men of iron-第40章

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〃Sir　Myles；〃　said　the　Prince　of　Wales；　with　a　frank；　pleasant　smile；　〃I　have　heard　great　reports　of　thy　skill　and　prowess　in　France；　both　from　Mackworth　and　from　others。　It　will　pleasure　me　greatly　to　have　thee　in　my　household；　more　especially；〃　he　added；　〃as　it　will　get　thee；　callow　as　thou　art；　out　of　my　Lord　Fox's　clutches。　Our　faction　cannot　do　without　the　Earl　of　Mackworth's　cunning　wits；　Sir　Myles；　ne'theless　I　would　not　like　to　put　all　my　fate　and　fortune　into　his　hands　without　bond。　I　hope　that　thou　dost　not　rest　thy　fortunes　entirely　upon　his　aid　and　countenance。〃

All　who　were　present　felt　the　discomfort　of　the　Prince's　speech；　It　was　evident　that　one　of　his　mad；　wild　humors　was　upon　him。　In　another　case　the　hare…brained　young　courtiers　around　might　have　taken　their　cue　from　him；　but　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　was　no　subject　for　their　gibes　and　witticisms。　A　constrained　silence　fell；　in　which　the　Earl　alone　maintained　a　perfect　ease　of　manner。

Myles　bowed　to　hide　his　own　embarrassment。　〃Your　Highness；〃　said　he；　evasively；　〃I　rest　my　fortune；　first　of　all；　upon　God；　His　strength　and　justice。〃

〃Thou　wilt　find　safer　dependence　there　than　upon　the　Lord　of　Mackworth；〃　said　the　Prince；　dryly。　〃But　come；〃　he　added；　with　a　sudden　change　of　voice　and　manner；　〃these　be　jests　that　border　too　closely　upon　bitter　earnest　for　a　merry　breakfast。　It　is　ill　to　idle　with　edged　tools。　Wilt　thou　not　stay　and　break　thy　fast　with　us；　my　Lord？〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　Highness；〃　said　the　Earl；　bowing；　and　smiling　the　same　smooth　smile　his　lips　had　worn　from　the　firstsuch　a　smile　as　Myles　had　never　thought　to　have　seen　upon　his　haughty　face；　〃I　crave　your　good　leave　to　decline。　I　must　return　home　presently；　for　even　now；　haply；　your　uncle；　his　Grace　of　Winchester；　is　awaiting　my　coming　upon　the　business　you　wot　of。　Haply　your　Highness　will　find　more　joyance　in　a　lusty　young　knight　like　Sir　Myles　than　in　an　old　fox　like　myself。　So　I　leave　him　with　you；　in　your　good　care。〃

Such　was　Myles's　introduction　to　the　wild　young　madcap　Prince　of　Wales；　afterwards　the　famous　Henry　V；　the　conqueror　of　France。

For　a　month　or　more　thereafter　he　was　a　member　of　the　princely　household；　and；　after　a　little　while；　a　trusted　and　honored　member。　Perhaps　it　was　the　calm　sturdy　strength；　the　courage　of　the　young　knight；　that　first　appealed　to　the　Prince's　royal　heart；　perhaps　afterwards　it　was　the　more　sterling　qualities　that　underlaid　that　courage　that　drew　him　to　the　young　man；　certain　it　was　that　in　two　weeks　Myles　was　the　acknowledged　favorite。　He　made　no　protestation　of　virtue；　he　always　accompanied　the　Prince　in　those　madcap　ventures　to　London；　where　he　beheld　all　manner　of　wild　revelry；　he　never　held　himself　aloof　from　his　gay　comrades；　but　he　looked　upon　all　their　mad　sports　with　the　same　calm　gaze　that　had　carried　him　without　taint　through　the　courts　of　Burgundy　and　the　Dauphin。　The　gay；　roistering　young　lords　and　gentlemen　dubbed　him　Saint　Myles；　and　jested　with　him　about　hair…cloth　shirts　and　flagellations；　but　witticism　and　jest　alike　failed　to　move　Myles's　patient　virtue；　he　went　his　own　gait　in　the　habits　of　his　life；　and　in　so　going　knew　as　little　as　the　others　of　the　mad　court　that　the　Prince's　growing　liking　for　him　was；　perhaps；　more　than　all　else；　on　account　of　that　very　temperance。

Then；　by…and…by；　the　Prince　began　to　confide　in　him　as　he　did　in　none　of　the　others。　There　was　no　great　love　betwixt　the　King　and　his　son；　it　has　happened　very　often　that　the　Kings　of　England　have　felt　bitter　jealousy　towards　the　heirs…apparent　as　they　have　grown　in　power；　and　such　was　the　case　with　the　great　King　Henry　IV。　The　Prince　often　spoke　to　Myles　of　the　clashing　and　jarring　between　himself　and　his　father；　and　the　thought　began　to　come　to　Myles's　mind　by　degrees　that　maybe　the　King's　jealousy　accounted　not　a　little　for　the　Prince's　reckless　intemperance。

Once；　for　instance；　as　the　Prince　leaned　upon；　his　shoulder　waiting；　whilst　the　attendants　made　ready　the　barge　that　was　to　carry　them　down　the　river　to　the　city；　he　said；　abruptly：　〃Myles；　what　thinkest　thou　of　us　all？　Doth　not　thy　honesty　hold　us　in　contempt？〃

