the caged lion-第13章

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ith　'Harry；'　he　had　all　explained　to　him；　but　within　a　curtness　and　brevity　that　must　not　be　imitated　in　the　present　narrative。

The　squire　Nigel　was　in　fact　Sir　Nigel　Baird；　Baron　of　Bairdsbrae；　the　gentleman　to　whom　poor　King　Robert　II。　had　committed　the　charge　of　his　young　son　James；　when　at　fourteen　he　had　been　sent　to　France；　nominally　for　education；　but　in　reality　to　secure　him　from　the　fate　of　his　brother　Rothsay。

Captured　by　English　vessels　on　the　way；　the　heir　of　Scotland　had　been　too　valuable　a　prize　to　be　resigned　by　the　politic　Henry　IV。；　who　had　lodged　him　at　Windsor　Castle；　together　with　Edmund　Mortimer；　earl　of　March；　and　placed　both　under　the　nominal　charge　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　a　youth　of　a　few　years　older。　　Unjust　as　was　the　detention；　it　had　been　far　from　severe；　the　boys　had　as　much　liberty　as　their　age　and　recreation　required；　and　received　the　choicest　training　both　in　the　arts　of　war　and　peace。　　They　were　bred　up　in　close　intercourse　with　the　King's　own　four　sons；　and　were　united　with　them　by　the　warmest　sympathy。

In　fact；　since　usurpation　had　filled　Henry　of　Lancaster's　mind　with　distrust　and　jealousy；　his　eldest　son　had　been　in　no　such　enviable　position　as　to　be　beyond　the　capacity　of　fellow…feeling　for　the　royal　prisoner。

Of　a　peculiarly　frank；　open；　and　affectionate　nature；　young　Henry　had　so　warmly　loved　the　gentle　and　fascinating　Richard　II。；　that　his　trust　in　the　father；　of　whom　he　had　seen　little　in　his　boyhood；　had　received　a　severe　shock　through　Richard's　fate。　　Under　the　influence　of　a　new；　suspicious；　and　avaricious　wife；　the　King　kept　his　son　as　much　at　a　distance　as　possible；　chiefly　on　the　Welsh　marches；　learning　the　art　of　war　under　Hotspur　and　Oldcastle；　and　when　the　father　and　son　were　brought　together　again；　the　bold；　free　bearing　and　extraordinary　ability　of　the　Prince　filled　the　suspicious　mind　of　the　King　with　alarm　and　jealousy。　　To　keep　him　down；　give　him　no　money；　and　let　him　gain　no　influence；　was　the　narrow　policy　of　the　King；　and　Henry；　chafing；　dreaming；　feeling　the　injustice；　and　pining　for　occupation；　shared　his　complaints　within　James；　and　in　many　a　day…dream　restored　him　freely　to　his　throne；　and　together　redressed　the　wrongs　of　the　world。　　Meantime；　James　studied　deep　in　preparation；　and　recreated　himself　with　poetry；　inspired　by　the　charms　of　Joan　Beaufort；　the　lovely　daughter　of　the　King's　legitimatized　brother；　the　Earl　of　Somerset；　while　Henry　persisted　in　a　boy's　passionate　love　to　King　Richard's　maiden　widow；　Isabel　of　France。　　Entirely　unrequited　as　his　affection　was；　it　had　a　beneficial　effect。　　Next　after　his　deep　sense　of　religion；　it　kept　his　life　pure　and　chivalrous。　　He　was　for　ever　faithful　to　his　future　wife；　even　when　Isabel　had　been　returned　to　France；　and　his　romantic　passion　had　fixed　itself　on　her　younger　sister　Catherine；　whom　he　endowed　in　imagination　with　all　he　had　seen　or　supposed　in　her。

Credited　with　every　excess　by　the　tongue　of　his　stepmother；　too　active…minded　not　to　indulge　in　freakish　sports　and　experiments　in　life　very　astounding　to　commonplace　minds；　sometimes　when　in　dire　distress　even　helping　himself　to　his　unpaid　allowance　from　his　father's　mails；　and　always　with　buoyant　high　spirits　and　unfailing　drollery　that　scandalized　the　grave　seniors　of　the　Court；　there　is　full　proof　that　Prince　Hal　ever　kept　free　from　the　gross　vices　which　a　later　age　has　fancied　inseparably　connected　with　his　frolics；　and　though　always　in　disgrace；　the　vexation　of　the　Court；　and　a　by…word　for　mirth；　he　was　true　to　the　grand　ideal　he　was　waiting　to　accomplish；　and　never　dimmed　the　purity　and　loftiness　of　his　aim。　That　little　band　of　princely　youths；　who　sported；　studied；　laughed；　sang；　and　schemed　in　the　glades　of　Windsor；　were　strangely　brought　togetherthe　captive　exiled　King；　the　disinherited　heir　of　the　realm；　and　the　sons　of　the　monarch　who　held　the　one　in　durance　and　occupied　the　throne　of　the　other；　and　yet　their　affection　had　all　the　frank　delight　of　youthful　friendship。　　The　younger　lads　were　in　more　favour　with　their　father　than　was　the　elder。　　Thomas　was　sometimes　preferred　to　him　in　a　mortifying　manner；　John's　grave；　quiet　nature　prevented　him　from　ever　incurring　displeasure；　and　Humfrey　was　the　spoilt　pet　of　the　family；　but　nothing　could　lessen　Harry's　large…　minded　love　of　his　brothers；　and　he　was　the　idol　and　hero　of　the　whole　young　party；　who　implicitly　believed　in　his　mighty　destinies　as　a　renovator　of　the　world；　the　deliverer　of　Jerusalem；　and　restorer　of　the　unity　and　purity　of　the　Church。

