the caged lion-第16章

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'I　knew　his　face；'　said　Bedford；　with　a　shudder；　'he　belonged　to　Archbishop　Scrope。'

'A　traitor；　too；'　said　James。

'Nay；　there　was　too　much　cause　for　his　words。　　Never　shall　I　forget　the　day　when　Scrope　was　put　to　death　on　this　very　moor　on　which　we　are　entering。　　There　sat　my　father　on　his　horse；　with　us　four　boys　around　him；　when　the　old　man　passed　in　front　of　us；　and　looked　at　him　with　a　face　pitiful　and　terrible。　　〃Harry　of　Bolingbroke；〃　he　said；　〃because　thou　hast　done　these　things；　therefore　shall　thy　foes　be　of　thine　own　household；　the　sword　shall　never　depart　therefrom；　but　all　the　increase　of　thy　house　shall　die　in　the　flower　of　their　age；　and　in　the　fourth　generation　shall　their　name　be　clean　cut　off。〃　　The　commons　will　have　it　that　at　that　moment　my　father　was　struck　with　leprosy；　and　struck　to　the　heart　assuredly　he　was；　nor　was　he　ever　the　same　man　again。　　I　always　believed　that　those　words　made　him　harder　upon　every　prank　of　poor　Hal's；　till　any　son　save　Hal　would　have　become　his　foe！　　And　see　now；　the　old　bedesman　may　be　in　the　right；　poor　pretty　Blanche　has　long　been　in　her　grave；　Thomas　is　with　her　now；　and　Jamie；'he　lowered　his　voice；'when　men　say　that　Harry　hath　more　of　Alexander　in　him　than　there　is　in　other　men；　it　strikes　to　my　heart　to　think　of　the　ring　lying　on　the　empty　throne。'

'Now；'　said　James；　'what　strikes　ME　is；　what　doleful　bodings　can　come　into　a　brave　man's　head　on　a　chill　morning　before　he　has　broken　his　fast。　　A　tankard　of　hot　ale　will　chase　away　omens；　whether　of　bishop　or　bedesman。'

'It　may　chase　them　from　the　mind；　but　will　not　make　away　with　them；'　said　John。　　'But　I　might　have　known　better　than　to　speak　to　you　of　such　thingsyou　who　are　well…nigh　a　Lollard　in　disbelief　of　all　beyond　nature。'

'No　Lollard　am　I；'　said　James。　　'What　Holy　Church　tells　me；　I　believe　devoutly；　but　not　in　that　which　she　bids　me　loathe　as　either　craft　of　devils　or　of　men。'

'Ay；　of　which？　　There　lies　the　question；'　said　John。

'Of　men；'　said　the　Scottish　king；　'of　men　who　have　wit　enough　to　lay　hold　of　the　weaker　side　even　of　a　sober　youth　such　as　Lord　John　of　Lancaster！　　Your　proneness　to　believe　in　sayings　and　prophecies；　in　sorceries　and　magic；　is　the　weakest　point　of　all　of　you。'

'And　it　is　the　weakest　point　in　you；　James；　that　you　will　not　credit　upon　proof；　such　proof　as　was　the　fulfilment　of　the　prophecy　of　the　place　of　my　father's　death。'

'One　such　saying　as　that；　fulfilled　to　the　ear；　though　not　in　truth；　is　made　the　plea　for　all　this　heart…sinkingay；　and　what　is　worse；　for　the　durance　of　your　father's　widow　as　a　witch；　and　of　her　brave　young　son；　because　forsooth　his　name　is　Arthur　of　Richemont；　and　some　old　Welsh　rhymester　hath　whispered　to　Harry　that　Richmond　shall　come　out　of　Brittany；　and　be　king　of　England。'

'Arthur　is　no　worse　off　than　any　other　captive　of　Agincourt；'　said　Bedford；　'and　I　tell　you；　James；　the　day　may　come　when　you　will　rue　your　want　of　heed　to　timely　warnings。'

'Better　rue　once　than　pine　under　them　all　my　life；　and　far　better　than　let　them　betray　me　into　deeming　some　grewsome　crime　an　act　of　justice；　as　you　may　yet　let　them　do；'　said　James。

Such　converse　passed　between　the　two　princes；　while　King　Henry　rode　in　advance；　for　the　most　part　silent；　and　only　desirous　of　reaching　Pontefract　Castle；　where　he　had　left　the　young　wife　whose　presence　he　longed　for　the　more　in　his　trouble。　　The　afternoon　set　in　with　heavy　rain；　but　he　would　not　halt；　although　he　gave　free　permission　to　any　of　his　suite　to　do　so；　and　James　recommended　Malcolm　to　remain；　and　come　on　the　next　day　with　Brewster。　　The　boy；　however；　disclaimed　all　weariness；　partly　because　bashfulness　made　him　unwilling　to　venture　from　under　his　royal　kinsman's　wing；　and　partly　because　he　could　not　bear　to　let　the　English　suppose　that　a　Scotsman　and　a　Stewart　could　be　afraid　of　weather。　　As　the　rain　became　harder　with　the　evening　twilight；　silence　sank　upon　the　whole　troop；　and　they　went　splashing　on　through　the　deep　lanes；　in　mud　and　mire；　until　the　lights　of　Pontefract　Castle　shimmered　on　high　from　its　hill。　　The　gates　were　opened；　the　horses　clattered　in；　torches　came　forth；　flickering　and　hissing　in　the　darkness。　　The　travellers　went　through　what　seemed　to　Malcolm　an　interminable　number　of　courts　and　gateways；　and　at　length　flung　themselves　off　their　horses；　when　Henry；　striding　on；　mounted　the　steps；　entered　the　building；　and；　turning　the　corner　of　a　great　carved　screen；　he　and　his　brother；　with　James　and　Malcolm；　found　themselves　in　the　midst　of　a　blaze　of　cressets　and　tapers；　which　lighted　up　the　wainscoted　part　of　the　hall。

