the caged lion-第33章

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ort　against　whichever　proposal　was　forced　upon　her；　until　the　coalition　between　the　Dukes　of　Burgundy　and　Brabant　becoming　too　strong；　she　had　availed　herself　of　Countess　Jaqueline's　discontent　to　evade　them　both。

The　family　had；　of　course；　been　much　angered；　and　had　fully　expected　that　her　estates　would　go　to　some　great　English　abbey；　or　to　some　English　lord　whose　haughty　reserve　and　insularity　would　be　insupportable。　　It　was　therefore　a　relief　to　Monseigneur　de　Therouenne　to　hear　James's　designs；　and　when　the　King　further　added；　that　he　would　be　willing　to　let　the　claims　on　the　Hainault　part　of　her　estates　be　purchased　by　the　Count　de　St。　Pol；　and　those　in　Flanders　by　the　Duke　of　Burgundy；　the　Bishop　was　delighted；　and　declared　that；　rather　than　such　a　negotiation　should　fail；　he　would　himself　advance　the　sum　to　his　brother；　but　that　the　Duke　of　Burgundy's　consent　was　more　doubtful；　only　could　they　not　do　without　it？

And　he　honoured　Malcolm　with　a　few　words　of　passing　notice　from　time　to　time；　as　if　he　almost　regarded　him　as　a　relation。　　No　doubt　it　would　have　been　absurd　to　fly　from　such　chances　as　these　to　Patrick　Drummond　and　the　opposite　camp；　and　yet　there　were　times　when　Malcolm　felt　as　if　he　should　get　rid　of　a　load　on　his　heart　if　he　were　to　break　with　all　his　present　life；　hurry　to　Patrick；　confess　the　whole　to　him；　and　thenhide　his　head　in　some　hermitage；　leaving　his　pledge　unforfeited！

That；　however；　could　not　be。　　He　was　bound　to　the　King；　and　might　not　desert　him；　and　it　was　not　unpleasant　to　brood　over　the　sacrifice　of　his　own　displeasure。

'See；'　said　Henry；　in　the　evening；　as　he　came　into　the　refectory　and　walked　up　to　James；　'I　have　found　my　signet。　　It　was　left　in　the　finger　of　my　Spanish　glove；　which　I　had　not　worn　since　the　beginning　of　winter。　　Thanks　to　all　who　took　vain　pains　to　look　for　it。'

But　Malcolm　did　not　respond　with　his　pleased　look　to　the　thanks。　　He　was　not　in　charity　with　Henry；　and　crept　out　of　hearing　of　him；　while　James　was　saying；　'You　had　best　destroy　one　or　the　other；　or　they　will　make　mischief。　　Here；　I'll　crush　it　with　the　pommel　of　my　sword。'

'Ay；'　said　Henry；　laughing；　'you'd　like　to　shew　off　one　of　your　sledge…hammer　blowsSir　Bras　de　Fer！　　But；　Master　Scot；　you　shall　not　smash　the　English　shield　so　easily。　　This　one　hangs　too　loose　to　be　safe；　I　shall　keep　it　to　serve　me　when　we　have　fattened　up　at　Paris；　after　the　leanness　of　our　siege。'

'Hal；'　said　James；　seeing　his　gay　temper　restored；　'you　have　grievously　hurt　that　springald　of　mine。　　His　northern　blood　cannot　away　with　the　taste　he　got　of　your　fist。'

'Pretty　well　for　your　godly　young　monk；　to　expect　to　rob　unchecked！'　laughed　Henry。

'He　will　do　well　at　last；'　said　James。　　'Manhood　has　come　on　him　with　a　rush；　and　borne　him　off　his　feet；　nor　would　I　have　him　over…tame。'

'There　spake　the　Scot！'　said　Henry。　　'By　my　faith；　Jamie；　we　should　have　had　you　the　worst　robber　of　all　had　we　not　caught　you　young！　Well；　what　am　I　do　for　this　sprig　of　royalty？　　Say　I　struck　unawares？　Nay；　had　I　known　him；　I'd　have　struck　with　as　much　of　a　will　as　his　slight　bones　would　bear。'

'An　you　love　me；　Hal；　do　something　to　cool　his　ill　blood；　and　remove　the　sense　of　shame　that　sinks　a　lad　in　his　own　eyes。'

'Methought；'　said　Henry；　'there　was　more　shame　in　the　deed　than　in　the　buffet。'

Nevertheless　the　good…natured　King　took　an　occasion　of　saying：　　'My　Lord　of　Glenuskie；　I　smote　without　knowing　you。　　It　was　no　place　for　a　princenay；　for　any　honest　man；　otherwise　no　hand　should　have　been　laid　on　my　guest　or　my　brother's　near　kinsman。　　And　whereas　I　hear　that　both　you　and　my　fiery　hot　Percy　verily　credited　the　cry　that　prisoners　were　hid　in　that　house；　let　me　warn　you　that　never　was　place　yielded　on　composition　but　some　villain　got　up　the　shout；　and　hundreds　of　fools　followed　it；　till　they　learnt　villainy　in　their　turn。　　Therefore　I　ever　chastise　transgression　of　my　command　to　touch　neither　dwelling　nor　inhabitant。　　You　have　both　learnt　your　lesson；　and　the　lion　rampant　and　he　of　the　straight　tail　will　both　be　reined　up　better　another　time。'

