the caged lion-第14章

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Malcolm's　longing　for　the　cloister；　he　deemed　it　the　result　of　the　weakly　health　and　refined　nature　which　shrank　from　the　barbarism　of　the　outer　world；　and　he　thought　it　would　pass　away　under　shelter　from　the　rude　taunts　of　the　fierce　cousins；　at　a　distance　from　the　well…　meaning　exhortations　of　the　monks；　and　at　the　spectacle　of　brave　and　active　men　who　could　also　be　pious；　conscientious；　and　cultivated。　In　the　renewed　sojourn　at　Windsor　which　James　apprehended；　the　training　of　such　a　youth　as　Malcolm　of　Glenuskie　would　be　no　small　solace。

By　the　time　Malcolm　had　learnt　as　much　of　all　this　as　Sir　Nigel　Baird　knew；　or　chose　to　communicate；　the　King　entered　the　room。　　He　flung　himself　on　his　knees；　exclaiming；　with　warm　gratitude；　as　he　kissed　the　King's　hand；　'My　liege；　I　little　kenned'

'I　meant　thee　to　ken　little；'　said　James；　smiling。　　'Well；　laddie；　wilt　thou　share　the　prisoner's　cell？Ay；　Bairdsbrae；　you　were　a　true　prophet。　　Harry　will　do　all　himself；　and　will　not　hear　of　losing　me　to　deal　with　my　own　people　at　my　own　gate。　　No；　no；　he'll　have　me　back　with　Southron　bows　and　bills；　so　soon　as　this　small　trifle　of　France　lies　quiet　in　his　grasp！　　I　had　nearly　flung　back　my　parole　in　his　face；　and　told　him　that　no　English　sword　should　set　me　on　the　Bruce's　throne；　but　there　is　something　in　Harry　of　Monmouth　that　one　MUST　love；　and　there　are　moments　when　to　see　and　hear　him　one　would　as　soon　doubt　the　commission　of　an　angel　with　a　flaming　sword。'

'A　black　angel！'　growled　Sir　Nigel。

'Scoff　and　chafe；　Baird；　but　look　at　his　work。　　Look　at　Normandy；　freed　from　misrule　and　exaction；　in　peace　and　order。　　Look　at　this　land。　　Was　ever　king　so　loved？　　Or　how　durst　he　act　as　he　did　this　day？'

'Nay；　an　it　were　so　at　home；'　said　Baird；　'I　had　as　lief　stay　here　as　where　a　man　is　not　free　to　fight　out　his　own　feud。　　Even　this　sackless　callant　thought　it　shame　to　see　two　honest　men　baulked。'

'Poor　Scotland！'　sighed　James。　　'Woe　is　the　land　where　such　thoughts　come　readiest　to　gray…haired　men　and　innocent　boys。　　I　tell　you；　cousin；　this　precious　right　is　the　very　cause　that　our　poor　country　is　so　lawless　and　bloody；　that　yon　poor　silly　sparrow　would　fain　be　caged　for　fear　of　the　kites　and　carrion…crows。'

'Alack；　my　Lord；　let　me　but　have　my　way。　　I　cannot　fight！　　Let　Patrick　Drummond　have　my　sister　and　my　lands；　and　your　service　will　be　far　better　done；'　said　Malcolm。

'I　know　all　that；'　said　the　King；　kindly。　　'There　is　time　enough　for　settling　that　question；　and　meantime　you　will　not　be　spoilt　for　monk　or　priest　by　cheering　me　awhile　in　my　captivity。　　I　need　you；　laddie；'　me　added；　laying　his　hand　on　the　boy's　shoulder；　with　all　the　instinctive　fascination　of　a　Stewart。　　'I　lack　a　comrade　of　my　own　blood；　for　I　am　all　alone！'

'Oh；　Sir！'　and　Malcolm；　looking　into　his　face；　saw　it　full　of　tenderness。

'Books　and　masters　you　shall　have；'　continued　James；　'such　as　for　church　or　state；　cathedral；　cloister；　or　camp；　shall　render　you　the　meeter　prince；　and　I　pass　you　my　royal　word；　that　if　at　full　age　the　cowl　be　your　choice；　I　will　not　gainsay　you。　　Meantime；　abide　with　me；　and　be　the　young　brother　I　have　yearned　for。'

