the caged lion-第23章

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'And　so；'　said　Alice；　'I　heard　my　Lord　of　Winchester　saying　how　it　were　well　to　suppress　the　alien　priories；　and　give　their　wealth　to　found　colleges　like　that　founded　by　Bishop　Wykeham。'

For　in　truths　the　spirit　of　the　age　was　beginning　to　set　against　monasticism。　　It　was　the　period　when　perhaps　there　was　more　of　license　and　less　of　saintliness　than　at　any　other；　and　when　the　long　continuance　of　the　Great　Schism　had　so　injured　Church　discipline　that　the　clergy　and　ecclesiastics　were　in　the　worst　state　of　all；　especially　the　monastic　orders；　who　owned　no　superior　but　the　Pope；　and　between　the　two　rivals　could　avoid　supervision　altogether。　　Such　men　as　Thomas　a　Kempis；　or　the　great　Jean　Gerson；　were　rare　indeed；　and　the　monasteries　had　let　themselves　lose　their　missionary　character；　and　become　mere　large　farms；　inhabited　by　celibate　gentlemen　and　their　attendants；　or　by　the　superfluous　daughters　of　the　nobles　and　gentry。　　Such　devotion　as　led　Esclairmonde　to　the　pure　atmosphere　of　prayer　and　self…sacrifice　had　well…nigh　died　out；　and　almost　every　other　lady　of　the　time　would　have　regarded　her　release　from　the　vows　made　for　her　its　her　babyhood　a　happy　escape。

Still　less；　at　a　time　when　no　active　order　of　Sisters；　save　that　of　the　Beguines　in　Holland；　had　been　invented；　and　when　no　nun　ever　dreamt　of　carrying　her　charity　beyond　the　quadrangle　of　her　own　convent；　could　any　one　be　expected　to　enter　into　Esclairmonde's　admiration　and　longing　for　out…of…door　works；　but　the　person　whom　she　had　chiefly　made　her　friend　was　the　King's　almoner　and　chaplain；　sometimes　called　Sir　Martin　Bennet；　at　others　Dr。　Bennet；　a　great　Oxford　scholar；　bred　up　among　William　of　Wykeham's　original　seventy　at　Winchester　and　New　College；　and　now　much　trusted　and　favoured　by　the　King；　whom　he　everywhere　accompanied。　　That　Sir　Martin　was　a　pluralist　must　be　confessed；　but　he　was　most　conscientious　in　providing　substitutes；　and　was　a　man　of　much　thought　and　of　great　piety；　in　whom　the　fair　pupil　of　the　Canon　of　St。　Agnes　found　a　congenial　spirit。



CHAPTER　VI：　　MALCOLM'S　SUIT



'That　is　a　gentle　and　gracious　slip　of　the　Stewart。　　What　shall　you　do　with　him？'　asked　King　Henry　of　James；　as　they　stood　together　at　one　end　of　the　tilt…yard　at　Westminster；　watching　Malcolm　Stewart　and　Ralf　Percy；　who　were　playing　at　closhey；　the　early　form　of　nine…pins。

'I　know　what　I　should　like　to　do；'　said　James。

'What　may　that　be？'

'To　marry　him　to　the　Lady　Esclairmonde　de　Luxemburg。'

Henry　gave　a　long　whistle。

'Have　you　other　views　for　her？'

'Not　I！　　Am　I　to　have　designs　on　every　poor　dove　who　flies　into　my　tent　from　the　hawk？　　Besides；　are　not　they　both　of　them　vowed　to　a　religious　life？'

'Neither　vow　is　valid；'　replied　James。

'To　meddle　with　such　things　is　what　I　should　not　DARE；'　said　Henry。

'Monks　and　friars　are　no　such　holy　beings；　that　I　should　greatly　concern　me　about　keeping　an　innocent　had　out　of　their　company；'　said　James。

'Nor　do　I　say　they　are；'　said　Henry；　'but　it　is　ill　to　cross　a　vow　of　devotion；　and　to　bring　a　man　back　to　the　world　is　apt　to　render　him　not　worth　the　having。　　You　may　perchance　get　him　down　lower　than　you　intended。'

'This　boy　never　had　any　real　vocation　at　all；'　said　James；　'it　was　only　the　timidity　born　of　ill…health；　and　the　longing　for　food　for　the　mind。'

'Maybe　so；'　replied　the　English　king；　'and　you　may　be　in　the　right；　but　why　fix　on　that　grand　Luxemburg　wench；　who　ought　to　be　a　Lady　Abbess　of　Fontainebleau　at　least；　or　a　very　St。　Hilda；　to　rule　monks　and　nuns　alike？'

'Because　they　have　fixed　on　each　other。　　Malcolm　needs　a　woman　like　her　to　make　a　man　of　him；　and　with　her　spirit　and　fervent　charity；　we　should　have　them　working　a　mighty　change　in　Scotland。'

'If　you　get　her　there！'

'Have　I　your　consent；　Harry？'

'Mine？　　It's　no　affair　of　mine！　　You　must　settle　it　with　Madame　of　Hainault；　but　you　had　best　take　care。　　You　are　more　like　to　make　your　tame　lambkin　into　a　ravening　wolf；　than　to　get　that　Deborah　the　prophetess　to　herd　him。'

