The bachelor whom Myles had struck down with his cudgel wassitting up rubbing the back of his head, and Wilkes had gatheredhis wits enough to crawl to the shelter of the nearest buttress.
Myles, peeping around the corner behind which he stood, could seethat the bachelors were gathered into a little group consultingtogether. Suddenly it broke asunder, and Blunt turned around.
"Ho, Falworth!" he cried. "Wilt thou hold truce whiles we parleywith ye?""Aye," answered Myles.
"Wilt thou give me thine honor that ye will hold your hands fromharming us whiles we talk together?""Yea," said Myles, "I will pledge thee mine honor.""I accept thy pledge. See! here we throw aside our stones and laydown our knives. Lay ye by your clubs, and meet us in parley atthe horse- block yonder.""So be it," said Myles, and thereupon, standing his cudgel in theangle of the wall, he stepped boldly out into the opencourt-yard. Those of his party came scatteringly from right andleft, gathering about him; and the bachelors advanced in a body,led by the head squire.
"Now what is it thou wouldst have, Walter Blunt?" said Myles,when both parties had met at the horse-block.
"It is to say this to thee, Myles Falworth," said the other. "Onetime, not long sin, thou didst challenge me to meet thee hand tohand in the dormitory. Then thou didst put a vile affront uponme, for the which I ha' brought on this battle to-day, for I knewnot then that thou wert going to try thy peasant tricks ofwrestling, and so, without guarding myself, I met thee as thoudidst desire.""But thou hadst thy knife, and would have stabbed him couldstthou ha' done so," said Gascoyne.
"Thou liest!" said Blunt. "I had no knife." And then, withoutgiving time to answer, "Thou canst not deny that I met thee thenat thy bidding, canst thou, Falworth?""Nay," said Myles, "nor haply canst thou deny it either." And atthis covert reminder of his defeat Myles's followers laughedscoffingly and Blunt bit his lip.
"Thou hast said it," said he. "Then sin. I met thee at thybidding, I dare to thee to meet me now at mine, and to fight thisbattle out between our two selves, with sword and buckler andbascinet as gentles should, and not in a wrestling match like twocountry hodges.""Thou art a coward caitiff, Walter Blunt!" burst out Wilkes, whostood by with a swelling lump upon his head, already as big as awalnut. "Well thou knowest that Falworth is no match for thee atbroadsword play. Is he not four years younger than thou, and hastthou not had three times the practice in arms that he hath had? Isay thou art a coward to seek to fight with cutting weapons."Blunt made no answer to Wilkes's speech, but gazed steadfastly atMyles, with a scornful smile curling the corners of his lips.
Myles stood looking upon the ground without once lifting hiseyes, not knowing what to answer, for he was well aware that hewas no match for Blunt with the broadsword.
"Thou art afraid to fight me, Myles Falworth," said Blunt,tauntingly, and the bachelors gave a jeering laugh in echo.
Then Myles looked up, and I cannot say that his face was not atrifle whiter than usual. "Nay," said he, "I am not afraid, and Iwill fight thee, Blunt."
"So be it," said Blunt. "Then let us go at it straightway in thearmory yonder, for they be at dinner in the Great Hall, and justnow there be'st no one by to stay us.""Thou shalt not fight him, Myles!" burst out Gascoyne. "He willmurther thee! Thou shalt not fight him, I say!"Myles turned away without answering him.
"What is to do?" called one of those who were still looking outof the windows as the crowd of boys passed beneath.
"Blunt and Falworth are going to fight it out hand to hand in thearmory," answered one of the bachelors, looking up.
The brawling of the squires was a jest to all the adjoining partof the house. So the heads were withdrawn again, some laughing atthe "sparring of the cockerels."But it was no jesting matter to poor Myles.
