the caged lion-第25章

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irl's　eyes　filled　within　tears　as　she　looked　up　and　said；　'Ah！　lady；　this　is　the　life　fitted　for　thee；　who　can　paint　it　so　well。　　Why　have　I　not　a　brother；　that　you　might　be　Countess　of　Salisbury；　and　I　a　poor　little　sister　in　a　nunnery？'

Esclairmonde　shook　her　head。　　'Silly　child；　petite　niaise；　our　lots　were　fixed　by　other　hands　than　ours。　　We　will　strive　each　to　serve　our　God；　in　the　coif　or　in　the　veil；　in　samite　or　in　serge；　and　He　will　only　ask　which　of　us　has　been　most　faithful；　not　whether　we　have　lived　in　castle　or　in　cloister。'

Little　had　Esclairmonde　expected　to　hear　the　greeting　with　which　the　Countess　received　her；　breaking　out　into　peals　of　merriment　as　she　told　her　of　the　choice　destiny　in　store　for　her；　to　be　wedded　to　the　little　lame　Scot；　pretending　to　read　her　a　grave　lecture　on　the　consequences　of　the　advances　she　had　made　to　him。

Esclairmonde　was　not　put　out　of　countenance；　in　fact；　she　did　not　think　the　Countess　in　earnest；　and　merely　replied　with　a　smile　that　at　least　there　was　less　harm　in　Lord　Malcolm　than　in　the　suitors　at　home。

Jaqueline　clapped　her　hands　and　cried；　'Good　tidings；　Clairette。　I'll　never　forgive　you　if　you　make　me　lose　my　emerald　carcanet！　　So　the　arrow　was　winged；　after　all。　　She　prefers　himher　heart　is　touched　by　the　dainty　step。'

'Madame！'　entreated　Esclairmonde；　with　agitation；　'at　least；　infirmity　should　be　spared。'

'It　touches　her　deeply！'　exclaimed　the　Duchess。　　'Ah！　to　see　her　in　the　mountains　teaching　the　wild　men　to　say　their　Aye；　and　to　wear　culottes；　the　little　prince　interpreting　for　her；　as　King　James　told　us　in　his　story　of　the　saint　his　ancestor。'

Raillery　about　Malcolm　had　been　attempted　before；　but　never　so　pertinaciously；　and　Esclairmonde　heeded　it　not　at　all；　till　James　himself　sought　her　out；　and；　within　all　his　own　persuasive　grace；　told　her　that　he　was　rejoiced　to　hear　from　Madame　of　Hainault　that　she　had　spoken　kindly　of　his　youthful　kinsman；　for　whose　improvement　he　was　sure　he　had　in　great　measure　to　thank　her。

Esclairmonde　replied　composedly；　but　as　one　on　her　guard；　that　the　Sieur　de　Glenuskie　was　a　gentle　and　a　holy　youth；　of　a　good　and　toward　wit。

'As　I　saw　from　the　first；'　said　James；　'when　I　brought　him　away　from　being　crushed　among　our　rude　cousins；　but；　lady；　I　knew　not　how　the　task　of　training　the　boy　would　be　taken　out　of　my　hands　by　your　kindness；　and　now；　pardon　me；　lady；　only　one　thing　is　wanting　to　complete　your　work；　and　that　is　hope。'

'Hope　is　always　before　a　holy　man；　Sir。'

'O；　madame！　but　we　peer　earthly　beings　require　an　earthly　hope；　nearer　home；　to　brace　our　hearts；　and　nerve　our　arms。'

'I　thought　the　Sieur　de　Glenuskie　was　destined　to　a　religious　life。'

'Never　by　any　save　his　enemies；　lady。　　The　Regent　Albany　and　his　fierce　sons　have　striven　to　scare　Malcolm　into　a　cloister；　that　his　sister　and　his　lands　may　be　their　prey；　and　they　would　have　succeeded　had　not　I　come　to　Scotland　in　time。　　The　lad　never　had　any　true　vocation。'

'That　may　be；'　said　Esclairmonde；　somewhat　sorrowfully。

'Still；'　added　James；　'he　is　of　a　thoughtful　and　somewhat　tender　mould；　and　the　rudeness　of　life　will　try　him　sorely　unless　he　have　some　cheering　star；　some　light　of　love；　to　bear　him　up　and　guide　him　on　his　way。'

'If　so；　may　he　find　a　worthy　one。'

'Lady；　it　is　too　late　to　talk　of　what　he　may　find。　　The　brightness　that　has　done　so　much　for　him　already　will　hinder　him　from　turning　his　eyes　elsewhere。'

'You　are　a　minstrel；　Sir　King；　and　therefore　these　words　of　light　romance　fall　from　your　lips。'

'Nay；　lady；　hitherto　my　romance　has　been　earnest。　　It　rests　with　you　to　make　Malcolm's　the　same。'

'Not　so；　Sir。　　That　has　long　been　out　of　my　hands。'

'Madame；　you　might　well　shrink　from　what　it　was　as　insult　to　you　to　propose；　but　have　you　never　thought　of　the　blessings　you　might　confer　in　the　secular　life；　with　one　who　would　be　no　hindrance；　but　a　help？'

'No；　Sir；　for　no　blessings；　but　curses；　would　follow　a　breach　of　dedication。'

