FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152  
153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>  
irrah," said he at last, with a shade of impatience, "hast thou naught to say? Meseems thou takest all this with marvellous coolness." "Have I then my Lord's permission to speak my mind?" "Aye," said the Earl, "say thy say." "Sir," said Myles, "I have thought and pondered this matter much while abroad, and would now ask thee a plain question in all honest an I ha' thy leave." The Earl nodded his head. "Sir, am I not right in believing that thou hast certain weighty purposes and aims of thine own to gain an I win this battle against the Earl of Alban?" "Has my brother George been telling thee aught to such a purpose?" said the Earl, after a moment or two of silence. Myles did not answer. "No matter," added Lord Mackworth. "I will not ask thee who told thee such a thing. As for thy question--well, sin thou ask it frankly, I will be frank with thee. Yea, I have certain ends to gain in having the Earl of Alban overthrown." Myles bowed. "Sir," said he, "haply thine ends are as much beyond aught that I can comprehend as though I were a little child; only this I know, that they must be very great. Thou knowest well that in any case I would fight me this battle for my father's sake and for the honor of my house; nevertheless, in return for all that it will so greatly advantage thee, wilt thou not grant me a boon in return should I overcome mine enemy?" "What is thy boon, Sir Myles?" "That thou wilt grant me thy favor to seek the Lady Alice de Mowbray for my wife." The Earl of Mackworth started up from his seat. "Sir Myles Falworth"--he began, violently, and then stopped short, drawing his bushy eyebrows together into a frown stern, if not sinister. Myles withstood his look calmly and impassively, and presently the Earl turned on his heel, and strode to the open window. A long time passed in silence while he stood there, gazing out of the window into the garden beyond with his back to the young man. Suddenly he swung around again. "Sir Myles," said he, "the family of Falworth is as good as any in Derbyshire. Just now it is poor and fallen in estate, but if it is again placed in credit and honor, thou, who art the son of the house, shalt have thy suit weighed with as much respect and consideration as though thou wert my peer in all things, Such is my answer. Art thou satisfied?" "I could ask no more," answered Myles. CHAPTER 29 That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House. The next morning
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152  
153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>  



Top keywords:
Mackworth
 

silence

 

answer

 

battle

 

return

 
Falworth
 
window
 

question

 
matter
 

drawing


presently

 

eyebrows

 
impassively
 

sinister

 
withstood
 

calmly

 
answered
 
started
 

Mowbray

 

morning


lodged

 

violently

 

turned

 

stopped

 

CHAPTER

 

satisfied

 

family

 

Derbyshire

 

Suddenly

 

respect


weighed

 
estate
 

fallen

 

things

 

strode

 
credit
 

consideration

 
garden
 

gazing

 
passed

weighty
 

purposes

 
believing
 
nodded
 

purpose

 

moment

 
telling
 

brother

 
George
 

Meseems