the caged lion-第20章

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very　name；　Esclairmonde'light　of　the　world。'　　The　taste　of　the　day　hung　many　a　pun　and　conceit　upon　names；　and　to　Malcolm　thiswhich　had；　in　fact；　been　culled　out　of　romanceseemed　meetly　to　express　the　pure　radiance　of　consolation　and　encouragement　that　seemed　to　him　to　shine　from　her；　and　brighten　the　life　that　had　hitherto　been　dull　and　gloomynay；　even　to　give　him　light　and　joy　in　the　midst　of　his　grief。

At　that　period　Courts　were　not　much　burdened　with　etiquette。　　No　feudal　monarch　was　more　than　the　first　gentleman；　and　there　was　no　rigid　line　of　separation　of　ranks；　especially　where；　as　among　the　kings　of　the　Red　Rose；　the　boundaries　were　so　faint　between　the　princes　and　the　nobility；　and　as　Catherine　of　Valois　was　fond　of　company；　and　indolently　heedless　of　all　that　did　not　affect　her　own　dignity　or　ease；　the　whole　Court；　including　some　of　the　princely　captives；　lived　as　one　large　family；　meeting　at　morning　Mass　in　church　or　chapel；　taking　their　meals　in　common；　riding；　hunting；　hawking；　playing　at　bowls；　tennis；　or　stool…ball；　or　any　other　pastime；　in　such　parties　as　suited　their　inclinations；　and　spending　the　evening　in　the　great　hall；　in　conversation　varied　by　chess；　dice；　and　cards；　recitals　of　romance；　and　music；　sometimes　performed　by　the　choristers　of　the　Royal　chapel；　or　sometimes　by　the　company　themselves；　and　often　by　one　or　other　of　the　two　kings；　who　were　both　proficients　as　well　with　the　voice　as　with　the　lute　and　organ。

Thus　Malcolm　had　many　opportunities　of　being　with　the　Demoiselle　of　Luxemburg：　　and　almost　a　right　was　established；　that　when　she　sat　in　the　deep　embrasure　of　a　window　with　her　spinning；　he　should　be　on　the　cushioned　step　beneath；　when　she　mounted；　he　held　the　stirrup；　and　when　the　church　bells　were　ringing；　he　led　her　by　her　fair　fingers　to　her　place　in　the　nave；　and　back　again　to　the　hall；　and　when　the　manchet　and　rere　supper　were　brought　into　the　hall；　he　mixed　her　wine　and　water；　and　held　the　silver　basin　and　napkin　to　her　on　bended　knee；　and　had　become　her　recognized　cavalier。　　He　was　really　thriving。　　Even　the　high…spirited　son　of　Hotspur　could　not　help　loving　and　protecting　him。

'Have　a　care；'　said　Ralf　to　a　lad　of　ruder　mould；　'I'll　no　more　see　that　lame　young　Scot　maltreated　than　a　girl。'

'He　is　no　better　than　a　girl；'　growled　his　comrade；　'my　little　brother　Dick　would　be　more　than　a　match　for　him！'

'I　wot　not　that；'　said　Percy；　'there's　a　drop　of　life　and　spirit　at　the　bottom；　and　for　the　rest；　when　he　looks　up　with　those　eyes　of　his；　and　smiles　his　smile；　it　is　somehow　as　if　it　were　beneath　a　man　to　vex　him　wilfully。　　And　he　sees　so　much　meaning　in　everything；　too；　that　it　is　a　dozen　times　better　sport　to　hear　him　talk　than　one　of　you　fellows；　who　have　only　wit　enough　to　know　a　hawk　from　a　heron…　schaw。'

After　a　grave　Easter…tide　spent　at　Leicester；　the　Court　moved　to　Westminster；　where　Henry　had　to　meet　his　parliament；　and　obtain　supplies　for　the　campaign　which　was　to　revenge　the　death　of　Clarence。

There　was　no　great　increase　of　gaiety　even　here；　for　Henry　was　extremely　occupied；　both　with　regulating　matters　for　government　during　his　absence；　and　in　training　the　troops　who　began　to　flock　to　his　standard；　so　that　the　Queen　complained　that　his　presence　in　England　was　of　little　service　to　her；　since　he　never　had　any　leisure；　and　there　were　no　pastimes。

'Well；　Dame；'　said　Henry；　gaily；　'there　is　one　revel　for　you。　　I　have　promised　to　knight　the　Lord　Mayor；　honest　Whittington；　and　I　hear　he　is　preparing　a　notable　banquet　in　the　Guild　Hall。'

'A　city　mayor！'　exclaimed　Queen　Catherine；　with　ineffable　disgust。　'My　brothers　would　sooner　cut　off　his　roturier　head　than　dub　him　knight！'

'Belike；'　said　Henry；　dryly；　'but　what　kind　of　friends　have　thy　brothers　found　at　Paris？　　Moreover；　this　Whittington　may　content　thee　as　to　blood。　　Rougedragon　hath　been　unfolding　to　me　his　lineage　of　a　good　house　in　Gloucestershire。'

'More　shame　that　he　should　soil　his　hands　with　trade！'　said　the　Queen。

'See　what　you　say　when　he　has　cased　those　fair　hands　in　Spanish　gloves。　　You　ladies　should　know　better　than　to　fall　out　with　a　mercer。'

