men of iron-第26章

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Again　the　old　knight　stopped　and　regarded　the　lad；　who　sat　silent；　finding　no　words　to　answer。　He　seemed　to　find　a　grim　pleasure　in　the　youngster's　bewilderment　and　wonder。　Then　a　sudden　thought　came　to　Myles。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃did　my　Lord　know　that　I　went　to　the　privy　garden　as　I　did？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Sir　James；　〃of　that　he　knew　naught　at　first　until　thy　father　bade　thy　mother　write　and　tell　him。〃

〃My　father！〃　ejaculated　Myles。

〃Aye；〃　said　Sir　James；　twisting　his　mustaches　more　vigorously　than　ever。　〃So　soon　as　thy　father　heard　of　that　prank；　he　wrote　straightway　to　my　Lord　that　he　should　put　a　stop　to　what　might　in　time　have　bred　mischief。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Myles；　in　an　almost　breathless　voice；　〃I　know　not　how　to　believe　all　these　things；　or　whether　I　be　awake　or　a…dreaming。〃

〃Thou　be'st　surely　enough　awake；〃　answered　the　old　man；　〃but　there　are　other　matters　yet　to　be　told。　My　Lord　thinketh；　as　others　of　us　doLord　George　and　myselfthat　it　is　now　time　for　thee　to　put　away　thy　boyish　follies；　and　learn　those　things　appertaining　to　manhood。　Thou　hast　been　here　a　year　now；　and　hast　had　freedom　to　do　as　thou　might　list；　but；　boy〃and　the　old　warrior　spoke　seriously；　almost　solemnly〃upon　thee　doth　rest　matters　of　such　great　import　that　did　I　tell　them　to　thee　thou　couldst　not　grasp　them。　My　Lord　deems　that　thou　hast；　mayhap；　promise　beyond　the　common　of　men；　ne'theless　it　remaineth　yet　to　be　seen　an　he　be　right；　it　is　yet　to　test　whether　that　promise　may　be　fulfilled。　Next　Monday　I　and　Sir　Everard　Willoughby　take　thee　in　hand　to　begin　training　thee　in　the　knowledge　and　the　use　of　the　jousting　lance；　of　arms；　and　of　horsemanship。　Thou　art　to　go　to　Ralph　Smith；　and　have　him　fit　a　suit　of　plain　armor　to　thee　which　he　hath　been　charged　to　make　for　thee　against　this　time。　So　get　thee　gone；　think　well　over　all　these　matters；　and　prepare　thyself　by　next　Monday。　But　stay；　sirrah；〃　he　added；　as　Myles；　dazed　and　bewildered；　turned　to　obey；　〃breathe　to　no　living　soul　what　I　ha'　told　theethat　my　Lord　is　thy　friendneither　speak　of　anything　concerning　him。　Such　is　his　own　heavy　command　laid　upon　thee。〃

Then　Myles　turned　again　without　a　word　to　leave　the　room。　But　as　he　reached　the　door　Sir　James　stopped　him　a　second　time。

〃Stay！〃　he　called。　〃I　had　nigh　missed　telling　thee　somewhat　else。　My　Lord　hath　made　thee　a　present　this　morning　that　thou　wottest　not　of。　It　is〃then　he　stopped　for　a　few　moments；　perhaps　to　enjoy　the　full　flavor　of　what　he　had　to　say〃it　is　a　great　Flemish　horse　of　true　breed　and　right　mettle；　a　horse　such　as　a　knight　of　the　noblest　strain　might　be　proud　to　call　his　own。　Myles　Falworth；　thou　wert　born　upon　a　lucky　day！〃

〃Sir；〃　cried　Myles；　and　then　stopped　short。　Then；　〃Sir；〃　he　cried　again；　〃didst　thou　say　itthe　horsewas　to　be　mine？〃

〃Aye；　it　is　to　be　thine。〃

〃My　very　own？〃

〃Thy　very　own。〃

How　Myles　Falworth　left　that　place　he　never　knew。　He　was　like　one　in　some　strange；　some　wonderful　dream。　He　walked　upon　air；　and　his　heart　was　so　full　of　joy　and　wonder　and　amazement　that　it　thrilled　almost　to　agony。　Of　course　his　first　thought　was　of　Gascoyne。　How　he　ever　found　him　he　never　could　tell；　but　find　him　he　did。

〃Come；　Francis！〃　he　cried；　〃I　have　that　to　tell　thee　so　marvellous　that　had　it　come　upon　me　from　paradise　it　could　not　be　more　strange。〃

Then　he　dragged　him　away　to　their　Eyryit　had　been　many　a　long　day　since　they　had　been　thereand　to　all　his　friend's　speeches；　to　all　his　wondering　questions；　he　answered　never　a　word　until　they　had　climbed　the　stairs；　and　so　come　to　their　old　haunt。　Then　he　spoke。

〃Sit　thee　down；　Francis；〃　said　he；　〃till　I　tell　thee　that　which　passeth　wonder。〃　As　Gascoyne　obeyed；　he　himself　stood　looking　about　him。　〃This　is　the　last　time　I　shall　ever　come　hither；〃　said　he。　And　thereupon　he　poured　out　his　heart　to　his　listening　friend　in　the　murmuring　solitude　of　the　airy　height。　He　did　not　speak　of　the　Earl；　but　of　the　wonderful　new　life　that　had　thus　suddenly　opened　before　him；　with　its　golden　future　of　limitless　hopes；　of　dazzling　possibilities；　of　heroic　ambitions。　He　told　everything；　walking　up　and　down　the　whilefor　he　could　not　remain　quiethis　cheeks　glowing　and　his　eyes　sparkling。

