men of iron-第44章

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　thought　no　more　of　the　burning　iron　plates　that　incased　him　than　a　modern　soldier　thinks　of　his　dress　uniform　in　warm　weather。　Nevertheless；　he　raised　the　umbril　of　his　helmet　to　cool　his　face　as　he　waited　the　coming　of　his　opponent。　He　turned　his　eyes　upward　to　the　row　of　seats　on　the　scaffolding　above；　and　even　in　the　restless；　bewildering　multitude　of　strange　faces　turned　towards　him　recognized　those　that　he　knew：　the　Prince　of　Wales；　his　companions　of　the　Scotland　Yard　household；　the　Duke　of　Clarence；　the　Bishop　of　Winchester；　and　some　of　the　noblemen　of　the　Earl　of　Mackworth's　party；　who　had　been　buzzing　about　the　Prince　for　the　past　month　or　so。　But　his　glance　swept　over　all　these；　rather　perceiving　than　seeing　them；　and　then　rested　upon　a　square　box…like　compartment　not　unlike　a　prisoner's　dock　in　the　courtroom　of　our　day；　for　in　the　box　sat　his　father；　with　the　Earl　of　Mackworth　upon　one　side　and　Sir　James　Lee　upon　the　other。　The　blind　man's　face　was　very　pale；　but　still　wore　its　usual　expression　of　calm　serenitythe　calm　serenity　of　a　blind　face。　The　Earl　was　also　very　pale；　and　he　kept　his　eyes　fixed　steadfastly　upon　Myles　with　a　keen　and　searching　look；　as　though　to　pierce　to　the　very　bottom　of　the　young　man's　heart；　and　discover　if　indeed　not　one　little　fragment　of　dryrot　of　fear　or　uncertainty　tainted　the　solid　courage　of　his　knighthood。

Then　he　heard　the　criers　calling　the　defendant　at　the　four　corners　of　the　list：　〃Oyez！　Oyez！　Oyez！　William　Bushy　Brookhurst；　Earl　of　Alban；　come　to　this　combat；　in　which　you　be　enterprised　this　day　to　discharge　your　sureties　before　the　King；　the　Constable；　and　the　Marshal；　and　to　encounter　in　your　defence　Myles　Falworth；　knight；　the　accepted　champion　upon　behalf　of　Gilbert　Reginald　Falworth；　the　challenger！　Oyez！　Oyez！　Oyez！　Let　the　defendant　come！〃

So　they　continued　calling；　until；　by　the　sudden　turning　of　all　faces；　Myles　knew　that　his　enemy　was　at　hand。

Then　presently　he　saw　the　Earl　and　his　attendants　enter　the　outer　gate　at　the　west　end　of　the　barrier；　he　saw　the　Constable　and　Marshal　meet　him；　he　saw　the　formal　words　of　greeting　pass；　he　saw　the　Constable　raise　the　umbril　of　the　helmet。　Then　the　gate　opened；　and　the　Earl　of　Alban　entered；　clad　cap…a…pie　in　a　full　suit　of　magnificent　Milan　armor　without　juppon　or　adornment　of　any　kind。　As　he　approached　across　the　lists；　Myles　closed　the　umbril　of　his　helmet；　and　then　sat　quite　still　and　motionless；　for　the　time　was　come。

So　he　sat；　erect　and　motionless　as　a　statue　of　iron；　half　hearing　the　reading　of　the　long　intricately…　worded　bills；　absorbed　in　many　thoughts　of　past　and　present　things。　At　last　the　reading　ended；　and　then　he　calmly　and　composedly　obeyed；　under　the　direction　of　his　attorney；　the　several　forms　and　ceremonies　that　followed；　answered　the　various　official　questions；　took　the　various　oaths。　Then　Gascoyne；　leading　the　horse　by　the　bridle…　rein；　conducted　him　back　to　his　station　at　the　east　end　of　the　lists。

As　the　faithful　friend　and　squire　made　one　last　and　searching　examination　of　arms　and　armor；　the　Marshal　and　the　clerk　came　to　the　young　champion　and　administered　the　final　oath　by　which　he　swore　that　he　carried　no　concealed　weapons。

The　weapons　allowed　by　the　High　Court　were　then　measured　and　attested。　They　consisted　of　the　long　sword；　the　short　sword；　the　dagger；　the　mace；　and　a　weapon　known　as　the　hand…gisarm；　or　glave…　lota　heavy　swordlike　blade　eight　palms　long；　a　palm　in　breadth；　and　riveted　to　a　stout　handle　of　wood　three　feet　long。

The　usual　lance　had　not　been　included　in　the　list　of　arms；　the　hand…gisarm　being　substituted　in　its　place。　It　was　a　fearful　and　murderous　weapon；　though　cumbersome；　Unhandy；　and　ill　adapted　for　quick　or　dexterous　stroke；　nevertheless；　the　Earl　of　Alban　had　petitioned　the　King　to　have　it　included　in　the　list；　and　in　answer　to　the　King's　expressed　desire　the　Court　had　adopted　it　in　the　stead　of　the　lance；　yielding　thus　much　to　the　royal　wishes。　Nor　was　it　a　small　concession。　The　hand…gisarm　had　been　a　weapon　very　much　in　vogue　in　King　Richard's　day；　and　was　now　nearly　if　not　entirely　out　of　fashion　with　the　younger　generation　of　warriors。　The　Earl　of　Alban　was；　of　course；　well　used　to　the　blade；　with　Myles　it　was　strange　and　new；　either　for　attack　or　in　defence。

