the caged lion-第37章

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ch　that　had　never　cried　out　for　fear；　and　then　I　was　so　pleased；　that　I　never　heeded　the　ugly　sight　any　more。　　Ay；　and　when　Sir　Richard　lifted　me　off　my　horse；　he　kissed　my　hand　of　his　own　accord。'

'This　is　all　he　has　ever　said　to　you？'　said　Esclairmonde；　smiling。　'It　is　like　an　Englishmanto　the　purpose。'

'Yea；　is　it　not？　　Oh！　is　it　not　better　than　all　the　fine　speeches　and　compliments　that　Joan　Beaufort　gets　from　her　Scottish　king？'

'They　have　truths　in　them　too；　child。'

'Ay；　but　too　fine…spun；　too　minstrel…like；　for　a　plain　English　maid。　The　hobgoblins　should　eat　out　his　heart　ere　they　touched　me！'　she　repeated　to　herself；　as　though　the　saying　were　the　most　poetical　concert　sung　on　minstrel　lover's　lute。

Death's　Dance　had　certainly　brought　this　affianced　pair　to　a　better　understanding　than　all　the　gayest　festivities　of　the　Court。

Esclairmonde　would　have　been　happy　if　no　one　had　noticed　her　benevolence　to　the　young　Scot　save　Alice　Montagu；　but　she　had　to　endure　countless　railleries　from　every　lady；　from　Countess　Jaqueline　downwards；　on　the　unmistakable　evidence　that　her　heart　had　spoken；　and　her　grave　dignity　had　less　effect　in　silencing　them　than　usual；　so　diverting　was　the　alleged　triumph　over　her　propriety；　well　as　they　knew　that　she　would　have　done　the　same　for　the　youngest　horse…boy；　or　the　oldest　man…at…arms。



CHAPTER　X：　　THE　WHITSUNTIDE　FESTIVAL



'Lady；　fairest　lady！　　Ah；　suffer　your　slave　to　fall　at　your　feet　with　his　thanks！'

'No　thanks　are　due；　Sir。　　I　knew　not　who　had　fallen。'

'Cruel　coyness！　　Take　not　away　the　joy　that　has　fed　a　hungry　heart。'

'Lord　Glenuskie's　heart　was　wont　to　hunger　for　better　joys。'

'Lady；　I　have　ceased　to　be　a　foolish　boy。'

'Such　foolishness　was　better　than　some　men's　wisdom。'

'Listen；　belle　demoiselle。　　I　have　been　forth　into　the　world；　and　have　learnt　to　see　that　monasteries　have　become　mere　haunts　for　the　sluggard；　who　will　not　face　the　world；　and　that　honour；　glory；　and　all　that　is　worth　living　for；　lie　beyond。　　Ah；　lady！　those　eyes　first　taught　me　what　life　could　give。'

'Hush；　Sir！'　said　Esclairmonde。　　'I　can　believe　that　as　a　child　you　mistook　your　vocation；　and　the　secular　life　may　be　blest　to　you；　but　with　me　it　can　never　be　so；　and　if　any　friendship　were　shown　to　you　on　my　part；　it　was　when　I　deemed　that　we　were　brother　and　sister　in　our　vows。　　If　I　unwittingly　inspired　any　false　hopes；　I　must　do　penance　for　the　evil。'

'Call　it　not　evil；　lady；'　entreated　Malcolm。　　'It　cannot　be　evil　to　have　wakened　me　to　life　and　hope　and　glory。'

'What　should　you　call　it　in　him　who　should　endeavour　to　render　Lady　Joan　Beaufort　faithless　to　your　king；　Lord　Malcolm？　　What　then　must　it　be　to　tempt　another　to　break　troth…plight　to　the　King　of　Heaven？'

'Nay；　madame；'　faltered　Malcolm；　'but　if　such　troth　were　forbidden　and　impossible？'

'None　has　the　right　or　power　to　cancel　mine；'　replied　the　lady。

'Yet；'　he　still　entreated；　'your　kindred　are　mighty。'

'But　my　Bridegroom　is　mightier；'　she　said。

'O　lady；　yet　Say；　at　least；'　cried　Malcolm；　eagerly；　'that　were　you　free　in　your　own　mind　to　wed；　at　least　you　would　less　turn　from　me　than　from　the　others　proposed　to　you。'

'That　were　saying　little　for　you；'　said　Esclairmonde；　half　smiling。　'But；　Sir；'　she　added　gravely；　'you　have　no　right　to　put　the　question；　and　I　will　say　nothing　on　which　you　can　presume。'

'You　were　kinder　to　me　in　England；'　sighed　Malcolm；　with　tears　in　his　eyes。

'Then　you　seemed　as　one　like…minded；'　she　answered。

'And；'　he　cried；　gathering　fresh　ardour；　'I　would　be　like…minded　again。　　You　would　render　me　so；　sweetest　lady。　　I　would　kiss　your　every　step；　pray　with　you；　bestow　alms　with　you；　found　churches；　endow　your　Beguines；　and　render　our　change　from　our　childish　purpose　a　blessing　to　the　whole　world；　become　your　very　slave；　to　do　your　slightest　bidding。　　O　lady；　could　I　but　give　you　my　eyes　to　see　what　it　might　be！'

