the caged lion-第36章

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d　with　gaiety；　to　the　music　of　an　unseen　band　of　clashing　kettle…drums；　cymbals；　and　other　instruments；　that　played　fast　and　furiously；　while　above　all　a　knell　in　the　church　tower　rang　forth　at　intervals　a　slow；　deep；　lugubrious　note；　and　all　the　time　there　glided　in　and　out　through　the　ring　a　grisly　beingskull…　headed；　skeleton…boned；　scythe　in　handDeath　himself；　and　ever　and　anon；　when　the　dance　was　swiftest；　would　he　dart　into　the　midst；　pounce　on　one　or　other；　holding　an　hour…glass　to　the　face；　unheeding　rank；　sex；　or　age；　and　bear　his　victim　to　the　charnel…house　beside　the　church。　　It　was　a　sight　as　though　some　terrible　sermon　had　taken　life；　as　though　the　unseen　had　become　visible；　the　veil　were　taken　away；　and　the　implicit　unresisting　obedience　of　the　victims　added　to　the　sense　of　awful　reality　and　fatality。

The　advance　of　the　victorious　King　Henry　made　no　difference　to　the　continuousness　of　the　frightful　dance；　nay；　it　was　plain　that　he　was　but　in　the　presence　of　a　monarch　yet　more　victorious　than　himself；　and　the　mazes　wound　on；　the　performers　being　evidently　no　phantoms；　but　as　substantial　as　those　who　beheld　them；　nay；　the　grisly　ring　began　to　absorb　the　royal　suite　within　itself；　and　an　awe…stricken　silence　prevailedat　least；　where　Malcolm　Stewart　and　Ralf　Percy　were　riding　together。

Neither　lad　durst　ask　the　other　what　it　meant。　　They　thought　they　knew　too　well。　　Percy　ceased　not　for　one　moment　to　cross　himself；　and　mutter　invocations　to　the　saints；　Malcolm's　memory　and　tongue　alike　seemed　inert　and　paralyzed　with　horrorhis　brain　was　giddy；　his　eyes　stretched　open；　and　when　Death　suddenly　turned　and　darted　in　his　direction；　one　horrible　gush　of　thought'Fallen；　fallen！　　Lost；　lost！　　No　confession！'came　over　him；　he　would　have　sobbed　out　an　entreaty　for　mercy　and　for　a　priest；　but　it　became　a　helpless　shriek；　and　while　Percy's　sword　flashed　before　his　eyes；　he　felt　himself　falling；　death…stricken；　to　the　earth；　and　knew　no　more。

'Therehe　moved；'　said　a　voice　above　him。

'How　now；　Glenuskie？'　cried　Ralf　Percy。　　'Look　up；　I　verily　thought　you　were　sped　by　Death　in　bodily　shape；　but　'twas　all　an　abominable　grisly　pageant　got　up　by　some　dismal　caitiffs。'

'It　was　the　Danse　Macabre；'　added　the　sweet　tone　that　did　indeed　unclose　Malcolm's　eyes；　to　see　Esclairmonde　bending　over　him；　and　holding　wine　to　his　lips。　　Ralf　raised　him　that　he　might　swallow　it；　and　looking　round；　he　saw　that　he　was　in　a　small　wainscoted　chamber；　with　an　old　burgher　woman；　Ralf　Percy；　and　Esclairmonde；　certainly　not　in　the　other　world。　　He　strove　to　ask　'what　it　meant；'　and　Esclairmonde　spoke　again：

'It　is　the　Danse　Macabre；　I　have　seen　it　in　Holland。　　It　was　invented　as　a　warning　to　those　of　sinful　life；　and　this　good　woman　tells　me　it　has　become　the　custom　to　enact　it　every　evening　at　this　churchyard　of　the　Holy　Innocents。'

'A　custom　I　devoutly　hope　King　Harry　will　break！'　exclaimed　Ralf。　'If　not；　I'll　some　day　find　the　way　between　those　painted　ribs　of　Monseigneur　de　la　Mort；　I　can　tell　him！　　I　had　nearly　given　him　a　taste　of　my　sword　as　it　was；　only　some　Gascon　rogue　caught　my　arm；　and　he　was　off　ere　I　could　get　free。　　So　I　jumped　off；　that　your　poor　corpse　should　not　be　trodden　by　French　heels；　and　I　hardly　know　how　it　was；　but　the　Lady　Esclairmonde　was　by　my　side　as　I　dragged　you　out；　and　caused　these　good　folks　to　let　me　bring　you　in　behind　their　shop。'

'Lady；　lady；　I　am　for　ever　beholden；'　cried　Malcolm；　gathering　himself　up　as　if　to　fall　at　her　feet；　and　his　heart　bounding　high　with　joy；　for　this　was　from　death　to　life　indeed。

'I　saw　there　was　some　one　hurt；'　said　Esclairmonde　in　her　repressive　manner。　　'Drink　some　more　wine；　eat　this　bread；　and　you　will　be　able　to　ride　to　the　Hotel　de　St。　Pol。'

'Oh；　lady；　let　me　speak　of　my　bliss！'　and　he　snatched　at　her　hand；　but　was　still　so　dizzy　that　he　sank　back；　becoming　aware　that　he　was　stiff　and　bruised　from　his　fall。　　Almost　at　the　same　moment　a　new　step　and　voice　were　heard　in　the　little　open　booth　where　the　cutler　displayed　his　wares；　and　King　James　was　at　once　admitted。