With　the　administration　of　the　final　oath　and　the　examination　of　the　weapons；　the　preliminary　ceremonies　came　to　an　end；　and　presently　Myles　heard　the　criers　calling　to　clear　the　lists。　As　those　around　him　moved　to　withdraw；　the　young　knight　drew　off　his　mailed　gauntlet；　and　gave　Gascoyne's　hand　one　last　final　clasp；　strong；　earnest；　and　intense　with　the　close　friendship　of　young　manhood；　and　poor　Gascoyne　looked　up　at　him　with　a　face　ghastly　white。

Then　all　were　gone；　the　gates　of　the　principal　list　and　that　of　the　false　list　were　closed　clashing；　and　Myles　was　alone；　face　to　face；　with　his　mortal　enemy。



CHAPTER　33

There　was　a　little　while　of　restless；　rustling　silence；　during　which　the　Constable　took　his　place　in　the　seat　appointed　for　him　directly　in　front　of　and　below　the　King's　throne。　A　moment　or　two　when　even　the　restlessness　and　the　rustling　were　quieted；　and　then　the　King　leaned　forward　and　spoke　to　the　Constable；　who　immediately　called　out；　in　a　loud；　clear　voice。

〃Let　them　go！〃　Then　again；　〃Let　them　go！〃　Then；　for　the　third　and　last　time；　〃Let　them　go　and　do　their　endeavor；　in　God's　name！〃

At　this　third　command　the　combatants；　each　of　whom　had　till　that　moment　been　sitting　as　motionless　as　a　statue　of　iron；　tightened　rein；　and　rode　slowly　and　deliberately　forward　without　haste；　yet　without　hesitation；　until　they　met　in　the　very　middle　of　the　lists。

In　the　battle　which　followed；　Myles　fought　with　the　long　sword；　the　Earl　with　the　hand…gisarm　for　which　he　had　asked。　The　moment　they　met；　the　combat　was　opened；　and　for　a　time　nothing　was　heard　but　the　thunderous　clashing　and　clamor　of　blows；　now　and　then　beating　intermittently；　now　and　then　pausing。　Occasionally；　as　the　combatants　spurred　together；　checked；　wheeled；　and　recovered；　they　would　be　hidden　for　a　moment　in　a　misty　veil　of　dust；　which；　again　drifting　down　the　wind；　perhaps　revealed　them　drawn　a　little　apart；　resting　their　panting　horses。　Then；　again；　they　would　spur　together；　striking　as　they　passed；　wheeling　and　striking　again。

Upon　the　scaffolding　all　was　still；　only　now　and　then　for　the　buzz　of　muffled　exclamations　or　applause　of　those　who　looked　on。　Mostly　the　applause　was　from　Myles's　friends；　for　from　the　very　first　he　showed　and　steadily　maintained　his　advantage　over　the　older　man。　〃Hah！　well　struck！　well　recovered！〃　〃Look　ye！　the　sword　bit　that　time！〃　〃Nay；　look；　saw　ye　him　pass　the　point　of　the　gisarm？〃　Then；　〃Falworth！　Falworth！〃　as　some　more　than　usually　skilful　stroke　or　parry　occurred。

Meantime　Myles's　father　sat　straining　his　sightless　eyeballs；　as　though　to　pierce　his　body's　darkness　with　one　ray　of　light　that　would　show　him　how　his　boy　held　his　own　in　the　fight；　and　Lord　Mackworth；　leaning　with　his　lips　close　to　the　blind　man's　ear；　told　him　point　by　point　how　the　battle　stood。

〃Fear　not；　Gilbert；〃　said　he　at　each　pause　in　the　fight。　〃He　holdeth　his　own　right　well。〃　Then；　after　a　while：　〃God　is　with　us；　Gilbert。　Alban　is　twice　wounded　and　his　horse　faileth。　One　little　while　longer　and　the　victory　is　ours！〃

A　longer　and　more　continuous　interval　of　combat　followed　this　last　assurance；　during　which　Myles　drove　the　assault　fiercely　and　unrelentingly　as　though　to　overbear　his　enemy　by　the　very　power　and　violence　of　the　blows　he　delivered。　The　Earl　defended　himself　desperately；　but　was　borne　back；　back；　back；　farther　and　farther。　Every　nerve　of　those　who　looked　on　was　stretched　to　breathless　tensity；　when；　almost　as　his　enemy　was　against　the　barriers；　Myles　paused　and　rested。

〃Out　upon　it！〃　exclaimed　the　Earl　of　Mackworth；　almost　shrilly　in　his　excitement；　as　the　sudden　lull　followed　the　crashing　of　blows。　〃Why　doth　the　boy　spare　him？　That　is　thrice　he　hath　given　him　grace　to　recover；　an　he　had　pushed　the　battle　that　time　he　had　driven　him　back　against　the　barriers。〃

It　was　as　the　Earl　had　said；　Myles　had　three　times　given　his　enemy　grace　when　victory　was　almost　in　his　very　grasp。　He　had