'It　could　not　be；　if　we　began　with　a　burthened　conscience；'　said　Esclairmonde。　　'We　have　had　enough　of　this；　Sieur　de　Glenuskie。　　You　know　that　with　me　it　is　no　matter　of　likes　or　dislikes；　but　that　I　am　under　a　vow；　which　I　will　never　break！　　Make　way；　Sir。'

He　could　but　obey：　　she　was　far　too　majestic　and　authoritative　to　be　gainsaid。　　And　Malcolm；　in　an　access　of　misery；　stood　lost　to　all　the　world；　kneeling　in　the　window…seat；　where　she　had　left　him　resting　his　head　against　the　glass；　when　suddenly　a　white　plump　hand　was　laid　on　his　shoulder；　and　a　gay　voice　cried：

'All　a　la　mort；　my　young　damoiseau！　　What；　has　our　saint　been　unpropitious？　　Never　mind；　you　shall　have　her　yet。　　We　will　see　her　like　the　rest　of　the　world；　ere　we　have　done　within　her！'

And　Malcolm　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　free…spoken　Jaqueline　of　Hainault。

'You　are　very　good；　madame；'　he　stammered。

'You　shall　think　me　very　good　yet！　　I　have　no　notion　of　being　opposed　by　a　little　vassal　of　mine；　and　we'll　succeed；　if　it　were　but　for　the　fun　of　the　thing！　　Monseigneur　de　Therouenne　is　on　your　side；　or　would　be；　if　he　were　sure　of　the　Duke　of　Burgundy。　　You　see；　these　prelates　hate　nothing　so　much　as　the　religious　orders；　and　all　the　pride　of　the　Luxemburgs　is　in　arms　against　Clairette's　fancy　for　those　beggarly　nursing　Sisters；　so　it　drives　him　mad　to　hear　her　say　she　only　succoured　you　for　charity。　　He　thinks　it　a　family　disgrace；　that　can　only　be　wiped　off　by　marrying　her　to　you；　and　he　would　do　it　bon　gre；　mal　gre；　but　that　he　waits　to　hear　what　Burgundy　will　say。　You　have　only　to　hold　out；　and　she　shall　be　yours；　if　I　hold　her　finger　while　you　put　on　the　ring。　　Only　let　us　be　sure　of　Burgundy。'

This　was　not　a　very　flattering　way　of　obtaining　a　bride；　but　Malcolm　was　convinced　that　when　once　married　to　Esclairmonde；　his　devotion　would　atone　to　her　for　all　that　was　unpleasant　in　obtaining　her。　　At　least；　she　loved　no　one　else；　she　had　even　allowed　that　she　had　once　thought　him　like…minded；　she　had　formerly　distinguished　him；　and　nothing　lay　between　them　but　her　scruples；　and　when　they　were　overcome；　by　whatever　means；　his　idol　would　be　his；　to　adore；　to　propitiate；　to　win　by　the　most　intense　devotion。　　All　now　must；　however；　turn　upon　the　Duke　of　Burgundy；　without　whose　sanction　Madame　of　Hainault　would　be　afraid　to　act　openly。

The　Duke　was　expected　at　Paris　for　the　Whitsuntide　festival；　which　was　to　be　held　with　great　state。　　The　custom　was　for　the　Kings　of　France　to　feast　absolutely　with　all　Paris；　with　interminable　banquet　tables；　open　to　the　whole　world　without　question。　　And　to　this　Henry　had　conformed　on　his　first　visit　to　the　city；　but　he　had　learnt　that　the　costly　and　lavish　feast　had　been　of　very　little　benefit　to　the　really　distressed；　who　had　been　thrust　aside　by　loud…voiced　miscreants　and　sturdy　beggars；　such　as　had　no　shame　in　driving　the　feeble　back　with　blows；　and　receiving　their　own　share　again　and　again。

By　the　advice　of　Dr。　Bennet；　his　almoner；　he　was　resolved　that　this　should　not　happen　again；　that　the　feast　should　be　limited　to　the　official　guests；　and　that　the　cost　of　the　promiscuous　banquet　should　be　distributed　to　those　who　really　needed　it；　and　who　should　be　reached　through　their　parish　priests　and　the　friars　known　to　be　most　charitable。

Dr。　Bennet；　as　almoner；　with　the　other　chaplains；　was　to　arrange　the　matter；　and　horrible　was　the　distress　that　he　discovered　in　the　city；　that　had　for　five…and…twenty　years　been　devastated　by　civil　fury；　as　well　as　by　foreign　wars；　and　famines；　pestilences；　murders；　and　tyrannies　had　held　sway；　so　as　to　form　an　absolute　succession　of　reigns　of　terror。　　The　poor　perished　like　flies　in　a　frost；　the　homeless　orphans　of　the　parents　murdered　by　either　faction　roamed　the　streets；　and　herded　in　the　corners　like　the　vagrant　dogs　of　Eastern　cities；　and　meantime；　the　nobles　and　their　partisans　revelled　in　wasteful　pomp。

Scholar　as　he　was；　Dr。　Bennet　was　not　familiar　enough　with　Parisian　ways　not　to　be　very　grateful　for　aid　from　Esclairmonde　in　some　of　his　conferences；　and　for　her　explanations　of　the　different　tastes　and　needs　of　French　and　English　poor。

What　she　saw　and　heard；　on　the　other　hand；　gave　form　and　purpose　to　her　aspirations。　　The　Dutch　Sisters　of　St。　Bega；　the　English　Bedeswomen　of