the caged lion-第49章

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to　be　taken　back　to　the　far　distant　camp；　and　had　accordingly　been　intrusted　to　the　French　farmer；　with　no　attendant　but　a　young　French　horse…boy；　since　he　was　too　poor　to　keep　a　squire。　He　knew　nothing　more；　for　fever　had　run　high；　and　he　had　not　even　been　sensible　of　his　desertion　by　his　French　hosts　on　the　approach　of　the　English；　far　less　of　the　fire；　and　of　his　rescue　by　the　King　and　Malcolm；　but　for　this　he　seemed　inclined　to　compensate　to　the　utmost；　by　the　intense　eagerness　of　devotion　with　which　he　regarded　James；　who　sat　meanwhile　crushed　down　by　the　weight　of　his　own　grief。

'I　can　eat　no　more；　Baird；'　said　he；　swallowing　down　a　draught　of　wine；　and　pushing　aside　his　trencher。　　'Your　license；　gentlemen。　　I　must　be　alone。　　Take　care　of　the　lads；　Nigel。　　Malcolm　is　spent　too。　His　deft　service　was　welcome　toto　my　dearest　brother。'

And　though　he　hastily　shut　himself　into　his　own　inner　chamber；　it　was　not　till　they　had　seen　that　his　grief　was　becoming　uncontrollable。

Patrick　could　not　but　murmur；　'Dearest　brother！'

'Ay；　like　brothers　they　loved！'　said　Baird；　gravely。

'A　strange　brotherhood；'　began　Drummond。

But　Malcolm　cried；　with　much　agitation；　'Not　a　word；　Patie！　　You　know　not　what　you　say。　　Take　heed　of　profaning　the　name　of　one　who　is　gone　to　the　Sion　above。'

'You　turned　English；　our　wee　Malcolm！'　exclaimed　Drummond；　in　amaze。

'There　is　no　English；　French；　or　Scot　where　he　is　gone！'　cried　Malcolm。　　'No　Babel！　　O　Patie；　I　have　been　far　fallen！　　I　have　done　you　in　heart　a　grievous　wrong！　but　if　I　have　turned　back　in　time；　it　is　his　doing　that　lies　there。'

'His！　what；　Harry　of　Lancaster's？'　demanded　the　bewildered　Patrick。　'What　had　he　to　do　with　you？'

'He　has　been　my　only　true　friend　here！'　cried　Malcolm。　　'Oh；　if　my　hand　be　free　from　actual　spoil　and　bloodshed；　it　was　his　doing！　　Oh；　that　he　could　hear　me　bless　him　for　the　chastisement　I　took　so　bitterly！'

'Chastisement！'　demanded　Patrick。　　'The　English　King　dared　chastise　YOU！　of　Scots　blood　royal！　　'Tis　well　he　is　dead！'

'The　laddie's　well…nigh　beside　himself！'　said　Baird。　　'But　he　speaks　true。　　This　king　whom　Heaven　assolizie；　kept　a　tight　hand　over　the　youngsters；　and　falling　on　Lord　Malcolm　and　some　other　callants　making　free　with　a　house　at　Meaux；　dealt　some　blows；　of　which　my　young　lord　found　it　hard　to　stomach　his　share；　though　I　am　glad　to　see　he　is　come　to　a　better　mind。　　Ay；　'tis　pity　of　this　King　Harry！　Brave　and　leal　was　he；　never　spake　an　untrue　word；　never　turned　eye　for　fear；　nor　foot　for　weariness；　nor　hand　for　toil；　nor　nose　for　ill　savour。　　A　man；　look　you；　to　be　trusted；　never　failing　his　word　for　good　or　ill！　　Right　little　love　has　there　been　between　him　and　me；　but　I　could　weep　like　my　own　lad　in　there；　to　think　I　shall　never　see　that　knightly　presence　more；　nor　hear　those　frank　gladsome　voices　of　the　boys；　as　they　used　to　shout　up　and　down　Windsor　Forest。'

'You　too；　Sir　Nigel！　and　with　a　king　like　ours！'

'Ay；　Sir　Patrick！　and　if　he　be　such　a　king　as　Scotland　never　had　since　St。　David；　and　maybe　not　then；　I'm　free　to　own　as　much　of　it　is　due　to　King　Harry　as　to　his　own　noble　self。Did　ye　say　they　had　streekit　him　in　the　chapel；　Lord　Malcolm？　　I'd　fain　look　on　the　bonnie　face　of　him；　I'll　ne'er　look　on　his　like　again。'

No　sooner　had　old　Bairdsbrae　gone；　than　Malcolm　flung　himself　down　before　his　cousin；　crying；　'Oh；　Patrick；　you　will　hear　me！　　I　cannot　rest　till　you　know　how　changed　I　have　been。'

'Changed！'　said　Patrick；　'ay；　and　for　the　better！　　Why；　Malcolm；　I　never　durst　hope　to　see　you　so　sturdy　and　so　heartsome。　　My　father　would　have　been　blithe　to　see　you　such　a　gallant　young　squire。　　Even　the　halt　is　gone！'

'Nearly；'　said　Malcolm。　　'But　I　would　fain　be　puny　and　puling；　to　have　the　clear　heart　that　once　I　had。　　Oh；　hear　me！　hear　me！　and　pardon　me；　Patie！'

