men of iron- 第14部分

〃Look'ee；　Blunt；〃　called　the　bachelor；　〃here　is　Falworth　says　they　squires　will　fetch　no　more　water　for　us。〃

The　head　bachelor　had　heard　all　that　had　passed；　and　was　even　then　hastily　slipping　on　his　doublet　and　hose。　〃Now；　then；　Falworth；〃　said　he　at　last；　striding　forward；　〃what　is　to　do？　Ye　will　fetch　no　more　water；　eh？　By　'r　Lady；　I　will　know　the　reason　why。〃

He　was　still　advancing　towards　Myles；　with　two　or　three　of　the　older　bachelors　at　his　heels；　when　Gascoyne　spoke。

〃Thou　hadst　best　stand　back；　Blunt；〃　said　he；　〃else　thou　mayst　be　hurt。　We　will　not　have　ye　bang　Falworth　again　as　ye　once　did；　so　stand　thou　back！〃

Blunt　stopped　short　and　looked　upon　the　lads　standing　behind　Myles；　some　of　them　with　faces　a　trifle　pale　perhaps；　but　all　grim　and　determined　looking　enough。　Then　he　turned　upon　his　heel　suddenly；　and　walked　back　to　the　far　end　of　the　dormitory；　where　the　bachelors　were　presently　clustered　together。　A　few　words　passed　between　them；　and　then　the　thirteen　began　at　once　arming　themselves；　some　with　wooden　clogs；　and　some　with　the　knives　which　they　had　so　openly　concealed　the　night　before。　At　the　sign　of　imminent　battle；　all　those　not　actively　interested　scuttled　away　to　right　and　left；　climbing　up　on　the　benches　and　cots；　and　leaving　a　free　field　to　the　combatants。　The　next　moment　would　have　brought　bloodshed。

Now　Myles；　thanks　to　the　training　of　the　Crosbey…Dale　smith；　felt　tolerably　sure　that　in　a　wrestling　bout　he　was　a　matchperhaps　more　than　a　matchfor　any　one　of　the　body　of　squires；　and　he　had　determined；　if　possible；　to　bring　the　battle　to　a　single…handed　encounter　upon　that　footing。　Accordingly　he　suddenly　stepped　forward　before　the　others。

〃Look'ee；　fellow；〃　he　called　to　Blunt；　〃thou　art　he　who　struck　me　whilst　I　was　down　some　while　since。　Wilt　thou　let　this　quarrel　stand　between　thee　and　me；　and　meet　me　man　to　man　without　weapon？　See；　I　throw　me　down　mine　own；　and　will　meet　thee　with　bare　hands。〃　And　as　he　spoke；　he　tossed　the　clog　he　held　in　his　hand　back　upon　the　cot。

〃So　be　it；〃　said　Blunt；　with　great　readiness；　tossing　down　a　similar　weapon　which　he　himself　held。

〃Do　not　go；　Myles；〃　cried　Gascoyne；　〃he　is　a　villain　and　a　traitor；　and　would　betray　thee　to　thy　death。　I　saw　him　when　he　first　gat　from　bed　hide　a　knife　in　his　doublet。〃

〃Thou　liest！〃　said　Blunt。　〃I　swear；　by　my　faith；　I　be　barehanded　as　ye　see　me！　Thy　friend　accuses　me；　Myles　Falworth；　because　he　knoweth　thou　art　afraid　of　me。〃

〃There　thou　liest　most　vilely！〃　exclaimed　Myles。　〃Swear　that　thou　hast　no　knife；　and　I　will　meet　thee。〃

〃Hast　thou　not　heard　me　say　that　I　have　no　knife？〃　said　Blunt。　〃What　more　wouldst　thou　have？〃

〃Then　I　will　meet　thee　halfway；〃　said　Myles。

Gascoyne　caught　him　by　the　sleeve；　and　would　have　withheld　him；　assuring　him　that　he　had　seen　the　bachelor　conceal　a　knife。　But　Myles；　hot　for　the　fight；　broke　away　from　his　friend　without　listening　to　him。

As　the　two　advanced　steadily　towards　one　another　a　breathless　silence　fell　upon　the　dormitory　in　sharp　contrast　to　the　uproar　and　confusion　that　had　filled　it　a　moment　before。　The　lads；　standing　some　upon　benches；　some　upon　beds；　all　watched　with　breathless　interest　the　meeting　of　the　two　champions。

As　they　approached　one　another　they　stopped　and　stood　for　a　moment　a　little　apart；　glaring　the　one　upon　the　other。　They　seemed　ill　enough　matched；　Blunt　was　fully　half　a　head　taller　than　Myles；　and　was　thick…set　and　close…knit　in　young　manhood。　Nothing　but　Myles's　undaunted　pluck　could　have　led　him　to　dare　to　face　an　enemy　so　much　older　and　stouter　than　himself。

The　pause　was　only　for　a　moment。　They　who　looked　saw　Blunt　slide　his　hand　furtively　towards　his　bosom。　Myles　saw　too；　and　in　the　flash　of　an　instant　knew　what　the　gesture　meant；　and　sprang　upon　the　other　before　the　hand　could　grasp　what　it　sought。　As　he　clutched　his　enemy　he　felt　what　he　had　in　that　instant　expected　to　feelthe　handle　of　a　dagger。　The　next　moment　he　cried；　in　a　loud　voice：　〃Oh；　thou　villain！　Help；　Gascoyne！　He　hath　a　knife　under　his　doublet！〃

