men of iron-第6章

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〃Old　Bruin's　wound　smarteth　him　sore；〃　Gascoyne　observed；　as　the　two　lads　walked　across　the　armory　court。　He　had　good…naturedly　offered　to　show　the　new…comer　the　many　sights　of　interest　around　the　castle；　and　in　the　hour　or　so　of　ramble　that　followed；　the　two　grew　from　acquaintances　to　friends　with　a　quickness　that　boyhood　alone　can　bring　about。　They　visited　the　armory；　the　chapel；　the　stables；　the　great　hall；　the　Painted　Chamber；　the　guard…house；　the　mess…room；　and　even　the　scullery　and　the　kitchen；　with　its　great　range　of　boilers　and　furnaces　and　ovens。　Last　of　all　Myles's　new　friend　introduced　him　to　the　armor…smithy。

〃My　Lord　hath　sent　a　piece　of　Milan　armor　thither　to　be　repaired；〃　said　he。　〃Belike　thou　would　like　to　see　it。〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Myles；　eagerly；　〃that　would　I。〃

The　smith　was　a　gruff；　good…natured　fellow；　and　showed　the　piece　of　armor　to　Myles　readily　and　willingly　enough。　It　was　a　beautiful　bascinet　of　inlaid　workmanship；　and　was　edged　with　a　rim　of　gold。　Myles　scarcely　dared　touch　it；　he　gazed　at　it　with　an　unconcealed　delight　that　warmed　the　smith's　honest　heart。

〃I　have　another　piece　of　Milan　here；〃　said　he。　〃Did　I　ever　show　thee　my　dagger；　Master　Gascoyne？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　squire。

The　smith　unlocked　a　great　oaken　chest　in　the　corner　of　the　shop；　lifted　the　lid；　and　brought　thence　a　beautiful　dagger　with　the　handle　of　ebony　and　silver…gilt；　and　a　sheath　of　Spanish　leather；　embossed　and　gilt。　The　keen；　well…　tempered　blade　was　beautifully　engraved　and　inlaid　with　niello…work；　representing　a　group　of　figures　in　a　then　popular　subjectthe　dance　of　Death。　It　was　a　weapon　at　once　unique　and　beautiful；　and　even　Gascoyne　showed　an　admiration　scarcely　less　keen　than　Myles's　openly…expressed　delight。

〃To　whom　doth　it　belong？〃　said　he；　trying　the　point　upon　his　thumb　nail。

〃There；〃　said　the　smith；　〃is　the　jest　of　the　whole；　for　it　belongeth　to　me。　Sir　William　Beauclerk　bade　me　order　the　weapon　through　Master　Gildersworthy；　of　London　town；　and　by　the　time　it　came　hither；　lo！　he　had　died；　and　so　it　fell　to　my　hands。　No　one　here　payeth　the　price　for　the　trinket；　and　so　I　must　e'en　keep　it　myself；　though　I　be　but　a　poor　man。〃

〃How　much　dost　thou　hold　it　for？〃　said　Gascoyne。

〃Seventeen　shillings　buyeth　it；〃　said　the　armorer；　carelessly。

〃Aye；　aye；〃　said　Gascoyne；　with　a　sigh；　〃so　it　is　to　be　poor；　and　not　be　able　to　have　such　things　as　one　loveth　and　would　fain　possess。　Seventeen　shillings　is　nigh　as　much　by　half　again　as　all　my　yearly　wage。〃

Then　a　sudden　thought　came　to　Myles；　and　as　it　came　his　cheeks　glowed　as　hot　as　fire　〃Master　Gascoyne；〃　said　he；　with　gruff　awkwardness；　〃thou　hast　been　a　very　good；　true　friend　to　me　since　I　have　come　to　this　place；　and　hast　befriended　me　in　all　ways　thou　mightest　do；　and　I；　as　well　I　know；　but　a　poor　rustic　clod。　Now　I　have　forty　shillings　by　me　which　I　may　spend　as　I　list；　and　so　I　do　beseech　thee　that　thou　wilt　take　yon　dagger　of　me　as　a　love…gift；　and　have　and　hold　it　for　thy　very　own。

Gascoyne　stared　open…mouthed　at　Myles。　〃Dost　mean　it？〃　said　he；　at　last。

〃Aye；〃　said　Myles；　〃I　do　mean　it。　Master　Smith；　give　him　the　blade。〃

At　first　the　smith　grinned；　thinking　it　all　a　jest；　but　he　soon　saw　that　Myles　was　serious　enough；　and　when　the　seventeen　shillings　were　produced　and　counted　down　upon　the　anvil；　he　took　off　his　cap　and　made　Myles　a　low　bow　as　he　swept　them　into　his　pouch。　〃Now；　by　my　faith　and　troth；〃　quoth　he；　〃that　I　do　call　a　true　lordly　gift。　Is　it　not　so；　Master　Gascoyne？〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Gascoyne；　with　a　gulp；　〃it　is；　in　soothly　earnest。〃　And　thereupon；　to　Myles's　great　wonderment；　he　suddenly　flung　his　arms　about　his　neck；　and；　giving　him　a　great　hug；　kissed　him　upon　the　cheek。　〃Dear　Myles；〃　said　he；　〃I　tell　thee　truly　and　of　a　verity　I　did　feel　warm　towards　thee　from　the　very　first　time　I　saw　thee　sitting　like　a　poor　oaf　upon　the　bench　up　yonder　in　the　anteroom；　and　now　of　a　sooth　I　give　thee　assurance　that　I　do　love　thee　as　my　own　brother。　Yea；　I　will　take　the　dagger；　and　will　stand　by　thee　as　a　true　friend　from　this　time　forth。　Mayhap　thou　mayst　need　a　true　friend　in　this　place　ere　thou　livest　long　with　us；　for　some　of　us　esquires　be　soothly　rough；　and　knocks　are　more　plenty　here　than　broad　pennies；　so　that　one　new　come　is　like　to　have　a　hard　time　gaining　a　footing。〃

