the caged lion-第56章

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

'As　certain　as　a　man's　voice　can　make　me；'　said　Malcolm。　　'Methinks；　had　I　not　named　him；　he　would　perhaps　have　bound　me　to　a　tree；　and　left　it　to　be　thought　that　they　were　but　common　thieves。'

'Belike；'　said　Bedford；　thoughtfully。　　'We　are　beholden　to　you；　my　Lord　Glenuskie；　the　whole　state　of　England　is　beholden　to　you　for　the　saving　of　the　confusion　and　evils　the　loss　of　that　ring　would　have　caused。　　You　can　keep　counsel；　I　wot　well。　　Then　let　all　this　matter　of　the　Queen　and　Countess　rest　a　secret。'

Malcolm　looked　amazed；　and　Bedford　added：　　'I　cannot　quarrel　with　the　woman；　nor　banish　her　from　Court。　　Did　we　accuse　her；　Holland　would　become　Armagnac；　nor　is　she　subject　of　ours；　to　have　justice　done　on　her。　　It　is　for　her　interest　to　hush　the　matter　up；　and　it　must　be　ours　too。　　If　that　knave　Ghisbert　ever　gives　me　the　chance；　he　shall　hang　like　a　dog；　but　for　the　rest'　he　shrugged　his　shoulders。

'And；'　said　Malcolm；　'Ghisbert　only　meant　to　serve　his　lady。　　Any　vassal　of　mine　would　do　the　like　for　me　or　my　sister。'

Bedford　half　smiled；　then　sighed　and　said：　　'Once　we　were　like　to　get　laws　more　obeyed　than　lords；　but　that　is　all　over　now！　　Yet　you；　young　Sir；　have　seen　a　great　pattern；　you　will　have　great　powers！'

'Sir；'　interrupted　Malcolm；　'I　pray　you　believe　me；　great　powers　I　shall　not　have。　　As　I　told　you　last　night；　I　do　but　hold　this　precious　troth　in　trust！　　It　must　be　a　secret；　or　it　would　not　save　her；　but　youoh；　Sir！　you　will　believe　that！'

'If　it　be　so；'　said　Bedford；　gravely；　'it　is　too　sacred　a　trust　to　be　spoken　of。　　You　will　deserve　greater　honour　if　you　keep　your　word；　than　ever　you　will　receive　from　the　world。　　Farewelland　recover　fast。'

Malcolm　did　not　meet　with　much　encouragement　from　the　few　to　whom　he　thought　fit　to　confide　the　conditions　of　his　espousal。　　The　King　allowed　that　he　could　not　have　acted　otherwise；　but　was　concerned　at　it；　because　of　the　hindrance　that　might　for　years　be　interposed　in　the　way　of　his　welfare；　and　secretly　hoped　that　Malcolm；　in　his　new　capacity；　would　so　gain　on　Esclairmonde's　esteem　and　gratitude；　as　to　win　her　affection；　and　that　by　mutual　consent　they　would　lay　aside　their　loftier　promises；　and　take　up　their　espousal　where　they　had　left　it。

And　what　James　secretly　desired；　Sir　Patrick　Drummond　openly　recommended。　　In　his　eyes；　Malcolm　would　be　no　better　than　a　fool　if　he　let　his　ladye…love；　with　all　her　lands；　slip　through　his　fingers；　when　she　was　lawfully　his　own。　　Patrick　held　that　a　monastery　was　a　good　place　to　be　nursed　in　if　wounded；　and　a　convenience　for　disposing　of　dull　or　weakly　younger　sons；　and　he　preferred　that　there　should　be　some　holy　men　to　pray　for　those　who　did　the　hard　and　bloody　work　of　the　world；　but　he　had　no　desire　that　any　one　belonging　to　himself　should　plunge　into　extra　sanctity；　and　the　more　he　saw　Malcolm　developing　into　a　man　among　men；　the　more　he　opposed　the　notion　of　his　dedicating　himself。

A　man！　　Yes；　Malcolm　was　rising　from　his　bed　notably　advanced　in　manliness。　　As　the　King's　keen　eye　had　seen　from　the　first；　and　as　Esclairmonde　had　felt；　there　was　an　elevation；　tenderness；　and　refinement　in　his　cast　of　character；　which　if　left　to　his　natural　destiny　would　have　either　worn　out　his　life　early　in　the　world；　or　carried　him　to　the　obscure　shelter　of　a　convent。　　In　the　novelty　of　the　secular　life；　and　temptations　of　all　kinds；　dread　of　ridicule；　and　the　flood　of　excitements　which　came　with　reviving　health；　that　very　sensitiveness　led　him　astray；　and　the　elevated　aims　fell　with　a　heavier　fall　when　diverted　from　heavenly　palaces　to　earthly　ones。　Self…reproach　and　dejection　drove　him　further　from　the　right　course；　and　in　proportion　to　the　greater　amount　of　conscience　he　had　by　nature；　his　character　was　the　more　deteriorating。　　His　deeds　were　far　less　evil　in　themselves　than　those　of　many　of　his　companions；　but　inasmuch　as　they　were　not　thoughtless　in　him；　they　were　injuring　him　more。　　But　the　sudden　shock　of　Patrick's　danger　roused　him　to　a　new　sense　of　shame。　　King　Henry's　death　had　lifted　his　mind　out　of　the　earthly　atmosphere；　and　then　the　treasure　of　Esclairmonde's　pure　and　perfect　trust　seemed　to　be　the　one　thing　to　be　guarded　worthily　and　truly。　　It　gave　him　weight；　drew　him　out　of　himself；　lifted　him　above　the　boyish　atmosphere　of　random　self…indulgence　and　amusement。　　To　be　the　protector　who　should　guard　her　vows　for　the　heavenly　Bridegroom　to　whom　her　soul　was　devoted；　was　indeed　a　championship　that　in　his　eyes　could　only　have　befitted　Sir　Galahad；　and　a　Galahad　would　he　strive　to　be；　so　long　as　that　championship　held　him　to　the　secular　life。　　James　and　Bedford　both　told　him　he　had　won　his　spurs；　and　should　have　them　on　the　next　fit　occasion；　but　he　had　ceased　to　care　for　knighthood；　save　in　that　half…consecrated　aspect　which　he　thought　would　render　his　guardianship　less　unmeet　for　Esclairmonde。

