Chapter Chapter 3 · Chapter 3

. Chapter 3

WHAT MYLES remembered of Falworth loomed great and grand and big, as

things do in the memory of childhood, but even memory could not make

Falworth the equal of Devlen Castle, when, as he and Diccon Bowman rode

out of Devlentown across the great, rude stone bridge that spanned the

river, he first saw, rising above the crowns of the trees, those

huge hoary walls, and the steep roofs and chimneys clustered thickly

together, like the roofs and chimneys of a town.

The castle was built upon a plateau-like rise of ground, which was

enclosed by the outer wall. It was surrounded on three sides by a

loop-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 was

fed. The road from the town wound for a little distance along by the

edge of this moat. As Myles and the old bowman galloped by, with the

answering echo of their horses' hoof-beats rattling back from the smooth

stone face of the walls, the lad looked up, wondering at the height and

strength of the great ancient fortress. In his air-castle building Myles

had pictured the Earl receiving him as the son of his one-time comrade

in arms--receiving him, perhaps, with somewhat of the rustic warmth that

he knew at Crosbey-Dale; but now, as he stared at those massive walls

from below, and realized his own insignificance and the greatness of

this great Earl, he felt the first keen, helpless ache of homesickness

shoot through his breast, and his heart yearned for Crosbey-Holt again.

Then they thundered across the bridge that spanned the moat, and through

the dark shadows of the great gaping gate-way, and Diccon, bidding him

stay 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 who

were lounging upon a bench in the archway, who in turn gave them into

the care of one of the house-servants in the outer court-yard. So,

having been passed from one to another, and having answered many

questions, Myles in due time found himself in the outer waiting-room

sitting beside Diccon Bowman upon a wooden bench that stood along the

wall under the great arch of a glazed window.

For a while the poor country lad sat stupidly bewildered. He was aware

of people coming and going; he was aware of talk and laughter sounding

around him; but he thought of nothing but his aching homesickness and

the oppression of his utter littleness in the busy life of this great

castle.

Meantime old Diccon Bowman was staring about him with huge interest,

every now and then nudging his young master, calling his attention now

to this and now to that, until at last the lad began to awaken somewhat

from his despondency to the things around. Besides those servants and

others who came and went, and a knot of six or eight men-at-arms with

bills and pole-axes, who stood at the farther door-way talking together

in low tones, now and then broken by a stifled laugh, was a group of

four young squires, who lounged upon a bench beside a door-way hidden by

an arras, and upon them Myles's eyes lit with a sudden interest. Three

of the four were about his own age, one was a year or two older, and

all four were dressed in the black-and-yellow uniform of the house of

Beaumont.

Myles plucked the bowman by the sleeve. “Be they squires, Diccon?” said

he, 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 as

squire.”

Myles stared at them, and then of a sudden was aware that the young men

were talking of him. He knew it by the way they eyed him askance, and

spoke now and then in one another's ears. One of the four, a gay young

fellow, with long riding-boots laced with green laces, said a few words,

the others gave a laugh, and poor Myles, knowing how ungainly he must

seem to them, felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and shyly turned his

head.

Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had just

created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across the

room to where Myles and the bowman sat.

“Give thee good-den,” said he. “What be'st thy name and whence comest

thou, an I may make bold so to ask?”

“My name is Myles Falworth,” said Myles; “and I come from Crosbey-Dale

bearing a letter to my Lord.”

“Never did I hear of Crosbey-Dale,” said the squire. “But what seekest

here, if so be I may ask that much?”

“I come seeking service,” said Myles, “and would enter as an esquire

such as ye be in my Lord's household.”

Myles's new acquaintance grinned. “Thou'lt make a droll squire to wait

in a Lord's household,” said he. “Hast ever been in such service?”

“Nay,” said Myles, “I have only been at school, and learned Latin and

French and what not. But Diccon Bowman here hath taught me use of arms.”

The young squire laughed outright. “By'r Lady, thy talk doth tickle

me, friend Myles,” said he. “Think'st thou such matters will gain thee

footing here? But stay! Thou didst say anon that thou hadst a letter to

my Lord. From whom is it?”

“It is from my father,” said Myles. “He is of noble blood, but fallen in

estate. 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 so

ill, after all.” Then, after a moment, he added: “My name is Francis

Gascoyne, and I will stand thy friend in this matter. Get thy letter

ready, 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 far

as Uppingham. I and those others are to go along. Dost thou know my Lord

by sight?”

“Nay,” said Myles, “I know him not.”

“Then I will tell thee when he cometh. Listen!” said he, as a confused

clattering sounded in the court-yard without. “Yonder are the horses

now. They come presently. Busk thee with thy letter, friend Myles.”

The attendants who passed through the anteroom now came and went more

hurriedly, 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 the

strings 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 to

the young men upon the bench, and then withdrew again. Instantly the

squires arose and took their station beside the door-way. A sudden hush

fell upon all in the room, and the men-at-arms stood in a line against

the wall, stiff and erect as though all at once transformed to figures

of iron. Once more the arras was drawn back, and in the hush Myles heard

voices in the other room.

“My Lord cometh,” whispered Gascoyne in his ear, and Myles felt his

heart leap in answer.

The next moment two noblemen came into the anteroom followed by a crowd

of gentlemen, squires, and pages. One of the two was a dignitary of the

Church; the other Myles instantly singled out as the Earl of Mackworth.