the caged lion-第27章

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And　Esclairmonde？　　Out　of　her　sight；　Malcolm　dreamt　a　good　deal　about　her；　but　more　as　the　woman；　less　as　the　saint；　and　the　hopes；　so　low　in　her　presence；　burnt　brighter　in　her　absence　as　Malcolm　grew　in　self…confidence　and　in　knowledge　of　the　world。　　He　knew　that　when　he　parted　with　her　he　had　been　a　miserable　little　wretch　whom　any　woman　would　despise；　yet　she　had　shown　him　a　sort　of　preference；　how　would　it　be　when　he　returned　to　her；　perhaps　a　knight；　certainly　a　brave　man　like　other　men！

Of　Patrick　Drummond　he　had　as　yet　heard　nothing；　and　only　believed　him　to　be　among　the　Scots　who　fought　on　the　French　side　under　the　Earls　of　Buchan　and　Douglas。　　Indeed；　James　especially　avoided　places　where　he　knew　these　Scots　to　be　engaged；　as　Henry　persisted　in　regarding　them　as　rebels　against　him；　and　in　hanging　all　who　were　made　prisoners；　nor　had　Malcolm；　during　the　courtesies　that　always　pass　between　the　outposts　of　civilized　armies；　made　much　attempt　to　have　any　communication　with　his　cousin；　for　though　his　own　abnegation　of　his　rights　had　never　been　permitted　by　his　guardian；　or　reckoned　on　by　his　sister　or　her　lover；　still　he　had　been　so　much　in　earnest　about　it　himself；　as；　while　regarding　it　as　a　childish　folly；　to　feel　ill　at　ease　in　the　remembrance；　and；　though　defiant；　willing　to　avoid　all　that　could　recall　it。

Meantime　he；　with　his　king；　was　lodged　in　a　large　old　convent；　as　part　of　the　immediate　following　of　King　Henry。　　Others　of　the　princes　and　nobles　were　quartered　in　the　market　hall　and　lower　town；　but　great　part　of　thine　troops　were　in　tents；　and　in　a　state　of　much　discomfort；　owing　to　the　overflowings　of　the　Marne。　　Fighting　was　the　least　of　their　dangers；　though　their　skirmishes　were　often　fought　ankle…deep　in　mud　and　mire；　fever　and　ague　were　among　them；　and　many　a　sick　man　was　sent　away　to　recover　or　die　at　Paris。　　The　long　dark　evenings　were　a　new　trial　to　men　used　to　summer　campaigning；　and　nothing　but　Henry's　wonderful　personal　influence　and　perpetual　vigilance　kept　up　discipline。　　At　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night；　at　any　place　in　the　camp；　the　King　might　be　at　hand；　with　a　cheery　word　of　sympathy　or　encouragement；　or　with　the　most　unflinching　sternness　towards　any　disobedience　or　debaucheryever　a　presence　to　be　either　loved　or　dreaded。　　An　engineer　in　advance　of　his　time；　he　was　persuaded　that　much　of　the　discomfort　might　be　remedied　by　trenching　the　ground　around　the　camp；　but　this　measure　proved　wonderfully　distasteful　to　the　soldiery。　　How　hard　they　laboured　in　the　direct　siege　operations　they　cared　not；　but　to　be　set　to　drain　French　fields　seemed　to　them　absurd　and　unreasonable；　and　the　work　would　not　have　proceeded　at　all　without　constant　superintendence　from　one　of　the　chiefs　of　the　army；　since　the　ordinary　knights　and　squires　were　as　obstinately　prejudiced　as　were　the　men。

Thus　it　was　that；　on　a　cold　sleety　December　day；　James　of　Scotland　rode　along　the　meadows；　splashing　through　thin　ice　into　muddy　water；　and　attended　by　his　small　personal　suite；　excepting　Sir　Nigel　Baird；　who　was　gone　on　a　special　commission　to　Paris。　　Both　he　and　Malcolm　were　plainly　and　lightly　armed；　and　wore　long　blue　cloaks　with　the　St。　Andrew's　cross　on　the　shoulder；　steel　caps　without　visors；　and　the　King's　merely　distinguished　by　a　thread…hike　circlet　of　gold。　They　had　breastplates；　swords；　and　daggers；　but　they　were　not　going　to　a　quarter　where　fighting　was　to　be　expected；　and　bright　armour　was　not　to　be　exposed　to　rust　without　need。　　A　visit　of　inspection　to　the　delvers　was　not　a　congenial　occupation；　for　though　the　men…at…arms　had　obeyed　James　fairly　well　when　he　was　in　sole　command　at　Dreux；　yet　whenever　he　was　obliged　to　enforce　anything　unpopular；　the　national　dislike　to　the　Scot　was　apt　to　show　itself；　and　the　whole　army　was　at　present　in　a　depressed　condition　which　made　such　manifestations　the　more　probable。