She　had　not　shunned　to　send　him　a　kind　greeting　on　hearing　of　his　wound；　and　by　way　of　token　a　fresh　leaf　of　vellum　with　a　few　more　of　those　meditations　from　Zwollmeditations　that　he　spelled　over　from　Latin　into　English；　and　dwelt　upon　in　great　tranquillity　and　soothing　of　spirit　during　the　days　that　he　was　confined　to　his　bed。

These　were　not　many。　　He　was　on　his　feet　by　the　time　the　funeral　cavalcade　was　in　readiness　to　move　from　Vincennes　to　convey　Henry　of　Monmouth　to　his　last　resting…place　in　Westminster　Abbey。　　Bedford　could　not　be　spared　to　return　to　England；　and　was　only　to　go　as　far　as　Calais；　and　James　of　Scotland　was　therefore　to　act　as　chief　mourner；　attended　by　his　own　small　personal　suite。

Sir　Patrick　Drummondthough；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　he　muttered　that　he　should　as　soon　have　thought　of　becoming　mourner　at　the　foul　fiend's　funeral　as　at　the　King　of　England'scould　not　object　to　swell　the　retinue　of　his　sovereign　by　his　knighthood；　and　though　neither　he　nor　Malcolm　were　in　condition　for　a　campaign；　both　could　ride　at　the　slow　pace　of　the　mournful　procession。

The　coffin　was　laid　on　a　great　car；　drawn　by　four　black　horses；　and　surmounted　by　Henry's　effigy；　made　in　boiled　leather　and　coloured　to　the　life；　robed　in　purple　and　ermine；　crown　on　head；　sceptre　and　orb　in　either　hand。　　The　great　knights　and　nobles　rode　on　each　side；　carrying　the　banners　of　the　Saints；　and　close　behind　came　James　and　Bedford；　each　with　his　immediate　attendants；　then　the　household　officers　of　the　King；　Fitzhugh　his　chamberlain；　Montagu　his　cup…　bearer；　Ralf　Percy　and　his　other　squires；　and　all　the　rest。　　Four　hundred　men…at…arms　in　black　armour；　with　lances　pointed　downwards；　formed　the　guard　behind；　and　the　vanguard　was　of　clergy；　robed　in　white；　bearing　banners　and　wax　lights；　and　chanting　psalms。　　At　the　border　of　every　parish；　all　the　ecclesiastics　thereto　appertaining；　parochial；　chantry；　and　monastic；　turned　out　to　meet　the　procession　with　their　tapers；　escorted　it　to　the　principal　church；　performed　Mass　there；　if　it　were　in　the　forenoon；　and　then　accompanied　the　coffin　to　the　other　limit　of　their　ground；　and　consigned　it　to　the　clerks　of　the　next　parish。　　At　night；　the　royal　remains　always　rested　in　a　church；　guarded　by　alternate　watches　of　the　English　men…at…arms；　and　sung　over　by　the　local　clergy；　while　the　escort　were　quartered　in　the　town；　village；　or　abbey　where　the　halt　chanced　to　be　made。　　Very　slow　was　this　progress；　almost　like　a　continual　dream　was　that　long　column；　moving；　moving　onwhite　in　front；　black　behindwhen　seen　winding　over　a　hill；　or；　sometimes；　the　banners　peering　over　the　autumn　foliage　of　some　thicket；　all　composed　to　profound　silence　and　tardy　measured　tread；　while　the　chants　rose　and　fell　with　the　breeze；　like　unearthly　music。　　Many　moved　on　more　than　half　asleep；　and　others　of　the　younger　men　felt　like　Ralf　Percy；　who；　for　all　his　real　sorrow　for　the　King；　declared　that；　were　it　not　for　rushing　out；　morning　and　evening；　for　a　bathe　and　a　gallop；　to　fly　a　hawk　or　chase　a　hare；　he　should　some　day　run　crazed；　blow　out　all　the　wax　lights；　or　play　some　mad　prank　to　break　the　intolerable　oppression。　　Malcolm　smiled　at　this；　but　to　him；　still　in　the　dreamy　inertness　of　recovery；　this　tranquil　onward　movement　in　the　still　autumn　weat