And　Malcolm；　in　his　agitation；　poured　forth　the　whole　story　of　his　having　shifted　from　his　old　cherished　purpose　of　devoting　himself　to　the　service　of　Heaven；　and　leaving　lands　and　vassals　to　the　stronger　hands　of　Patrick　and　Lilias；　how；　having　thus　given　himself　to　the　world；　he　had　fallen　into　temptation；　how　he　had　let　himself　be　led　to　persecute　with　his　suit　a　noble　lady；　vowed　like　himself；　how　he　had　almost　agreed　to　marry　her　by　force：　　and　how　he　had　been　running　into　the　ordinary　dissipations　of　the　camp；　abstaining　from　confession；　avoiding　mass；　disobeying　orders；　plunging　into　scenes　of　plunder；　till　he　had　almost　been　the　death　of　Patrick；　whom　he　had　already　so　cruelly　wronged。

So　felt　the　boy。　　Fresh　from　that　death…bed；　the　evils　his　conscience　had　protested　against　from　the　first　appeared　to　him　frightfully　heinous；　and　his　anguish　of　self…reproach　was　such；　that　Patrick　listened　in　the　greatest　anxiety　lest　he　should　hear　of　some　deadly　stain　on　his　young　kinsman's　scutcheon；　but　when　the　tale　was　told；　and　he　had　demanded　'Is　that　all？'　and　found　that　no　further　overt　act　was　alleged　against　Malcolm；　he　breathed　a　long　sigh；　and　muttered；　'You　daft　laddie！　you　had　fairly　startled　me！　　So　this　is　the　coil；　is　it？　　Who　ever　told　you　to　put　on　a　cowl；　I　should　like　to　know？　　Why；　'twas　what　my　poor　father　ever　declared　against。　　I　take　your　lands！　　By　my　troth！　'twould　be　enough　to　make　me　break　faith　with　your　sister；　if　I　COULD！'

'The　vow　was　in　my　heart；'　faltered　Malcolm。

'In　a　fule's　head！'　said　Patrick。　　'What　right　have　babes　to　be　talking　of　vows？　　'Twould　be　the　best　tidings　I've　heard　for　many　a　long　day；　that　you　were　wedded　to　a　lass　with　a　good　tocher；　and　fit　to　guide　your　silly　pate。　　What's　that？　　Her　vows！　　If　they　are　no　better　than　yours；　the　sooner　they　are　forgot　the　better。　　If　she　had　another　love；　'twould　be　another　matter；　but　with　a　bishop　on　your　side；　you've　naught　to　fear。'

Malcolm　turned　away；　sick　at　heart。　　To　him　his　present　position　had　become　absolute　terror。　　His　own　words　had　worked　him　up　to　an　alarming　sense　of　having　lapsed　from　high　aims　to　mere　selfishness；　of　having　profaned　vows；　consented　to　violence；　and　fallen　away　from　grace；　and　he　was　in　an　almost　feverish　passion　to　utter　something　that　would　irrevocably　bind　him　to　his　former　intentions；　but　here　were　the　King　and　Patrick　both　conspiring　to　silence　him；　and　hold　him　back　to　his　fallen　and　perilous　state。　　Nay；　Patrick　even　derided　his　penitence。　　Patrick　was　an　honourable　knight；　a　religious　man；　as　times　went；　but　he　had　been　brought　up　in　a　much　rougher　and　more　unscrupulous　school　than　Malcolm；　and　had　been　hardened　by　years　of　service　as　a　soldier　of　fortune。　　The　Armagnac　camp　was　not　like　that　of　England。　　Warriors　of　such　piety　and　strictness　as　Henry　and　Bedford　had　never　come　within　his　ken；　and　that　any　man；　professing　to　be　a　soldier；　should　hesitate　at　the　license　of　war；　was　incomprehensible　to　him。　　The　discipline　of　Henry's　army　had　been　scoffed　at　in　the　French　camp；　and　every　infraction　of　it　hailed　as　a　token　of　hypocrisy；　and　to　the　stout　Scot　Malcolm's　grief　for　the　rapine　at　Meaux；　which　after　all　he　had　not　committed；　seemed　a　simple　absurdity。　　Even　his　own　danger；　on　the　second　occasion；　did　not　make　him　alter　his　opinion；　it　was　all　the　fortune　of　war。　　And　he　was　not　sure　that　he　had　not　best　have　been　stifled　at　once；　since　his　hands　were　tied　from　warfare。　　And　as　for　Lilyhow　was　he　to　win　her　now？　　Then；　as　Malcolm　opened　his　mouth；　Patrick　sharply　charged　him　to　hold　his　tongue　as　to　that　folly；　unless　he　wanted　to　drive　him　to　make　a　vow　on　his　side；　that　he　would　turn　Knight　of　Rhodes；　and　never　wed。

Malcolm；　wearied　out　with　excitement；　came　at　last　to　weeping　that　no　one　would　hear　or　understand　him；　but　the　scene　was　ended　by　Bairdsbrae；　who；　returning；　brought　a　leech　with　him；　who　at　once　took　the　command　of　Patrick；　and　ordered　him　to　his　bed。

Malcolm　could　not　rest。　　He　was　feverish　with　the　shock　of　grief　and　awe；　and　absorbed　in　the　thought　which　had　mastered　him；　and　which　was　much　dwelt　on　in　the　middle　ages：　the　monastic　path；　going　towards　heaven　straight　as　a　sunbeam；　the　secular；　twining　its　way　through　a　tortuous　difficult　coursethe　'broad　way；'　tending　downward　to　the　abyss。　　To　his　terrified　apprehension；　he　had　abandoned　the　direct　and　narrow　path　for　the　fata