As Myles took his place at the south end of the lists, he foundthe Sieur de la Montaigne already at his station. Through thepeep-hole in the face of the huge helmet, a transverse slit knownas the occularium, he could see, like a strange narrow picture,the farther end of the lists, the spectators upon either sidemoving and shifting with ceaseless restlessness, and in thecentre of all, his opponent, sitting with spear point directedupward, erect, motionless as a statue of iron, the sunlightgleaming and flashing upon his polished plates of steel, and thetrappings of his horse swaying and fluttering in the rushing ofthe fresh breeze.
Upon that motionless figure his sight gradually centred withevery faculty of mind and soul. He knew the next moment thesignal would be given that was to bring him either glory or shamefrom that iron statue. He ground his teeth together with sternresolve to do his best in the coming encounter, and murmured abrief prayer in the hallow darkness of his huge helm. Then with ashake he settled himself more firmly in his saddle, slowly raisedhis spear point until the shaft reached the exact angle, andthere suffered it to rest motionless. There was a moment of dead,tense, breathless pause, then he rather felt than saw the Marshalraise his baton. He gathered himself together, and the nextmoment a bugle sounded loud and clear. In one blinding rush hedrove his spurs into the sides of his horse, and in instantanswer felt the noble steed spring forward with a bound.
Through all the clashing of his armor reverberating in the hollowdepths of his helmet, he saw the mail-clad figure from the otherend of the lists rushing towards him, looming larger and largeras they came together. He gripped his saddle with his knees,clutched the stirrup with the soles of his feet, and bent hisbody still more forward. In the instant of meeting, with almostthe blindness of instinct, he dropped the point of his spearagainst the single red flower-de-luce in the middle of theon-coming shield. There was a thunderous crash that seemed torack every joint, he heard the crackle of splintered wood, hefelt the momentary trembling recoil of the horse beneath him, andin the next instant had passed by. As he checked the onward rushof his horse at the far end of the course, he heard faintly inthe dim hollow recess of the helm the loud shout and the clappingof hands of those who looked on, and found himself gripping withnervous intensity the butt of a broken spear, his mouth clammywith excitement, and his heart thumping in his throat.
Then he realized that he had met his opponent, and had borne themeeting well. As he turned his horse's head towards his own endof the lists, he saw the other trotting slowly back towards hisstation, also holding a broken spear shaft in his hand.
As he passed the iron figure a voice issued from the helmet,"Well done, Sir Myles, nobly done!" and his heart bounded inanswer to the words of praise. When he had reached his own end ofthe lists, he flung away his broken spear, and Gascoyne cameforward with another.
"Oh, Myles!" he said, with sob in his voice, "it was nobly done.
Never did I see a better ridden course in all my life. I did notbelieve that thou couldst do half so well. Oh, Myles, pritheeknock him out of his saddle an thou lovest me!"Myles, in his high-keyed nervousness, could not forbear a shorthysterical laugh at his friend's warmth of enthusiasm. He tookthe fresh lance in his hand, and then, seeing that his opponentwas walking his horse slowly up and down at his end of the lists,did the same during the little time of rest before the nextencounter.
When, in answer to the command of the Marshal, he took his placea second time, he found himself calmer and more collected thanbefore, but every faculty no less intensely fixed than it hadbeen at first. Once more the Marshal raised his baton, once morethe horn sounded, and once more the two rushed together with thesame thunderous crash, the same splinter of broken spears, thesame momentary trembling recoil of the horse, and the same onwardrush past one another. Once more the spectators applauded andshouted as the two knights turned their horses and rode backtowards their station.
This time as they met midway the Sieur de la Montaigne reined inhis horse. "Sir Myles," said his muffled voice, "I swear to thee,by my faith, I had not thought to meet in thee such an opponentas thou dost prove thyself to be. I had thought to find in thee araw boy, but find instead a Paladin. Hitherto I have given theegrace as I would give grace to any mere lad, and thought ofnothing but to give thee opportunity to break thy lance. Now Ishall do my endeavor to unhorse thee as I would an acknowledgedpeer in arms. Nevertheless, on account of thy youth, I give theethis warning, so that thou mayst hold thyself in readiness.""I give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, my Lord," answered Myles,speaking in French; "and I will strive to encounter thee as bestI may, and pardon me if I seem forward in so saying, but were Iin thy place, my Lord, I would change me yon breast-piece andover-girth of my saddle; they are sprung in the stitches.""Nay," said the Sieur de la Montaigne, laughing, "breast-pieceand over-girth have carried me through more tilts than one, andshall through this. An thou give me a blow so true as to burstbreast-piece and over-girth, I will own myself fairly conqueredby thee." So saying, he saluted Myles with the butt of the spearhe still held, and passed by to his end of the lists.
Myles, with Gascoyne running beside him, rode across to hispavilion, and called to Edmund Wilkes to bring him a cup ofspiced wine. After Gascoyne had taken off his helmet, and as hesat wiping the perspiration from his face Sir James came up andtook him by the hand.
