Men of Iron

by Howard Pyle

  CHAPTER 3

  WHAT MYLES remembered of Falworth loomed great and grand and big, asthings do in the memory of childhood, but even memory could not makeFalworth the equal of Devlen Castle, when, as he and Diccon Bowman rodeout of Devlentown across the great, rude stone bridge that spanned theriver, he first saw, rising above the crowns of the trees, thosehuge hoary walls, and the steep roofs and chimneys clustered thicklytogether, like the roofs and chimneys of a town.

  The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which wasenclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides by aloop-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 wasfed. The road from the town wound for a little distance along by theedge of this moat. As Myles and the old bowman galloped by, with theanswering echo of their horses' hoof-beats rattling back from the smoothstone face of the walls, the lad looked up, wondering at the height andstrength of the great ancient fortress. In his air-castle building Myleshad pictured the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time comradein arms--receiving him, perhaps, with somewhat of the rustic warmth thathe knew at Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared at those massive wallsfrom below, and realized his own insignificance and the greatness ofthis great Earl, he felt the first keen, helpless ache of homesicknessshoot through his breast, and his heart yearned for Crosbey-Holt again.

  Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and throughthe dark shadows of the great gaping gate-way, and Diccon, bidding himstay for a moment, rode forward to bespeak the gate-keeper.

  The gate-keeper gave the two in charge of one of the men-at-arms whowere lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave them intothe care of one of the house-servants in the outer court-yard. So,having been passed from one to another, and having answered manyquestions, Myles in due time found himself in the outer waiting-roomsitting beside Diccon Bowman upon a wooden bench that stood along thewall under the great arch of a glazed window.

  For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was awareof people coming and going; he was aware of talk and laughter soundingaround him; but he thought of nothing but his aching homesickness andthe oppression of his utter littleness in the busy life of this greatcastle.

  Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge interest,every now and then nudging his young master, calling his attention nowto this and now to that, until at last the lad began to awaken somewhatfrom his despondency to the things around. Besides those servants andothers who came and went, and a knot of six or eight men-at-arms withbills and pole-axes, who stood at the farther door-way talking togetherin low tones, now and then broken by a stifled laugh, was a group offour young squires, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden byan arras, and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. Threeof the four were about his own age, one was a year or two older, andall four were dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform of the house ofBeaumont.

  Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. "Be they squires, Diccon?" saidhe, nodding towards the door.

  "Eh?" said Diccon. "Aye; they be squires."

  "And will my station be with them?" asked the boy.

  "Aye; an the Earl take thee to service, thou'lt haply be taken assquire."

  Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the young menwere talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed him askance, andspoke now and then in one another's ears. One of the four, a gay youngfellow, with long riding-boots laced with green laces, said a few words,the others gave a laugh, and poor Myles, knowing how ungainly he mustseem to them, felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned hishead.

  Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had justcreated the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across theroom to where Myles and the bowman sat.

  "Give thee good-den," said he. "What be'st thy name and whence comestthou, an I may make bold so to ask?"

  "My name is Myles Falworth," said Myles; "and I come from Crosbey-Dalebearing a letter to my Lord."

  "Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale," said the squire. "But what seekesthere, if so be I may ask that much?"

  "I come seeking service," said Myles, "and would enter as an esquiresuch as ye be in my Lord's household."

  Myles's new acquaintance grinned. "Thou'lt make a droll squire to waitin a Lord's household," said he. "Hast ever been in such service?"

  "Nay," said Myles, "I have only been at school, and learned Latin andFrench and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me use of arms."

  The young squire laughed outright. "By'r Lady, thy talk doth tickleme, friend Myles," said he. "Think'st thou such matters will gain theefooting here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that thou hadst a letter tomy Lord. From whom is it?"

  "It is from my father," said Myles. "He is of noble blood, but fallen inestate. He is a kinsman of my Lord's, and one time his comrade in arms."

  "Sayst so?" said the other. "Then mayhap thy chances are not soill, after all." Then, after a moment, he added: "My name is FrancisGascoyne, and I will stand thy friend in this matter. Get thy letterready, for my Lord and his Grace of York are within and come forth anon.The Archbishop is on his way to Dalworth, and my Lord escorts him so faras Uppingham. I and those others are to go along. Dost thou know my Lordby sight?"

  "Nay," said Myles, "I know him not."

  "Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!" said he, as a confusedclattering sounded in the court-yard without. "Yonder are the horsesnow. They come presently. Busk thee with thy letter, friend Myles."

  The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went morehurriedly, and Myles knew that the Earl must be about to come forth.He had hardly time to untie his pouch, take out the letter, and tie thestrings 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 tothe young men upon the bench, and then withdrew again. Instantly thesquires arose and took their station beside the door-way. A sudden hushfell upon all in the room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line againstthe wall, stiff and erect as though all at once transformed to figuresof iron. Once more the arras was drawn back, and in the hush Myles heardvoices in the other room.

  "My Lord cometh," whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt hisheart leap in answer.

  The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a crowdof gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a dignitary of theChurch; the other Myles instantly singled out as the Earl of Mackworth.