James　in　sooth　viewed　this　warning　as　another　touch　of　Lancastrian　superstition；　and　only　considered　how　to　broach　the　question。　Malcolm；　meantime；　was　balancing　between　the　now　approaching　decision　between　Oxford　and　France。　　He　certainly　felt　something　of　his　old　horror　of　warlike　scenes；　but　even　this　was　lessening；　he　was　aware　that　battles　were　not　every…day　occurrences；　and　that　often　there　was　no　danger　at　all。　　He　would　not　willingly　be　separated　from　his　king；　and　if　the　female　part　of　the　Court　were　to　accompany　the　campaign；　it　would　be　losing　sight　of　all　he　cared　for；　if　he　were　left　among　a　set　of　stranger　shavelings　at　Oxford。　　Yet　he　was　reluctant　to　break　with　the　old　habits　that　had　hitherto　been　part　of　his　nature；　he　felt；　after　every　word　of　Esclairmondenay；　after　every　glance　towards　heras　though　it　were　a　blessed　thing　to　have；　like　her；　chosen　the　better　part；　he　knew　she　would　approve　his　resort　to　the　home　of　piety　and　learning；　he　was　aware　that　when　with　Ralf　Percy　and　the　other　youths　of　the　Court　he　was　ashamed　of　his　own　scrupulousness；　and　tempted　to　neglect　observances　that　they　might　call　monkish　and　unmanly；　and　he　was　not　at　all　sure　that　in　face　of　the　enemy　a　panic　might　not　seize　him　and　disgrace　him　for　ever！　　In　effect　he　did　not　know　what　he　wished；　even　when　he　found　that　the　Queen　had　decided　against　going　across　the　sea；　and　that　therefore　all　the　ladies　would　remain　with　her　at　Shene　or　Windsor。

He　should　probably　never　again　see　Esclairmonde；　the　guiding　star　of　his　recent　life；　the　embodiment　of　all　that　he　had　imagined　when　conning　the　quaint　old　English　poems　that　told　the　Legend　of　Seynct　Katharine；　and　as　he　leant　musingly　against　a　lattice；　feeling　as　if　the　brightness　of　his　life　was　going　out；　King　James　merrily　addressed　him：…

'Eh！　the　fit　is　on　you　too；　boy！'

'What　fit；　Sir？'　　Malcolm　opened　his　eyes。

'The　pleasing　madness。'

Malcolm　uttered　a　cry　like　horror；　and　reddened　crimson。　　'Sir！　　Sir！　Sir！'　he　stammered。

'A　well…known　token　of　the　disease　is　raving。'

'Sir；　Sir！　　I　implore　you　to　speak　of　nothing　so　profane。'

'I　am　not　given　to　profanity；'　said　James；　endeavouring　to　look　severe；　but　with　laughter　in　his　voice。　　'Methought　you　were　not　yet　so　sacred　a　personage。'

'Myself！　　No；　but　that　II　should　dare　to　have　such　thoughts　ofoh；　Sir！'　and　Malcolm　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。　　'Oh；　that　you　should　have　so　mistaken　me！'

'I　have　NOT　mistaken　you；'　said　James；　fixing　his　keen　eyes　on　him。

'Oh；　Sir！'　cried　Malcolm；　like　one　freshly　stung；　'you　have！　　Never；　never　dreamt　I　of　aught　but　worshipping　as　a　living　saint；　as　I　would　entreat　St。　Margaret　or'

There　was　still　the　King's　steady　look　and　the　suppressed　smile。　Malcolm　broke　off；　and　with　a　sudden　agony　wrung　his　hands　together。　The　King　still　smiled。　　'Ay；　Malcolm；　it　will　not　do；　you　are　man；　not　monk。'

'But　why　be　so　cruel　as　to　make　me　vile　in　my　own　eyes？'　almost　sobbed　Malcolm。

'Because；'　said　the　King；　'she　is　not　a　saint　in　heaven；　nor　a　nun　in　a　convent；　but　a　free　woman；　to　be　won　by　the　youth　she　has　marked　out。'

'Marked！　　Oh；　Sir；　she　only　condescended　because　she　knew　my　destination。'

'That　is　well；'　said　King　James。　　'Thus　sparks　kindle　at　unawares。'

Malcolm's　groan　and　murmur　of　'Never！'　made　James　almost　laugh　at　the　evidence　that　on　one　side　at　least　the　touch…wood　was　ready。

'Oh；　Sir；'　he　sighed；　'why　put　the　thought　before　me；　to　make　me　wretched！　　Even　were　she　for　the　world；　she　would　never　be　for　me。　Idoitedhirpling'

'Peace；　silly　lad；　all　that　is　past　and　gone。　　You　are　quite　another　now；　and　a　year　or　two　of　Harry's　school　of　chivalry　will　send　you　home　a　gallant　knight　and　minstrel；　such　as　no　maiden　will　despise。'

The　King　went；　and　Malcolm　fell　into　a　silent　state　of　musing。　　He　was　entirely　overpowered；　both　by　the　consciousness　awakened　within　himself；　by　the　doubt　whether　it　were　not　a　great　sin；　and　by　the　strangeness　that　the　King；　hitherto　his　oracle；　should　infuse　such　a　hope。　　What　King　James　deemed　possible　could　never　be　so　incredible；　or　even　sacrilegious；　as　he　deemed　it。　　Restless；　ashamed；　rent　by　a　thousand　conflicting　feelings；　Malcolm