men of iron(铁人)-第15章
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The day that Blunt met his fall； the wooden tank in which the water
had been poured every morning was found to have been taken away。 The
bachelors made a great show of indignation and inquiry。 Who was it stole
their tank？ If they did but know； he should smart for it。
〃Ho！ ho！〃 roared Edmund Wilkes； so that the whole dormitory heard
him； 〃smoke ye not their tricks； lads？ See ye not that they have stolen their
own water…tank； so that they might have no need for another fight over the
carrying of the water？〃
The bachelors made an obvious show of not having heard what he said；
and a general laugh went around。 No one doubted that Wilkes had spoken
the truth in his taunt； and that the bachelors had indeed stolen their own
tank。 So no more water was ever carried for the head squires； but it was
plain to see that the war for the upperhand was not yet over。
Even if Myles had entertained comforting thoughts to the contrary； he
was speedily undeceived。 One morning； about a week after the fight； as he
and Gascoyne were crossing the armory court； they were hailed by a group
of the bachelors standing at the stone steps of the great building。
〃Holloa； Falworth！〃 they cried。 〃Knowest thou that Blunt is nigh well
again？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； 〃I knew it not。 But I am right glad to hear it。〃
〃Thou wilt sing a different song anon；〃 said one of the bachelors。 〃I
tell thee he is hot against thee； and swears when he cometh again he will
carve thee soothly。〃
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〃Aye； marry！〃 said another。 〃I would not be in thy skin a week hence
for a ducat！ Only this morning he told Philip Mowbray that he would have
thy blood for the fall thou gavest him。 Look to thyself； Falworth； he
cometh again Wednesday or Thursday next； thou standest in a parlous
state。〃
〃Myles；〃 said Gascoyne； as they entered the great quadrangle； 〃I do
indeed fear me that he meaneth to do thee evil。〃
〃I know not；〃 said Myles； boldly； 〃but I fear him not。〃 Nevertheless
his heart was heavy with the weight of impending ill。
One evening the bachelors were more than usually noisy in their end
of the dormitory； laughing and talking and shouting to one another。
〃Holloa； you sirrah； Falworth！〃 called one of them along the length of
the room。 〃Blunt cometh again to…morrow day。〃
Myles saw Gascoyne direct a sharp glance at him； but he answered
nothing either to his enemy's words or his friend's look。
As the bachelor had said； Blunt came the next morning。 It was just
after chapel； and the whole body of squires was gathered in the armory
waiting for the orders of the day and the calling of the roll of those chosen
for household duty。 Myles was sitting on a bench along the wall； talking
and jesting with some who stood by； when of a sudden his heart gave a
great leap within him。
It was Walter Blunt。 He came walking in at the door as if nothing had
passed； and at his unexpected coming the hubbub of talk and laughter was
suddenly checked。 Even Myles stopped in his speech for a moment； and
then continued with a beating heart and a carelessness of manner that was
altogether assumed。 In his hand Blunt carried the house orders for the day；
and without seeming to notice Myles； he opened it and read the list of
those called upon for household service。
Myles had risen； and was now standing listening with the others。
When Blunt had ended reading the list of names； he rolled up the
parchment； and thrust it into his belt； then swinging suddenly on his heel；
he strode straight up to Myles； facing him front to front。 A moment or two
of deep silence followed； not a sound broke the stillness。 When Blunt
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spoke every one in the armory heard his words。
〃Sirrah！〃 said he； 〃thou didst put foul shame upon me some time sin。
Never will I forget or forgive that offence； and will have a reckoning with
thee right soon that thou wilt not forget to the last day of thy life。〃
When Myles had seen his enemy turn upon him； he did not know at
first what to expect； he would not have been surprised had they come to
blows there and then； and he held himself prepared for any event。 He
faced the other pluckily enough and without flinching； and spoke up
boldly in answer。 〃So be it； Walter Blunt； I fear thee not in whatever way
thou mayst encounter me。〃
〃Dost thou not？〃 said Blunt。 〃By'r Lady； thou'lt have cause to fear me
ere I am through with thee。〃 He smiled a baleful； lingering smile； and then
turned slowly and walked away。
〃What thinkest thou； Myles？〃 said Gascoyne； as the two left the
armory together。
〃I think naught；〃 said Myles gruffly。 〃He will not dare to touch me to
harm me。 I fear him not。〃 Nevertheless； he did not speak the full feelings
