the caged lion-第4章

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ke　is　the　King？　How　brooks　he　his　durance？　　What　freedom　hath　he？　　What　hope　is　there　of　his　return？　　Can　he　brook　to　hear　of　his　people's　wretchedness？'

This　was　the　first　question　at　which　Sir　James　attempted　to　unclose　his　hitherto　smiling　and　amused　lip。　　Then　it　quivered；　and　the　dew　glittered　in　his　eyes　as　he　answered；　'Brook　it！　　No　indeed；　lady。　His　heart　burns　within　him　at　every　cry　that　comes　over　the　Border；　and　will　well…nigh　burst　at　what　I　have　seen　and　heard！　　King　Harry　tells　him　that　to　send　him　home　were　but　tossing　him　on　the　swords　of　the　Albany。　　Better；　better　so；　to　die　in　one　grapple　for　his　country's　sake；　than　lie　bound；　hearing　her　bitter　wails；　and　unable　to　stir　for　her　redress！'　and　as　he　dashed　the　indignant　tear　from　his　eyes；　Patrick　caught　his　hand。

'Your　heart　is　in　the　right　place；　friend；'　he　said；　'I　look　on　you　as　an　honest　man　and　brother　in　arms　from　this　moment。'

''Tis　a　bargain；'　said　Sir　James；　the　smile　returning；　and　his　eyes　again　glistening　as　he　wrung　Sir　Patrick's　hand。　　'When　the　hour　comes　for　the　true　rescue　of　Scotland；　we　will　strike　together。'

'And　you　will　tell　the　King；'　added　Patrick；　'that　here　are　true　hearts；　and　I　could　find　many　more；　only　longing　to　fence　him　from　the　Albany　swords；　about　which　King　Harry　is　so　good　as　to　fash　himself。'

'But　what　like　is　the　King？'　asked　Lilias　eagerly。　　'Oh；　I　would　fain　see　him。　　Is　it　true　that　he　was　the　tallest　man　at　King　Harry's　sacring？　more　shame　that　he　were　there！'

'He　and　I　are　much　of　a　height；　lady；'　returned　the　knight。　　'Maybe　I　may　give　you　the　justest　notion　of　him　by　saying　that　I　am　said　to　be　his　very　marrow。'

'That　explains　your　likeness　to　the　poor　Duke；'　said　Sir　David；　satisfied；　'and　you　too　count　kindred　with　our　royal　house；　methinks？'

'I　am　sprung　from　Walter　the　Stewart；　so　much　I　know；　my　lands　lie　Carrick…wards；'　said　Sir　James　lightly；　'but　I　have　been　a　prisoner　so　long；　that　the　pedigree　of　my　house　was　never　taught　me；　and　I　can　make　no　figure　in　describing　my　own　descent。'　　And　as　though　to　put　an　end　to　the　inquiry；　he　walked　to　the　window；　where　Malcolm　so　soon　as　they　had　begun　to　talk　of　the　misrule　of　Scotland；　had　ensconced　himself　in　the　window…seat　with　his　new　book；　making　the　most　of　the　failing　light；　and　asked　him　whether　the　Monk　of　Iona　equalled　his　expectations。

Malcolm　was　not　easy　to　draw　out　at　first；　but　it　presently　appeared　that　he　had　been　baffled　by　a　tough　bit　of　Latinity。　　The　knight　looked；　and　readily　expounded　the　sentence；　so　that　all　became　plain；　and　then；　as　it　was　already　too　dark　to　pursue　the　study　with　comfort；　he　stood　over　the　boy；　talking　to　him　of　books　and　of　poems；　while　the　usually　pale；　listless；　uninterested　countenance　responded　by　looks　of　eager　delight　and　flushing　colour。

It　seemed　as　though　each　were　equally　pleased　with　the　other：　　Sir　James；　at　finding　so　much　knowledge　and　understanding　in　a　Scottish　castle；　and　Malcolm；　at；　for　the　first　time；　meeting　anything　but　contempt　for　his　tastes　from　aught　but　an　ecclesiastic。

Their　talk　continued　till　they　were　summoned　to　supper；　which　had　been　somewhat　delayed　to　provide　for　the　new…comers。　　It　was　a　simple　enough　meal；　suited　to　Lent；　and　was　merely　of　dried　fish；　with　barley　bread　and　kail　brose；　but　there　were　few　other　places　in　Scotland　where　it　would　have　been　served　with　so　much　of　the　refinement　that　Sir　David　Drummond　and　his　late　wife　had　learnt　in　France。　　A　tablecloth　and　napkins；　separate　trenchers；　and　water　for　hand　cleansing；　were　not　always　to　be　found　in　the　houses　of　the　nobles；　and　in　fact；　there　were　those　who　charged　Malcolm's　delicacy　and　timidity　on　the　nisete　or　folly　of　his　effeminate　education；　the　having　the　rushes　on　the　floor　frequently　changed；　the　preference　of　lamps　for　pine　torches；　and　the　not　keeping　falcons；　dogs；　swine；　and　all；　pell　mell　in　the　great　hall。