But　King　Henry　was　not　half　recovered　from　a　heavy　feverish　cold；　which　he　had　not　confessed　or　attended　to；　and　he　had　also　of　late　been　troubled　with　a　swelling　of　the　neck。　　This　morning；　too；　much　to　his　inconvenience　and　dismay；　he　had　missed　his　signet…ring。　　The　private　seal　on　such　a　ring　was　of　more　importance　than　the　autograph　at　that　time；　and　it　would　never　have　left　the　King's　hand；　but　no　doubt；　in　consequence　of　his　indisposition；　his　finger；　always　small…　boned；　had　become　thin　enough　to　allow　the　signet　to　escape　unawares；　he　was　unwilling　to　publish　the　loss；　as　it　might　cast　doubt　on　the　papers　he　despatched；　and　he；　with　his　chamberlain　Fitzhugh；　King　James；　Malcolm；　Percy；　and　a　few　more；　had　spent　half　the　morning　in　the　vain　search；　ending　by　the　King　sending　his　chamberlain；　Lord　Fitzhugh；　to　carry　to　Paris　a　seal　already　bearing　his　shield；　but　lacking　the　small　private　mark　that　authenticated　it　as　his　signet。　Fitzhugh　would　stand　over　the　lapidary　and　see　this　added；　and　bring　it　back。　　Ralf　Percy　had　meantime　been　sent　to　bring　a　report　of　the　diggers；　but　he　was　long　in　returning；　and　when　Henry　became　uneasy；　James　had　volunteered　to　go　himself；　and　Henry　had　consented；　not　because　the　air　was　full　of　sleety　rain　or　snow；　but　because　his　hands　were　full　of　letters　needing　to　be　despatched　to　all　quarters。

The　air　was　so　thick　that　it　was　not　easy　to　see　where　were　the　sullen　group　of　diggers　presided　over　by　the　quondam　duellists　of　Thirsk；　Kitson　and　Trenton；　now　the　most　inseparable　and　impracticable　of　men；　but　James　and　his　companions　had　ridden　about　two　miles　from　the　market…place；　when　Ralf　Percy　came　out　of　the　mist；　exclaiming；　'Is　it　you；　Sir　King？　　Maybe　you　can　do　something　with　those　rascals！　　I've　talked　myself　blue　with　cold　to　make　them　slope　the　sides　of　their　dyke；　but　the　owl　Kitson　says　no　Yorkshireman　ditcher　ever　went　but　by　one　fashion；　and　none　ever　shall；　and　when　I　lifted　my　riding…rod　at　the　most　insolent　of　the　rogues；　what　must　Trenton　do　but　tell　me　the　lot　were　free　yeomen；　and　I'd　best　look　out；　or　they'd　roll　me　in　the　mire　if　I　meddled　with　a　soul　of　them。'

'You　didn't　threaten　to　strike　Trenton？'

'No；　no；　the　sullen　cur　is　a　gentleman。　　'Twas　one　of　those　lubberly　men…at…arms！　　I　told　them　they　should　hear　what　King　Harry　would　say　to　their　mood。　　I　would　it　were　he！'

'So　would　I；'　said　James。　　'Little　chance　that　they　will　hearken　to　a　Scot　when　you　have　put　them　in　such　a　mood。　　Hold；　Ralf；　do　not　go　for　the　King；　he　has　letters　for　the　Emperor　mattering　more　than　this　dyke。'

He　rode　on；　and　did　his　best　by　leaping　into　the　ditch；　taking　the　spade；　and　showing　the　superior　security　of　the　angle　of　inclination　traced　by　the　King；　but　all　in　vain；　both　Trenton　and　Kitson　silently　but　obstinately　scouted　the　notion　that　any　king　should　know　more　about　ditches　than　themselves。

'See；'　cried　Percy；　starting　up；　'here's　other　work！　　The　fellows；　whence　came　they？'

Favoured　by　the　fog　and　the　soft　soil　of　the　meadows；　a　considerable　body　of　the　enemy　were　stealing　on　the　delvers　with　the　manifest　purpose　of　cutting　them　off　from　the　camp。　　They　were　all　mounted；　but　the　only　horses　in　the　English　party　were　those　of　James；　Percy；　Malcolm；　and　the　half…dozen　men　of　his　escort。　　James；　assuming　the　command　at　once；　bade　these　to　be　all　released；　they　would　be　sure　to　find　their　way　to　the　camp；　and　that　would　bring　succour。　　Meantime　he　drew　the　whole　of　the　men；　about　thirty　in　number；　into　a　compact　body。　　They　were；　properly；　archers；　but　their　bows　had　been　left　behind；　and　they　had　only　their　pikes　and　bills；　which　were；　however；　very　formidable　weapons　against　cavalry　as　long　as　they　continued　in　an　unbroken　rank；　and　though　the　bogs；　pools；　sunken　hedges；　and　submerged　stumps　made　it　difficult　to　keep　close　together　as　they　made　their　way　slowly　with　one　flank　to　the　river；　these　obstacles　were　no　small　protection　against　a　charge　of　horsemen。

For　a　quarter　of　a　mile　these　tactics　kept　them　unharmed；　but　at　length　they　reached　a　wide　smooth　meadow；　and　the　enemy　seemed　preparing　to　charge。　　James　gave　orders　to　close　up　and　stand　firm；　pikes　outwards。　　Malcolm's　heart　beat　fast；　it　was　the　most　real　peril　he　had　yet　seen；　and　yet　he　was　cheered　by　the　King's　ringing　voice；　'Stand　firm；　ye　merry　men。　　They　must　soon　be　w