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〃As a true fool may；〃 said the Earl； dryly。 〃Why； how now； thou art not
a knight yet； nor anything but a raw lump of a boy。 What rights do the
laws of chivalry give thee； sirrah？ Thou art a fool！〃
Had the Earl been ever so angry； his words would have been less bitter
to Myles than his cool； unmoved patience； it mortified his pride and galled
it to the quick。
〃I know that thou dost hold me in contempt；〃 he mumbled。
〃Out upon thee！〃 said the Earl； testily。 〃Thou dost tease me beyond
patience。 I hold thee in contempt； forsooth！ Why； look thee； hadst thou
been other than thou art； I would have had thee whipped out of my house
long since。 Thinkest thou I would have borne so patiently with another one
of ye squires had such an one held secret meeting with my daughter and
niece； and tampered； as thou hast done； with my household； sending
through one of my people that letter？ Go to； thou art a fool； Myles
Falworth！〃
Myles stood staring at the Earl without making an effort to speak。 The
words that he had heard suddenly flashed； as it were； a new light into his
mind。 In that flash he fully recognized； and for the first time； the strange
and wonderful forbearance the great Earl had shown to him； a poor
obscure boy。 What did it mean？ Was Lord Mackworth his secret friend；
after all； as Gascoyne had more than once asserted？ So Myles stood silent；
thinking many things。
Meantime the other lay back upon the cylindrical bolsters； looking
thoughtfully at him。 〃How old art thou？〃 said he at last。
〃Seventeen last April；〃 answered Myles。
〃Then thou art old enough to have some of the thoughts of a man； and
to lay aside those of a boy。 Haply thou hast had foolish things in thy head
this short time past； it is time that thou put them away。 Harkee； sirrah！ the
Lady Alice is a great heiress in her own right； and mayst command the
best alliance in Englandan Earla Duke。 She groweth apace to a woman；
and then her kind lieth in Courts and great houses。 As for thee； thou art but
a poor lad； penniless and without friends to aid thee to open advancement。
Thy father is attainted； and one whisper of where he lieth hid would bring
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him thence to the Tower； and haply to the block。 Besides that； he hath an
enemy； as Sir James Lee hath already told theean enemy perhaps more
great and powerful than myself。 That enemy watcheth for thy father and
for thee； shouldst thou dare raise thy head or thy fortune ever so little； he
would haply crop them both； and that parlously quick。 Myles Falworth；
how dost thou dare to lift thine eyes to the Lady Alice de Mowbray？〃
Poor Myles stood silent and motionless。 〃Sir；〃 said he at last； in a dry
choking voice； 〃thou art right； and I have been a fool。 Sir； I will never
raise mine eyes to look upon the Lady Alice more。〃
〃I say not that either； boy；〃 said the Earl； 〃but ere thou dost so dare；
thou must first place thyself and thy family whence ye fell。 Till then； as
thou art an honest man； trouble her not。 Now get thee gone。
As Myles crossed the dark and silent courtyards； and looked up at the
clear； still twinkle of the stars； he felt a kind of dull wonder that they and
the night and the world should seem so much the same； and he be so
different。
The first stroke had been given that was to break in pieces his boyhood
lifethe second was soon to follow。
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CHAPTER 21
There are now and then times in the life of every one when new and
strange things occur with such rapidity that one has hardly time to catch
one's breath between the happenings。 It is as though the old were
crumbling awaybreaking in piecesto give place to the new that is soon
to take its place。
So it was with Myles Falworth about this time。 The very next day after
this interview in the bed… chamber； word came to him that Sir James Lee
wished to speak with him in the office。 He found the lean； grizzled old
knight alone； sitting at the heavy oaken table with a tankard of spiced ale
at his elbow； and a dish of wafers and some fragments of cheese on a
pewter platter before him。 He pointed to his clerk's seata joint stool
somewhat like a camp…chair； but made of heavy oaken braces and with a
seat of hog…skinand bade Myles be seated。
It was the first time that Myles had ever heard of such courtesy being
extended to one of the company of squires； and； much wondering； he
obeyed the invitation； or rather command； and took the seat。
The old knight sat regarding him for a while in silence； his one eye； as
bright and as steady as that of a hawk； looking keenly from under the
penthouse of its bushy brows； the while he slowly twirled and twisted his
bristling wiry mustaches； as was his wont when in meditation。 At last he
broke the silence。 〃How old art thou？〃 said he； abruptly。
〃I be turned seventeen last April；〃 Myles answered； as he had the
evening before to Lord Mackworth。
〃Humph！〃 said Sir James； 〃thou be'st big of bone and frame for thine
age。 I would that thy heart were more that of a man likewise； and less that
of a giddy； hare…brained boy； thinking continually of naught but mischief。〃
Again he fell silent； and Myles sat quite still； wondering if it was on
account of any special one of his latest escapades that he had been
summoned to the officethe breaking of the window in the Long Hall by
the stone he had flung at the rook； or the climbing of the South Tower for
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the jackdaw's nest。
〃Thou hast a friend；〃 said Sir James； suddenly breaking into his
speculations； 〃of such a kind that few in this world possess。 Almost ever
since thou hast been here he hath been watching over thee。 Canst thou
guess of whom I speak？〃
〃Haply it is Lord George Beaumont；〃 said Myles； 〃he hath always
been passing kind to me。
〃Nay；〃 said Sir James； 〃it is not of him that I speak； though methinks
he liketh thee well enow。 Canst thou keep a secret； boy？〃 he aske