the caged lion-第55章

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is　garments　and　hair　enhancing　the　ghastly　whiteness　of　his　face；　and　yet　an　air　of　peace　and　joy　in　the　eyes　and　in　the　folded　hands；　as　Dr。　Bennet　and　another　priest　stood　over　him；　administering　those　abbreviated　rites　of　farewell　blessing　which　the　Church　sanctioned　in　cases　of　sudden　and　violent　death。　　The　princes　both　stood　aside；　and　presently　Malcolm　faintly　said；　'Thank　God！　　I　trusted　to　His　mercy　to　pardon！　　Now　all　would　be　well　could　I　but　see　the　Duke。'

'I　am　here；　dear　youth；'　said　Bedford；　kneeling　on　one　side　of　him；　while　James；　coming　to　the　other　side；　spoke　to　him　affectionately；　but　to　him　Malcolm　only　replied　by　a　fond　clasp　of　the　hand；　giving　his　sole　attention　to　Bedford；　to　whom　he　held　the　signet。

'It　has　cost　too　much；'　said　Bedford；　sadly。

'Oh；　Sir；　this　would　be　naught；　save　that　I　am　all　that　lies　between　herthe　Lady　Esclairmondeand　Boemond　of　Burgundy；'　and　as　at　that　moment　Bedford　saw　the　gold　betrothal　ring　on　the　finger；　his　countenance　lost　something　of　the　pitying　concern　it　had　worn。　Malcolm　detected　the　expression；　and　rallying　his　powers　the　more；　continued：　　'Sir；　there　was　no　helpthey　vowed　that　she　must　choose　between　Boemond　and　me。　　On　the　faith　of　a　dying　man；　I　hold　her　troth　but　in　trust；　I　pledged　myself　to　her　to　restore　it　when　her　way　is　clear　to　her　purpose。　　She　would　never　be　mine　but　in　name。　And　now　who　will　save　her？　　My　life　alone　is　between　her　and　yonder　wolf。　　Oh；　Sir　Duke；　promise　me　to　save　her；　and　I　die　content。'

'This　is　mere　waste　of　time！'　broke　in　the　Duke。　　'Where　are　the　knave　chirurgeons？See；　James；　if　the　lad　dies；　'twill　be　from　mere　loss　of　blood；　there　is　no　inward　bleeding；　and　if　there　be　no　more　loitering；　he　will　do　well。'

And　seeing　the　surgeons　at　hand；　he　would　have　risen　to　make　way；　but　Malcolm　held　him　fast；　reiterating；　'Save　her；　Sir。'

'If　your　life　guards　her；　throw　it　not　away　by　thus　dallying；'　said　Bedford；　disengaging　himself；　while　Malcolm　groaned　heavily；　and　turned　his　heavy　eyes　to　his　royal　friend；　who　said　kindly；　'Fear　not；　dear　cousin；　either　thou　wilt　live；　or　he　will　be　better　than　his　word。'

'God　will　guard　her；　I　know；'　said　Malcolm；　'and　oh！　my　own　dear　lord；　I　need　not　ask　you　to　be　the　brother　to　my　poor　sister　you　have　been　to　me。　　At　least　all　will　be　clear　for　her　and　Patie！'

'I　trust　not　yet；'　said　James；　smiling　in　encouragement。　　'Thou　wilt　live；　my　faithful　laddie。'

Malcolm　was　spent　and　nearly　fainting　by　this　time；　and　all　his　reply　was　a　few　gasps　of　'Only　say　you　pardon　me　all；　my　lord；　and　will　speak　for　HER　to　the　Duke！　ask　HER　prayers　for　me！'　and　as　James　sealed　his　few　words　of　reply　with　a　kiss；　he　closed　his　eyes；　and　became　unconscious；　in　which　state　he　was　conveyed　to　his　bed。

'You　might　have　set　his　mind　at　rest；'　said　James；　somewhat　hurt；　to　the　Duke。

'Who？　　I！'　said　Bedford。　　'I　cannot　stir　a　finger　that　could　set　us　at　enmity　with　Burgundy；　for　any　lady　in　the　land。　　Moreover；　if　she　have　found　means　to　secure　herself　once；　she　can　do　so　again。'

'I　would　you　could　have　been　more　kind　to　my　poor　boy；'　said　James。

'Methought　I　was　the　most　reasonably　kind　of　you　all！　　Had　it　not　been　mere　murder　to　keep　him　there　prating　and　bleeding；　I　had　asked　of　him　what　indiscretion　had　blown　the　secret　and　perilled　the　signet。　　No　robbers　were　those　between　Paris　and　Vincennes　in　our　midst；　but　men　who　knew　what　he　bore。　　I'll　never'

Bedford　just　restrained　himself　from　saying；　'trust　a　Scot　again；'　but　his　manner　had　vexed　and　pained　James；　who　returned　to　Malcolm；　and　left　him　no　more　till　called　by　necessity　to　his　post　as　King　Henry's　chief　mourner；　when　the　care　of　him　was　left　to　Patrick　Drummond　and　old　Bairdsbrae；　and　Malcolm　was　a　very　tranquil　patient；　who　seemed　to　need　nothing　but　the　pleasure　of　looking　at　the　ring　on　his　finger。　　The　weapon　had　evidently　touched　no　vital　part；　and　he　was　decidedly　on　the　way　to　recovery；　when　on　the　second　evening　Bedford　met　James；　saying：　　'I　have　seen　Robsart。　　It　was　no　indiscretion　of　young　Glenuskie's。　　It　was　only　what　comes　of　dealing　with　women。　　Can　I　see　the　boy　without　peril　to　him？'