of his heart。
〃I know not； Myles；〃 said Gascoyne； shaking his head doubtfully。
〃Walter Blunt is a parlous evil…minded knave； and methinks will do
whatever evil he promiseth。〃
〃I fear him not；〃 said Myles again； but his heart foreboded trouble。
The coming of the head squire made a very great change in the
condition of affairs。 Even before that coming the bachelors had somewhat
recovered from their demoralization； and now again they began to pluck
up their confidence and to order the younger squires and pages upon this
personal service or upon that。
〃See ye not；〃 said Myles one day； when the Knights of the Rose were
gathered in the Brutus Tower〃see ye not that they grow as bad as ever？
An we put not a stop to this overmastery now； it will never stop。〃
〃Best let it be； Myles；〃 said Wilkes。 〃They will kill thee an thou cease
not troubling them。 Thou hast bred mischief enow for thyself already。〃
〃No matter for that；〃 said Myles； 〃it is not to be borne that they order
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others of us about as they do。 I mean to speak to them to…night； and tell
them it shall not be。〃
He was as good as his word。 That night； as the youngsters were
shouting and romping and skylarking； as they always did before turning in；
he stood upon his cot and shouted： 〃Silence！ List to me a little！〃 And then；
in the hush that followed 〃I want those bachelors to hear this： that we
squires serve them no longer； and if they would ha' some to wait upon
them； they must get them otherwheres than here。 There be twenty of us to
stand against them and haply more； and we mean that they shall ha'
service of us no more。〃
Then he jumped down again from his elevated stand； and an uproar of
confusion instantly filled the place。 What was the effect of his words upon
the bachelors he could not see。 What was the result he was not slow in
discovering。
The next day Myles and Gascoyne were throwing their daggers for a
wager at a wooden target against the wall back of the armorer's smithy。
Wilkes； Gosse； and one or two others of the squires were sitting on a
bench looking on； and now and then applauding a more than usually well…
aimed cast of the knife。 Suddenly that impish little page spoken of before；
Robin Ingoldsby； thrust his shock head around the corner of the smithy；
and said： 〃Ho； Falworth！ Blunt is going to serve thee out to…day； and I
myself heard him say so。 He says he is going to slit thine ears。〃 And then
he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared。
Myles darted after him； caught him midway in the quadrangle； and
brought him back by the scuff of the neck； squalling and struggling。
〃There！〃 said he； still panting from the chase and seating the boy by no
means gently upon the bench beside Wilkes。 〃Sit thou there； thou imp of
evil！ And now tell me what thou didst mean by thy words anonan thou
stop not thine outcry； I will cut thy throat for thee；〃 and he made a
ferocious gesture with his dagger。
It was by no means easy to worm the story from the mischievous little
monkey； he knew Myles too well to be in the least afraid of his threats。
But at last； by dint of bribing and coaxing； Myles and his friends managed
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to get at the facts。 The youngster had been sent to clean the riding…boots of
one of the bachelors； instead of which he had lolled idly on a cot in the
dormitory； until he had at last fallen asleep。 He had been awakened by the
opening of the dormitory door and by the sound of voicesamong them
was that of his taskmaster。 Fearing punishment for his neglected duty； he
had slipped out of the cot； and hidden himself beneath it。
Those who had entered were Walter Blunt and three of the older
bachelors。 Blunt's companions were trying to persuade him against
something； but without avail。 It wasMyles's heart thrilled and his blood
boiledto lie in wait for him； to overpower him by numbers； and to
mutilate him by slitting his earsa disgraceful punishment administered；
as a rule； only for thieving and poaching。
〃He would not dare to do such a thing！〃 cried Myles； with heaving
breast and flashing eyes。
〃Aye； but he would；〃 said Gascoyne。 〃His father； Lord Reginald Blunt；
is a great man over Nottingham way； and my Lord would not dare to
punish him even for such a matter as that。 But tell me； Robin Ingoldsby；
dost know aught more of this matter？ Prithee tell it me； Robin。 Where do
they propose to lie in wait for Falworth？〃
〃In the gate…way of the Buttery Court； so as to catch him when he
passes by to the armory；〃 answered the boy。
〃Are they there now？〃 said Wilkes。
〃Aye； nine of them；〃 said Robin。 〃I heard Blunt tell Mowbray to go
and gather the others。 He heard thee tell Gosse； Falworth； that thou wert
going t
