　a　thick　growth　of　green　moss；　and　it　flashed　through　his　mind　as　he　hung　there　that　maybe　it　would　offer　a　very　slippery　foothold　for　one　dropping　upon　the　steep　slopes　of　the　top。　But　it　was　too　late　to　draw　back　now。

Bracing　himself　for　a　moment；　he　loosed　his　hold　upon　the　limb　above。　The　branch　flew　back　with　a　rush；　and　he　dropped；　striving　to　grasp　the　sloping　angle　with　his　feet。　Instantly　the　treacherous　slippery　moss　slid　away　from　beneath　him；　he　made　a　vain　clutch　at　the　wall；　his　fingers　sliding　over　the　cold　stones；　then；　with　a　sharp　exclamation；　down　he　pitched　bodily　into　the　garden　beneath！　A　thousand　thoughts　flew　through　his　brain　like　a　cloud　of　flies；　and　then　a　leafy　greenness　seemed　to　strike　up　against　him。　A　splintering　crash　sounded　in　his　ears　as　the　lattice　top　of　the　arbor　broke　under　him；　and　with　one　final　clutch　at　the　empty　air　he　fell　heavily　upon　the　ground　beneath。

He　heard　a　shrill　scream　that　seemed　to　find　an　instant　echo；　even　as　he　fell　he　had　a　vision　of　faces　and　bright　colors；　and　when　he　sat　up；　dazed　and　bewildered；　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　Lady　Anne；　the　daughter　of　the　house；　and　her　cousin；　the　Lady　Alice；　who　clutching　one　another　tightly；　stood　staring　at　him　with　wide　scared　eyes。



CHAPTER　18

For　a　little　time　there　was　a　pause　of　deep　silence；　during　which　the　fluttering　leaves　came　drifting　down　from　the　broken　arbor　above。

It　was　the　Lady　Anne　who　first　spoke。　〃Who　art　thou；　and　whence　comest　thou？〃　said　she；　tremulously。

Then　Myles　gathered　himself　up　sheepishly。　〃My　name　is　Myles　Falworth；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　am　one　of　the　squires　of　the　body。〃

〃Oh！　aye！〃　said　the　Lady　Alice；　suddenly。　〃Me　thought　I　knew　thy　face。　Art　thou　not　the　young　man　that　I　have　seen　in　Lord　George's　train？〃

〃Yes；　lady；〃　said　Myles；　wrapping　and　twining　a　piece　of　the　broken　vine　in　and　out　among　his　fingers。　〃Lord　George　hath　often　had　me　of　late　about　his　person。〃

〃And　what　dost　thou　do　here；　sirrah？〃　said　Lady　Anne；　angrily。　〃How　darest　thou　come　so　into　our　garden？〃

〃I　meant　not　to　come　as　I　did；〃　said　Myles；　clumsily；　and　with　a　face　hot　and　red。　〃But　I　slipped　over　the　top　of　the　wall　and　fell　hastily　into　the　garden。　Truly；　lady；　I　meant　ye　no　harm　or　fright　thereby。〃

He　looked　so　drolly　abashed　as　he　stood　before　them；　with　his　clothes　torn　and　soiled　from　the　fall；　his　face　red；　and　his　eyes　downcast；　all　the　while　industriously　twisting　the　piece　of　clematis　in　and　around　his　fingers；　that　Lady　Anne's　half…frightened　anger　could　not　last。　She　and　her　cousin　exchanged　glances；　and　smiled　at　one　another。

〃But；〃　said　she　at　last；　trying　to　draw　her　pretty　brows　together　into　a　frown；　〃tell　me；　why　didst　thou　seek　to　climb　the　wall？〃

〃I　came　to　seek　a　ball；〃　said　Myles；　〃which　I　struck　over　hither　from　the　court　beyond。〃

〃And　wouldst　thou　come　into　our　privy　garden　for　no　better　reason　than　to　find　a　ball？〃　said　the　young　lady。

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃it　was　not　so　much　to　find　the　ball；　but；　in　good　sooth；　I　did　truly　strike　it　harder　than　need　be；　and　so；　gin　I　lost　the　ball；　I　could　do　no　less　than　come　and　find　it　again；　else　our　sport　is　done　for　the　day。　So　it　was　I　came　hither。〃

