men of iron(铁人)-第29章
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dazzling brightness； the breastplate covered with a juppon of white satin；
embroidered with silver。 Behind Myles； and upon either hand； came his
squires of honor； sponsors； and friends a little company of some half…
dozen in all。 As they advanced slowly up the great； dim； high…vaulted
room； the whole multitude broke forth into a humming buzz of applause。
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Then a sudden clapping of hands began near the door…way； ran down
through the length of the room； and was taken up by all with noisy clatter。
〃Saw I never youth so comely；〃 whispered one of the Lady Anne's
attendant gentlewomen。 〃Sure he looketh as Sir Galahad looked when he
came first to King Arthur's court。〃
Myles knew that he was very pale； he felt rather than saw the restless
crowd of faces upon either side； for his eyes were fixed directly before
him； upon the dais whereon sat the King； with the Earl of Mackworth
standing at his right hand； the Comte de Vermoise upon the left； and the
others ranged around and behind the throne。 It was with the same tense
feeling of dreamy unreality that Myles walked slowly up the length of the
hall； measuring his steps by those of Gascoyne。 Suddenly he felt Lord
George Beaumont touch him lightly upon the arm； and almost
instinctively he stopped shorthe was standing just before the covered
steps of the throne。
He saw Gascoyne mount to the third step； stop short； kneel； and offer
the sword and the spurs he carried to the King； who took the weapon and
laid it across his knees。 Then the squire bowed low； and walking backward
withdrew to one side； leaving Myles standing alone facing the throne。 The
King unlocked the spur chains from the sword… hilt； and then； holding the
gilt spurs in his hand for a moment； he looked Myles straight in the eyes
and smiled。 Then he turned； and gave one of the spurs to the Earl of
Mackworth。
The Earl took it with a low bow； turned； and came slowly down the
steps to where Myles stood。 Kneeling upon one knee； and placing Myles's
foot upon the other； Lord Mackworth set the spur in its place and latched
the chain over the instep。 He drew the sign of the cross upon Myles's
bended knee； set the foot back upon the ground； rose with slow dignity；
and bowing to the King； drew a little to one side。
As soon as the Earl had fulfilled his office the King gave the second
spur to the Comte de Vermoise； who set it to Myles's other foot with the
same ceremony that the Earl had observed； withdrawing as he had done to
one side。
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An instant pause of motionless silence followed； and then the King
slowly arose； and began deliberately to unwind the belt from around the
scabbard of the sword he held。 As soon as he stood； the Earl and the Count
advanced； and taking Myles by either hand； led him forward and up the
steps of the dais to the platform above。 As they drew a little to one side；
the King stooped and buckled the sword…belt around Myles's waist； then；
rising again； lifted his hand and struck him upon the shoulder； crying； in a
loud voice。
〃Be thou a good knight！〃
Instantly a loud sound of applause and the clapping of hands filled the
whole hall； in the midst of which the King laid both hands upon Myles's
shoulders and kissed him upon the right cheek。 So the ceremony ended；
Myles was no longer Myles Falworth； but Sir Myles Falworth； Knight by
Order of the Bath and by grace of the King！
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CHAPTER 25
It was the custom to conclude the ceremonies of the bestowal of
knighthood by a grand feast given in honor of the newly…created knight。
But in Myles's instance the feast was dispensed with。 The Earl of
Mackworth had planned that Myles might be created a Knight of the Bath
with all possible pomp and ceremony； that his personality might be most
favorably impressed upon the King； that he might be so honorably
knighted as to make him the peer of any who wore spurs in all England；
and； finally； that he might celebrate his new honors by jousting with some
knight of high fame and approved valor。 All these desiderata chance had
fulfilled in the visit of the King to Devlen。
As the Earl had said to Myles； he would rather have waited a little
while longer until the lad was riper in years and experience； but the
opportunity was not to be lost。 Young as he was； Myles must take his
chances against the years and grim experience of the Sieur de la
Montaigne。 But it was also a part of the Earl's purpose that the King and