Malcolm　had　no　choice　but　to　bend　his　head；　mutter　something；　and　let　the　King　grasp　his　hand；　though　to　him　the　apology　seemed　none　at　all；　but　rather　to　increase　the　offence；　since　the　blame　was　by　no　means　taken　back　again；　while　the　condescension　was　such　as　could　not　be　rejected；　and　thus　speciously　took　away　his　excuse　for　brooding　over　his　wrath。　　His　hand　lay　so　unwillingly　in　that　strong　hearty　clasp　that　the　King　dropped　it；　frowned；　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　muttered　to　himself；　'Sullen　young　dog！　　No　Scot　can　let　bygones　be　bygones！'　and　then　he　turned　away　and　cast　the　trifle　from　his　memory。

James　was　amazed　not　to　see　the　moody　face　clear　up；　and　asked　of　Malcolm　whether　he　were　not　gratified　with　this　ample　satisfaction。

'I　trow　I　must　be；　Sir；'　said　Malcolm。

'I　tell　thee；　boy；'　said　James；　'not　one　kingnay；　not　one　manin　a　thousand　would　have　offered　thee　the　frank　amends　King　Harry　hath　done　this　day：　　nay；　I　doubt　whether　even　he　could　so　have　done；　were　it　not　that　the　hope　of　his　wife's　coming　hath　made　him　overflow　with　joy　and　charity　to　all　the　world。'

Malcolm　did　not　make　much　reply；　and　James　regarded　him　with　some　disappointment。　　The　youth　was　certainly　warmly　attached　to　him；　but　these　tokens　of　superiority　to　the　faults　of　his　time　and　country　which　had　caused　the　King　to　seek　him　for　a　companion　seemed　to　have　vanished　with　his　feebleness　and　timidity。　　The　manhood　that　had　been　awakened　was　not　the　chivalrous；　generous；　and　gentle　strength　of　Henry　and　his　brothers；　but　the　punctilious　pride　and　sullenness；　and　almost　something　of　the　license；　of　the　Scot。　　The　camp　had　not　proved　the　school　of　chivalry　that　James；　in　his　inexperience；　had　imagined　it　must　be　under　Henry；　and　the　tedium　and　wretchedness　of　the　siege　had　greatly　added　to　its　necessary　evils　by　promoting　a　reckless　temper　and　willingness　to　snatch　at　any　enjoyment　without　heed　to　consequences。　　Close　attendance　on　the　kings　had　indeed　prevented　either　Malcolm　or　Percy　from　even　having　the　temptation　of　running　into　any　such　lengths　as　those　gentry　who　had　plundered　the　shrine　of　St。　Fiacre　at　Breuil；　or　were　continually　galloping　off　for　an　interval　of　dissipation　at　Paris；　but　they　were　both　on　the　outlook　for　any　snatch　of　stolen　diversion；　for　in　ceasing　from　monastic　habits　Malcolm　seemed　to　have　laid　aside　the　scruples　of　a　religious　or　conscientious　youth；　and　specially　avoided　Dr。　Bennet；　the　King's　almoner。

James　feared　he　had　been　mistaken；　and　looked　to　the　influence　of　Esclairmonde　to　repair　the　evil；　if　perchance　she　should　follow　the　Queen　to　France。　　And　this　it　was　almost　certain　she　must　do；　since　she　was　entirely　dependent　upon　the　Countess　of　Hainault；　and　could　not　obtain　admission　to　a　nunnery　without　recovering　a　portion　of　her　estates。



CHAPTER　IX：　　THE　DANCE　OF　DEATH



The　Queen　was　coming！　　No　sooner　had　the　first　note　of　surrender　been　sounded　from　the　towers　of　Meaux；　than　Henry　had　sent　intelligence　to　England　that　the　way　was　open　for　the　safe　arrival　of　his　much…loved　wife；　and　at　length；　on　a　sunny　day　in　May；　tidings　were　received　that　she　had　landed　in　France；　under　the　escort　of　the　Duke　of　Bedford。

Vincennes；　in　the　midst　of　its　noble　forest；　was　the　place　fixed　for　the　meeting　of　the　royal　pair；　and　never　did　a　happier　or　more　brilliant　cavalcade　traverse　those　woodlands　than　that　with　which　Henry　rode　to　the　appointed　spot。

All　the　winter；　the　King　had　heeded　appearances　as　little　as　of　old　when　roughing　it　with　Hotspur　in　Wales；　but　now　his　dress　was　of　the　most　royal。　　On　his　head　was　a　small　green　velvet　cap；　encircled　by　a　crown　in　embroidery；　his　robe　was　of　scarlet　silk；　and　over　it　was　thrown　a　mantle　of　dark　green　samite；　thickly　powdered　with　tiny　embroidered　white　antelopes；　the　Garter　was　on　his　knee；　the　George　on　his　neck。　　It　was　a　kingly　garb；　and　well　became　the　tall　slight　person　and　fair　noble　features。　　During　these　tedious　months　he　had　looked　wan；　haggard；　and　careworn；　but　the　lines　of　anxiety　were　all　effaced；　his　lustrous　blue　eyes　shone　and　danced　like　Easter　suns；　his　complexion　rivalled　the