the caged lion-第32章

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Henry　pointed　to　the　broken　door；　and　the　cowed　and　abashed　soldiers　slunk　away　from　the　terrible　light　of　his　eyes。　　No　man　could　stand　before　the　face　of　the　King。

There　was　a　stillness。　　He　stood　leaning　on　his　sword；　his　chest　heaving　with　his　panting　breaths。　　He　was　naturally　as　fleet　as　the　swift…footed　Achilles；　but　the　winter　had　told　upon　him；　and　the　haste　with　which　he　had　rushed　to　the　rescue　left　him　breathless　and　speechless；　while　he　seemed　as　it　were　to　nail　the　two　lads　to　the　spot　by　his　steady　gaze　of　mingled　distress　and　displeasure。

Neither　could　brook　his　eye：　　Percy　hung　his　head　like　a　boy　in　a　scrape；　Malcolm　quailed　with　terror；　but　at　the　same　time　felt　a　keen　sense　of　injury　in　being　thus　treated　as　a　plunderer；　and　the　blow　under　which　his　shoulder　ached　seemed　an　indignity　to　his　royal　blood。

'Boys；'　said　Henry；　still　low　and　breathlesly；　but　all　the　more　impressively；　'what　is　to　become　of　honour　and　mercy　if　such　as　you　must　needs　become　ravening　wolves　at　scent　of　booty？'

'It　was　not　booty；　Sir；　they　said　traitors　were　hid　here；'　said　Percy；　sulkily。

'Tush！　the　old　story！　　Ever　the　plea　for　rapine　and　bloodthirstiness。　After　the　warnings　of　last　night　you　should　have　known　better；　but　you　are　all　alike　in　frenzy　for　a　sack。　　You　have　both　put　off　your　knighthood　till　you　have　learnt　not　to　become　a　shame　thereto。'

'I　take　not　knighthood　at　your　hands；　Sir；'　burst　out　Malcolm；　goaded　with　hot　resentment；　but　startled　the　next　moment　at　the　sound　of　his　own　words。

'I　cry　you　mercy；'　said　King　Henry；　in　a　cold；　short　tone。

Malcolm　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　away；　without　waiting　to　see　how　the　poor　old　man　in　the　house　threw　himself　at　the　King's　feet　with　a　piteous　history　of　his　sick　daughter　and　her　starving　children；　nor　how　Ralf　hurried　off　headlong　to　the　lower　town　to　send　them　immediate　relief　in　bread；　wine；　and　doctors。　　The　gay；　good…　natured；　thoughtless　lad　no　mere　harboured　malice　for　the　chastisement　than　if　his　tutor　had　caught　him　idling；　but　things　went　deeper　with　Malcolm。　　True；　he　had　undergone　many　a　brutal　jest　and　cruel　practical　joke　from　his　cousins；　but　that　was　all　in　the　family；　not　like　a　blow　from　an　alien　king；　and　one　not　apologized　for；　but　followed　up　by　a　rebuke　that　seemed　to　him　unjust；　lowering　him　in　his　own　eyes　and　those　of　Esclairmonde；　and　making　him　ready　to　gnaw　himself　with　moody　vexation。

'You　here；　Malcolm！'　said　King　James；　entering　his　quarters；　'did　you　miss　me　in　the　throng？　　I　have　not　seen　you　all　day。'

'I　have　been　insulted；　Sir；'　said　Malcolm。　　'I　pray　your　license　to　depart　and　carry　my　sword　to　my　kinsmen　in　the　French　camp。'

'How　now！　　Is　it　the　way　to　treat　an　insult　to　run　away　from　it？'

'Not　when　the　world　judges　men　to　be　on　equal　terms；　my　lord。'

'What！　　Who　has　done　you　wrong；　you　silly　loon？'

'King　Henry；　Sir；　he　struck　me　with　his　fist；　and　rated　me　like　his　hound；　and　I　will　not　eat　another　morsel　of　his　bread　unless　he　would　answer　it　to　me　in　single　combat。'

'Little　enough　bread　you'd　eat　after　that　same　answer！'　ejaculated　James。　　'Oh！　　I　understand　now。　　You　were　with　young　Hotspur　and　the　rest　that　set　on　the　poor　townsmen；　and　Harry　made　small　distinction　of　persons！　　Nay；　Malcolm；　it　was　ill　in　you；　that　talked　of　so　loathing　spulzie！'

'I　wanted　no　spulzie。　　There　were　Armagnacs　hid　in　the　house；　and　the　King　would　not　hear　us。'

'He　knew　that　story　too　well。　　Were　you　asleep　or　idling　last　night；　when　he　warned　all；　on　no　plea　whatever；　to　break　into　a　house；　but；　if　the　old　tale　of　treachery　came　up；　to　set　a　guard；　and　call　one　of　the　captains？　　Did　you　hear　himeh？'

'I　can　take　chiding　from　you；　Sir；　but　neither　words　nor　blows　from　any　other　king　in　Christendom；　still　less　when　he　threatens　me　that　I　have　deferred　my　knighthood！　　As　if　I　would　have　it　from　him！'

'From　me　you　will　not　have　it　until　he　have　pardoned　Ralf　Percy；'　said　James；　dryly。　　'Malcolm；　I　had　not　thought　you　such　a　fule　body！　Under　a　captain's　banner；　what　can　be　done　but　submit　to　his　rule？　　I　should　do　so　myself；　were　Salisbury　or　March　in　command。'

