men of iron-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



In　answer　Myles　walked　forward　the　length　of　the　room；　conscious　that　all　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him。　The　Earl　said　something；　and　those　who　stood　near　drew　back　as　he　came　forward。　Then　Myles　found　himself　standing　beside　the　bed；　looking　down　upon　the　quilted　counterpane；　feeling　that　the　other　was　gazing　fixedly　at　him。

〃I　sent　for　thee；〃　said　the　Earl　at　last；　still　looking　steadily　at　him；　〃because　this　afternoon　came　a　letter　to　my　hand　which　thou　hadst　written　to　my　niece；　the　Lady　Alice。　I　have　it　here；〃　said　he；　thrusting　his　hand　under　the　bolster；　〃and　have　just　now　finished　reading　it。〃　Then；　after　a　moment's　pause；　whilst　he　opened　the　parchment　and　scanned　it　again；　〃I　find　no　matter　of　harm　in　it；　but　hereafter　write　no　more　such。〃　He　spoke　entirely　without　anger；　and　Myles　looked　up　in　wonder。　〃Here；　take　it；〃　said　the　Earl；　folding　the　letter　and　tossing　it　to　Myles；　who　instinctively　caught　it；　〃and　henceforth　trouble　thou　my　niece　no　more　either　by　letter　or　any　other　way。　I　thought　haply　thou　wouldst　be　at　some　such　saucy　trick；　and　I　made　Alice　promise　to　let　me　know　when　it　happed。　Now；　I　say；　let　this　be　an　end　of　the　matter。　Dost　thou　not　know　thou　mayst　injure　her　by　such　witless　folly　as　that　of　meeting　her　privily；　and　privily　writing　to　her？〃

〃I　meant　no　harm；〃　said　Myles。

〃I　believe　thee；〃　said　the　Earl。　〃That　will　do　now；　thou　mayst　go。〃

Myles　hesitated。

〃What　wouldst　thou　say？〃　said　Lord　Mackworth。

〃Only　this；〃　said　Myles；　〃an　I　have　thy　leave　so　to　do；　that　the　Lady　Alice　hath　chosen　me　to　be　her　knight；　and　so；　whether　I　may　see　her　or　speak　with　her　or　no；　the　laws　of　chivalry　give　me；　who　am　gentle　born；　the　right　to　serve　her　as　a　true　knight　may。〃

〃As　a　true　fool　may；〃　said　the　Earl；　dryly。　〃Why；　how　now；　thou　art　not　a　knight　yet；　nor　anything　but　a　raw　lump　of　a　boy。　What　rights　do　the　laws　of　chivalry　give　thee；　sirrah？　Thou　art　a　fool！〃

Had　the　Earl　been　ever　so　angry；　his　words　would　have　been　less　bitter　to　Myles　than　his　cool；　unmoved　patience；　it　mortified　his　pride　and　galled　it　to　the　quick。

〃I　know　that　thou　dost　hold　me　in　contempt；〃　he　mumbled。

〃Out　upon　thee！〃　said　the　Earl；　testily。　〃Thou　dost　tease　me　beyond　patience。　I　hold　thee　in　contempt；　forsooth！　Why；　look　thee；　hadst　thou　been　other　than　thou　art；　I　would　have　had　thee　whipped　out　of　my　house　long　since。　Thinkest　thou　I　would　have　borne　so　patiently　with　another　one　of　ye　squires　had　such　an　one　held　secret　meeting　with　my　daughter　and　niece；　and　tampered；　as　thou　hast　done；　with　my　household；　sending　through　one　of　my　people　that　letter？　Go　to；　thou　art　a　fool；　Myles　Falworth！〃

Myles　stood　staring　at　the　Earl　without　making　an　effort　to　speak。　The　words　that　he　had　heard　suddenly　flashed；　as　it　were；　a　new　light　into　his　mind。　In　that　flash　he　fully　recognized；　and　for　the　first　time；　the　strange　and　wonderful　forbearance　the　great　Earl　had　shown　to　him；　a　poor　obscure　boy。　What　did　it　mean？　Was　Lord　Mackworth　his　secret　friend；　after　all；　as　Gascoyne　had　more　than　once　asserted？　So　Myles　stood　silent；　thinking　many　things。

Meantime　the　other　lay　back　upon　the　cylindrical　bolsters；　looking　thoughtfully　at　him。　〃How　old　art　thou？〃　said　he　at　last。

〃Seventeen　last　April；〃　answered　Myles。

〃Then　thou　art　old　enough　to　have　some　of　the　thoughts　of　a　man；　and　to　lay　aside　those　of　a　boy。　Haply　thou　hast　had　foolish　things　in　thy　head　this　short　time　past；　it　is　time　that　thou　put　them　away。　Harkee；　sirrah！　the　Lady　Alice　is　a　great　heiress　in　her　own　right；　and　mayst　command　the　best　alliance　in　Englandan　Earla　Duke。　She　groweth　apace　to　a　woman；　and　then　her　kind　lieth　in　Courts　and　great　houses。　As　for　thee；　thou　art　but　a　poor　lad；　penniless　and　without　friends　to　aid　thee　to　open　advancement。　Thy　father　is　attainted；　and　one　whisper　of　where　he　lieth　hid　would　bring　him　thence　to　the　Tower；　and　haply　to　the　block。　Besides　that；　he　hath　an　enemy；　as　Sir　James　Lee　hath　already　told　theean　enemy　perhaps　more　great　and　powerful　than　myself。　That　enemy　watcheth　for　thy　father　and　for　thee；　shouldst　thou　dare　raise　thy　head　or　thy　fortune　ever　so　little；　he　would　haply　crop　them　both；　and　that　parlously　quick。　Myles　Falworth；　how　dost　thou　dare　to　lift　thine　eyes　to　the　Lady　Alice　de　Mowbray？〃