The　whole　scene　was　dazzling　to　eyes　coming　in　from　the　dark；　and　only　after　a　moment　or　two　could　Malcolm　perceive　that；　close　to　the　great　fire；　sat　a　party　of　four；　playing　at　what　he　supposed　to　be　that　French　game　with　painted　cards　of　which　Patrick　Drummond　had　told　him；　and　that　the　rest　seemed　to　be　in　attendance　upon　them。

Dark　eyed　and　haired；　with　a　creamy　ivory　skin；　and　faultless　form　and　feature；　the　fair　Catherine　would　have　been　unmistakable；　save　that　as　Henry　hurried　forward；　the　lights　glancing　on　his　jaded　face；　matted　hair；　and　soaked　dress；　the　first　to　spring　forward　to　meet　him　was　a　handsome　young　man；　who　wrung　his　hand；　crying；　'Ah；　Harry；　Harry；　then　'tis　too　true！'　while　the　lady　made　scarcely　a　step　forwards：　　no　shade　of　colour　tinged　her　delicate　cheek；　and　though　she　did　not　resist　his　fervent　embrace；　it　was　with　a　sort　of　recoil；　and　all　she　was　heard　to　say　was；　'Eh；　Messire；　vos　bottes　sont　crottees！'

'You　know　all；　Kate？'　he　asked；　still　holding　her　hand；　and　looking　afraid　of　inflicting　a　blow。

'The　battle？　　Is　it　then　so　great　a　disaster？'　and；　seeing　his　amazed　glance；　'The　poor　Messire　de　Clarence！　it　was　pity　of　him；　he　was　a　handsome　prince。'

'Ah；　sweet；　he　held　thee　dear；'　said　Henry；　catching　at　the　crumb　of　sympathy。

'But　yes；'　said　Catherine；　evidently　perplexed　by　the　strength　of　his　feeling；　and　repeating；　'He　was　a　beau　sieur　courtois。　　But　surely　it　will　not　give　the　Armagnacs　the　advantage？'

'With　Heaven's　aid；　no！　　But　how　fares　it　with　poor　Madgehis　wife；　I　mean？'

'She　is　away　to　her　estates。　　She　went　this　morn；　and　wished　to　have　taken　with　her　the　Demoiselle　de　Beaufort；　but　I　forbade　thatI　could　not　be　left　without　one　lady　of　the　blood。'

'Alack；　Joan'　and　Henry　was　turning；　but　Catherine　interrupted　him。　'You　have　not　spoken　to　Madame　of　Hainault；　nor　to　the　Duke　of　Orleans。　　Nay；　you　are　in　no　guise　to　speak　to　any　one；'　she　added；　looking　with　repugnance　at　the　splashes　of　mud　that　reached　even　to　his　waist。

'I　will　don　a　fresh　doublet；　sweetheart；'　said　Henry；　more　rebuked　than　seemed　fitting；　'and　be　ready　to　sup　anon。'

'Supper！　　We　supped　long　ago。'

'That　may　be；　but　we　have　ridden　long　since　we　snatched　our　meal；　that　I　might　be　with　thee　the　sooner；　my　Kate。'

'That　was　not　well　in　you；　my　Lord；　to　come　in　thus　dishevelled；　steaming　with　wetnot　like　a　king。　　You　will　be　sick；　my　Lord。'

The　little　word　of　solicitude　recalled　his　sweet　tender　smile　of　gratitude。　　No　fear；　ma　belle；　sickness　dares　not　touch　me。'

'Then；'　said　the　Queen；　'you　will　be　served　in　your　chamber；　and　we　will　finish　our　game。'

Henry　turned　submissively　away；　but　Bedford　tarried　an　instant　to　say；　'Fair　sister；　he　is　sore　distressed。　　It　would　comfort　him　to　have　you　with　him。　　He　has　longed　for　you。'

Catherine　opened　her　beautiful　brown　eyes　in　a　stare　of　surprise　and　reproof　at　the　infraction　of　the　rules　of　ceremony　which　she　had　brought　with　her。　　John　of　Bedford　had　never　seemed　to　her　either　beau　or　courtois；　and　she　looked　unutterable　things；　to　which　he　replied　by　an　elevation　of　his　marked　eyebrows。

She　sat　down　to　her　game；　utterly　ignoring　the　other　princes　in　their　weather…beaten　condition；　and　they　were　forced　to　follow　the　King；　and　make　their　way　to　their　several　chambers；　for　Queen　Catherine's　will　was　law　in　matters　of　etiquette。

'The　proud　peat！　　She　is　jealous　of　every　word　Harry　speakseven　to　his　cousin；'　muttered　James；　as　he　reached　his　own　room。　　'You　saw　her；　though；you　saw　her！'　he　added；　smiling；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on　Malcolm's　shoulder。

The　boy　coloured　l