the caged lion-第54章

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ieved；　and　murmurs　of　conversation　rose　again。　　Malcolm　moved　across　to　greet　the　Lady　Montagu；　and　though　she　looked　at　him　with　all　the　disdain　her　little　gentle　face　could　accomplish；　he　had　somehow　a　spring　and　strength　in　him　that　could　not　now　be　brow…beaten。

He　bent　over　her；　and　said；　'Lady；　I　see　you　know　all。　　It　is　but　a　trust。'

'If　you　so　treat　it；　Sir；　you　will　do　well；'　responded　the　young　matron；　with　as　much　stern　gravity　as　she　could　assume；　the　fact　being　that　she　longed　to　break　down　and　cry　heartily；　that　Esclairmonde　should　so　far　have　failed；　and　become　like　other　people。

Long；　long　they　waitedMalcolm　with　a　strange　dreamy　feeling　at　his　heart；　neither　triumph　nor　disappointment；　but　something　between　both；　and　peace　above　all。　　Dinner　was　served　in　the　hall；　the　company　returned　to　the　outer　apartment；　yet　still　all　was　silent　within；　till　at　last；　late　in　the　afternoon；　there　came　a　black　figure　forth　from　under　the　black　hangings；　and　Esclairmonde；　turning　to　Lady　Warwick；　said；　'The　Queen　is　awake；　and　desires　her　ladies'　presence。'　　And　then　coming　towards　Malcolm；　who　was　standing　near　Sir　Lewis　Robsart；　she　placed　in　his　hand　the　signet…ring。

Both；　while　the　attendants　of　the　Queen　filed　back　into　her　chamber；　eagerly　demanded　how　the　ring　had　been　obtained。

'Poor　lady！'　said　Esclairmonde；　'she　was　too　much　spent　to　withhold　anything。　　She　was　weak　and　exhausted　with　cries　and　tears；　and　when　she　had　slept；　she　was　as　meek　as　a　lamb；　and　there　was　no　more　ado　but　to　bid　her　remember　that　the　blessed　King　her　lord　would　have　bidden　her　let　the　ring　be　broken　up　at　once；　lest　it　should　be　used　so　as　to　harm　her　son。'

That　Esclairmonde　had　prevailed　by　that　gentle　force　of　character　which　no　one　could　easily　resist；　could　not；　however；　be　doubted　for　a　moment；　and　a　fresh　thrill　of　amazement；　and　almost　of　joy；　came　over　Malcolm　at　the　sense　that　he　had　become　the　protector　of　such　a　being；　and　that　in　a　sort　she　belonged　to　him；　and　was　in　his　power；　having　trusted　herself　to　him。

Robsart　advised；　and　Esclairmonde　concurred　in　the　counsel；　that　Lord　Glenuskie　should　set　forth　for　Vincennes　immediately；　before　there　should　be　time　for　any　more　cabals；　or　for　Queen　Isabeau　to　have　made　her　daughter　repent　of　having　delivered　up　the　signet…ring。

Malcolm　therefore　at　once　took　leave　of　his　affianced；　venturing　to　kiss　her　hand　as　he　looked　wistfully　in　her　face；　and　said；　'Dear　lady；　how　shall　I　thank　you　for　this　trust？'

Esclairmonde　gave　her　sweet　grave　smile；　as　she　said；　'To　God's　keeping　I　commend　you；　Sir。'　　She　would　not　even　bid　him　be　true　to　his　trust；　it　would　have　seemed　to　her　to　insult　him　in　whom　her　confidence　was　placed；　and　she　only　added：　　'I　shall　ever　bless　you　for　having　saved　me。　　Farewell！　　Now　am　I　bound　for　ever　to　pray　for　you　and　your　sister。'

And　it　would　be　impossible　to　tell　how　the　sense　of　Esclairmonde's　trust；　and　of　the　resolute　self…denial　it　would　require　of　him；　elevated　Malcolm's　whole　tone；　and　braced　his　mind。　　The　taking　away　of　his　original　high　purpose　had　rendered　him　as　aimless　and　pleasure…loving　as　any　ordinary　lad；　but　the　situation　in　which　he　now　stoodguarding　this　saintly　being　for　her　chosen　destiny；　at　the　expense　of　all　possible　earthly　projects　for　his　own　happiness　or　ambitionwas　such　as　to　bring　out　that　higher　side　of　his　nature　that　had　well…nigh　collapsed。　　As　he　stood　alone　in　the　ante…room；　waiting　until　his　horse　and　escort　should　be　ready　for　his　return；　a　flood　of　happiness　seemed　to　gush　over　him。　　Esclairmonde　was　no　more　his　own；　indeed；　than　was　King　Henry's　signet；　but　the　trust　was　very　precious；　and　gave　him　at　least　the　power　of　thinking　of　her　as　joined　by　a　closer　link　than　even　his　sister　Lilias。　　And　towards　her　his　conscience　was　again　clear；　for　this　very　betrothal　put　marriage　out　of　the　question　for　him；　and　was　a　real　seal　of　his　dedication。　He　only　felt　as　if　his　heart　ought　not　to　be　so　light　and　peaceful；　while　his　penance　was　still　unsaid；　his　absolution　not　yet　pronounced。



