the caged lion-第29章

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'You　would　be　little　the　better　for　me　did　Lord　Douglas　bring　me　back　on　his　own　terms；'　said　James；　smiling。　　'No；　no；　when　I　go　home；　it　shall　be　as　a　free　king；　able　to　do　justice　to　all　alike；　and　for　that　I　am　content　to　bide　my　time；　and　trust　to　such　as　you　to　back　me　when　it　comes。'

'And　with　all　my　heart；　Sir；'　said　Patrick。　　'Would　that　you　were　where　I　could　do　so　now。　　Ah！　laddie；'　to　Malcolm；　'ye're　in　good　hands。　　My　certie；　I　kenned　ye　but　by　your　voice！　　Ye're　verily　grown　into　a　goodly　ship　after　all；　and　ye　stood　as　brave　as　the　rest。　　My　poor　father　would　have　been　fain　to　see　this　day！'

Malcolm　flushed　to　the　ears；　somehow　Patrick's　praise　was　not　as　pleasant　to　him　as　he　would　have　expected；　and　he　only　faltered；　'You　know'

'I　ken　but　what　Johnnie　Swinton　brought　me　in　a　letter　frae　the　Abbot　of　Coldingham；　that　my　fatherthe　saints　be　with　him！had　been　set　on　and　slain　by　yon　accursed　Master　of　Albanywould　that　his　thrapple　were　in　my　grip！that　he　had　sent　you　southwards　to　the　King；　and　that　your　sister　was　in　St。　Abbs。　　Is　it　so？'

Malcolm　had　barely　time　to　make　a　sign　of　affirmation；　when　the　King　hurried　him　on。　　'I　grieve　to　balk　you　of　your　family　tidings；　but　delay　will　be　ill　for　one　or　other　of　us；　so　fare　thee　well；　Sir　Patrick；　till　better　times。'

He　shook　the　knight's　hand　as　he　spoke；　cut　short　his　protestations；　and　leapt　down　the　bank；　saying　in　a　low　voice；　as　he　stretched　out　his　hand　and　helped　Malcolm　down　after　him；　'He　would　have　known　me　again　for　your　guest　if　we　had　stood　many　moments　longer；　he　looked　hard　at　me　as　it　was；　and　neither　in　England　nor　Scotland　may　that　journey　of　mine　be　blazed　abroad。'

Malcolm　was　on　the　whole　rather　relieved；　he　could　not　help　feeling　guilty　towards　Patrick；　and　unless　he　could　have　full　time　for　explanation；　he　preferred　not　falling　in　with　him。

And　at　the　same　moment　Kitson　stepped　towards　the　King。　　'Sir；　you　are　an　honest　man；　and　we　crave　your　pardon　if　we　said　aught　that　seemed　in　doubt　thereof。'

James　laughed；　shaking　each　honest　hand；　and　saying；　'At　least；　good　sirs；　do　not　always　think　Scot　and　traitor　the　same　word；　and　thank　you　for　backing　me　so　gallantly。'

'I'd　wish　no　better　than　to　back　such　as　you；　Sir；'　said　Kitson　heartily；　and　James　then　turned　to　Ralf　Percy；　and　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　the　Douglas　face　to　face。

'A　dour　old　block！'　said　Ralf。　　'If　those　runaways　had　but　stayed　within　us；　the　hoary　ruffian　should　have　had　his　lesson　from　a　Percy。'

James　smiled；　for　the　grim　giant　was　still　a　good　deal　more　than　a　match　for　the　slim；　rosy…faced　stripling　of　the　house　of　Percy；　who　nevertheless　simply　deemed　his　nation　and　family　made　him　invincible　by　either　Scot　or　Frenchman。

The　difficulties　of　their　progress；　however；　entirely　occupied　them。　Having　diverged　from　the　regular　track；　they　had　to　make　their　way　through　the　inundated　meadows；　sometimes　among　deep　pools；　sometimes　in　quagmires；　or　ever　hedges；　while　the　water　that　drenched　them　was　fast　freezing；　and　darkness　came　down　on　them。　　All　stumbled　or　were　bogged　at　different　times；　and　Malcolm；　shorter　and　weaker　than　the　rest；　and　his　lameness　becoming　more　felt　than　usual；　could　not　help　impeding　their　progress；　and　at　last　was　so　spent　that　but　for　the　King's　strong　arm　he　would　have　spent　the　night　in　a　bog…hole。

At　last　the　lights　were　near；　the　outskirts　were　gained；　the　pass…　word　given　to　the　watch；　and　the　rough　but　welcome　greeting　was　heard'That's　well！　　More　of　you　come　in！　　How　got　you　off？'

'The　rogues　got　back；　then？'　said　Kitson。

'Some　score　of　them；'　was　the　answer；　'but　'tis　thought　most　are　drowned　or　stuck　by　the　French。　　The　King　is　in　a　proper　rage；　as　well　he　may　be；　but　what　else　could　come　of　a　false　Scot　in　the　camp？'

