“How now, messieurs?” said a harsh voice, that fell upon the turmoil1 like a thunder-clap, and there stood Sir James Lee. Instantly the struggle ceased, and the combatants scrambled2 to their feet.
The older lads stood silent before their chief, but Myles was deaf and blind and mad with passion, he knew not where he stood or what he said or did. White as death, he stood for a while glaring about him, catching3 his breath convulsively. Then he screamed hoarsely4.
“Who struck me? Who struck me when I was down? I will have his blood that struck me!” He caught sight of Blunt. “It was he that struck me!” he cried. “Thou foul5 traitor6! thou coward!” and thereupon leaped at his enemy like a wild-cat.
“Stop!” cried Sir James Lee, clutching him by the arm.
Myles was too blinded by his fury to see who it was that held him. “I will not stop!” he cried, struggling and striking at the knight7. “Let me go! I will have his life that struck me when I was down!”
The next moment he found himself pinned close against the wall, and then, as though his sight came back, he saw the grim face of the old one-eyed knight looking into his.
“Dost thou know who I am?” said a stern, harsh voice.
Instantly Myles ceased struggling, and his arms fell at his side. “Aye,” he said, in a gasping8 voice, “I know thee.” He swallowed spasmodically for a moment or two, and then, in the sudden revulsion of feeling, burst out sobbing9 convulsively.
Sir James marched the two off to his office, he himself walking between them, holding an arm of each, the other lads following behind, awe-struck and silent. Entering the office, Sir James shut the door behind him, leaving the group of squires10 clustered outside about the stone steps, speculating in whispers as to what would be the outcome of the matter.
After Sir James had seated himself, the two standing12 facing him, he regarded them for a while in silence. “How now, Walter Blunt,” said he at last, “what is to do?”
“Why, this,” said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip. “That fellow, Myles Falworth, hath been breeding mutiny and revolt ever sin he came hither among us, and because he was thus mutinous13 I would punish him therefor.”
“In that thou liest!” burst out Myles. “Never have I been mutinous in my life.”
“Be silent, sir,” said Sir James, sternly. “I will hear thee anon.”
“Nay14,” said Myles, with his lips twitching15 and writhing16, “I will not be silent. I am friendless here, and ye are all against me, but I will not be silent, and brook17 to have lies spoken of me.”
Even Blunt stood aghast at Myles's boldness. Never had he heard any one so speak to Sir James before. He did not dare for the moment even to look up. Second after second of dead stillness passed, while Sir James sat looking at Myles with a stern, terrifying calmness that chilled him in spite of the heat of his passion.
“Sir,” said the old man at last, in a hard, quiet voice, “thou dost know naught18 of rules and laws of such a place as this. Nevertheless, it is time for thee to learn them. So I will tell thee now that if thou openest thy lips to say only one single word more except at my bidding, I will send thee to the black vault19 of the donjon to cool thy hot spirits on bread and water for a week.” There was something in the measured quietness of the old knight's tone that quelled20 Myles utterly21 and entirely22. A little space of silence followed. “Now, then, Blunt,” said Sir James, turning to the bachelor, “tell me all the ins and outs of this business without any more underdealing.”
This time Blunt's story, though naturally prejudiced in his own favor, was fairly true. Then Myles told his side of the case, the old knight listening attentively23.
“Why, how now, Blunt,” said Sir James, when Myles had ended, “I myself gave the lads leave to go to the river to bathe. Wherefore shouldst thou forbid one of them?”
“I did it but to punish this fellow for his mutiny,” said the bachelor. “Methought we at their head were to have oversight24 concerning them.”
“So ye are,” said the knight; “but only to a degree. Ere ye take it upon ye to gainsay25 any of my orders or permits, come ye first to me. Dost thou understand?”
“So be it, and now get thee gone,” said the knight; “and let me hear no more of beating out brains with wooden clogs27. An ye fight your battles, let there not be murder in them. This is twice that the like hath happed28; gin I hear more of such doings—” He did utter his threat, but stopped short, and fixed29 his one eye sternly upon the head squire11. “Now shake hands, and be ye friends,” said he, abruptly30.
Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him.
“Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck me while I was down.”
“So be it,” said the knight, grimly. “Now thou mayst go, Blunt. Thou, Falworth, stay; I would bespeak31 thee further.”
“Tell me,” said he, when the elder lad had left them, “why wilt32 thou not serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is the custom here. Why wilt thou not obey it?”
“Because,” said Myles, “I cannot stomach it, and they shall not make me serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but not at their command.”
“Nay,” said the knight, “I do not bid thee do them service. That lieth with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But how canst thou hope to fight single-handed against the commands of a dozen lads all older and mightier33 than thou?”
“I know not,” said Myles; “but were they an hundred, instead of thirteen, they should not make me serve them.”
“Thou art a fool!” said the old knight, smiling faintly, “for that be'st not courage, but folly34. When one setteth about righting a wrong, one driveth not full head against it, for in so doing one getteth naught but hard knocks. Nay, go deftly35 about it, and then, when the time is ripe, strike the blow. Now our beloved King Henry, when he was the Earl of Derby, what could he have gained had he stood so against the old King Richard, brooking36 the King face to face? I tell thee he would have been knocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day. Now were I thee, and had to fight a fight against odds37, I would first get me friends behind me, and then—” He stopped short, but Myles understood him well enough.
“Sir,” said he, with a gulp38, “I do thank thee for thy friendship, and ask thy pardon for doing as I did anon.”
“I grant thee pardon,” said the knight, “but tell thee plainly, an thou dost face me so again, I will truly send thee to the black cell for a week. Now get thee away.”
All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth39, save only the faithful Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay with his friend; and perhaps that little act of self-denial moved Myles more than many a great thing might have done.
“It was right kind of thee, Francis,” said he, laying his hand affectionately on his friend's shoulder. “I know not why thou lovest me so.”
“Why, for one thing, this matter,” answered his friend; “because methinks thou art the best fighter and the bravest one of all of us squires.”
Myles laughed. Nevertheless Gascoyne's words were a soothing40 balm for much that had happened that day. “I will fight me no more just now,” said he; and then he told his friend all that Sir James had advised about biding41 his time.
Gascoyne blew a long whistle. “Beshrew me!” quoth he, “but methinks old Bruin is on thy side of the quarrel, Myles. An that be so, I am with thee also, and others that I can name as well.”
“So be it,” said Myles. “Then am I content to abide42 the time when we may become strong enough to stand against them.”
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1
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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2
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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5
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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6
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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7
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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8
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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9
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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10
squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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12
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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13
mutinous
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| adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变 | |
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14
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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15
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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17
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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19
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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24
oversight
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| n.勘漏，失察，疏忽 | |
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gainsay
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| v.否认，反驳 | |
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26
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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27
clogs
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| 木屐； 木底鞋，木屐( clog的名词复数 ) | |
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28
happed
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| v.偶然发生( hap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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bespeak
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| v.预定；预先请求 | |
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32
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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33
mightier
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| adj. 强有力的，强大的，巨大的 adv. 很，极其 | |
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34
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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35
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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36
brooking
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| 容忍，忍受（brook的现在分词形式） | |
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37
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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38
gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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39
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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40
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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41
biding
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| v.等待，停留( bide的现在分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待；面临 | |
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42
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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