CHAPTER　XV：　　THE　TRUST



James　of　Scotland　and　John　of　Bedford　sat　together　in　the　twilight　of　a　long　and　weary　day；　spent　by　the　one　in　standing　like　a　statue　at　the　head　of　his　deceased　friend　as　a　part　of　the　pageant　of　the　lying…in…state　in　the　chapel；　whither　multitudes　had　crowded　throughout　the　day　to　see　the　'mighty　victor；　mighty　lord；　lie　low　on　his　funeral　couch；'　the　nobles　gazing　with　a　certain　silent　and　bitter　satisfaction　at　him　who　had　not　only　broken　the　pride　of　their　country；　but　had　with　his　iron　hand　repressed　their　own　private　exactions；　while　the　poor　and　the　peasants　openly　bewailed　him　as　the　father　and　the　friend　who　had　stood　between　them　and　their　harsh　feudal　lords。　　By　the　other；　the　hours　had　passed　in　the　press　of　toil　and　perplexity　that　had　fallen　on　him　as　the　yet　unaccredited　representative　of　English　power　in　France；　and　in　writing　letters　to　those　persons　at　home　from　whom　he　must　derive　his　authority。　　The　hour　of　rest　and　relaxation　was　welcome　to　both；　though　they　chiefly　spent　it　each　leaning　back　in　his　chair　in　silence。

'Your　messenger　is　not　come　back；'　said　Bedford；　presently；　rousing　himself。

'It　may　have　been　no　easy　task；'　replied　James；　not　however　without　uneasiness。

'I　would；'　said　Bedford；　presently；　'that　I　had　writ　the　matter　straight　to　Robsart。　　The　lad　is　weak；　and　may　be　tampered　with。'

'He　knows　that　I　have　pledged　my　honour　for　him；'　said　James。

Bedford's　thin　lips　moved　at　the　corners。

'Nay；'　said　James；　not　angrily；　'the　youth　hath　in　some　measure　disappointed　me。　　The　evil　in　him　shot　forth　faster　than　the　good　under　this　camp　life；　but　methinks　there　is　in　him　a　certain　rare　quality　of　soul　that　I　loved　him　for　at　the　first；　and　though　it　hath　lain　asleep　all　this　time；　yet　what　he　hath　now　seen　seemed　to　me　about　to　work　the　change　in　him。'

'It　may　be　so；'　said　Bedford；　'and　yet　I　would　I　had　not　consented　to　his　going　where　that　woman　of　Hainault　might　work　on　him　to　fret　the　Lady　Esclairmonde。'

James　started　somewhat　as　he　remembered　overruling　this　objection　of　Malcolm's　own　making。　　'She　cannot　have　the　insolence；'　he　said。

At　that　moment　a　hasty　step　approached；　the　door　was　opened　with　scant　ceremony；　and　Ralf　Percy；　covered　from　head　to　foot　with　blood；　hurried　in　breathless　and　panting。

'My　lord　Duke；　your　license！　　Here　is　Malcolm　Stewart　set　upon　in　the　forest　by　robbers　and　stabbed！'

'Slain？　　Dead？'　cried　both　princes；　springing　up　in　horror。

'Alive　stillin　the　chapelasking　for　you；　my　lord；'　said　Percy。　'He　bade　us　lay　him　there　at　the　King's　feet；　and　as　it　was　the　readiest　way　to　a　priest；　we　did　his　bidding。'

'My　poor　Malcolm！'　sighed　James；　and　he　and　Bedford　hastened　to　obey　the　summons。

There　was　time　on　the　way　for　Ralf　Percy　to　give　them　the　particulars。　　'We　had　gone　forthTrenton；　Kitson；　altogether　some　half…dozen　of　usfor　a　mouthful　of　air　in　the　forest　after　our　guard　all　day　in　the　chapel；　when　about　a　mile　from　the　Castle　we　heard　a　scuffle；　and　clashing　of　arms。　　So　breaking　through　the　thicket；　we　saw　a　score　of　fellows　on　horseback　fully　armed；　and　in　the　midst　poor　Glenuskie　dragged　to　the　ground　and　struggling　hard　with　two　of　them。　　We　drew　our　swords；　hallooed；　and　leapt　out；　and　the　knaves　never　stayed　to　see　how　many　of　us　there　were；　but　made　off　like　the　dastards　they　were；　but　not　till　one　had　dealt　poor　Stewart　this　parting　stroke。　　He　hath　been　bleeding　like　a　sheep　all　the　way　home；　and　hath　scarce　spoken　but　a　thanksgiving　for　our　having　come　in　time；　as　he　called　it；　and　to　ask　for　Dr。　Bennet　and　the　Duke。'

The　words　brought　them　to　the　door　of　the　chapel；　where　for　a　time　the　chants　around　King　Henry　had　paused　in　the　agitation　of　the　new　arrival。　　As　the　black　and　white　crowd　of　priests　and　monks　opened　and　made　way　for　the　King　and　Duke；　they　saw；　in　the　full　light　of　the　wax　tapers；　laid　on　a　pile　of　cushions　not　far　from　King　Henry's　feet；　the　figure　of　Malcolm；　his　riding…gown　open　at　the　breast；　and　kerchiefs　dyed　and　soaked　with　blood　upon　it；　the　black　of　his　garments　and　hair　enhancing　the　ghastly　whiteness　of　his　face；　and　yet　an　air　of　peace　and　joy　in