men of iron-第7章

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〃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？〃

〃Sometimes；〃　said　Myles；　〃and　sometimes　with　the　short　sword。〃

〃Sir　James　would　have　thee　come　to　the　tilt…　yard　this　morn；　he　himself　will　take　thee　in　hand　to　try　what　thou　canst　do。　Thou　mayst　take　the　arms　upon　yonder　rack；　and　use　them　until　otherwise　bidden。　Thou　seest　that　the　number　painted　above　it　on　the　wall　is　seventeen；　that　will　be　thy　number　for　the　nonce。〃

So　Myles　armed　himself　from　his　rack　as　the　others　were　doing　from　theirs。　The　armor　was　rude　and　heavy；　used　to　accustom　the　body　to　the　weight　of　the　iron　plates　rather　than　for　any　defence。　It　consisted　of　a　cuirass；　or　breastplate　of　iron；　opening　at　the　side　with　hinges；　and　catching　with　hooks　and　eyes；　epauliers；　or　shoulder…plates；　arm…plates　and　leg…pieces；　and　a　bascinet；　or　open…　faced　helmet。　A　great　triangular　shield　covered　with　leather　and　studded　with　bosses　of　iron；　and　a　heavy　broadsword；　pointed　and　dulled　at　the　edges；　completed　the　equipment。

The　practice　at　the　pels　which　Myles　was　bidden　to　attend　comprised　the　chief　exercise　of　the　day　with　the　esquires　of　young　cadet　soldiers　of　that　time；　and　in　it　they　learned　not　only　all　the　strokes；　cuts；　and　thrusts　of　sword…play　then　in　vogue；　but　also　toughness；　endurance；　and　elastic　quickness。　The　pels　themselves　consisted　of　upright　posts　of　ash　or　oak；　about　five　feet　six　inches　in　height；　and　in　girth　somewhat　thicker　than　a　man's　thigh。　They　were　firmly　planted　in　the　ground；　and　upon　them　the　strokes　of　the　broadsword　were　directed。

At　Devlen　the　pels　stood　just　back　of　the　open　and　covered　tilting　courts　and　the　archery　ranges；　and　thither　those　lads　not　upon　household　duty　were　marched　every　morning　excepting　Fridays　and　Sundays；　and　were　there　exercised　under　the　direction　of　Sir　James　Lee　and　two　assistants。　The　whole　company　was　divided　into　two；　sometimes　into　three　parties；　each　of　which　took　its　turn　at　the　exercise；　delivering　at　the　word　of　command　the　various　strokes；　feints；　attacks；　and　retreats　as　the　instructors　ordered。

After　five　minutes　of　this　mock　battle　the　perspiration　began　to　pour　down　the　faces；　and　the　breath　to　come　thick　and　short；　but　it　was　not　until　the　lads　could　absolutely　endure　no　more　that　the　order　was　given　to　rest；　and　they　were　allowed　to　fling　themselves　panting　upon　the　ground；　while　another　company　took　its　place　at　the　triple　row　of　posts。

As　Myles　struck　and　hacked　at　the　pel　assigned　to　him；　Sir　James　Lee　stood　beside　him　watching　him　in　grim　silence。　The　lad　did　his　best　to　show　the　knight　all　that　he　knew　of　upper　cut；　under　cut；　thrust；　and　back…hand　stroke；　but　it　did　not　seem　to　him　that　Sir　James　was　very　well　satisfied　with　his　skill。

〃Thou　fightest　like　a　clodpole；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Ha；　that　stroke　was　but　ill…recovered。　Strike　me　it　again；　and　get　thou　in　guard　more　quickly。〃

Myles　repeated　the　stroke。

〃Pest！〃　cried　Sir　James。　〃Thou　art　too　slow　by　a　week。　Here；　strike　thou　the　blow　at　me。〃

Myles　hesitated。　Sir　James　held　a　stout　staff　in　his　hand；　but　otherwise　he　was　unarmed。

〃Strike；　I　say！〃　said　Sir　James。　〃What　stayest　thou　for？　Art　afeard？〃

It　was　Myles's　answer　that　set　the　seal　of　individuality　upon　him。　〃Nay；〃　said　he；　boldly；　〃I　am　not　afeard。　I　fear　not　thee　nor　any　man！〃　So　saying；　he　delivered　the　stroke　at　Sir　James　with　might　and　main。　It　was　met　with　a　jarring　blow　that　made　his　wrist　and　arm　tingle；　and　the　next　instant　he　received　a　stroke　upon　the　bascinet　that　caused　his　ears　to　ring　and　the　sparks　to　dance。　and　fly　before　his　eyes。

〃Pardee！〃　said　Sir　James；　grimly。　〃An　I　had　had　a　mace　in　my　hand；　I　would　have　knocked　thy　cockerel　brains　out　that　time。　Thou　mayst　take　that　blow　for　answering　me　so　pertly。　And　now　we　are　quits。　Now　strike　me　the　stroke　again　an　thou　art　not　afeard。〃

Myles's　eyes　watered　in　spite　of　himself；　and　he　shut　the　lids　tight　to　wink　the　dimness　away。　Nevertheless　he　spoke　up　undauntedly　as　before。　〃Aye；　marry；　will　I　strike　it　again；〃　said　he；　and　this　time　he　was　able　to　recover　guard　quickly　enough　to　turn　Sir　James's　blow　with　his　shield；　instead　of　receiving　it　upon　his　head。