Gascoyne　sat　quite　still；　staring　straight　before　him。　He　knew　that　his　friend　was　ruffling　eagle　pinions　for　a　flight　in　which　he　could　never　hope　to　follow；　and　somehow　his　heart　ached；　for　he　knew　that　this　must　be　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　dear；　delightful　friendship　of　the　year　past。



CHAPTER　22

And　so　ended　Myles　Falworth's　boyhood。　Three　years　followed；　during　which　he　passed　through　that　state　which　immediately　follows　boyhood　in　all　men's　livesa　time　when　they　are　neither　lads　nor　grown　men；　but　youths　passing　from　the　one　to　the　other　period　through　what　is　often　an　uncouth　and　uncomfortable　age。

He　had　fancied；　when　he　talked　with　Gascoyne　in　the　Eyry　that　time；　that　he　was　to　become　a　man　all　at　once；　he　felt　just　then　that　he　had　forever　done　with　boyish　things。　But　that　is　not　the　way　it　happens　in　men's　lives。　Changes　do　not　come　so　suddenly　and　swiftly　as　that；　but　by　little　and　little。　For　three　or　four　days；　maybe；　he　went　his　new　way　of　life　big　with　the　great　change　that　had　come　upon　him；　and　then；　now　in　this　and　now　in　that；　he　drifted　back　very　much　into　his　old　ways　of　boyish　doings。　As　was　said；　one's　young　days　do　not　end　all　at　once；　even　when　they　be　so　suddenly　and　sharply　shaken；　and　Myles　was　not　different　from　others。　He　had　been　stirred　to　the　core　by　that　first　wonderful　sight　of　the　great　and　glorious　life　of　manhood　opening　before　him；　but　he　had　yet　many　a　sport　to　enjoy；　many　a　game　to　play；　many　a　boisterous　romp　to　riot　in　the　dormitory；　many　an　expedition　to　make　to　copse　and　spinney　and　river　on　days　when　he　was　off　duty；　and　when　permission　had　been　granted。

Nevertheless；　there　was　a　great　and　vital　change　in　his　life；　a　change　which　he　hardly　felt　or　realized。　Even　in　resuming　his　old　life　there　was　no　longer　the　same　vitality；　the　same　zest；　the　same　enjoyment　in　all　these　things。　It　seemed　as　though　they　were　no　longer　a　part　of　himself。　The　savor　had　gone　from　them；　and　by…and…by　it　was　pleasanter　to　sit　looking　on　at　the　sports　and　the　games　of　the　younger　lads　than　to　take　active　part　in　them。

These　three　years　of　his　life　that　had　thus　passed　had　been　very　full；　full　mostly　of　work；　grinding　and　monotonous；　of　training　dull；　dry；　laborious。　For　Sir　James　Lee　was　a　taskmaster　as　hard　as　iron　and　seemingly　as　cold　as　a　stone。　For　two；　perhaps　for　three；　weeks　Myles　entered　into　his　new　exercises　with　all　the　enthusiasm　that　novelty　brings；　but　these　exercises　hardly　varied　a　tittle　from　day　to　day；　and　soon　became　a　duty；　and　finally　a　hard　and　grinding　task。　He　used；　in　the　earlier　days　of　his　castle　life；　to　hate　the　dull　monotony　of　the　tri…weekly　hacking　at　the　pels　with　a　heavy　broadsword　as　he　hated　nothing　else；　but　now；　though　he　still　had　that　exercise　to　perform；　it　was　almost　a　relief　from　the　heavy　dulness　of　riding；　riding；　riding　in　the　tilt…yard　with　shield　and　lancecouchrecoveren　passant。

But　though　he　had　nowadays　but　little　time　for　boyish　plays　and　escapades；　his　life　was　not　altogether　without　relaxation。　Now　and　then　he　was　permitted　to　drive　in　mock　battle　with　other　of　the　younger　knights　and　bachelors　in　the　paddock　near　the　outer　walls。　It　was　a　still　more　welcome　change　in　the　routine　of　his　life　when；　occasionally；　he　would　break　a　light　lance　in　the　tilting…court　with　Sir　Everard　Willoughby；　Lord　George；　perhaps；　and　maybe　one　or　two　others　of　the　Hall　folk；　looking　on。

Then　one　gilded　day；　when　Lord　Dudleigh　was　visiting　at　Devlen；　Myles　ran　a　course　with　a　heavier　lance　in　the　presence　of　the　Earl；　who　came　down　to　the　tilt…yard　with　his　guest　to　see　the　young　novitiate　ride　against　Sir　Everard。　He　did　his　best；　and　did　it　well。　Lord　Dudleigh　praised　his　poise　and　carriage；　and　Lord　George；　who　was　present；　gave　him　an　approving　smile　and　nod。　But　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　only　sat　stroking　his　beard　impassively；　as　was　his　custom。　Myles　would　have　given　much　to　know　his　thoughts。

In　all　these　years　Sir　James　Lee　almost　never　gave　any　expression　either　of　approbation　or　disapprovale