Poor　Myles　stood　silent　and　motionless。　〃Sir；〃　said　he　at　last；　in　a　dry　choking　voice；　〃thou　art　right；　and　I　have　been　a　fool。　Sir；　I　will　never　raise　mine　eyes　to　look　upon　the　Lady　Alice　more。〃

〃I　say　not　that　either；　boy；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃but　ere　thou　dost　so　dare；　thou　must　first　place　thyself　and　thy　family　whence　ye　fell。　Till　then；　as　thou　art　an　honest　man；　trouble　her　not。　Now　get　thee　gone。

As　Myles　crossed　the　dark　and　silent　courtyards；　and　looked　up　at　the　clear；　still　twinkle　of　the　stars；　he　felt　a　kind　of　dull　wonder　that　they　and　the　night　and　the　world　should　seem　so　much　the　same；　and　he　be　so　different。

The　first　stroke　had　been　given　that　was　to　break　in　pieces　his　boyhood　lifethe　second　was　soon　to　follow。



CHAPTER　21

There　are　now　and　then　times　in　the　life　of　every　one　when　new　and　strange　things　occur　with　such　rapidity　that　one　has　hardly　time　to　catch　one's　breath　between　the　happenings。　It　is　as　though　the　old　were　crumbling　awaybreaking　in　piecesto　give　place　to　the　new　that　is　soon　to　take　its　place。

So　it　was　with　Myles　Falworth　about　this　time。　The　very　next　day　after　this　interview　in　the　bed…　chamber；　word　came　to　him　that　Sir　James　Lee　wished　to　speak　with　him　in　the　office。　He　found　the　lean；　grizzled　old　knight　alone；　sitting　at　the　heavy　oaken　table　with　a　tankard　of　spiced　ale　at　his　elbow；　and　a　dish　of　wafers　and　some　fragments　of　cheese　on　a　pewter　platter　before　him。　He　pointed　to　his　clerk's　seata　joint　stool　somewhat　like　a　camp…chair；　but　made　of　heavy　oaken　braces　and　with　a　seat　of　hog…skinand　bade　Myles　be　seated。

It　was　the　first　time　that　Myles　had　ever　heard　of　such　courtesy　being　extended　to　one　of　the　company　of　squires；　and；　much　wondering；　he　obeyed　the　invitation；　or　rather　command；　and　took　the　seat。

The　old　knight　sat　regarding　him　for　a　while　in　silence；　his　one　eye；　as　bright　and　as　steady　as　that　of　a　hawk；　looking　keenly　from　under　the　penthouse　of　its　bushy　brows；　the　while　he　slowly　twirled　and　twisted　his　bristling　wiry　mustaches；　as　was　his　wont　when　in　meditation。　At　last　he　broke　the　silence。　〃How　old　art　thou？〃　said　he；　abruptly。

〃I　be　turned　seventeen　last　April；〃　Myles　answered；　as　he　had　the　evening　before　to　Lord　Mackworth。

〃Humph！〃　said　Sir　James；　〃thou　be'st　big　of　bone　and　frame　for　thine　age。　I　would　that　thy　heart　were　more　that　of　a　man　likewise；　and　less　that　of　a　giddy；　hare…brained　boy；　thinking　continually　of　naught　but　mischief。〃

Again　he　fell　silent；　and　Myles　sat　quite　still；　wondering　if　it　was　on　account　of　any　special　one　of　his　latest　escapades　that　he　had　been　summoned　to　the　officethe　breaking　of　the　window　in　the　Long　Hall　by　the　stone　he　had　flung　at　the　rook；　or　the　climbing　of　the　South　Tower　for　the　jackdaw's　nest。

〃Thou　hast　a　friend；〃　said　Sir　James；　suddenly　breaking　into　his　speculations；　〃of　such　a　kind　that　few　in　this　world　possess。　Almost　ever　since　thou　hast　been　here　he　hath　been　watching　over　thee。　Canst　thou　guess　of　whom　I　speak？〃

〃Haply　it　is　Lord　George　Beaumont；〃　said　Myles；　〃he　hath　always　been　passing　kind　to　me。

〃Nay；〃　said　Sir　James；　〃it　is　not　of　him　that　I　speak；　though　methinks　he　liketh　thee　well　enow。　Canst　thou　keep　a　secret；　boy？〃　he　asked；　suddenly。

〃Yea；〃　answered　Myles。

〃And　wilt　thou　do　so　in　this　case　if　I　tell　thee　who　it　is　that　is　thy　best　friend　here？〃

〃Yea。〃

〃Then　it　is　my　Lord　who　is　that　friendthe　Earl　himself；　but　see　that　thou　breathe　not　a　word　of　it。〃

Myles　sat　staring　at　the　old　knight　in　utter　and　profound　amazement；　and　presently　Sir　James　continued：　〃Yea；　almost　ever　since　thou　hast　come　here　my　Lord　hath　kept　oversight　upon　all　thy　doings；　upon　all　thy　mad　pranks　and　thy　quarrels　and　thy　fights；　thy　goings　out　and　comings　in。　What　thinkest　thou　of　that；　Myles　Falworth？〃

Again　the　old　knight　stopped　and　regarded　the　lad；　who　sat　silent；　finding　no　words　to　answer。　He　seemed　to　find　a　grim　plea