'Harry　the　Fifth　was　crowned；'　and　with　the　full　intention　of　carrying　out　his　great　dream。　　But　his　promise　of　releasing　James　became　matter　of　question。　　The　House　of　Albany；　who　held　the　chief　power　in　Scotland；　had　bound　Henry　IV。　over　not　to　free　their　master；　and　it　was　plain　that　to　send　him　home　before　his　welcome　was　ensured　would　be　but　tossing　him　on　their　spears。　　In　vain　James　pleaded　that　he　was　no　boy；　and　was　able　to　protect　himself；　and　vowed　that　when　the　faithful　should　rally　round　his　standard；　he　would　be　more　than　a　match　for　his　enemies；　or　that　if　not；　he　would　rather　die　free　than　live　in　bondage。　　Henry　would　not　listen；　and　insisted　upon　retaining　him　until　he　should　himself　be　at　leisure　to　bring　him　home　with　a　high　hand；　utterly　disregarding　his　assurance　that　this　would　only　be　rendering　him　in　the　eyes　of　his　subjects　another　despised　and　hated　Balliol。

Deeming　himself　a　divinely…appointed　redresser　of　wrongs；　Henry　was　already　beginning　on　his　great　work　of　purifying　Europe　in　preparation　for　his　mighty　Crusade；　and　having　won　that　splendid　victory　which　laid　distracted　France　at　his　feet；　he　only　waited　to　complete　the　conquest　as　thoroughly　and　rapidly　as　might　be；　and；　lest　his　grand　purpose　should　be　obstructed；　this　great　practical　visionary；　though　full　of　kindness　and　generosity；　kept　in　thraldom　a　whole　troop　of　royal　and　noble　captives。

He　had；　however；　been　so　far　moved　by　James's　entreaties；　as　to　consent　that　when　he　himself　offered　his　devotions　at　the　shrine　of　St。　John　of　Beverley；　the　native　saint　who　shared　with　the　two　cordwainers　his　gratitude　for　the　glories　of　'Crispin　Crispian's　day；'　his　prisoner　should；　unknown　to　any　save　the　few　who　shared　the　pilgrimage；　push　on　to　reconnoitre　his　own　country；　and　judge　for　himself；　having　first　sworn　to　reveal　himself　to　no　one；　and　to　avoid　all　who　could　recognize　him。　　James　had　visited　Glenuskie　within　a　special　view　to　profiting　by　the　wisdom　of　Sir　David　Drummond；　and　had　then　been　at　Stirling；　Edinburgh；　and　Perth。　　On　his　way　back；　falling　in　with　Malcolm　in　his　distress；　he　had　conceived　the　project　of　taking　him　to　England；　and　finding　himself　already　more　than　half　recognized　by　Sir　David；　had　obtained　his　most　grateful　and　joyous　consent。　　In　truth；　James's　heart　had　yearned　to　his　young　cousin；　his　own　situation　had　become　much　more　lonely　of　late；　for　Henry　was　no　longer　the　comrade　he　had　once　been；　since　he　had　become　a　keeper　instead　of　a　fellow…sufferer。　　It　was　true　that　he　did　his　best　to　forget　this　by　lavishing　indulgences　on　his　captive；　and　insisting　on　being　treated　on　terms　of　brotherly　familiarity；　but　though　his　transcendent　qualities　commanded　love；　the　intimacy　could　be　but　a　semblance　of　the　once　equal　friendship。　　Moreover；　that　conspiracy　which　cost　the　life　of　the　Earl　of　Cambridge　had　taught　James　that　cautious　reserve　was　needed　in　dealing　with　even　his　old　friends　the　princes；　so　easily　might　he　be　accused　of　plotting　either　with　Henry's　immediate　heir　or　with　the　Mortimers；　and；　in　this　guarded　life；　he　had　hailed　with　delight　the　opportunity　of　taking　to　himself　the　young　orphan　cousin　of　kindred　blood；　of　congenial　tastes；　and　home…like　speech；　whom　he　might　treat　at　once　as　a　younger　brother　and　friend；　and　mould　by　and　by　into　a　trusty　counsellor　and　assistant。　　That　peculiar　wistfulness　and　gentleness　of　Malcolm's　look　and　manner；　together　with　the　refinement　and　intellect　apparent　to　all　who　conversed　with　him　without　alarming　him；　had　won　the　King's　heart；　and　made　him　long　to　keep　the　boy　with　him。　　As　to　Malcolm's　longing　for　the　cloister；　he　deemed　it　the　result　of　the　weakly　health　and　refined　nature