"So, then, pardee, I am bid to take another one of ye, am I?" hesnarled. "As though ye caused me not trouble enow; and this one acub, looking a very boor in carriage and breeding. Mayhap theEarl thinketh I am to train boys to his dilly-dally householdservice as well as to use of arms.""Sir," said Gascoyne, timidly, "my Lord sayeth he would have thisone entered direct as a squire of the body, so that he need notserve in the household.""Sayest so?" cried Sir James, harshly. "Then take thou my messageback again to thy Lord. Not for Mackworth--no, nor a better manthan he-- will I make any changes in my government. An I be setto rule a pack of boys, I will rule them as I list, and notaccording to any man's bidding. Tell him, sirrah, that I willenter no lad as squire of the body without first testing an he befit at arms to hold that place." He sat for a while glowering atMyles and gnawing his mustaches, and for the time no one dared tobreak the grim silence. "What is thy name?" said he, suddenly.
And then, almost before Myles could answer, he asked the headsquire whether he could find a place to lodge him.
"There is Gillis Whitlock's cot empty," said Blunt. "He is in theinfirmary, and belike goeth home again when he cometh thence. Thefever hath gotten into his bones, and--""That will do," said the knight, interrupting him impatiently.
"Let him take that place, or any other that thou hast. And thou,Jerome," said he to his clerk, "thou mayst enter him upon theroll, though whether it be as page or squire or bachelor shall beas I please, and not as Mackworth biddeth me. Now get ye gone.""Old Bruin's wound smarteth him sore," Gascoyne observed, as thetwo lads walked across the armory court. He had good-naturedlyoffered to show the new-comer the many sights of interest aroundthe castle, and in the hour or so of ramble that followed, thetwo grew from acquaintances to friends with a quickness thatboyhood alone can bring about. They visited the armory, thechapel, the stables, the great hall, the Painted Chamber, theguard-house, the mess-room, and even the scullery and thekitchen, with its great range of boilers and furnaces and ovens.
Last of all Myles's new friend introduced him to thearmor-smithy.
"My Lord hath sent a piece of Milan armor thither to berepaired," said he. "Belike thou would like to see it.""Aye," said Myles, eagerly, "that would I."The smith was a gruff, good-natured fellow, and showed the pieceof armor to Myles readily and willingly enough. It was abeautiful bascinet of inlaid workmanship, and was edged with arim of gold. Myles scarcely dared touch it; he gazed at it withan unconcealed delight that warmed the smith's honest heart.
"I have another piece of Milan here," said he. "Did I ever showthee my dagger, Master Gascoyne?""Nay," said the squire.
The smith unlocked a great oaken chest in the corner of the shop,lifted the lid, and brought thence a beautiful dagger with thehandle of ebony and silver-gilt, and a sheath of Spanish leather,embossed and gilt. The keen, well- tempered blade was beautifullyengraved and inlaid with niello-work, representing a group offigures in a then popular subject--the dance of Death. It was aweapon at once unique and beautiful, and even Gascoyne showed anadmiration scarcely less keen than Myles's openly-expresseddelight.
"To whom doth it belong?" said he, trying the point upon histhumb nail.
"There," said the smith, "is the jest of the whole, for itbelongeth to me. Sir William Beauclerk bade me order the weaponthrough Master Gildersworthy, of London town, and by the time itcame hither, lo! he had died, and so it fell to my hands. No onehere payeth the price for the trinket, and so I must e'en keep itmyself, though I be but a poor man.""How much dost thou hold it for?" said Gascoyne.
"Seventeen shillings buyeth it," said the armorer, carelessly.
"Aye, aye," said Gascoyne, with a sigh; "so it is to be poor, andnot be able to have such things as one loveth and would fainpossess. Seventeen shillings is nigh as much by half again as allmy yearly wage."Then a sudden thought came to Myles, and as it came his cheeksglowed as hot as fire "Master Gascoyne," said he, with gruffawkwardness, "thou hast been a very good, true friend to me sinceI have come to this place, and hast befriended me in all waysthou mightest do, and I, as well I know, but a poor rustic clod.
Now I have forty shillings by me which I may spend as I list, andso I do beseech thee that thou wilt take yon dagger of me as alove-gift, and have and hold it for thy very own.
Gascoyne stared open-mouthed at Myles. "Dost mean it?" said he,at last.
"Aye," said Myles, "I do mean it. Master Smith, give him theblade."At first the smith grinned, thinking it all a jest; but he soonsaw that Myles was serious enough, and when the seventeenshillings were produced and counted down upon the anvil, he tookoff his cap and made Myles a low bow as he swept them into hispouch. "Now, by my faith and troth," quoth he, "that I do call atrue lordly gift. Is it not so, Master Gascoyne?""Aye," said Gascoyne, with a gulp, "it is, in soothly earnest."And thereupon, to Myles's great wonderment, he suddenly flung hisarms about his neck, and, giving him a great hug, kissed him uponthe cheek. "Dear Myles," said he, "I tell thee truly and of averity I did feel warm towards thee from the very first time Isaw thee sitting like a poor oaf upon the bench up yonder in theanteroom, and now of a sooth I give thee assurance that I do lovethee as my own brother. Yea, I will take the dagger, and willstand by thee as a true friend from this time forth. Mayhap thoumayst need a true friend in this place ere thou livest long withus, for some of us esquires be soothly rough, and knocks are moreplenty here than broad pennies, so that one new come is like tohave a hard time gaining a footing.""I thank thee," said Myles, "for thy offer of love andfriendship, and do tell thee, upon my part, that I also of allthe world would like best to have thee for my friend."Such was the manner In which Myles formed the first greatfriendship of his life, a friendship that was destined to lasthim through many years to come. As the two walked back across thegreat quadrangle, upon which fronted the main buildings of thecastle, their arms were wound across one another's shoulders,after the manner, as a certain great writer says, of boys andlovers.