'Have　a　care；　you　foul　tongue！'　Percy　was　the　first　to　cry；　and　as　torches　were　now　brought　out　and　cast　their　light　on　the　well…known　faces；　the　soldiers　stood　abashed；　but　James　tarried　not　for　their　excuses；　his　heart　was　hot　at　the　words　which　implied　that　Henry　suspected　him；　and　he　strode　hastily　on　to　the　convent；　where　the　quadrangle　was　full　of　horses　and　men；　and　the　windows　shone　with　lights。　　At　the　door　of　the　refectory　stood　a　figure　whose　armour　flashed　with　light；　and　his　voice　sounded　through　the　closed　visor　'I　tell　you；　March；　I　cannot　rest　till　I　knew　what　his　hap　has　been。　If　he　have　done　this　thing　'

'What　then？'　answered　James　out　of　the　darkness；　in　a　voice　deep　with　wrath；　but　Henry　started。

'You　there！　you　safe！　　Speak　again！　　Come　here　that　I　may　see。　　Where　is　he？'

'Here；　Sir　King；'　said　James；　gravely。

'Now　the　saints　be　thanked！'　cried　Henry；　joyously。　　'Where　be　the　caitiffs　that　brought　me　their　false　tale？　　They　shall　hang　for　it　at　once。'

'It　was　the　less　wonder；'　said　James；　still　coldly；　'that　they　should　have　thought　themselves　betrayed；　since　their　king　believed　it　of　me。'

'Nay；　'twas　but　for　a　hot　momentay；　and　the　bitterest　I　ever　spent。　What　could　I　do　when　the　villains　swore　that　there　were　signals　and　I　know　not　what　devices　passing？　　I　hoped　yet　'twas　but　a　plea　for　their　own　cowardice；　and　was　mounting　to　come　and　see　for　you。　　Come；　I　should　have　known　you　better；　I'd　rather　the　whole　world　deceived　me　than　have　distrusted　you；　Jamie。'

There　was　that　in　his　tone　which　ended　all　resentment；　and　James's　hand　was　at　once　clasped　in　his；　while　Henry　added；　'Ho；　Provost…　marshal！　to　the　gallows　with　these　knaves！'

'Nay；　Harry；'　said　James；　'let　me　plead　for　them。　　There　was　more　than　ordinary　to　dismay　them。'

'Dismay！　ay；　the　more　cause　they　should　have　stood　like　honest　men。　If　a　rogue　be　not　to　hang　for　deserting　his　captain　and　then　maligning　him；　soon　would　knavery　be　master　of　all。'

'Hear　me　first；　Hal。'

'I'll　hear　when　I　return　and　you　are　dried。　　Why；　man；　thou　art　an　icicle　errant；　change　thy　garments　while　I　go　round　the　posts；　or　I　shall　hear　nought　for　the　chattering　of　thy　teeth。'

'Nor　I　for　your　cough；　if　you　go；　Harry。　　Surely；　'tis　Salisbury's　night！'

'The　more　cause　that　I　be　on　the　alert！　　Could　I　be　everywhere；　mayhap　a　few　winter　blasts　would　not　have　chilled　and　frozen　all　the　manhood　out　of　the　host。'

He　spoke　very　sharply　as　he　threw　him　on　his　horse；　and　wrapped　his　cloak　about　hima　poor　defence；　spite　of　the　ermine　lining；　against　the　frost　of　the　December　night　for　a　man　whose　mother；　the　fair　and　wise　Mary　de　Bohun；　had　died　in　early　youth　from　disease　of　the　lungs。

James　and　the　two　young　partners　of　his　adventure　had　long　been　clad　in　their　gowns　of　peace；　and　seated　by　the　fire　in　the　refectory；　James　with　his　harp　in　his　hand；　from　time　to　time　dreamily　calling　forth　a　few　plaintive　notes；　such　as　he　said　always　rang　in　his　ears　after　hearing　a　Scottish　voice；　when　they　again　heard　Henry's　voice　in　hot　displeasure　with　the　provost…marshal　for　having　deferred　the　execution　of　the　runaways　till　after　the　hearing　of　the　story　of　the　King　of　Scots。

'His　commands　were　not　to　be　transgressed　for　the　king　of　anything；'　and　he　only　reprieved　the　wretches　till　morning　that　their　fate　might　be　more　signal。　　He　spoke　with　the　peremptory　fierceness　that　had　of　late　almost　obscured　his　natural　good…humour　and　kindliness；　and　when　he　entered　the　refectory　and　threw　himself　into　a　chair　by　the　fire；　he　looked　wearied　out　in　body　and　mind；　shivered　and　coughed；　and　said　with　unwonted　depression　that　the　sullen　fellows　would　make　a　quagmire　of　their　camp　after　all；　since　a　French　reinforcement　had　come　up；　and　the　vigilance　that　would　be　needed　would　occupy　the　whole　army。　　At　supper　he　ate　little　and　spoke　less；　and　when　James　would　have　related　his　encounter　within　the　Scots；　he　cut　him　short；　saying；　'Let　that　rest　till　morning；　I　am　sick　of　hearing　of　it！　　An　air　upon　thy　harp　would　be　more　to　the　purpose。'

Nor　would　James　have　been　unwilling　to　be　silent　on　old　Douglas's　conduct　if　he　had　not　been　anxious　to　plead　for　the　panic…stricken　archers；　as　well　as　to　extol　the　conduct　of　the　two　youths；　and　of　the　Yorkshire　squires；　but；　as　he　divined　that　the　young　Hotspur　would　regard　praise　from　him　as　an　insult；　he　deferred　the　subject　for　his　absence；　and　launched　into　a　plaintive　n