Myles should not be brought too intimately together just at that time。
Though every particular of circumstance should be fulfilled in the
ceremony； it would have been ruination to the Earl's plans to have the
knowledge come prematurely to the King that Myles was the son of the
attainted Lord Falworth。 The Earl knew that Myles was a shrewd；
coolheaded lad； but the King had already hinted that the name was
familiar to his ears； and a single hasty answer or unguarded speech upon
the young knight's part might awaken him to a full knowledge。 Such a
mishap was； of all things； to be avoided just then； for； thanks to the
machinations of that enemy of his father of whom Myles had heard so
much； and was soon to hear more； the King had always retained and still
held a bitter and rancorous enmity against the unfortunate nobleman。
It was no very difficult matter for the Earl to divert the King's attention
from the matter of the feast。 His Majesty was very intent just then upon
supplying a quota of troops to the Dauphin； and the chief object of his visit
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to Devlen was to open negotiations with the Earl looking to that end。 He
was interestedmuch interested in Myles and in the coming jousting in
which the young warrior was to prove himself； but he was interested in it
by way of a relaxation from the other and more engrossing matter。 So；
though he made some passing and half preoccupied inquiry about the feast
he was easily satisfied with the Earl's reasons for not holding it： which
were that he had arranged a consultation for that morning in regard to the
troops for the Dauphin； to which meeting he had summoned a number of
his own more important dependent nobles； that the King himself needed
repose and the hour or so of rest that his barber… surgeon had ordered him
to take after his mid…day meal； that Father Thomas had laid upon Myles a
petty penancethat for the first three days of his knighthood he should eat
his meals without meat and in his own apartmentand various other
reasons equally good and sufficient。 So the King was satisfied； and the
feast was dispensed with。
The next morning had been set for the jousting； and all that day the
workmen were busy erecting the lists in the great quadrangle upon which；
as was said before； looked the main buildings of the castle。 The windows
of Myles's apartment opened directly upon the bustling scenethe
carpenters hammering and sawing； the upholsterers snipping； cutting； and
tacking。 Myles and Gascoyne stood gazing out from the open casement；
with their arms lying across one another's shoulders in the old boyhood
fashion； and Myles felt his heart shrink with a sudden tight pang as the
realization came sharply and vividly upon him that all these preparations
were being made for him； and that the next day he should； with almost the
certainty of death； meet either glory or failure under the eyes not only of
all the greater and lesser castle folk； but of the King himself and noble
strangers critically used to deeds of chivalry and prowess。 Perhaps he had
never fully realized the magnitude of the reality before。 In that tight pang
at his heart he drew a deep breath； almost a sigh。 Gascoyne turned his head
abruptly； and looked at his friend； but he did not ask the cause of the sigh。
No doubt the same thoughts that were in Myles's mind were in his also。
It was towards the latter part of the afternoon that a message came
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from the Earl； bidding Myles attend him in his private closet。 After Myles
had bowed and kissed his lordship's hand； the Earl motioned him to take a
seat； telling him that he had some final words to say that might occupy a
considerable time。 He talked to the young man for about half an hour in
his quiet； measured voice； only now and then showing a little agitation by
rising and walking up and down the room for a turn or two。 Very many
things were disclosed in that talk that had caused Myles long hours of
brooding thought； for the Earl spoke freely； and without concealment to
him concerning his father and the fortunes of the house of Falworth。
Myles had surmised many things； but it was not until then that he
knew for a certainty who was his father's malignant and powerful enemy
that it was the great Earl of Alban； the rival and bitter enemy of the Earl of
Mackworth。 It was not until then that he knew that the present Earl of
Alban was the Lord Brookhurst； who had killed Sir John Dale in the
anteroom at Falworth Castle that morning so long ago in his early
childhood。 It was not until then that he knew all the circumstances of his
father's blindne
