“For, in sooth,” said he to Gascoyne, as the two talked the matter over, “she hath, in a certain way, accepted me for her knight, and yet I stood me there without saying so much as one single word in her behalf.”
“Nay,” said Gascoyne, “I would not trouble me on that score. Methinks that thou didst come off wondrous6 well out of the business. I would not have thought it possible that my Lord could ha' been so patient with thee as he showed himself. Methinks, forsooth, he must hold thee privily7 in right high esteem8.”
“Truly,” said Myles, after a little pause of meditative9 silence, “I know not of any esteem, yet I do think he was passing patient with me in this matter. But ne'theless, Francis, that changeth not my stand in the case. Yea, I did shamefully10, so to resign my lady without speaking one word; nor will I so resign her even yet. I have bethought me much of this matter of late, Francis, and now I come to thee to help me from my evil case. I would have thee act the part of a true friend to me—like that one I have told thee of in the story of the Emperor Justinian. I would have thee, when next thou servest in the house, to so contrive12 that my Lady Alice shall get a letter which I shall presently write, and wherein I may set all that is crooked13 straight again.”
“Heaven forbid,” said Gascoyne, hastily, “that I should be such a fool as to burn my fingers in drawing thy nuts from the fire! Deliver thy letter thyself, good fellow!”
So spoke14 Gascoyne, yet after all he ended, as he usually did, by yielding to Myles's superior will and persistence15. So the letter was written and one day the good-natured Gascoyne carried it with him to the house, and the opportunity offering, gave it to one of the young ladies attendant upon the Countess's family—a lass with whom he had friendly intimacy—to be delivered to Lady Alice.
But if Myles congratulated himself upon the success of this new adventure, it was not for long. That night, as the crowd of pages and squires16 were making themselves ready for bed, the call came through the uproar17 for “Myles Falworth! Myles Falworth!”
It was the groom19 of the Earl's bedchamber, and seeing Myles standing thus raised above the others, he came walking down the length of the room towards him, the wonted hubbub21 gradually silencing as he advanced and the youngsters turning, staring, and wondering.
“My Lord would speak with thee, Myles Falworth,” said the groom, when he had come close enough to where Myles stood. “Busk thee and make ready; he is at livery even now.”
The groom's words fell upon Myles like a blow. He stood for a while staring wide-eyed. “My Lord speak with me, sayst thou!” he ejaculated at last.
“Aye,” said the other, impatiently; “get thee ready quickly. I must return anon.”
Myles's head was in a whirl as he hastily changed his clothes for a better suit, Gascoyne helping22 him. What could the Earl want with him at this hour? He knew in his heart what it was; the interview could concern nothing but the letter that he had sent to Lady Alice that day. As he followed the groom through the now dark and silent courts, and across the corner of the great quadrangle, and so to the Earl's house, he tried to brace23 his failing courage to meet the coming interview. Nevertheless, his heart beat tumultuously as he followed the other down the long corridor, lit only by a flaring24 link set in a wrought-iron bracket. Then his conductor lifted the arras at the door of the bedchamber, whence came the murmuring sound of many voices, and holding it aside, beckoned25 him to enter, and Myles passed within. At the first, he was conscious of nothing but a crowd of people, and of the brightness of many lighted candles; then he saw that he stood in a great airy room spread with a woven mat of rushes. On three sides the walls were hung with tapestry26 representing hunting and battle scenes, at the farther end, where the bed stood, the stone wall of the fourth side was covered with cloth of blue, embroidered27 with silver goshawks. Even now, in the ripe springtime of May, the room was still chilly28, and a great fire roared and crackled in the huge gaping29 mouth of the stone fireplace. Not far from the blaze were clustered the greater part of those present, buzzing in talk, now and then swelled30 by murmuring laughter. Some of those who knew Myles nodded to him, and two or three spoke to him as he stood waiting, whilst the groom went forward to speak to the Earl; though what they said and what he answered, Myles, in his bewilderment and trepidation31, hardly knew.
As was said before, the livery was the last meal of the day, and was taken in bed. It was a simple repast—a manchette, or small loaf of bread of pure white flour, a loaf of household bread, sometimes a lump of cheese, and either a great flagon of ale or of sweet wine, warm and spiced. The Earl was sitting upright in bed, dressed in a furred dressing-gown, and propped32 up by two cylindrical33 bolsters35 of crimson36 satin. Upon the coverlet, and spread over his knees, was a large wide napkin of linen37 fringed with silver thread, and on it rested a silver tray containing the bread and some cheese. Two pages and three gentlemen were waiting upon him, and Mad Noll, the jester, stood at the head of the bed, now and then jingling38 his bawble and passing some quaint39 jest upon the chance of making his master smile. Upon a table near by were some dozen or so waxen tapers40 struck upon as many spiked41 candlesticks of silver-gilt, and illuminating42 that end of the room with their bright twinkling flames. One of the gentlemen was in the act of serving the Earl with a goblet43 of wine, poured from a silver ewer44 by one of the squires, as the groom of the chamber20 came forward and spoke. The Earl, taking the goblet, turned his head, and as Myles looked, their eyes met. Then the Earl turned away again and raised the cup to his lips, while Myles felt his heart beat more rapidly than ever.
But at last the meal was ended, and the Earl washed his hands and his mouth and his beard from a silver basin of scented45 water held by another one of the squires. Then, leaning back against the pillows, he beckoned to Myles.
In answer Myles walked forward the length of the room, conscious that all eyes were fixed46 upon him. The Earl said something, and those who stood near drew back as he came forward. Then Myles found himself standing beside the bed, looking down upon the quilted counterpane, feeling that the other was gazing fixedly47 at him.