Lilias　sat　between　her　uncle　and　his　guest；　looking　so　fair　and　bright　that　Patrick　felt　fresh　accesses　of　angry　jealousy；　while　the　visitor　talked　as　one　able　to　report　to　the　natives　from　another　world；　and　that　world　the　hateful　England；　which　as　a　Scotsman　he　was　bound　to　abhor。　　Had　it　been　France；　it　had　been　endurable；　but　praise　of　English　habits　was　mere　disloyalty；　and　yet；　whenever　Patrick　tried　to　throw　in　a　disparaging　word；　he　found　himself　met　with　a　quiet　superiority　such　as　he　had　believed　no　knight　in　Scotland　could　assume　with　him；　and　still　it　was　neither　brow…beating　nor　insolence；　nothing　that　could　give　offence。

Malcolm　begged　to　know　whether　there　had　not　been　a　rare　good　poet　in　England；　called　Chaucer。　　Verily　there　had　been；　said　the　knight；　and　on　a　little　solicitation；　so　soon　as　supper　was　over；　he　recited　to　the　eager　and　delighted　auditors　the　tale　of　patient　Grisel；　as　rendered　by　Chaucer；　calling　forth　eager　comments　from　both　Patrick　and　Lily；　on　the　unknightliness　of　the　Marquis。　　Malcolm；　however；　added；　'Yet；　after　all；　she　was　but　a　mere　peasant　wench。'

'What　makes　that；　young　Sir？'　replied　Sir　James　gravely。　　'I　would　have　you　to　know　that　the　husband's　rank　is　the　wife's；　and　the　more　unequal　were　their　lot　before；　the　more　is　he　bound　to　respect　her；　and　to　make　her　be　respected。'

'That　may　be；　after　the　deed　is　done；'　said　Sir　David；　in　a　warning　voice；　'but　it　is　not　well　that　like　should　not　match　with　like。　Many　an　evil　have　I　seen　in　my　time；　from　unequal　mating。'

'And；　Sir；'　eagerly　exclaimed　Patrick；　'no　doubt　you　can　gainsay　the　slander；　that　our　noble　King　has　been　caught　in　the　toils　of　an　artful　Englishwoman；　and　been　drawn　in　to　promise　her　a　share　in　his　crown。'

A　flush　of　crimson　flamed　forth　on　Sir　James　Stewart's　cheeks；　and　his　tawny　eye　glanced　with　a　fire　like　red　lightning；　but　he　seemed；　as　it　were；　to　be　holding　himself　in；　and　answered　with　a　voice　forcibly　kept　low　and　calm；　and　therefore　the　more　terribly　stern；　'Young　Sir；　I　warn　you　to　honour　your　future　queen。'

Sir　David　made　a　gesture　with　his　hand；　enforcing　restraint　upon　his　son；　and　turning　to　Sir　James；　said；　'Our　queen　will　we　honour；　when　such　she　is；　Sir；　but　if　you　are　returning　to　the　King；　it　were　well　that　he　should　know　that　our　hot　Scottish　bloods；　here；　could　scarce　brook　an　English　alliance；　and　certainly　not　one　beneath　his　birth。'

'The　King　would　answer；　Sir；'　returned　Sir　James；　haughtily；　but　with　recovered　command　over　himself；　'that　it　is　for　him　to　judge　whom　his　subjects　shall　brook　as　their　queen。　　Moreover；'　he　added；　in　a　different　and　more　conciliatory　voice；　'Scotsmen　must　be　proud　indeed　who　disdain　the　late　King's　niece；　the　great…granddaughter　of　King　Edward　III。；　and　as　noble　and　queenly　a　demoiselle　as　ever　was　born　in　a　palace。'

'She　is　so　very　fair；　then？'　said　Lilies；　who　was　of　course　on　the　side　of　true　love。　　'You　have　seen　her；　gentle　Sir？　　Oh；　tell　us　what　are　her　beauties？'

'Fair　damsel；'　said　Sir　James；　in　a　much　more　gentle　tone；　'you　forget　that　I　am　only　a　poor　prisoner；　who　have　only　now　and　then　viewed　the　lady　Joan　Beaufort　with　distant　reverence；　as　destined　to　be　my　queen。　　All　I　can　tell　is；　that　her　walk　and　bearing　mark　her　out　for　a　throne。'

'And　oh！'　cried　Malcolm；　'is　it　not　true　that　the　King　hath　composed　songs　and　poems　in　her　honour？'

'Pah！'　muttered　Patrick；　'as　though　the　King　would　be　no　better　than　a　wandering　minstrel　rhymester！'

'Or　than　King　David！'　dryly　said　Sir　James。

'It　is　true；　then；　Sir；'　exclaimed　Lilias。　　'He　doth　verily　add　minstrelsy　to　his　other　graces？　　Know　you　the　lines；　Sir？　　Can　you　sing　them　to　us？　　Oh；　I　pray　you。'

'Nay；　fair　maid；'　returned　Sir　James；　'methinks　I　might　but　add　to　the　scorn　wherewith　Sir　Patrick　is　but　too　much　inclined　to　regard　the　captive　King。'

'A　captive；　a　captiveay；　minstrelsy　is　the　right　solace　for　a　captive；'　said　Patrick；　'at　least；　so　they　say　and　sing。　　Our　king　will　have　better　work　when　he　gains　his　freedom。　　Only　there　will　come　before　me　a　subtilty　I　once　saw　in　jelly　and　blanc…mange；　at　a　banquet　in　France；　where　a　lion　fell　in　love　with　a　hunter's　daughter；　and　let　her；　for　love's　sake；　draw　his　teeth　and　clip　his　claws；　whereupon　he　found　himself　made　a　sport　for　her　father's　hounds。'

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