the caged lion-第22章

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　to　show　his　city　dame。

'Who；'　said　Esclairmonde；　presently；　'was　a　dame　in　a　religious　garb　whom　I　marked　near　the　door　here？　　She　hooked　like　one　of　the　Beguines　of　my　own　country。'

'We　have　no　such　order　here；　lady；'　said　the　goldsmiths；　puzzled。

'Hey；　Master　Price；'　cried　Mistress　Bolt；　speaking　across　Malcolm；　'I　can　tell　the　lady　who　it　was。　　'Twas　good　Sister　Avice　Rodney；　to　whom　the　Lady　Mayoress　promised　some　of　these　curious　cooling　drinks　for　the　poor　shipwright　who　hath　well…nigh　cloven　off　his　own　foot　with　his　axe。'

'Yea；　truly；'　returned　the　goldsmith；　'it　must　have　been　one　of　the　bedeswomen　of　St。　Katharine's　whom　the　lady　has　seen。'

'What　order　may　that　be？'　asked　Esclairmonde。　　'I　have　seen　nothing　so　like　my　own　country　since　I　came　hither。'

'That　may　well　be；　madam；'　said　Mistress　Belt；　'seeing　that　these　bedeswomen　were　first　instituted　by　a　countrywoman　of　your　ownQueen　Philippa；　of　blessed　memory。'

'By　your　leave；　Mistress　Bolt；'　interposed　Master　Price；　'the　hospital　of　St。　Katharine　by　the　Tower　is　of　far　older　foundation。'

'By　YOUR　leave；　sir；　I　know　what　I　say。　　The　hospital　was　founded　I　know　not　when；　but　these　bedeswomen　were　especially　added　by　the　good　Queen；　by　the　same　token　that　mine　aunt　Cis；　who　was　tirewoman　to　the　blessed　Lady　Joan；　was　one　of　the　first。'

'How　was　it？　　What　is　their　office？'　eagerly　inquired　Esclairmonde。　And　Mistress　Bolt　arranged　herself　for　a　long　discourse。

'Well；　fair　sirs　and　sweet　lady；　though　you　be　younger　than　I；　you　have　surely　heard　of　the　Black　Death。　　Well　named　was　it；　for　never　was　pestilence　more　dire；　and　the　venom　was　so　strong；　that　the　very　lips　and　eyelids　grew　livid　black；　and　then　there　was　no　hope。　Little　thought　of　such　disease　was　there；　I　trow；　in　kings'　houses；　and　all　the　fair　young　lords　and　ladies；　the　children　of　King　Edward；　as　then　was；　were　full　of　sport　and　gamesomeness　as　you　see　these　dukes　be　now。　　And　never　a　one　was　blither　than　the　Lady　Joanshe　they　called　Joan　of　the　Tower；　being　a　true　Londoner　bornbless　her！　My　aunt　Cis　would　talk　by　the　hour　of　her　pretty　ways　and　kindly　mirth。　　But　'twas　even　as　the　children　have　the　game　in　the　streets　…


〃There　come　three　knights　all　out　of　Spain；　Are　come　to　fetch　your　daughter　Jane。〃


'Twas　for　the　King　of　Castille；　that　same　Peter　for　whom　the　Black　Prince　of　Wales　fought；　and　of　whom　such　grewsome　tales　were　told。　The　pretty　princess　might　almost　have　had　a　boding　what　sort　of　husband　they　had　for　her；　for　she　begged　and　prayed；　even　on　her　knees；　that　her　father　would　leave　her；　but　her　sisters　were　all　espoused；　and　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　But；　as　one　comfort　to　her；　my　aunt　Cis；　who　had　been　about　her　from　her　cradle；　was　to　go　with　her；　and　oft　she　would　tell　of　the　long　journey　in　litters　through　France；　and　how　welcome　were　the　English　tongues　they　heard　again　at　Bordeaux；　and　how　when　poor　Lady　Joan　saw　her　brother；　the　Prince；　she　clung　about　his　neck　and　sobbed；　and　how　he　soothed　her；　and　said　she　would　soon　laugh　at　her　own　unwillingness　to　go　to　her　husband。　But　even　then　the　Black　Death　was　in　Bordeaux；　and　being　low　and　mournful　at　heart；　the　sweet　maid　contracted　it；　and　lay　down　to　die　ere　she　had　made　two　days'　journey；　and　her　last　words　were；　〃My　God　hath　shown　me　more　pity　than　father　or　brother；〃　and　so　she　died　like　a　lamb；　and　mine　aunt　was　sent　by　the　Prince　to　bear　home　the　tidings　to　the　good　Queen；　who　was　a　woeful　woman。　　And　therewith；　here　was　the　pestilence　in　London；　raging　among　the　poor　creatures　that　lived　in　the　wharves　and　on　the　river　bank；　in　damp　and　filth；　so　that　whole　households　lay　dead　at　once；　and　the　contagion；　gathering　force；　spread　into　the　city；　and　even　to　the　nobles　and　their　ladies。　Then　my　good　aunt；　having　some　knowledge　of　the　sickness　already；　and　being　without　fear；　went　among　the　sick；　and　by　her　care；　and　the　food；　wine；　and　clothing　she　brought；　saved　a　many　lives。　　And　from　whom　should　the　bounties　come；　save　from　the　good　Queen；　who　ever　had　a　great　pity　for　those　touched　like　her　own　fair　child？　　Moreover；　when　she　heard　from　my　aunt　how　the　poor　things　lived　in　uncleanness　and　filth；　and　how；　what　with　many　being　strangers　coming　by　sea；　and　others　being　serfs　fled　from　home；　they　were　a　nameless；　masterless　sort；　who　knew　not　where　to　seek　a　parish　priest；　and　whom　the　friars　shunned　for　their　poverty；　she　devised　a　fresh　foundation　to　be　added　to　the　hospital　of　St。　Katharine's　in　the　Docks；　providing　for　a　chapter　of　ten　bedeswomen；　gentle　and　well…nurtured；　who　should　both　sing　in　choir；　and　likewise　go　forth　constantly　among　the　poor；　to　seek　out　the　children；　see　that　they　learn　their　Credo；　Ave；　and　Pater　Noster；　bring　the　more　toward　to　be　further　taught　in　St。　Katharine's　school；　and　likewise　to　stir　poor　folk　up　to　go　to　mass　and　lead　a　godly　life；　to　visit　the　sick；　feed　and　tend　them；　and　so　instruct　them；　that　they　may　desire　the　Sacraments　of　the　Church。'

