"Sir," said he, mustering his courage at last, "haply thou hastforgot it, but I have not; ne'theless, a long time since when Ispoke of serving the--the Lady Alice as her true knight, thoudidst wisely laugh at my words, and bade me wait first till I hadearned my spurs. But now, sir, I have gotten my spurs, and--anddo now crave thy gracious leave that I may serve that lady as hertrue knight."A space of dead silence fell, in which Myles's heart beattumultuously within him.
"I know not what thou meanest," said the Earl at last, in asomewhat constrained voice. "How wouldst thou serve her? Whatwouldst thou have?""I would have only a little matter just now," answered Myles. "Iwould but crave of her a favor for to wear in the morrow'sbattle, so that she may know that I hold her for my own truelady, and that I may have the courage to fight more boldly,having that favor to defend."The Earl sat looking at him for a while in brooding silence,stroking his beard the while. Suddenly his brow cleared. "So beit," said he. "I grant thee my leave to ask the Lady Alice for afavor, and if she is pleased to give it to thee, I shall not saythee nay. But I set this upon thee as a provision: that thoushalt not see her without the Lady Anne be present. Thus it was,as I remember, thou saw her first, and with it thou must now besatisfied. Go thou to the Long Gallery, and thither they willcome anon if naught hinder them."Myles waited in the Long Gallery perhaps some fifteen or twentyminutes. No one was there but himself. It was a part of thecastle connecting the Earl's and the Countess's apartments, andwas used but little. During that time he stood looking absentlyout of the open casement into the stony court-yard beyond, tryingto put into words that which he had to say; wondering, withanxiety, how soon the young ladies would come; wondering whetherthey would come at all. At last the door at the farther end ofthe gallery opened, and turning sharply at the sound, he saw thetwo young ladies enter, Lady Alice leaning upon Lady Anne's arm.
It was the first time that he had seen them since the ceremony ofthe morning, and as he advanced to meet them, the Lady Anne camefrankly forward, and gave him her hand, which Myles raised to hislips.
"I give thee joy of thy knighthood, Sir Myles," said she, "and dobelieve, in good sooth, that if any one deserveth such an honor,thou art he."At first little Lady Alice hung back behind her cousin, sayingnothing until the Lady Anne, turning suddenly, said: "Come, coz,has thou naught to say to our new-made knight? Canst thou notalso wish him joy of his knighthood?"Lady Alice hesitated a minute, then gave Myles a timid hand,which he, with a strange mixture of joy and confusion, took astimidly as it was offered. He raised the hand, and set it lightlyand for an instant to his lips, as he had done with the LadyAnne's hand, but with very different emotions.
"I give you joy of your knighthood, sir," said Lady Alice, in avoice so low that Myles could hardly hear it.
Both flushed red, and as he raised his head again, Myles saw thatthe Lady Anne had withdrawn to one side. Then he knew that it wasto give him the opportunity to proffer his request.
A little space of silence followed, the while he strove to keyhis courage to the saying of that which lay at his mind. "Lady,"said he at last, and then again--"Lady, I--have a favor for toask thee.""What is it thou wouldst have, Sir Myles?" she murmured, inreply.
"Lady," said he, "ever sin I first saw thee I have thought thatif I might choose of all the world, thou only wouldst I choosefor--for my true lady, to serve as a right knight should." Herehe stopped, frightened at his own boldness. Lady Alice stoodquite still, with her face turned away. "Thou--thou art notangered at what I say?" he said.
She shook her head.
"I have longed and longed for the time," said he, to ask a boonof thee, and now hath that time come. Lady, to-morrow I go tomeet a right good knight, and one skilled in arms and injousting, as thou dost know. Yea, he is famous in arms, and I benobody. Ne'theless, I fight for the honor of England andMackworth--and--and for thy sake. I-- Thou art not angered atwhat I say?"Again the Lady Alice shook her head.
"I would that thou--I would that thou would give me some favorfor to wear--thy veil or thy necklace."He waited anxiously for a little while, but Lady Alice did notanswer immediately.
"I fear me," said Myles, presently, "that I have in soothoffended thee in asking this thing. I know that it is a parlousbold matter for one so raw in chivalry and in courtliness as Iam, and one so poor in rank, to ask thee for thy favor. An I ha'
offended, I prithee let it be as though I had not asked it."Perhaps it was the young man's timidity that brought a suddencourage to Lady Alice; perhaps it was the graciousness of hergentle breeding that urged her to relieve Myles's somewhatawkward humility, perhaps it was something more than either thatlent her bravery to speak, even knowing that the Lady Anne heardall. She turned quickly to him: "Nay, Sir Myles," she said, "I amfoolish, and do wrong thee by my foolishness and silence, for,truly, I am proud to have thee wear my favor." She unclasped, asshe spoke, the thin gold chain from about her neck. "I give theethis chain," said she, "and it will bring me joy to have ithonored by thy true knightliness, and, giving it, I do wish theeall success." Then she bowed her head, and, turning, left himholding the necklace in his hand.
Her cousin left the window to meet her, bowing her head with asmile to Myles as she took her cousin's arm again and led heraway. He stood looking after them as they left the room, and whenthey were gone, he raised the necklace to his lips with a heartbeating tumultuously with a triumphant joy it had never feltbefore.
