First of all marched, in the order of their rank, and to thenumber of a score or more, certain gentlemen, esquires andknights, chosen mostly from the King's attendants. Behind thesecame two pursuivants-at-arms in tabards, and following them aparty of a dozen more bannerets and barons. Behind these again, alittle space intervening, came two heralds, also in tabards, agroup of the greater nobles attendant upon the King following inthe order of their rank. Next came the King-at-arms and, at alittle distance and walking with sober slowness, the Kinghimself, with the Earl and the Count directly attendant uponhim-- the one marching upon the right hand and the other upon theleft. A breathless silence filled the whole space as the royalprocession advanced slowly up the hall. Through the stillnesscould be heard the muffled sound of the footsteps on the carpet,the dry rustling of silk and satin garments, and the clear clinkand jingle of chains and jewelled ornaments, but not the sound ofa single voice.
After the moment or two of bustle and confusion of the Kingtaking his place had passed, another little space of expectantsilence fell. At last there suddenly came the noise ofacclamation of those who stood without the door--cheering and theclapping of hands--sounds heralding the immediate advent of Mylesand his attendants. The next moment the little party entered thehall.
First of all, Gascoyne, bearing Myles's sword in both hands, thehilt resting against his breast, the point elevated at an angleof forty-five degrees. It was sheathed in a crimson scabbard, andthe belt of Spanish leather studded with silver bosses was woundcrosswise around it. From the hilt of the sword dangled the giltspurs of his coming knighthood. At a little distance behind hissquire followed Myles, the centre of all observation. He was cladin a novitiate dress, arranged under Lord George's personalsupervision. It had been made somewhat differently from thefashion usual at such times, and was intended to indicate in amanner the candidate's extreme youthfulness and virginity inarms. The outer garment was a tabard robe of white wool,embroidered at the hem with fine lines of silver, and gatheredloosely at the waist with a belt of lavender leather stitchedwith thread of silver. Beneath he was clad in armor (a presentfrom the Earl), new and polished till it shone with dazzlingbrightness, the breastplate covered with a juppon of white satin,embroidered with silver. Behind Myles, and upon either hand, camehis squires of honor, sponsors, and friends-- a little company ofsome half-dozen in all. As they advanced slowly up the great,dim, high-vaulted room, the whole multitude broke forth into ahumming buzz of applause. Then a sudden clapping of hands begannear the door-way, ran down through the length of the room, andwas taken up by all with noisy clatter.
"Saw I never youth so comely," whispered one of the Lady Anne'sattendant gentlewomen. "Sure he looketh as Sir Galahad lookedwhen he came first to King Arthur's court."Myles knew that he was very pale; he felt rather than saw therestless crowd of faces upon either side, for his eyes were fixeddirectly before him, upon the dais whereon sat the King, with theEarl of Mackworth standing at his right hand, the Comte deVermoise upon the left, and the others ranged around and behindthe throne. It was with the same tense feeling of dreamyunreality that Myles walked slowly up the length of the hall,measuring his steps by those of Gascoyne. Suddenly he felt LordGeorge Beaumont touch him lightly upon the arm, and almostinstinctively he stopped short--he was standing just before thecovered steps of the throne.
He saw Gascoyne mount to the third step, stop short, kneel, andoffer the sword and the spurs he carried to the King, who tookthe weapon and laid it across his knees. Then the squire bowedlow, and walking backward withdrew to one side, leaving Mylesstanding alone facing the throne. The King unlocked the spurchains from the sword- hilt, and then, holding the gilt spurs inhis hand for a moment, he looked Myles straight in the eyes andsmiled. Then he turned, and gave one of the spurs to the Earl ofMackworth.
The Earl took it with a low bow, turned, and came slowly down thesteps to where Myles stood. Kneeling upon one knee, and placingMyles's foot upon the other, Lord Mackworth set the spur in itsplace and latched the chain over the instep. He drew the sign ofthe cross upon Myles's bended knee, set the foot back upon theground, rose with slow dignity, and bowing to the King, drew alittle to one side.
As soon as the Earl had fulfilled his office the King gave thesecond spur to the Comte de Vermoise, who set it to Myles's otherfoot with the same ceremony that the Earl had observed,withdrawing as he had done to one side.
An instant pause of motionless silence followed, and then theKing slowly arose, and began deliberately to unwind the belt fromaround the scabbard of the sword he held. As soon as he stood,the Earl and the Count advanced, and taking Myles by either hand,led him forward and up the steps of the dais to the platformabove. As they drew a little to one side, the King stooped andbuckled the sword-belt around Myles's waist, then, rising again,lifted his hand and struck him upon the shoulder, crying, in aloud voice.
"Be thou a good knight!"
Instantly a loud sound of applause and the clapping of handsfilled the whole hall, in the midst of which the King laid bothhands upon Myles's shoulders and kissed him upon the right cheek.
So the ceremony ended; Myles was no longer Myles Falworth, butSir Myles Falworth, Knight by Order of the Bath and by grace ofthe King!