'Ah！　good　Flemish　Queen！'　cried　Esclairmonde。　　'She　learnt　that　of　our　Beguines！'

'If　your　ladyship　will　have　it　so；'　said　Mrs。　Bolt；　'but　my　aunt　Cicely　began！'

'Who　nominates　these　bedeswomen？'　asked　Esclairmonde。

'That　does　the　Queen；'　said　Mistress　Bolt。　　'Not　this　young　Queen；　as　yet；　for　Queen　Joan；　the　late　King's　widow；　holds　the　hospital　till　her　death；　unless　it　should　be　taken　from　her　for　her　sorceries；　from　which　Heaven　defend　us！'

'Can　it　be　visited？'　said　Esclairmonde。　　'I　feel　much　drawn　thither；　as　I　ever　did　to　the　Beguines。'

'Ay；　marry　may　it！'　cried　delighted　Mrs。　Bolt。　　'I　have　more　than　one　gossip　there；　foreby　Sister　Avice；　who　was　godchild　to　Aunt　Cis；　and　if　the　good　lady　would　wish　to　see　the　hospital；　I　would　bear　her　company　with　all　my　heart。'

To　Malcolm's　disgust；　Esclairmonde　caught　at　the　proposal；　which　the　Scottish　haughtiness　that　lay　under　all　his　gentleness　held　somewhat　degrading　to　the　cousin　of　the　Emperor。　　He　fell　into　a　state　of　gloom；　which　lasted　till　the　loving…cup　had　gone　round　and　been　partaken　of　in　pairs。

After　hands　had　been　washed　in　rose…water；　the　royal　party　took　their　seats　in　barges　to　return　to　Westminster　by　the　broad　and　beautiful　highway　of　the　Thames。

Here　at　once　Alice　Montagu　nestled　to　Esclairmonde's　side；　delighted　with　her　cat　gloves；　and　further　delighted　with　an　old　captain　of　trained　bands；　to　whose　lot　she　had　fallen；　and　who；　on　finding　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　the　Earl　of　Salisbury；　under　whom　he　had　served；　had　launched　forth　by　the　hour　into　the　praises　of　that　brave　nobleman；　both　for　his　courage　and　his　kindness　to　his　troops。

'No　wonder　King　Henry　loves　his　citizens　so　well！'　cried　Esclairmonde。　　'Would　that　our　Netherlandish　princes　and　burghers　could　take　pride　and　pleasure　in　one　another's　wealth　and　prowess；　instead　of　grudging　and　fearing　thereat！'

'To　my　mind；'　said　Malcolm；　'they　were　a　forward　generation。　　That　city　dame　will　burst　with　pride；　if　you；　lady；　go　with　her　to　see　those　bedeswomen。'

'I　trust　not；'　laughed　Esclairmonde；　'for　I　mean　to　try。'

'Nay；　but；'　said　Malcolm；　'what　should　a　mere　matter　of　old　rockers　and　worn…out　tirewomen　concern　a　demoiselle　of　birth？'

'I　honour　them　for　doing　their　Master's　work；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'and　would　fain　be　worthy　to　follow　in　their　steps。'

'Surely；'　said　Malcolm；　'there　are　houses　fit　for　persons　of　high　and　princely　birth　to　live　apart　from　gross　contact　with　the　world。'

'There　are；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but　I　trust　I　may　be　pardoned　for　saying　that　such　often　seem　to　me　to　play　at　humility　when　they　stickle　for　birth　and　dower　with　the　haughtiest。　　I　never　honoured　any　nuns　so　much　as　the　humble　Sisters　of　St。　Begga；　who　never　ask　for　sixteen　quarterings；　but　only　for　a　tender　hand；　soft　step；　pure　life；　and　pious　heart。'

'I　deemed；'　said　Malcolm；　'that　heavenly　contemplation　was　the　purpose　of　convents。'

'Even　so；　for　such　as　can　contemplate　like　the　holy　man　I　have　told　you　of；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but　labour　hath　been　greatly　laid　aside　in　convents　of　late；　and　I　doubt　me　if　it　be　well；　or　if　their　prayers　be　the　better　for　it。'

'And　so；'　said　Alice；　'I　heard　my　Lord　of　Winchester　saying　how　it　were　well　to　suppress　the　ali