In　answer　to　his　cry　for　help；　Myles's　friends　started　to　his　aid。　But　the　bachelors　shouted；　〃Stand　back　and　let　them　fight　it　out　alone；　else　we　will　knife　ye　too。〃　And　as　they　spoke；　some　of　them　leaped　from　the　benches　whereon　they　stood；　drawing　their　knives　and　flourishing　them。

For　just　a　few　seconds　Myles's　friends　stood　cowed；　and　in　those　few　seconds　the　fight　came　to　an　end　with　a　suddenness　unexpected　to　all。

A　struggle　fierce　and　silent　followed　between　the　two；　Blunt　striving　to　draw　his　knife；　and　Myles；　with　the　energy　of　despair；　holding　him　tightly　by　the　wrist。　It　was　in　vain　the　elder　lad　writhed　and　twisted；　he　was　strong　enough　to　overbear　Myles；　but　still　was　not　able　to　clutch　the　haft　of　his　knife。

〃Thou　shalt　not　draw　it！〃　gasped　Myles　at　last。　〃Thou　shalt　not　stab　me！〃

Then　again　some　of　his　friends　started　forward　to　his　aid；　but　they　were　not　needed；　for　before　they　came；　the　fight　was　over。

Blunt；　finding　that　he　was　not　able　to　draw　the　weapon；　suddenly　ceased　his　endeavors；　and　flung　his　arms　around　Myles；　trying　to　bear　him　down　upon　the　ground；　and　in　that　moment　his　battle　was　lost。

In　an　instantso　quick；　so　sudden；　so　unexpected　that　no　one　could　see　how　it　happened　his　feet　were　whirled　away　from　under　him；　he　spun　with　flying　arms　across　Myles's　loins；　and　pitched　with　a　thud　upon　the　stone　pavement；　where　he　lay　still；　motionless；　while　Myles；　his　face　white　with　passion　and　his　eyes　gleaming；　stood　glaring　around　like　a　young　wild…boar　beset　by　the　dogs。

The　next　moment　the　silence　was　broken；　and　the　uproar　broke　forth　with　redoubled　violence。　The　bachelors；　leaping　from　the　benches；　came　hurrying　forward　on　one　side；　and　Myles's　friends　from　the　other。

〃Thou　shalt　smart　for　this；　Falworth；〃　said　one　of　the　older　lads。　〃　Belike　thou　hast　slain　him！〃

Myles　turned　upon　the　speaker　like　a　flash；　and　with　such　a　passion　of　fury　in　his　face　that　the　other；　a　fellow　nearly　a　head　taller　than　he；　shrank　back；　cowed　in　spite　of　himself。　Then　Gascoyne　came　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder；

〃Who　touches　me？〃　cried　Myles；　hoarsely；　turning　sharply　upon　him；　and　then；　seeing　who　it　was；　〃Oh；　Francis；　they　would　ha'　killed　me！〃

〃Come　away；　Myles；〃　said　Gascoyne；　〃thou　knowest　not　what　thou　doest；　thou　art　mad；　come　away。　What　if　thou　hadst　killed　him？〃

The　words　called　Myles　somewhat　to　himself。　〃I　care　not！〃　said　he；　but　sullenly　and　not　passionately；　and　then　he　suffered　Gascoyne　and　Wilkes　to　lead　him　away。

Meantime　Blunt's　friends　had　turned　him　over；　and；　after　feeling　his　temples；　his　wrist；　and　his　heart；　bore　him　away　to　a　bench　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　There　they　fell　to　chafing　his　hands　and　sprinkling　water　in　his　face；　a　crowd　of　the　others　gathering　about。　Blunt　was　hidden　from　Myles　by　those　who　stood　around；　and　the　lad　listened　to　the　broken　talk　that　filled　the　room　with　its　confusion；　his　anxiety　growing　keener　as　he　became　cooler。　But　at　last；　with　a　heartfelt　joy；　he　gathered　from　the　confused　buzz　of　words　that　the　other　lad　had　opened　his　eyes　and；　after　a　while；　he　saw　him　sit　up；　leaning　his　head　upon　the　shoulder　of　one　of　his　fellow…bachelors；　white　and　faint　and　sick　as　death。

〃Thank　Heaven　that　thou　didst　not　kill　him！〃　said　Edmund　Wilkes；

who　had　been　standing　with　the　crowd　looking　on　at　the　efforts　of　Blunt's　friends　to　revive　him；　and　who　had　now　come　and　sat　down　upon　the　bed　not　far　from　Myles。

〃Aye；〃　said　Myles；　gruffly；　〃I　do　thank　Heaven　for　that。〃



CHAPTER　14

If　Myles　fancied　that　one　single　victory　over　his　enemy　would　cure　the　evil　against　which　he　fought；　he　was　grievously　mistaken；　wrongs　are　not　righted　so　easily　as　that。　It　was　only　the　beginning。　Other　and　far　more　bitter　battles　lay　before　him　ere　he　could　look　around　him　and　say；　〃I　have　won　the　victory。〃

For　a　dayfor　two　daysthe　bachelors　were　demoralized　at　the　fall　of　their　leader；　and　the　Knights　of　the　Rose　were　proportionately　uplifted。

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