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.