'Ah！'　said　Duke　Humfrey；　'they　never　saw　the　silks　and　samites　wherewith　he　fitted　out　my　sister　Philippa　for　the　Swedes！　　Lucky　the　bride　whose　wardrobe　is　purveyed　by　honest　Dick！'

'Is　it　not　honour　enough　for　the　mechanical　hinds　that　we　wear　their　stuffs；'　said　Countess　Jaqueline；　'without　demeaning　ourselves　to　eat　at　their　boards？　　The　outrecuidance　of　the　rogues　in　the　Netherlands　would　be　surpassing；　did　we　feed　it　in　that　sort。'

''Tis　you　that　will　be　fed；　Dame　Jac；'　laughed　Henry。　　'I　can　tell　you；　their　sack　and　their　pasties；　their　march…pane　and　blanc…manger；　far　exceed　aught　that　a　poor　soldier　can　set　before　you。'

'Moreover；'　observed　Humfrey；　'the　ladies　ought　to　see　the　romaunt　of　the　Cat　complete。'

'How！'　cried　Jaqueline；　'is　it；　then；　true　that　this　Vittentone　is　the　miller's　son　whose　cat　wore　boots　and　made　his　fortune？'

'I　have　heard　my　aunt　of　Orleans　divert　my　father　with　that　story；'　murmured　Catherine。　　'How　went　the　tale？　　I　thought　it　folly；　and　marked　it　not。　　What　became　of　the　cat？'

'The　cat　desired　to　test　his　master's　gratitude；　so　tells　Straparola；'　said　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　in　his　dry　satirical　tone；　'and　whereas　he　had　been　wont　to　promise　his　benefactor　a　golden　coffin　and　state　funeral；　Puss　feigned　death；　and　thereby　heard　the　lady　inform　her　husband　that　the　old　cat　was　dead。　　〃A　la　bonne　heure！〃　said　the　Marquis。　　〃Take　him　by　the　tail；　and　fling　him　on　the　muck…heap　beneath　the　window！〃'

'Thereof　I　acquit　Whittington；　who　never　was　thankless　to　man　or　brute；'　said　King　Henry。　　'Moreover；　his　cat；　or　her　grandchildren；　must　be　now　in　high　preferment　at　the　King　of　Barbary's　Court。'

'A　marvellous　beast　is　that　cat；'　said　James。　　'When　I　was　a　child　in　Scotland；　we　used　to　tell　the　story　of　her　exchange　for　a　freight　of　gold　and　spices；　only　the　ship　sailed　from　Denmark；'

'Maybe；'　said　Henry；　'but　I　would　maintain　the　truth　of　Whittington's　cat　with　my　lance；　and　would　gladly　have　no　worse　cause！　　You'll　see　his　cat　painted　beside　him　in　the　Guild　Hall；　and　may　hear　the　tale　from　him；　as　I　loved　to　hear　him　when　I　was　a　lad。


〃Turn　again；　Whittington；　Thrice　Lord　Mayor　of　London　town！〃


I　told　my　good　old　friend　I　must　have　come　over　from　France　on　purpose　to　keep　his　third　mayoralty。　　So　I　am　for　the　City　on　Thursday；　and　whoever　loves　good　wine；　good　sturgeon；　good　gold；　or　good　men；　had　best　come　with　me。'

Such　inducements　were　not　to　be　neglected；　and　though　Queen　Catherine　minced　and　bridled；　and　apologized　to　Duchess　Jaqueline　for　her　husband's　taste　for　low　company；　neither　princess　wished　to　forego　the　chance　of　amusement；　and　a　brilliant　cavalcade　set　forth　in　full　order　of　precedence。　　The　King　and　Queen　were　first；　then；　to　his　great　disgust；　the　King　of　Scots；　with　Duchess　Jaqueline；　Bedford；　with　Lady　Somerset；　Gloucester；　with　the　Countess　of　March；　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　with　the　Countess　of　Exeter；　and　Malcolm　of　Glenuskie　found　himself　paired　off　with　his　sovereign's　lady…love；　Joan　Beaufort；　and　a　good　deal　overawed　by　the　tall　horned　tower　that　crowned　her　flaxen　locks；　as　well　as　by　knowing　that　her　uncle；　the　Bishop　of　Winchester；　the　stateliest；　stiffest；　and　most　unapproachable　person　in　all　the　Court；　was　riding　just　behind　him；　beside　the　Demoiselle　de　Luxemburg。

Temple　Bar　was　closed；　and　there　was　a　flourish　of　trumpets　and　a　parley　ere　the　gate　was　flung　open　to　admit　the　royal　guests；　but　Malcolm；　in　his　place；　could　not　see　the　aldermen　on　horseback；　in　their　robes　of　scarlet　and　white；　drawn　up　to　receive　the　King。　　All　that　way　up　Holborn；　every　house　was　hung　with　tapestry；　and　the　citizens　formed　a　gorgeously…apparelled　lane；　shouting　in　unison；　their　greetings　attuned　to　bursts　of　music　from　trumpets　and　nakers。

Beautiful　old　St。　Paul's；　with　the　exquisite　cross　for　open…air　preaching　in　front；　rose　on　their　view；　and　before　the　lofty　west　door　the　princely　guests　dismounted；　each　gentleman　leading　his　lady　up　the　nave　to　the　seat　prepared　in　such　manner　that　he　might　be　opposite　to　her。　　The　clergy　lined　the　stalls；　and　a　magnificent