“I sent for thee,” said the Earl at last, still looking steadily48 at him, “because this afternoon came a letter to my hand which thou hadst written to my niece, the Lady Alice. I have it here,” said he, thrusting his hand under the bolster34, “and have just now finished reading it.” Then, after a moment's pause, whilst he opened the parchment and scanned it again, “I find no matter of harm in it, but hereafter write no more such.” He spoke entirely49 without anger, and Myles looked up in wonder. “Here, take it,” said the Earl, folding the letter and tossing it to Myles, who instinctively50 caught it, “and henceforth trouble thou my niece no more either by letter or any other way. I thought haply thou wouldst be at some such saucy51 trick, and I made Alice promise to let me know when it happed52. Now, I say, let this be an end of the matter. Dost thou not know thou mayst injure her by such witless folly53 as that of meeting her privily, and privily writing to her?”
“I meant no harm,” said Myles.
“I believe thee,” said the Earl. “That will do now; thou mayst go.”
Myles hesitated.
“What wouldst thou say?” said Lord Mackworth.
“Only this,” said Myles, “an I have thy leave so to do, that the Lady Alice hath chosen me to be her knight, and so, whether I may see her or speak with her or no, the laws of chivalry54 give me, who am gentle born, the right to serve her as a true knight may.”
“As a true fool may,” said the Earl, dryly. “Why, how now, thou art not a knight yet, nor anything but a raw lump of a boy. What rights do the laws of chivalry give thee, sirrah? Thou art a fool!”
Had the Earl been ever so angry, his words would have been less bitter to Myles than his cool, unmoved patience; it mortified55 his pride and galled56 it to the quick.
“Out upon thee!” said the Earl, testily58. “Thou dost tease me beyond patience. I hold thee in contempt, forsooth! Why, look thee, hadst thou been other than thou art, I would have had thee whipped out of my house long since. Thinkest thou I would have borne so patiently with another one of ye squires had such an one held secret meeting with my daughter and niece, and tampered59, as thou hast done, with my household, sending through one of my people that letter? Go to; thou art a fool, Myles Falworth!”
Myles stood staring at the Earl without making an effort to speak. The words that he had heard suddenly flashed, as it were, a new light into his mind. In that flash he fully11 recognized, and for the first time, the strange and wonderful forbearance the great Earl had shown to him, a poor obscure boy. What did it mean? Was Lord Mackworth his secret friend, after all, as Gascoyne had more than once asserted? So Myles stood silent, thinking many things.
Meantime the other lay back upon the cylindrical bolsters, looking thoughtfully at him. “How old art thou?” said he at last.
“Seventeen last April,” answered Myles.
“Then thou art old enough to have some of the thoughts of a man, and to lay aside those of a boy. Haply thou hast had foolish things in thy head this short time past; it is time that thou put them away. Harkee, sirrah! the Lady Alice is a great heiress in her own right, and mayst command the best alliance in England—an Earl—a Duke. She groweth apace to a woman, and then her kind lieth in Courts and great houses. As for thee, thou art but a poor lad, penniless and without friends to aid thee to open advancement60. Thy father is attainted, and one whisper of where he lieth hid would bring him thence to the Tower, and haply to the block. Besides that, he hath an enemy, as Sir James Lee hath already told thee—an enemy perhaps more great and powerful than myself. That enemy watcheth for thy father and for thee; shouldst thou dare raise thy head or thy fortune ever so little, he would haply crop them both, and that parlously61 quick. Myles Falworth, how dost thou dare to lift thine eyes to the Lady Alice de Mowbray?”
Poor Myles stood silent and motionless. “Sir,” said he at last, in a dry choking voice, “thou art right, and I have been a fool. Sir, I will never raise mine eyes to look upon the Lady Alice more.”
“I say not that either, boy,” said the Earl; “but ere thou dost so dare, thou must first place thyself and thy family whence ye fell. Till then, as thou art an honest man, trouble her not. Now get thee gone.”
As Myles crossed the dark and silent courtyards, and looked up at the clear, still twinkle of the stars, he felt a kind of dull wonder that they and the night and the world should seem so much the same, and he be so different.
The first stroke had been given that was to break in pieces his boyhood life—the second was soon to follow.
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1
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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redounded
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| v.有助益( redound的过去式和过去分词 )；及于；报偿；报应 | |
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3
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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ignominious
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| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
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6
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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7
privily
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| adv.暗中，秘密地 | |
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8
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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9
meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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10
shamefully
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| 可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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12
contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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13
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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14
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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15
persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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17
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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18
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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19
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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21
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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22
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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23
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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24
flaring
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| a.火焰摇曳的，过份艳丽的 | |
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25
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
tapestry
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| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
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27
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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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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30
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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31
trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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32
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cylindrical
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| adj.圆筒形的 | |
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bolster
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| n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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bolsters
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| n.长枕( bolster的名词复数 )；垫子；衬垫；支持物v.支持( bolster的第三人称单数 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助 | |
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36
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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37
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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38
jingling
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| 叮当声 | |
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39
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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40
tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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41
spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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42
illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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43
goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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44
ewer
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| n.大口水罐 | |
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45
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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46
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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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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48
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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49
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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50
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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51
saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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52
happed
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| v.偶然发生( hap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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54
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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55
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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56
galled
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| v.使…擦痛( gall的过去式和过去分词 )；擦伤；烦扰；侮辱 | |
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57
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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59
tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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parlously
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| 危险的，不确定的，难对付的 | |
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