The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which was enclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides by a loop-like bend of the river, and on the fourth was protected by a deep, broad, artificial moat, almost as wide as the stream from which it was fed. The road from the town wound for a little distance along by the edge of this moat. As Myles and the old bowman galloped3 by, with the answering echo of their horses' hoof-beats rattling4 back from the smooth stone face of the walls, the lad looked up, wondering at the height and strength of the great ancient fortress5. In his air-castle building Myles had pictured the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time comrade in arms—receiving him, perhaps, with somewhat of the rustic6 warmth that he knew at Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared at those massive walls from below, and realized his own insignificance7 and the greatness of this great Earl, he felt the first keen, helpless ache of homesickness shoot through his breast, and his heart yearned8 for Crosbey-Holt again.
Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and through the dark shadows of the great gaping9 gate-way, and Diccon, bidding him stay for a moment, rode forward to bespeak10 the gate-keeper.
The gate-keeper gave the two in charge of one of the men-at-arms who were lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave them into the care of one of the house-servants in the outer court-yard. So, having been passed from one to another, and having answered many questions, Myles in due time found himself in the outer waiting-room sitting beside Diccon Bowman upon a wooden bench that stood along the wall under the great arch of a glazed11 window.
For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was aware of people coming and going; he was aware of talk and laughter sounding around him; but he thought of nothing but his aching homesickness and the oppression of his utter littleness in the busy life of this great castle.
Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge interest, every now and then nudging his young master, calling his attention now to this and now to that, until at last the lad began to awaken12 somewhat from his despondency to the things around. Besides those servants and others who came and went, and a knot of six or eight men-at-arms with bills and pole-axes, who stood at the farther door-way talking together in low tones, now and then broken by a stifled13 laugh, was a group of four young squires14, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden by an arras, and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. Three of the four were about his own age, one was a year or two older, and all four were dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform of the house of Beaumont.
Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. “Be they squires, Diccon?” said he, nodding towards the door.
“Eh?” said Diccon. “Aye; they be squires.”
“And will my station be with them?” asked the boy.
Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the young men were talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed him askance, and spoke16 now and then in one another's ears. One of the four, a gay young fellow, with long riding-boots laced with green laces, said a few words, the others gave a laugh, and poor Myles, knowing how ungainly he must seem to them, felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned his head.
Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had just created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across the room to where Myles and the bowman sat.
“Give thee good-den,” said he. “What be'st thy name and whence comest thou, an I may make bold so to ask?”
“My name is Myles Falworth,” said Myles; “and I come from Crosbey-Dale bearing a letter to my Lord.”
“Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale,” said the squire. “But what seekest here, if so be I may ask that much?”
“I come seeking service,” said Myles, “and would enter as an esquire such as ye be in my Lord's household.”
Myles's new acquaintance grinned. “Thou'lt make a droll17 squire to wait in a Lord's household,” said he. “Hast ever been in such service?”
“Nay,” said Myles, “I have only been at school, and learned Latin and French and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me use of arms.”
The young squire laughed outright18. “By'r Lady, thy talk doth tickle19 me, friend Myles,” said he. “Think'st thou such matters will gain thee footing here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that thou hadst a letter to my Lord. From whom is it?”
“It is from my father,” said Myles. “He is of noble blood, but fallen in estate. He is a kinsman20 of my Lord's, and one time his comrade in arms.”
“Sayst so?” said the other. “Then mayhap thy chances are not so ill, after all.” Then, after a moment, he added: “My name is Francis Gascoyne, and I will stand thy friend in this matter. Get thy letter ready, for my Lord and his Grace of York are within and come forth21 anon. The Archbishop is on his way to Dalworth, and my Lord escorts him so far as Uppingham. I and those others are to go along. Dost thou know my Lord by sight?”
“Nay,” said Myles, “I know him not.”
“Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!” said he, as a confused clattering22 sounded in the court-yard without. “Yonder are the horses now. They come presently. Busk thee with thy letter, friend Myles.”
The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went more hurriedly, and Myles knew that the Earl must be about to come forth. He had hardly time to untie23 his pouch24, take out the letter, and tie the strings25 again when the arras at the door-way was thrust suddenly aside, and a tall thin squire of about twenty came forth, said some words to the young men upon the bench, and then withdrew again. Instantly the squires arose and took their station beside the door-way. A sudden hush26 fell upon all in the room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line against the wall, stiff and erect27 as though all at once transformed to figures of iron. Once more the arras was drawn28 back, and in the hush Myles heard voices in the other room.
“My Lord cometh,” whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt his heart leap in answer.
The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a crowd of gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a dignitary of the Church; the other Myles instantly singled out as the Earl of Mackworth.
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1
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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2
hoary
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| adj.古老的；鬓发斑白的 | |
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3
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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4
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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5
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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6
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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7
insignificance
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| n.不重要；无价值；无意义 | |
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8
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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10
bespeak
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| v.预定；预先请求 | |
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11
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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12
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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13
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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14
squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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15
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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16
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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17
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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18
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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19
tickle
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| v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒 | |
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20
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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21
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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22
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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23
untie
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| vt.解开，松开；解放 | |
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24
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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25
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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26
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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27
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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28
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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