'Lady；　I　will　not　press　you　with　what　divines　have　decided　respecting　such　dedication。　　Any　scruples　could　be　removed　by　the　Holy　Father　at　Rome；　and；　though　I　will　speak　no　further；　I　will　trust　to　your　considering　the　matter。　　You　have　never　viewed　it　in　any　light　save　that　of　a　refuge　from　wedlock　with　one　to　whom　I　trust　you　would　prefer　my　gentle　cousin。'

'It　were　a　poor　compliment　to　Lord　Malcolm　to　name　him　in　the　same　day　with　Sir　Boemond　of　Burgundy；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but；　as　I　said；　it　is　not　the　person　that　withholds　me；　but　the　fact　that　I　am　not　free。'

'I　do　not　ask　you　to　love　or　accept　the　poor　boy　as　yet；'　said　James；　'I　leave　that　for　the　time　when　I　shall　bring　him　back　to　you；　with　the　qualities　grown　which　you　have　awakened。　　At　least；　I　can　bear　him　the　tidings　that　it　is　not　your　feelings；　but　your　scruples　that　are　against　him。'

'Sir　King；'　said　Esclairmonde；　gravely；　'I　question　not　your　judgment　in　turning　your　kinsman　and　subject　to　the　secular　life；　but　if　you　lead　him　by　false　hopes；　of　which　I　am　the　object；　I　tell　you　plainly　that　you　are　deluding　him；　and　if　any　evil　come　thereof；　be　it　on　your　own　head。'

She　moved　away；　with　a　bend　of　her　graceful　neck；　and　James　stood　with　a　slight　smile　curving　his　lip。　　'By　my　troth；'　he　said　to　himself；　'a　lordly　lady！　　She　knows　her　own　vocation。　　She　is　one　to　command　scores　of　holy　maids；　and　have　all　the　abbots　and　priors　round　at　her　beck；　instead　of　one　poor　man。　　Rather　Malcolm　than　I！　But　he　is　the　very　stuff　that　loves　to　have　such　a　woman　to　rule　him；　and　if　she　wed　at　all；　he　is　the　very　man　for　her！　　I'll　not　give　it　up！　　Love　is　the　way　to　make　a　man　of　him；　whether　successful　or　not；　and　she　may　change　her　mind；　since　she　is　not　yet　on　the　roll　of　saints。　　If　I　could　get　a　word　with　her　father　confessor；　and　show　him　how　much　it　would　be　for　the　interest　of　the　Church　in　Scotland　to　get　such　a　woman　there；　it　would　be　the　surest　way　of　coming　at　her。　　Were　she　once　in　Scotland；　my　pretty　one　would　have　a　stay　and　helper！　　But　all　must　rest　till　after　the　campaign。'

James　therefore　told　Malcolm　so　much　as　that　he　had　spoken　to　his　lady…love　for　him；　and　that　she　had　avowed　that　it　was　not　himself；　but　her　own　vows；　that　was　the　obstacle。

Malcolm　crimsoned　with　joy　as　well　as　confusion；　and　the　King　proceeded：　　'For　the　vows'he　shrugged　his　shoulders'we　knew　there　is　a　remedy！　　Meantime；　Malcolm；　be　you　a　man；　win　your　spurs；　and　show　yourself　worth　overcoming　something　for！'

Malcolm　smiled　and　brightened；　holding　his　head　high　and　joyously；　and　handling　his　sword。　　Then　came　the　misgiving'But　Lilias；　Sir；　and　Patrick　Drummond。'

'We　will　provide　for　them；　boy。　　You　know　Drummond　is　bent　on　carving　his　own　fortune　rather　than　taking　yours；　and　that　your　sister　only　longs　to　see　you　a　gallant　knight。'

It　was　true；　but　Malcolm　sighed。

'You　have　not　spoken　to　the　lady　yourself？'　asked　the　King。

'No；　Sir。　　Oh；　how　can　I？'　faltered　Malcolm；　shamefaced　and　frightened。

James　laughed。　　'Let　that　be　as　the　mood　takes　you；　or　occasion　serves；'　he　said；　wondering　whether　the　lad's　almost　abject　awkwardness　and　shame　would　be　likely　to　create　the　pity　akin　to　love　or　to　contempt；　and　deciding　that　it　must　be　left　to　chance。

Nor　did　Malcolm　find　boldness　enough　to　do　more　than　haunt　Esclairmonde's　steps；　trembling　if　she　glanced　towards　him；　and　almost　shrinking　from　her　gaze。　　He　had　now　no　doubts　about　going　on　the　campaign；　and　was　in　full　course　of　being　prepared　with　equipments；　horses；　armour；　and　attendants；　as　became　a　young　prince　attending　on　his　sovereign　as　an　adventurer　in　the　camp。　　It　was　not　even　worth　while　to　name　such　scruples　to　the　English　friar　who　shrived　him　on　the　last　day　before　the　departure；　and　who　knew　nothing　of　his　past　history。　　He　knew　all　priests　would　say　the　same　things；　and　as　he　had　never　made　a　binding　vow；　he　saw　no　need　of　consulting　any　one　on　the　subject；　it　would　only　vex　him　again；　and　fill　him　with　doubts。　　The　suspicion　that　Dr。　Bennet　was　aware　of　his　previous　intention　made　him　shrink　from　him。　　So　the　last　day　had　come；　and　all　was　farewell。　　King　Henry　had　persuaded　the　Queen　to　seclude　herself　for　one　evening　from　Madame　of