the caged lion-第59章

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cancy　at　St。　Katharine's；　and　this　would　be　the　signal　for　dissolving　the　contract　of　marriage；　after　which　his　present　vision　was　to　bestow　Lilias　upon　Patrick；　make　over　his　estates　to　them；　take　minor　orders；　and　set　forth　for　Italy；　there　to　pursue　those　deeper　studies　in　theology　and　language　for　which　Padua　and　Bologna　were　famous。　　It　was　many　months　since　he　had　heard　of　Lilias；　but　this　did　not　give　him　any　great　uneasiness；　for　messengers　were　few；　and　letter…writing　far　from　being　a　common　practice。　　He　had　himself　written　at　every　turning…point　of　his　life；　and　sent　his　letters　when　the　King　communicated　with　Scotland；　but　from　his　sister　he　had　heard　nothing。

He　had　lately　won　his　first　degree　as　Bachelor　of　Arts；　and　was　descending　the　stair　from　the　Hall　after　a　Lenten　meal　on　salt　fish；　when　he　saw　below　him　the　well…known　figure　of　King　James's　English　servant；　who　doffing　his　cap　held　out　to　him　a　small　strip　of　folded　paper；　fastened　by　a　piece　of　crimson　silk　and　the　royal　seal。　　It　only　bore　the　words：…


TO　OUR　RIGHT　TRUSTY　AND　WELL…BELOVED　COUSIN　THE　LORD　MALCOLM　STEWART　OF　GLENUSKIE　THIS　LETTER　BE　TAKEN。

'DEAR　COUSIN；

'We　greet　you　well；　and　pray　you　to　come　to　us　without　loss　of　time；　having　need　of　you；　we　being　a　free　man　and　no　captive。

'Yours；　'JAMES　R。

'Written　at　the　Castle　of　Windsor　this　St。　David's　Day；　1424。'


'A　free　man：'　the　words　kept　ringing　in　Malcolm's　ears　while　he　hastened　to　obtain　license　from　Warden　John　Bonke；　and　to　take　leave　of　Dr。　Bennet。　　He　had　not　left　Oxford　since　the　beginning　of　his　residence　there。　　Vacations　were　not　general　dispersions　when　ways　and　means　of　transit　were　so　scarce　and　tardy；　and　Malcolm　had　been　long　without　seeing　his　king。　　Joy　on　his　sovereign's　account；　and　his　country's；　seemed　to　swallow　up　all　other　thoughts；　as　to　himself；　when　he　bade　his　friends　and　masters　farewell；　he　declared　it　was　merely　for　a　time；　and　when　they　shook　their　heads　and　augured　otherwise；　he　replied：　　'Nay；　think　you　I　could　live　in　the　Cimmerian　darkness　yonder；　dear　sirs？　　Our　poor　country　hath　nothing　better　than　mere　monastery　schools；　and　light　of　science　having　once　shone　on　me；　I　cannot　but　dwell　in　her　courts　for　ever！　　Soon　shall　I　be　altogether　her　son　and　slave！'

Nevertheless；　Malcolm　was　full　of　eagerness；　and　pressed　on　rapidly　through　the　lanes　between　Oxford　and　Windsor；　rejoicing　to　find　himself　amid　the　noble　trees　of　the　forest；　over　which　arose　in　all　its　grandeur　the　Castle　and　Round　Tower；　as　beautiful　though　less　unique　than　now；　and　bearing　on　it　the　royal　standard；　for　the　little　King　was　still　nursed　there。

Under　the　vaulted　gateway　Jameswith　Patrick　and　Bairdsbrae　behind　himmet　Malcolm；　and　threw　his　arms　round　him；　crying：　　'Ay；　kiss　me；　boy；　'tis　a　king　and　no　caitiff　you　kiss　now！　　Another　six　weeks；　and　then　for　the　mountain　and　the　moor　and　the　bonnie　north　countree。'

'And　why　not　for　a　month？'　was　Malcolm's　question；　as　hand　and　eye　and　face　responded　heartily。

'Why？　　Why；　because　moneys　must　be　told　down；　and　treaties　signed；　ay；　and　Lent　is　no　time　for　weddings；　nor　March　for　southland　roses　to　travel　to　our　cold　winds。　　Ay；　Malcolm；　you　see　a　bridegroom　that　is　to　be！　　Did　you　think　I　was　going　home　without　her？'

'I　did　not　think　you　would　be　in　such　glee　even　at　being　free；　my　lord；　if　you　were。'

'And　now；　Malcolm；　ken　ye　of　ony　fair　Scottish　lassiea　cousin　of　mine　ain；　who　could　be　had　to　countenance　my　bride　at　our　wedding；　and　ride　with　us　thereafter　to　Scotland？'

'I　know　whom　your　Grace　means；'　said　Malcolm；　smiling。

'An　if　you　do；　maybe；　Malcolm；　sin　she　bides　not　far　frae　the　border；　ye'd　do　me　the　favour　of　riding　with　Sir　Patrick　here；　and　bringing　her　to　the　bridal；'　said　the　King；　making　his　accent　more　home…like　and　Scottish　than　Malcolm　had　ever　heard　it　before。