The　two　young　ladies　had　by　now　recovered　from　their　fright。　The　Lady　Anne　slyly　nudged　her　cousin　with　her　elbow；　and　the　younger　could　not　suppress　a　half…nervous　laugh。　Myles　heard　it；　and　felt　his　face　grow　hotter　and　redder　than　ever。

〃Nay；〃　said　Lady　Anne；　〃I　do　believe　Master　Giles〃

〃My　name　be'st　Myles；〃　corrected　Myles。

〃Very　well；　then；　Master　Myles；　I　say　I　do　believe　that　thou　meanest　no　harm　in　coming　hither；　ne'theless　it　was　ill　of　thee　so　to　do。　An　my　father　should　find　thee　here；　he　would　have　thee　shrewdly　punished　for　such　trespassing。　Dost　thou　not　know　that　no　one　is　permitted　to　enter　this　placeno；　not　even　my　uncle　George？　One　fellow　who　came　hither　to　steal　apples　once　had　his　ears　shaven　close　to　his　head；　and　not　more　than　a　year　ago　one　of　the　cook's　men　who　climbed　the　wall　early　one　morning　was　shot　by　the　watchman。〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　knew　of　him　who　was　shot；　and　it　did　go　somewhat　against　my　stomach　to　venture；　knowing　what　had　happed　to　him。　Ne'theless；　an　I　gat　not　the　ball；　how　were　we　to　play　more　to…day　at　the　trap？〃

〃Marry；　thou　art　a　bold　fellow；　I　do　believe　me；〃　said　the　young　lady；　〃and　sin　thou　hast　come　in　the　face　of　such　peril　to　get　thy　ball；　thou　shalt　not　go　away　empty。　Whither　didst　thou　strike　it？〃

〃Over　yonder　by　the　cherry…tree；〃　said　Myles；　jerking　his　head　in　that　direction。　〃An　I　may　go　get　it；　I　will　trouble　ye　no　more。〃　As　he　spoke　he　made　a　motion　to　leave　them。

〃Stay！〃　said　the　Lady　Anne；　hastily；　〃remain　where　thou　art。　An　thou　cross　the　open；　some　one　may　haply　see　thee　from　the　house；　and　will　give　the　alarm；　and　thou　wilt　be　lost。　I　will　go　get　thy　ball。〃

And　so　she　left　Myles　and　her　cousin；　crossing　the　little　plots　of　grass　and　skirting　the　rosebushes　to　the　cherry…tree。

When　Myles　found　himself　alone　with　Lady　Alice；　he　knew　not　where　to　look　or　what　to　do；　but　twisted　the　piece　of　clematis　which　he　still　held　in　and　out　more　industriously　than　ever。

Lady　Alice　watched　him　with　dancing　eyes　for　a　little　while。　〃Haply　thou　wilt　spoil　that　poor　vine；〃　said　she　by…and…by；　breaking　the　silence　and　laughing；　then　turning　suddenly　serious　again。　〃Didst　thou　hurt　thyself　by　thy　fall？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　looking　up；　〃such　a　fall　as　that　was　no　great　matter。　Many　and　many　a　time　I　have　had　worse。〃

〃Hast　thou　so？〃　said　the　Lady　Alice。　〃Thou　didst　fright　me　parlously；　and　my　coz　likewise。〃

Myles　hesitated　for　a　moment；　and　then　blurted　out；　〃Thereat　I　grieve；　for　thee　I　would　not　fright　for　all　the　world。〃

The　young　lady　laughed　and　blushed。　〃All　the　world　is　a　great　matter；〃　said　she。

〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　a　great　matter；　but　it　is　a　greater　matter　to　fright　thee；　and　so　I　would　not　do　it　for　that；　and　more。〃

The　young　lady　laughed　again；　but　she　did　not　say　anything　further；　and　a　space　of　silence　fell　so　long　that　by…and…by　she　forced　herself　to　say；　〃My　cousin　findeth　not　the　ball　presently。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　briefly；　and　then　again　neither　spoke；　until　by…and…by　the　Lady　Anne　came；　bringing　the　ball。　Myles　felt　a　great　sense　of　relief　at　that　coming；　and　yet　was　somehow　sorry。　Then　he　took　the　ball；　and　knew　enough　to　bow　his　acknowledgment　in　a　manner　neither　ill　nor　awkward。

〃Didst　thou　hurt　thyself？〃　asked　Lady　Anne。

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　giving　hi