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helped to supply what was lacking in the other。 Myles was replete with old
Latin gestes； fables； and sermons picked up during his school life； in those
intervals of his more serious studies when Prior Edward had permitted him
to browse in the greener pastures of the Gesta Romanorum and the
Disciplina Clericalis of the monastery library； and Gascoyne was never
weary of hearing him tell those marvellous stories culled from the crabbed
Latin of the old manuscript volumes。
Upon his part Gascoyne was full of the lore of the waiting…room and
the antechamber； and Myles； who in all his life had never known a lady；
young or old； excepting his mother； was never tired of lying silently
listening to Gascoyne's chatter of the gay doings of the castle gentle…life；
in which he had taken part so often in the merry days of his pagehood。
〃I do wonder；〃 said Myles； quaintly； 〃that thou couldst ever find the
courage to bespeak a young maid； Francis。 Never did I do so； nor ever
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could。 Rather would I face three strong men than one young damsel。〃
Whereupon Gascoyne burst out laughing。 〃Marry！〃 quoth he； 〃they be
no such terrible things； but gentle and pleasant spoken； and soft and
smooth as any cat。〃
〃No matter for that；〃 said Myles； 〃I would not face one such for
worlds。〃
It was during the short time when； so to speak； the two owned the
solitude of the Brutus Tower； that Myles told his friend of his father's
outlawry and of the peril in which the family stood。 And thus it was。
〃I do marvel；〃 said Gascoyne one day； as the two lay stretched in the
Eyry； looking down into the castle court…yard below〃I do marvel； now
that thou art 'stablished here this month and more； that my Lord doth never
have thee called to service upon household duty。 Canst thou riddle me why
it is so； Myles？〃
The subject was a very sore one with Myles。 Until Sir James had told
him of the matter in his office that day he had never known that his father
was attainted and outlawed。 He had accepted the change from their earlier
state and the bald poverty of their life at Crosbey…Holt with the easy
carelessness of boyhood； and Sir James's words were the first to awaken
him to a realization of the misfortunes of the house of Falworth。 His was a
brooding nature； and in the three or four weeks that passed he had
meditated so much over what had been told him； that by…and…by it almost
seemed as if a shadow of shame rested upon his father's fair fame； even
though the attaint set upon him was unrighteous and unjust； as Myles
knew it must be。 He had felt angry and resentful at the Earl's neglect； and
as days passed and he was not noticed in any way； his heart was at times
very bitter。
So now Gascoyne's innocent question touched a sore spot； and Myles
spoke with a sharp； angry pain in his voice that made the other look
quickly up。 〃Sooner would my Lord have yonder swineherd serve him in
the household than me；〃 said he。
〃Why may that be； Myles？〃 said Gascoyne。
〃Because；〃 answered Myles； with the same angry bitterness in his
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voice； 〃either the Earl is a coward that feareth to befriend me； or else he is
a caitiff； ashamed of his own flesh and blood； and of me； the son of his
one…time comrade。〃
Gascoyne raised himself upon his elbow； and opened his eyes wide in
wonder。 〃Afeard of thee； Myles！〃 quoth he。 〃Why should he be afeared to
befriend thee？ Who art thou that the Earl should fear thee？〃
Myles hesitated for a moment or two； wisdom bade him remain silent
upon the dangerous topic； but his heart yearned for sympathy and
companionship in his trouble。 〃I will tell thee；〃 said he； suddenly； and
therewith poured out all of the story； so far as he knew it； to his listening；
wondering friend； and his heart felt lighter to be thus eased of its burden。
〃And now；〃 said he； as he concluded； 〃is not this Earl a mean…hearted
caitiff to leave me； the son of his one…time friend and kinsman； thus to
stand or to fall alone among strangers and in a strange place without once
stretching me a helping hand？〃 He waited； and Gascoyne knew that he
expected an answer。
〃I know not that he is a mean…hearted caitiff； Myles；〃 said he at last；
hesitatingly。 〃The Earl hath many enemies； and I have heard that he hath
stood more than once in peril； having been accused of dealings with the
King's foes。 He was cousin to the Earl of Kent； and I do remember hearing
that he had a narrow escape at that time from ruin。 There be more reasons
than thou wottest of why he should not have dealings with thy father。〃
〃I had not thought；〃 said Myles； bitterly； after a little pause； 〃that thou
wouldst stand up for him and against me in this quarrel； Gascoyne。 Him
will I never forgive so long as I may live； and I had thought that thou
wouldst have stood by me。〃
〃So I do；〃 said Gascoyne； hastily； 〃and do love thee more than any one
in all the world； Myles； but I had thought that it would make thee feel
more easy； to think that the Earl was not against thee。 And； indeed； from
all thou has told me； I do soothly think that he and Sir James mean to
befriend thee and hold thee privily in kind regard。〃
〃Then why doth he not stand forth like a man and befriend me and my
father openly； even if it be to his own peril？〃 said Myles； reverting
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stubbornly to what he had first spoken。
Gascoyne did not answer； but lay for a long while in silence。 〃Knowest
thou；〃 he suddenly asked； after a while； 〃who is this great enemy of whom
Sir James speaketh； and who seeketh so to drive thy father to ruin？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； 〃I know not； for my father hath never spoken of
these things； and Sir James would not tell me。 But this I know；〃 said he；
suddenly； grinding his teeth together； 〃an I do not hunt him out some day
and slay him like a dog〃 He stopped abruptly； and Gascoyne； looking
askance at him； saw that his eyes were full of tears； whereupon he turned
his looks away again quickly； and fell to shooting pebbles out through the
open window with his finger and thumb。
〃Thou wilt tell no one of these things that I have said？〃 said Myles；
after a while。
〃Not I；〃 said Gascoyne。 〃Thinkest thou I could do such a thing？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； briefly。
Perhaps this talk more than anything else that had ever passed between
them knit the two friends the closer together； for； as I have said； Myles felt
easier now that he had poured out his bitter thoughts and words； and as for
Gascoyne； I think that there is nothing so flattering to one's soul as to be
made the confidant of a stronger nature。
But the old tower served another purpose than that of a spot in which
to pass away a few idle hours； or in which to indulge the confidences of
friendship； for it was there that Myles gathered a backing of strength for
resistance against the tyranny of the bachelors； and it is for that more than
for any other reason that it has been told how they found the place and of
what they did there； feeling secure against interruption。
Myles Falworth was not of a kind that forgets or neglects a thing upon
which the mind has once been set。 Perhaps his chief objective since the
talk with Sir James following his fight in the dormitory had been
successful resistance to the exactions of the head of the body of squires。
He was now （more than a month had passed） looked upon by nearly if not
all of the younger lads as an acknowledged leader in his own class。 So one
day he broached a matter to Gascoyne that had for some time been
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digesting in his mind。 It was the formation of a secret order； calling
themselves the 〃Knights of the Rose；〃 their meeting…