The　King　threw　his　arms　round　Malcolm；　who　felt；　and　unconsciously　manifested；　a　strange　bliss　in　that　embrace；　even　while　fixed　in　his　determination　that　nothing　should　make　him　swerve　from　his　chosen　path；　nor　render　him　false　to　his　promise　to　Patrick　and　Lilias。　　It　was　a　strange　change；　from　being　despised　and　down…trodden　by　fierce　cousins；　or　only　fondled；　pitied；　and　treated　with　consideration　by　his　own　nearest　and　dearest　friends；　to　be　the　chosen　companion　of　a　king；　and　SUCH　a　king。　　Nor　could　it　be　a　wile　of　Satan；　thought　Malcolm；　since　James　still　promised　him　liberty　of　choice。　　He　would　ask　counsel　of　a　priest　next　time　he　went　to　confession；　and　in　the　meantime；　in　the　full　tide　of　gratitude；　admiration；　and　affection；　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　enjoyment　of　his　new　situation；　and　of　time　King's　kindness　and　solicitude。　　This　was　indeed　absolutely　that　of　an　elder　brother；　for；　observing　that　Malcolm's　dress　and　equipments；　the　work　of　Glenuskie　looms；　supplemented　by　a　few　Edinburgh　purchases；　was　uncouth　enough　to　attract　some　scornful　glances　from　the　crowd　who　came　out　to　welcome　the　royal　entrance　into　York　the　next　day；　he　instantly　sent　Brewster　in　search　of　the　best　tailor　and　lorimer　in　the　city；　and　provided　so　handsomely　for　the　appearance　of　young　Glenuskie；　his　horse；　and　his　attendants；　that　the　whole　floor　of　their　quarters　was　strewn　with　doublets；　boots；　chaperons；　and　gloves；　saddles；　bridles；　and　spurs；　when　the　Duke　of　Bedford　loitered　into　the　room；　and　began　to　banter　James　for　thus　（as　he　supposed）　pranking　himself　out　to　meet　the　lady　of　his　love；　and　then　bemoaned　the　fripperies　that　had　become　the　rage　in　their　once　bachelor　court；　vowing；　between　sport　and　earnest；　that　Hal　was　so　enamoured　of　his　fair　bride；　that　anon　the　conquest　of　France　would　be　left　to　himself　and　his　brother；　Tom　of　Clarence；　while　James　retorted　by　thrusts　at　Bedford's　own　rusticity　of　garb；　and　by　endeavouring　to　force　on　him　a　pair　of　shoes　with　points　like　ram's　horns；　as　a　special　passport　to　the　favour　of　Dame　Jaca　lady　who　seemed　to　be　the　object　of　Duke　John's　great　distaste。

Suddenly　a　voice　was　heard　in　the　gallery　of　the　great　old　mansion　where　they　were　lodged。　　'John！　　John！　　Here！Where　is　the　Duke；　I　say？'　　It　was　thick　and　husky；　as　with　some　terrible　emotion；　and　the　King　and　Duke　had　already　started　in　dismay　before　the　door　was　thrown　open；　and　King　Henry　stood　among　them；　his　face　of　a　burning　red。

'See　here；　John！'　he　said；　holding　out　a　letter；　and　then；　with　an　accent　of　wrathful　anguish；　and　a　terrible　frown；　he　turned　on　James；　exclaiming；　'I　would　send　you　to　the　Tower；　Sir；　did　I　think　you　had　a　hand　in　this！'

Malcolm　trembled；　and　sidled　nearer　his　prince；　while　James；　with　an　equally　fierce　look；　replied；　'Hold；　Sir！　　Send　me　where　you　will；　but　dare　not　dishonour　my　name！'　　Then　changing；　as　he　saw　the　exceeding　grief　on　Henry's　brow；　and　heard　John's　smothered　cry　of　dismay；　'For　Heaven's　sake；　Harry；　what　is　it？'

'This！'　said　Henry；　less　loudly；　less　hotly；　but　still　with　an　agony　of　indignation：　　'Thomas　is　deadand　by　the　hand　of　two　of　your　traitor　Scots！'

'Murdered！'　cried　James；　aghast。

'Murdered　by　all　honest　laws　of　war；　but　on　the　battlefield；'　said　Henry。　　'Your　cousin　of　Buchan　and　old　Douglas　fell　on　my　brave　fellows　at　Beauge；　when　they　were　spent　with　travel　to　stop　the　robberies　in　Anjou。　　They　closed　in　with　their　pikes　on　my　brave　fellows；　took　Somerset　prisoner；　and　for　Thomas；　while　he　was　dealing　with　a　knight　named　Swinton　in　front；　the　villain　Buchan　comes　behind　and　cleaves　his　head　in　twain；　and　that　is　what　you　Scots　call　fighting！'

'It　was　worthy　of　a　son　of　Albany！'　said　James。　　'Would　that　vengeance　were　in　my　power！'

'Ay；　you　loved　him！'　said　Henry；　grasping　James's　hand；　his　passion　softened　into　a　burst　of　tears；　as　he　wrung　his　prisoner's　hand。　'Nay；　who　did　not　love　him；　my　brave；　free…hearted　brother？　　And　that　II　should　have　dallied　here　and　left　him　to　bear　the　brunt；　and　be　cut　off　by　you　felon　Scots！'　　And　he　hid　his　face；　struggling　within　an　agony　of　heart…rending　grief；　which　seemed　to　sway　his　whole　tall；　powerful　frame　as　he　leant　against　the　high　back　of　a　chair；　while　John；　together　with　James；　was　imploring　him　not　to　accuse　himself；　for　his　presence　had　been　needful　at　home；　and；　to　turn　the　tenor　of　his　thought；　James　inquired　whether　there　were　any　further　disaster。

'Not　as　yet；'　said　Henry；　'there　is　not　a　man　left　in　that　heaven…　abandoned　crew　who　knows　how　to　profit　by　what　they　have　got！　but　I　must　back　again　ere　the　devil　stir　them　up　a　man　of　wit！And　you；　Sir；　can　you　take　order　with　these　heady　Scots？'

'From　Windsor？　no；'　said　James；　'but　set　me　in　the　saddle；　let　me　learn　war　under　such　a　captain　as　yourself；　and　maybe　they　will　not　take　the　field　against　me；　or　if　they　do；　the　slayer　of　Clarence　shall　rue　it。'

'Be　it　so；'　said　Henry；　wringing　his　hand。　　'You　shall　with　me　to　France；　Jamie；　and　see　war。　　The　Scots　should　flock　to　the　Lion　rampant；　and　without　them　the　French