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gisarm being substituted in its place。 It was a fearful and murderous
weapon； though cumbersome； Unhandy； and ill adapted for quick or
dexterous stroke； nevertheless； the Earl of Alban had petitioned the King
to have it included in the list； and in answer to the King's expressed desire
the Court had adopted it in the stead of the lance； yielding thus much to
the royal wishes。 Nor was it a small concession。 The hand…gisarm had
been a weapon very much in vogue in King Richard's day； and was now
nearly if not entirely out of fashion with the younger generation of
warriors。 The Earl of Alban was； of course； well used to the blade； with
Myles it was strange and new； either for attack or in defence。
With the administration of the final oath and the examination of the
weapons； the preliminary ceremonies came to an end； and presently Myles
heard the criers calling to clear the lists。 As those around him moved to
withdraw； the young knight drew off his mailed gauntlet； and gave
Gascoyne's hand one last final clasp； strong； earnest； and intense with the
close friendship of young manhood； and poor Gascoyne looked up at him
with a face ghastly white。
Then all were gone； the gates of the principal list and that of the false
list were closed clashing； and Myles was alone； face to face； with his
mortal enemy。
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CHAPTER 33
There was a little while of restless； rustling silence； during which the
Constable took his place in the seat appointed for him directly in front of
and below the King's throne。 A moment or two when even the restlessness
and the rustling were quieted； and then the King leaned forward and spoke
to the Constable； who immediately called out； in a loud； clear voice。
〃Let them go！〃 Then again； 〃Let them go！〃 Then； for the third and last
time； 〃Let them go and do their endeavor； in God's name！〃
At this third command the combatants； each of whom had till that
moment been sitting as motionless as a statue of iron； tightened rein； and
rode slowly and deliberately forward without haste； yet without hesitation；
until they met in the very middle of the lists。
In the battle which followed； Myles fought with the long sword； the
Earl with the hand…gisarm for which he had asked。 The moment they met；
the combat was opened； and for a time nothing was heard but the
thunderous clashing and clamor of blows； now and then beating
intermittently； now and then pausing。 Occasionally； as the combatants
spurred together； checked； wheeled； and recovered； they would be hidden
for a moment in a misty veil of dust； which； again drifting down the wind；
perhaps revealed them drawn a little apart； resting their panting horses。
Then； again； they would spur together； striking as they passed； wheeling
and striking again。
Upon the scaffolding all was still； only now and then for the buzz of
muffled exclamations or applause of those who looked on。 Mostly the
applause was from Myles's friends； for from the very first he showed and
steadily maintained his advantage over the older man。 〃Hah！ well struck！
well recovered！〃 〃Look ye！ the sword bit that time！〃 〃Nay； look； saw ye
him pass the point of the gisarm？〃 Then； 〃Falworth！ Falworth！〃 as some
more than usually skilful stroke or parry occurred。
Meantime Myles's father sat straining his sightless eyeballs； as though
to pierce his body's darkness with one ray of light that would show him
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how his boy held his own in the fight； and Lord Mackworth； leaning with
his lips close to the blind man's ear； told him point by point how the battle
stood。
〃Fear not； Gilbert；〃 said he at each pause in the fight。 〃He holdeth his
own right well。〃 Then； after a while： 〃God is with us； Gilbert。 Alban is
twice wounded and his horse faileth。 One little while longer and the
victory is ours！〃
A longer and more continuous interval of combat followed this last
assurance； during which Myles drove the assault fiercely and unrelentingly
as though to overbear his enemy by the very power and violence of the
blows he delivered。 The Earl defended himself desperately； but was borne
back； back； back； farther and farther。 Every nerve of those who looked on
was stretched to breathless tensity； when； almost as his enemy was against
the barriers； Myles paused and rested。
〃Out upon it！〃 exclaimed the Earl of Mackworth； almost shrilly in his
excitement； as the sudden lull followed the crashing of blows。 〃Why doth
the boy spare him？ That is thrice he hath given him grace to recover； an he
had pushed the battle that time he had driven him back against the
barriers。〃
It was as the Earl had said； Myles had three times given his enemy
grace when victory was almost in his very grasp。 He had three times
spared him； in spite of all he and those dear to him must suffer should his
cruel and merciless enemy gain the victory。 It was a false and foolish
generosity； partly the fault of his impulsive youthmore largely of his
romantic training in the artificial code of French chivalry。 He felt that the
battle was his； and so he gave his enemy these three chances to recover； as
some chevalier or knight… errant of romance might have done； instead of
pushing the combat to a mercifully speedy end and his foolish generosity
cost him dear。
In the momentary pause that had thus stirred the Earl of Mackworth to
a sudden outbreak； the Earl of Alban sat upon his panting； sweating war…
horse； facing his powerful young enemy at about twelve paces distant。 He
sat as still as a rock； holding his gisarm poised in front of him。 He had； as
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the Earl of Mackworth had said； been wounded twice； and each time with
the point of the sword； so much more dangerous than a direct cut with the
weapon。 One wound was beneath his armor； and no one but he knew how
serious it might be； the other was under the overlapping of the epauhere；
and from it a finger's…breadth of blood ran straight down his side and over
the housings of his horse。 From wi