〃Nay；　Highness；〃　said　Myles。　〃How　could　I　hold　contempt？〃

〃Marry；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　myself　hold　contempt；　and　am　not　as　honest　a　man　as　thou。　But；　prithee；　have　patience　with　me；　Myles。　Some　day；　perhaps；　I　too　will　live　a　clean　life。　Now；　an　I　live　seriously；　the　King　will　be　more　jealous　of　me　than　ever；　and　that　is　not　a　little。　Maybe　I　live　thus　so　that　he　may　not　know　what　I　really　am　in　soothly　earnest。〃

The　Prince　also　often　talked　to　Myles　concerning　his　own　affairs；　of　the　battle　he　was　to　fight　for　his　father's　honor；　of　how　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　had　plotted　and　planned　to　bring　him　face　to　face　with　the　Earl　of　Alban。　He　spoke　to　Myles　more　than　once　of　the　many　great　changes　of　state　and　party　that　hung　upon　the　downfall　of　the　enemy　of　the　house　of　Falworth；　and　showed　him　how　no　hand　but　his　own　could　strike　that　enemy　down；　if　he　fell；　it　must　be　through　the　son　of　Falworth。　Sometimes　it　seemed　to　Myles　as　though　he　and　his　blind　father　were　the　centre　of　a　great　web　of　plot　and　intrigue；　stretching　far　and　wide；　that　included　not　only　the　greatest　houses　of　England；　but　royalty　and　the　political　balance　of　the　country　as　well；　and　even　before　the　greatness　of　it　all　he　did　not　flinch。

Then；　at　last；　came　the　beginning　of　the　time　for　action。　It　was　in　the　early　part　of　May；　and　Myles　had　been　a　member　of　the　Prince's　household　for　a　little　over　a　month。　One　morning　he　was　ordered　to　attend　the　Prince　in　his　privy　cabinet；　and；　obeying　the　summons；　he　found　the　Prince；　his　younger　brother；　the　Duke　of　Bedford；　and　his　uncle；　the　Bishop　of　Winchester；　seated　at　a　table；　where　they　had　just　been　refreshing　themselves　with　a　flagon　of　wine　and　a　plate　of　wafers。

〃My　poor　Myles；〃　said　the　Prince；　smiling；　as　the　young　knight　bowed　to　the　three；　and　then　stood　erect；　as　though　on　duty。　〃It　shames　my　heart；　brotherand　thou；　uncleit　shames　my　heart　to　be　one　privy　to　this　thing　which　we　are　set　upon　to　do。　Here　be　we；　the　greatest　Lords　of　England；　making　a　cat's…paw　of　this　ladfor　he　is　only　yet　a　boyand　of　his　blind　father；　for　to　achieve　our　ends　against　Alban's　faction。　It　seemeth　not　over…honorable　to　my　mind。〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　Highness；〃　said　Myles；　blushing　to　the　roots　of　his　hair；　〃but；　an　I　may　be　so　bold　as　to　speak；　I　reck　nothing　of　what　your　aims　may　be；　I　only　look　to　restoring　my　father's　honor　and　the　honor　of　our　house。〃

〃Truly；〃　said　the　Prince；　smiling；　〃that　is　the　only　matter　that　maketh　me　willing　to　lay　my　hands　to　this　business。　Dost　thou　know　why　I　have　sent　for　thee？　It　is　because　this　day　thou　must　challenge　the　Duke　of　Alban　before　the　King。　The　Earl　of　Mackworth　has　laid　all　his　plans　and　the　time　is　now　ripe。　Knowest　that　thy　father　is　at　Mackworth　House？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　knew　it　not。〃

〃He　hath　been　there　for　nearly　two　days；〃　said　the　Prince。　〃Just　now　the　Earl　hath　sent　for　us　to　come　first　to　Mackworth　House。　Then　to　go　to　the　palace；　for　he　hath　gained　audience　with　the　King；　and　hath　so　arranged　it　that　the　Earl　of　Alban　is　to　be　there　as　well。　We　all　go　straightway；　so　get　thyself　ready　as　soon　as　may　be。〃

Perhaps　Myles's　heart　began　beating　more　quickly　within　him　at　the　nearness　of　that　great　happening　which　he　had　looked　forward　to　for　so　long。　If　it　did；　he　made　no　sign　of　his　emotion；　but　only　asked；　〃How　must　I　clothe　myself；　your　Highness？〃

〃Wear　thy　light　armor；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃but　no　helmet；　a　juppon　bearing　the　arms　and　colors　that　the　Earl　gave　thee　when　thou　wert　knighted；　and　carry　thy　right…hand　gauntlet　under　thy　belt　for　thy　challenge。　Now　make　haste；　for　time　passes。〃



CHAPTER　30

Adjoining　the　ancient　palace　of　Westminster；　where　King　Henry　IV　was　then　holding　his　court；　was　a　no　less　ancient　stone　building　known　as　the　Painted　Room。　Upon　the　walls　were　depicted　a　series　of　battle　scenes　in　long　bands　reaching　around　this　room；　one　above　another。　Some　of　these　pictures　had　been　painted　as　far　back　as　the　days　of　Henry　III；　others　had　been　added　since　his　time。　They　chronicled　the　various　wars　of　the　King　of　England；　and　it　was　from