〃I　thank　thee；〃　said　Myles；　〃for　thy　offer　of　love　and　friendship；　and　do　tell　thee；　upon　my　part；　that　I　also　of　all　the　world　would　like　best　to　have　thee　for　my　friend。〃

Such　was　the　manner　In　which　Myles　formed　the　first　great　friendship　of　his　life；　a　friendship　that　was　destined　to　last　him　through　many　years　to　come。　As　the　two　walked　back　across　the　great　quadrangle；　upon　which　fronted　the　main　buildings　of　the　castle；　their　arms　were　wound　across　one　another's　shoulders；　after　the　manner；　as　a　certain　great　writer　says；　of　boys　and　lovers。



CHAPTER　6

A　boy's　life　is　of　a　very　flexible　sort。　It　takes　but　a　little　while　for　it　to　shape　itself　to　any　new　surroundings　in　which　it　may　be　thrown；　to　make　itself　new　friends；　to　settle　itself　to　new　habits；　and　so　it　was　that　Myles　fell　directly　into　the　ways　of　the　lads　of　Devlen。　On　his　first　morning；　as　he　washed　his　face　and　hands　with　the　other　squires　and　pages　in　a　great　tank　of　water　in　the　armory　court…yard；　he　presently　found　himself　splashing　and　dashing　with　the　others；　laughing　and　shouting　as　loud　as　any；　and　calling　some　by　their　Christian　names　as　though　he　had　known　them　for　years　instead　of　overnight。　During　chapel　he　watched　with　sympathetic　delight　the　covert　pranks　of　the　youngsters　during　the　half…hour　that　Father　Emmanuel　droned　his　Latin；　and　with　his　dagger　point　he　carved　his　own　name　among　the　many　cut　deep　into　the　back　of　the　bench　before　him。　When；　after　breakfast；　the　squires　poured　like　school…boys　into　the　great　armory　to　answer　to　the　roll…call　for　daily　exercise；　he　came　storming　in　with　the　rest；　beating　the　lad　in　front　of　him　with　his　cap。

Boys　are　very　keen　to　feel　the　influence　of　a　forceful　character。　A　lad　with　a　strong　will　is　quick　to　reach　his　proper　level　as　a　greater　or　lesser　leader　among　the　others；　and　Myles　was　of　just　the　masterful　nature　to　make　his　individuality　felt　among　the　Devlen　squires。　He　was　quick　enough　to　yield　obedience　upon　all　occasions　to　proper　authority；　but　would　never　bend　an　inch　to　the　usurpation　of　tyranny。　In　the　school　at　St。　Mary's　Priory　at　Crosbey…Dale　he　would　submit　without　a　murmur　or　offer　of　resistance　to　chastisement　by　old　Father　Ambrose；　the　regular　teacher；　but　once；　when　the　fat　old　monk　was　sick；　and　a　great　long…legged　strapping　young　friar；　who　had　temporarily　taken　his　place；　undertook　to　administer　punishment；　Myles；　with　a　wrestling　trip；　flung　him　sprawling　backward　over　a　bench　into　the　midst　of　a　shoal　of　small　boys　amid　a　hubbub　of　riotous　confusion。　He　had　been　flogged　soundly　for　it　under　the　supervision　of　Prior　Edward　himself；　but　so　soon　as　his　punishment　was　over；　he　assured　the　prior　very　seriously　that　should　like　occasion　again　happen　he　would　act　in　the　same　manner；　flogging　or　no　flogging。

It　was　this　bold；　outspoken　spirit　that　gained　him　at　once　friends　and　enemies　at　Devlen；　and　though　it　first　showed　itself　in　what　was　but　a　little　matter；　nevertheless　it　set　a　mark　upon　him　that　singled　him　out　from　the　rest；　and；　although　he　did　not　suspect　it　at　the　time；　called　to　him　the　attention　of　Sir　James　Lee　himself；　who　regarded　him　as　a　lad　of　free　and　frank　spirit。

The　first　morning　after　the　roll…call　in　the　armory；　as　Walter　Blunt；　the　head　bachelor；　rolled　up　the　slip　of　parchment；　and　the　temporary　silence　burst　forth　into　redoubled　noise　and　confusion；　each　lad　arming　himself　from　a　row　of　racks　that　stood　along　the　wall；　he　beckoned　Myles　to　him。

〃My　Lord　himself　hath　spoken　to　Sir　James　Lee　concerning　thee；〃　said　he。　〃Sir　James　maintaineth　that　he　will　not　enter　thee　into　the　body　till　thou　hast　first　practised　for　a　while　at　the　pels；　and　shown　what　thou　canst　do　at　broadsword。　Hast　ever　fought　at　the　pel？〃

〃Aye；〃　answered　Myles；　〃and　that　every　day　of　my　life　sin　I　became　esquire　four　years　ago；　saving　only　Sundays　and　holy　days。〃

〃With　shield　and　broadsword？〃

〃So