The　happiness　of　that　spring　afternoon　was　surpassing。　　The　King　linked　his　arm　into　Malcolm's；　and　walked　up　and　down　with　him　on　the　slopes；　telling　him　all　that　had　led　to　this　consummation；　how　Walter　Stewart　and　his　brothers　had　become　so　insolent　and　violent　as　to　pass　the　endurance　of　their　father　the　Regent；　as　well　as　of　all　honest　Scots；　and　how；　after　secret　negotiations　and　vain　endeavours　to　obtain　from　him　a　pledge　of　indemnity　for　all　that　had　happened；　the　matter　had　been　at　length　opened　with　Gloucester；　Beaufort；　and　the　Council。　　The　Scottish　nation；　with　Albany　at　the　head；　was　really　recalling　the　King。　　This　was　the　condition　on　which　Henry　V。　had　always　declared　that　he　should　be　liberated；　these　were　the　terms　on　which　he　had　always　hoped　to　return；　and　his　patience　was　at　last　rewarded。　　Bedford　had　sent　his　joyful　consent；　and　all　was　now　concluded。　　James　was　really　free；　and　waited　only　for　his　marriage。

'I　would　not　tell　you；　Malcolm；　while　there　might　yet　be　a　slip　between　cup　and　lip；'　said　the　King；　'it　might　have　hindered　the　humanities；　and　yet　I　needed　you　as　much　when　I　was　glad　as　when　all　seemed　like　to　fail！'

'You　had　Patrick；'　said　Malcolm。

'Patrick's　a　tall　and　trusty　fellow；'　said　the　King；　'with　a　shrewd　wit；　and　like　to　be　a　right…hand　man；　but　there's　something　in　you；　Malcolm；　that　makes　a　man　turn　to　you　for　fellow…feeling；　even　as　to　a　wife。'

Nevertheless；　the　King　and　Patrick　had　grown　much　attached　to　each　other；　though　the　latter；　being　no　lover　of　books；　had　wearied　sorely　of　the　sojourn　at　Windsor；　which　the　King　himself　only　found　endurable　by　much　study　and　reflection。　　Their　only　variety　had　been　keeping　Christmas　at　Hertford　with　Queen　Catherine；　'sorry　pastime；'　as　Drummond　reported　it　to　him；　though　gladdened　to　the　King　by　Joan　Beaufort's　presence；　in　all　her　charms。

'The　Demoiselle　of　Luxemburg　was　there　too；　statelier　than　ever；'　said　James。　　'She　is　now　at　Middleham　Castle；　with　the　Lady　Montagu；　and　you　might　make　it　your　way　northward；　and　lodge　a　night　there。　If　you　can　win　her　consent；　it　were　well　to　be　wedded　when　we　are。'

'Never　shall　I；　my　lord。　　I　should　not　dare　even　to　speak　of　it。'

'It　is　well；　but；　Malcolm；　you　merit　something　from　the　damsel。　　You　are　ten　times　the　man　you　were　when　she　flouted　you。　　If　women　were　not　mostly　witless；　you　would　be　much　to　be　preferred　to　any　mere　Ajax　or　Fierabras；　and　if　this　damsel　should　have　come　to　the　wiser　mind　that　it　were　pity　to　be　buried　to　the　world'

'Sir；　I　pray　you　say　no　more。　　I　were　forsworn　to　ask　such　a　thing。'

'I　bid　you　not；　only　I　would　I　were　there　to　see　that　all　be　not　lost　for　want　of　a　word　in　season；　and　it　is　high　time　that　something　be　done。　　Here　be　letters　from　my　Lord　of　Therouenne；　demanding　the　performance　of　the　contract　ere　our　return　home。'

'He　cannot　reach　her　here；'　said　Malcolm。

'No；　but　his　outcry　can　reach　your　honour；　and　it　were　ill　to　have　such　a　house　as　that　of　Luxemburg　crying　out　upon　you　for　breach　of　faith　to　their　daughter。'

Malcolm　smiled。　　'That　I　should　heed　little；　Sir。　　I　would　fain　bear　something　for　her。'

'Why；　this　is　mere　sublimated　devoir；　too　fine　for　our　gross　understandings；'　said　James；　ironically。　　'Mayhap　the　sight　of　the　soft　roseate　cheek　may　bring　it　somewhat　down　to　poor　human　flesh　and　blood　once　more。'

'Once　I　was　tempted；　Sir；'　said　Malcolm；　blushing　deeply；　'but　did　I　not　know　that　her　holiness　is　the　guardian　of　her　earthly　beauty；　I　would　not　see　her　again。'

'Nay；　there　I　command　you；'　said　the　King；　'soon　I　shall　have　subjects　enough；　but　while　I　have　but　half　a　dozen；　I　cannot　be　disobeyed　by　them！　　I　bid　you　go　to　Middleham；　and　there　I　leave　all　to　the　sight。'

The　King　spoke　gaily；　and　with　such　kind　good…humour　that　Malcolm；　humiliated　by　the　thought　of　the　past；　durst　not　make　fresh　asseverations。　　James；　in　the　supreme　moment　of　the　pure　and　innocent　romance　of　which　he　was　the　hero；　looked　on　love　like　his　own　as　the　highest　crown　of　human　life；　and　distrusted　the　efforts　after　the　superhuman　which　too　often　were　mere　simulation　or　imitation；　but　a　certain　recollection　of　Henry's　warnings　withheld　him　from　pressing　the　matter；　and　he　returned　to　his　own　joys　and　hopes；　looking　on　the　struggles　he　expected　with　a　strong　man's　exulting　joy；　and　not　even　counting　the　years　of　his　captivit