'How　goes　it；　laddie？'　he　asked。　　'They　told　me　grim　Death　had　clutched　you　and　borne　you　off　to　his　charnel…house；　but　at　least　I　see　an　angel　has　charge　of　you。'

Esclairmonde　slightly　coloured　as　she　made　answer：

'I　saw　some　one　fall；　and　came　to　offer　my　poor　skill；　Sir；　but　as　the　Sieur　de　Glenuskie　is　fast　recovering；　if　you　will　permit　Sir　Nigel　Baird　to　attend　me；　Sir；　I　will　at　once　return。'

'I　am　readyI　am　not　hurt。　　Oh；　let　us　go　together！'　panted　Malcolm；　leaping　up。

'Eh；　gentlemen！'　exclaimed　the　hospitable　cutler's　wife；　'you　will　not　away　so　fast！　　This　gallant　knight　will　permit　you　to　remain。　And　the　fair　lady；　she　will　do　me　the　honour　to　drink　a　cup　of　wine　to　the　recovery　of　her　betrothed。'

'Not　so；　good　woman；'　said　Esclairmonde；　a　little　apart；　'I　am　the　betrothed　of　Heaven。　　I　only　assisted　because　I　feared　the　youth's　fall　was　more　serious　than　it　proves。'

The　bourgeoise　begged　pardon；　and　made　a　curtsey；　there　was　nothing　unusual　in　the　avowal　the　lady　had　made；　when　the　convent　was　a　thoroughly　recognized　profession；　but　Esclairmonde　could　not　carry　out　her　purpose　of　departing　separately　with　old　Sir　Nigel　Baird；　Malcolm　was　on　his　feet；　quite　ready　to　mount；　and　there　was　no　avoiding　the　being　assisted　to　her　saddle　by　any　but　the　King；　who　was　in　truth　quite　as　objectionable　a　companion；　as　far　as　appearances　went；　for　a　young　solitary　maiden；　as　was　Malcolm　himself。　　Esclairmonde　felt　that　her　benevolence　might　have　led　her　into　a　scrape。　　When　she　had　seen　the　fall；　knowing　that　to　the　unprepared　the　ghastly　pageant　must　seem　reality；　she　had　obeyed　the　impulse　to　hurry　to　the　rescue；　to　console　and　aid　in　case　of　injury；　and　she　had　not　even　perceived　that　her　female　companions　did　not　attempt　to　accompany　her。　　However；　the　mischance　could　best　be　counteracted　by　simplicity　and　unconsciousness；　so；　as　she　found　herself　obliged　to　ride　by　the　King；　she　unconcernedly　observed　that　these　fantastic　dances　might　perhaps　arouse　sinners；　but　that　they　were　a　horrible　sight　for　the　unprepared。

'Very　like　a　dream　becoming　flesh　and　blood；'　said　James。　　'We　in　advance　were　slow　to　perceive　what　it　was；　and　then　the　King　merely　thought　whether　it　would　alarm　the　Queen。'

'I　trow　it　did　not。'

'No；　the　thing　has　not　been　found　that　will　stir　her　placid　face。　She　merely　said　it　was　very　lugubrious；　and　an　ill　turn　in　the　Parisians　thus　to　greet　her；　but　they　were　always　senseless　betes；　and　he；　being　relieved　of　care　for　her；　looked　with　all　his　eyes；　with　a　strange　mixture　of　drollery　at　the　antics　and　the　masques；　yet　of　grave　musing　at　the　likeness　to　this　present　life。'

'I　think；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'that　King　Henry　is　one　of　the　few　men　to　whom　the　spectacle　IS　a　sermon。　　He　laughs　even　while　he　lays　a　thing　to　heart。'

These　few　sentences　had　brought　them　to　the　concourse　around　the　gateway　of　the　great　Hotel　de　St。　Pol；　in　whose　crowded　courtyard　Esclairmonde　had　to　dismount；　and；　after　being　handed　through　the　hall　by　King　James；　to　make　her　way　to　the　ladies'　apartments；　and　there　find　out；　what　she　was　most　anxious　about；　how　Alice；　who　had　been　riding　at　some　distance　from　her　with　her　father；　had　fared　under　the　alarm。

Alice　ran　up　to　her　eagerly。　　'Ah；　dear　Clairette；　and　was　he　greatly　hurt？'

'Not　much；　he　had　only　swooned　for　fright。'

'Swooned！　to　be　a　prince；　and　not　have　the　heart　of　a　midge！'

'And　how　was　it　with　you；　you　very　wyvern　for　courage？'

'With　me？　　Oh；　I　was　somewhat　appalled　at　first；　when　my　father　took　hold　of　my　rein；　and　bade　me　never　fear；　for　I　saw　his　face　grow　amazed。　　Sir　Richard　Nevil　rode　up　on　the　other　side；　and　said　the　hobgoblins　should　eat　out　his　heart　ere　they　hurt　me；　and　I　looked　into　his　face　as　he　said　that；　and　liked　it　more　than　ever　I　thought　to　like　any　but　yours；　Clairette。　　I　think　my　father　was　going　to　leave　me　to　him　and　see　whether　the　King　needed　some　one　to　back　him；　but　up　came　a　French　lord；　and　said　'twas　all　a　mere　show；　and　my　father　said　he　was　glad　I　was　a　stout…hearted　wench　that　had　never　cried　out　for　fear；　and　then　I　was　so　pleased；　that　I　never　heeded　the　ugly　sight