Malcolm　was　so　much　better；　that　there　was　no　reason　against　the　Duke's　admission；　and　soon　Bedford's　falcon…face　looked　down　on　him　in　all　its　melancholy。

'Thanks；　my　Lord　Glenuskie；'　he　said；　'I　thought　not　to　be　sending　you　on　a　service　of　such　risk。'

'It　was　a　welcome　service；'　said　Malcolm。

Bedford's　brows　knitted　themselves　for　a　moment　as　he　said；　'I　came　to　ask　whether　you　deem　that　this　hurt　was　from　a　common　robber　or　routier。'

'Assuredly　not；'　said　Malcolm；　but　very　low；　and　looking　up　into　his　face；　as　he　added；　'This　should　be　for　your　ear　alone；　Sir。'

They　were　left　alone；　and　the　Duke　said：　　'I　have　heard　from　Robsart　how　the　ring　was　obtained。　　You　may　spare　that　part　of　the　story。'

'Sir；'　said　Malcolm；　'when　the　Lady　Esclairmonde'　（for　he　was　not　to　be　balked　of　dwelling　on　that　name　with　prolonged　delight）　'had　brought　me　the　ring；　Sir　Lewis　Robsart　advised　my　setting　forth　without　loss　of　time。'

'So　he　told　me；'　said　the　Duke；　'and　likewise　that　you　took　his　words　so　literally　as　to　set　out　with　only　three　followers。'

'Ay；　Sir；　but　he　knew　not　wherefore。　　My　escort　had　gone　forth　into　the　city；　and　while　they　were　being　collected；　a　message　bade　me　to　the　Lady　Esclairmonde's　presence。　　I　went；　suspecting　naught；　but　I　found　myself　in　presence　of　Madame　of　Hainault；　and　of　a　veiled　lady…　…who；　my　Lord'　　He　paused。　　'She　was　broad　in　form；　and　had　a　trick　of　gasping　as　though　over…fat。'

Bedford　nodded。　　Every　one　knew　Queen　Isabeau　by　these　tokens。

'She　scarce　spoke；　my　Lord；　but　the　Countess　Jaqueline　pretended　to　be　in　one　of　her　merry　moods。　　She　told　me　one　good　turn　deserved　another；　and　that；　as　in　gratitude　and　courtesy　bound；　I　must　do　her　the　favour　of　either　lending　her　the　signet；　or；　if　I　would　not　let　it　out　of　my　hands；　of　setting　it　to　a　couple　of　parchments；　which　she　declared　King　Henry　had　promised　to　grant。'

'The　false　woman！'

'Sir；　words　told　not　on　her。　　She　laughed　and　clapped　her　hands　at　whatever　I　said　of　honour；　faith；　or　trust。　　She　would　have　it　that　it　was　a　jestnay；　romping　fashion；　she　seized　my　hand；　which　I　let　her　have；　knowing　it　was　only　my　own　seal　that　was　on　it。　　Never　was　I　so　glad　that　the　signet　being　too　small　for　my　fingers；　it　was　in　my　bosom。'

'Knew　you　what　the　parchments　bore？'　asked；　Bedford；　anxiously。

'Oneso　far　as　I　could　seewas　of　the　Duke　of　Orleans'　liberty；'　said　Malcolm。　　'The　otherpardon　me；　Sirit　bore　the　names　of　Duke　Humfrey　and　Countess　Jaqueline。'

'The　shameless　wanton！'　broke　forth　Bedford。　　'How　did　you　escape　her　at　last；　boy？'

'Sir；'　said　Malcolm；　turning　as　red　as　loss　of　blood　permitted；　'she　had　not　kept　her　hands　off　me；　therefore　when　she　stood　between　me　and　the　door；　I　told　her　that　discourtesy　was　better　than　trust…　breaking；　and　while　she　jeered　at　my　talking　out　of　a　book　of　chivalry；　I　e'en　took　her　by　the　hands；　lifted　her　aside；　opened　the　door；　ran　down…stairs；　and　so　to　the　stables；　where　I　mounted　with　the　only　three　men　I　could　get　together。'

Bedford　could　not　but　laugh；　as　he　added；　'Bravely　done；　Lord　Malcolm；　but；　I　fear　me；　she　will　never　forgive　you。　　What　next？'

'I　left　word　for　the　other　fellows　to　join　us　at　the　hostel　by　the　gate；　and　tarried　for　them　till　I　feared　being　here　after　the　gates　were　fast；　then　set　out　without　them；　and　rode　till；　just　within　the　forest；　a　band　of　men；　how　many　I　cannot　tell；　were　on　us；　and　before　my　sword　was　well　drawn　they　had　surrounded　me；　and　seized　my　bridle。　One　of　them　bade　me　submit　quietly；　and　they　would　not　harm　me；　if　I　would　yield　up　that　which　I　wist　of。　　I　said　I　would　sooner　yield　my　life　than　my　trust；　whereupon　they　mastered　me；　and　dragged　me　off　my　horse；　and　were　rifling　me；　when　Iknowing　the　Flemish　accent　of　that　drunken　fellow　of　the　Countess'scalled　out；　〃Shame　on　you；　Ghisbert！〃　　Then　it　was　that　he　stabbed　me；　even　at　the　moment　when　the　holy　Saints　sent　brave　Percy　and　the　rest　to　rush　in　upon　them。'

'You　are　sure　it　was　Ghisbert？'　repeated　Bedford；　anxiously。

'As　certain　as　a　man's　voice　can　make　me；'