'Then；　Sir；'　said　Malcolm；　much　hurt　that　the　King　did　not　take　his　part；　'I　shall　carry　my　service　elsewhere。'

'So；'　said　James；　much　vexed；　'this　is　the　meek　lad　that　wanted　to　hide　in　a　convent　from　an　ill　world；　flying　off　from　his　king　and　kinsman　that　he　may　break　down　honest　men's　doors　at　his　will。'

'That　I　may　be　free　from　insult；　Sir。'

'You　think　John　of　Buchan　like　to　cosset　you！　　You　found　the　Black　Douglas　so　courtly　to　me　the　other　day　as　to　expect　him　to　be　tender　to　this　nicety　of　yours！　　Malcolm；　as　your　prince　and　guardian；　I　forbid　this　folly；　and　command　you　to　lay　aside　this　fit　of　malice　and　do　your　devoir。　　What！　sobbing；　silly　ladwhere's　your　manhood？'

'Sir；　Sir；　what　will　they　think　of　methe　Lady　Esclairmonde　and　all…　…if　they　hear　I　have　sat　down　tamely　with　a　blow？'

'She　will　never　think　about　you　at　all　but　as　a　sullen　malapert　ne'er…do…weel；　if　you　go　off　to　that　camp　of　routiers；　trying　to　prop　a　bad　cause　because　you　cannot　take　correction；　nor　observe　discipline。'

A　sudden　suspicion　came　over　Malcolm　that　the　King　would　not　thus　make　light　of　the　offence；　if　it　had　really　been　the　inexpiable　insult　he　had　supposed　it；　and　the　thought　was　an　absolute　relief；　for　in　effect　the　parting　from　James；　and　joining　the　party　opposed　to　Esclairmonde's　friends；　would　have　been　so　tremendous　a　step；　that　he　could　hardly　have　contemplated　it　in　his　sober　senses；　and　he　murmured；　'My　honour；　Sir；'　in　a　tone　that　James　understood。

'Oh；　for　your　honouryou　need　not　fear　for　that！　　Any　knight　in　the　army　could　have　done　as　much　without　prejudice　to　your　honour。　　Why；　you　silly　loon；　d'ye　think　I　would　not　have　been　as　angered　as　yourself；　if　your　honour　had　been　injured？'

Malcolm's　heart　felt　easier；　but　he　still　growled。　　'Then；　Sir；　if　you　assure　me　that　I　can　do　so　without　detriment　to　my　honour；　I　will　not　quit　you。'

James　laughed。　　'It　might　have　been　more　graciously　spoken；　my　good　cousin；　but　I　am　beholden　to　you。'

Malcolm；　ashamed　and　vexed　at　the　sarcastic　tone；　held　his　tongue　for　a　little　while；　but　presently　exclaimed；　'Will　the　Bishop　of　Therouenne　hear　of　it？'

James　laughed。　　'Belike　not；　or；　if　he　should；　it　would　only　seem　to　him　the　reasonable　training　of　a　young　squire。'

The　King　did　not　say　what　crossed　his　own　mind；　that　the　Bishop　of　Therouenne　was　more　likely　to　think　Henry　over…strict　in　discipline；　and　absurdly　rigorous。

The　prelate；　Charles　de　Luxemburg；　brother　to　the　Count　de　St。　Pol；　had　made　several　visits　to　the　English　camp。　　He　was　one　of　these　princely　younger　sons；　who；　like　Beaufort　at　home；　took　ecclesiastical　preferments　as　their　natural　provision；　and　as　a　footing　whence　they　might　become　statesmen。　　He　was　a　great　admirer　of　Henry's　genius；　and；　as　the　chief　French　prelate　who　was　heartily　on　the　English　side；　enjoyed　a　much　greater　prominence　than　he　could　have　done　at　either　the　French　or　Burgundian　Court。　　He　and　his　brother　of　St。　Pol　were　Esclairmonde's　nearest　kinsmen'oncles　a　la　mode　de　Bretagne；'　as　they　call　the　relationship　which　is　here　sometimes　termed　Welsh　uncle；　or　first　cousins　once　removedand　from　him　James　had　obtained　much　more　complete　information　about　Esclairmonde　than　he　could　ever　get　from　the　flighty　Duchess。

Her　mother；　a　beautiful　Walloon；　had　been　heiress　to　wide　domains　in　Hainault；　her　father　to　great　estates　in　Flanders；　all　which　were　at　present　managed　by　the　politic　Bishop。　　Like　most　of　the　statesman…　secular…clergy；　the　Bishop　hated　nothing　so　much　as　the　monastic　orders；　and　had　made　no　small　haste　to　remove　his　fair　niece　from　the　convent　at　Dijon；　where　she　had　been　educated；　lest　the　Cistercians　should　become　possessed　of　her　lands。　　He　had　one　scheme　for　her　marriage；　but　his　brother；　the　Count；　had　wished　to　give　her　to　his　own　second　son；　who　was　almost　an　infant；　and　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　had　designs　on　her　for　his　half…brother　Boemond；　and　among　these　various　disputants；　Esclairmonde　had　never　failed　to　find　support　against　whichever　proposal　was　forced　upon　her；　until　the　coalition　between　the　Dukes　of　Burgun