〃So！〃　said　Sir　James。　〃Now　mind　thee　of　this；　that　when　thou　strikest　that　lower　cut　at　the　legs；　recover　thyself　more　quickly。　Now；　then；　strike　me　it　at　the　pel。〃

Gascoyne　and　other　of　the　lads　who　were　just　then　lying　stretched　out　upon　the　grass　beneath；　a　tree　at　the　edge　of　the　open　court　where　stood　the　pels；　were　interested　spectators　of　the　whole　scene。　Not　one　of　them　in　their　memory　had　heard　Sir　James　so　answered　face　to　face　as　Myles　had　answered　him；　and；　after　all；　perhaps　the　lad　himself　would　not　have　done　so　had　he　been　longer　a　resident　in　the　squires'　quarters　at　Devlen。

〃By　'r　Lady！　thou　art　a　cool　blade；　Myles；〃　said　Gascoyne；　as　they　marched　back　to　the　armory　again。　〃Never　heard　I　one　bespeak　Sir　James　as　thou　hast　done　this　day。〃

〃And；　after　all；〃　said　another　of　the　young　squires；　〃old　Bruin　was　not　so　ill…pleased；　methinks。　That　was　a　shrewd　blow　he　fetched　thee　on　the　crown；　Falworth。　Marry；　I　would　not　have　had　it　on　my　own　skull　for　a　silver　penny。〃



CHAPTER　7

So　little　does　it　take　to　make　a　body's　reputation。

That　night　all　the　squires'　quarters　buzzed　with　the　story　of　how　the　new　boy；　Falworth；　had　answered　Sir　James　Lee　to　his　face　without　fear；　and　had　exchanged　blows　with　him　hand　to　hand。　Walter　Blunt　himself　was　moved　to　some　show　of　interest。

〃What　said　he　to　thee；　Falworth？〃　asked　he。

〃He　said　naught；〃　said　Myles；　brusquely。　〃He　only　sought　to　show　me　how　to　recover　from　the　under　cut。〃

〃It　is　passing　strange　that　he　should　take　so　much　notice　of　thee　as　to　exchange　blows　with　thee　with　his　own　hand。　Haply　thou　art　either　very　quick　or　parlous　slow　at　arms。〃

〃It　is　quick　that　he　is；〃　said　Gascoyne；　speaking　up　in　his　friend's　behalf。　〃For　the　second　time　that　Falworth　delivered　the　stroke；　Sir　James　could　not　reach　him　to　return；　so　I　saw　with　mine　own　eyes。〃

But　that　very　sterling　independence　that　had　brought　Myles　so　creditably　through　this　adventure　was　certain　to　embroil　him　with　the　rude；　half…savage　lads　about　him；　some　of　whom；　especially　among　the　bachelors；　were　his　superiors　as　well　in　age　as　in　skill　and　training。　As　said　before；　the　bachelors　had　enforced　from　the　younger　boys　a　fagging　sort　of　attendance　on　their　various　personal　needs；　and　it　was　upon　this　point　that　Myles　first　came　to　grief。　As　it　chanced；　several　days　passed　before　any　demand　was　made　upon　him　for　service　to　the　heads　of　the　squirehood；　but　when　that　demand　was　made；　the　bachelors　were　very　quick　to　see　that　the　boy　who　was　bold　enough　to　speak　up　to　Sir　James　Lee　was　not　likely　to　be　a　willing　fag　for　them。

〃I　tell　thee；　Francis；〃　he　said；　as　Gascoyne　and　he　talked　over　the　matter　one　day〃I　tell　thee　I　will　never　serve　them。　Prithee；　what　shame　can　be　fouler　than　to　do　such　menial　service；　saving　for　one's　rightful　Lord？〃

〃Marry！〃　quoth　Gascoyne；　〃I　reason　not　of　shame　at　this　or　that。　All　I　know　is　that　others　serve　them　who　are　haply　as　good　and　maybe　better　than　I　be；　and　that　if　I　do　not　serve　them　I　get　knocked　i'　th'　head　therefore；　which　same　goeth　soothly　against　my　stomach。〃

〃I　judge　not　for　thee；〃　said　Myles。　〃Thou　art　used　to　these　castle　ways；　but　only　I　know　that　I　will　not　serve　them；　though　they　be　thirty　against　me　instead　of　thirteen。〃

〃Then　thou　art　a　fool；〃　said　Gascoyne；　dryly。

Now　in　this　matter　of　service　there　was　one　thing　above　all　others　that　stirred　Myles　Falworth's　ill…liking。　The　winter　before　he　had　come　to　Devlen；　Walter　Blunt；　who　was　somewhat　of　a　Sybarite　in　his　way；　and　who　had　a　repugnance　to　bathing　in　the　general　tank　in　the　open　armory　court　in　frosty　weather；　had　had　Dick　Carpenter　build　a　trough　in　the　corner　of　the　dormitory　for　the　use　of　the　bachelors；　and　every　morning　it　was　the　duty　of　two　of　the　younger　squires　to　bring　three　pails　of　water　to　fill　this　private　tank　for　the　use　of　the　head　esquires。　It　was　seeing　two　of　his　fellow…esquires　fetching　and　carrying　this　water　that　Myles　dislik