the caged lion-第60章

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uggles　he　expected　with　a　strong　man's　exulting　joy；　and　not　even　counting　the　years　of　his　captivity　wasted；　though　they　had　taken　away　his　first　youth。

'What　should　I　have　been；'　he　said；　'bred　up　in　the　tumults　at　home？　What　could　I　have　known　better　than　Perth？　　Nay；　had　I　been　sent　home　when　I　came　to　age；　as　a　raw　lad；　how　would　one　or　other　by　fraud　or　force　have　got　the　upper　hand；　so　as　I　might　never　have　won　it　back。　No；　I　would　not　have　foregone　one　year　of　studyfar　less　that　campaign　in　France；　and　the　sight　of　Harry　in　war　and　in　policy。'

James　also　took　Malcolm　to　see　the　child　king；　his　little　master。　This；　the　third　king　of　James's　captivity；　was　now　a　fair　creature　of　two　years　old。　　He　trotted　to　meet　his　visitor；　calling　him　by　a　baby　name　for　brother；　and　stretching　out　his　arms　to　be　lifted　up　and　fondled；　for；　as　Dame　Alice　Boteller；　his　gouvernante；　muttered；　he　knew　the　King　of　Scots　better　than　he　did　his　own　mother。

A　retinue　had　been　already　collected；　and　equipments　prepared；　so　that　there　was　no　delay　in　sending　forth　Malcolm　and　Patrick　upon　their　northward　journey。　　At　the　nearest　town　they　halted；　sending　forward　a　messenger　to　announce　their　neighbourhood　to　the　old　Countess　of　Salisbury　and　her　grand…daughter　Lady　Montagu；　and　to　request　permission　to　halt　for　'Mothering　Sunday'　at　the　Castle。

In　return　a　whole　band　of　squires　and　retainers　came　forth；　headed　by　the　knightly　seneschal；　to　invite　Lord　Malcolm　Stewart　and　his　companion　to　the　Castle；　whereupon　Sir　Patrick　proceeded　to　don　his　gayest　gown　and　chaperon；　and　was　greatly　scandalized　that　Malcolm's　preparation　consisted　in　putting　on　his　black　serge　bachelor's　gown　and　hood　of　rabbit's　fur　such　as　he　wore　at　Oxford；　looking；　as　Patrick　declared；　no　better　than　a　begging　scholar。　　But　Malcolm　had　made　up　his　mind　that　if　he　appeared　before　Esclairmonde　at　all　it　should　be　in　no　other　guise；　and　thus　it　was　that　he　rode　like　a　black　spot　in　the　midst　of　the　cavalcade；　bright　with　the　colours　of　Nevil　and　of　Montagu；　and　was　marshalled　up　the　broad　stairs　by　the　silver　wand　of　the　seneschal。

Lord　Montagu　had　gone　back　to　the　wars；　so　the　family　at　home　consisted　of　the　grand；　stately；　and　distant　old　Countess　of　Salisbury；　and　her　young　grand…daughter；　the　Lady　Montagu；　with　her　three　months'　old　son。　　Each　had　an　almost　royal　suite　of　well…born　dames　and　damsels　in　attendance；　among　whom　the　Demoiselle　de　Luxemburg　alone　was　on　an　equality　with　the　mistresses　of　the　house。　Even　Queen　Catherine's　presence…chamber　had　hardly　equalled　the　grand　baronial　ceremony　of　the　hall；　where　sat　the　three　ladies　in　the　midst　of　their　circle　of　attendants；　male　and　female　ranged　on　opposite　sides；　and　old　Lady　Salisbury　knew　the　exact　number　of　paces　that　it　befitted　her　and　Lady　Montagu　to　advance　to　receive　the　royal　infusion　of　blood　that　flowed　in　the　veins　of　my　Lord　of　Glenuskie。　And　yet　it　was　the　cheek；　and　not　the　hand；　that　were　offered　in　salutation　by　both　ladies；　as　well　as　by　Esclairmonde。　　Malcolm；　however；　only　durst　kneel　on　one　knee　and　salute　her　hand；　and　felt　himself　burning　with　crimson　as　the　touch　and　voice　brought　back　those　longings　that；　as　James　had　said；　proved　him　human　still。　　He　was　almost　glad　that　etiquette　required　him　to　hand　the　aged　Countess　to　her　seat　and　to　devote　his　chief　attention　to　her。

Punctilio　reigned　supreme　in　such　a　house　as　this。　　Nowhere　had　Malcolm　seen　such　observance　of　ceremony；　save　in　the　court　of　the　Duke　of　Burgundy；　and　there　it　was　modified　by　the　presence　of　rough　and　ready　warriors；　but　an　ancient　dame　like　Lady　Salisbury　thought　it　both　the　due　and　the　safeguard　of　her　son's　honour；　and　exacted　it　rigorously　of　all　who　approached　her。

Alice　of　Montagu　had　the　sweet　fragile　look　of　a　young　mother　about　her；　but　her　frightened　fawn　air　was　gone；　she　was　in　her　home；　had　found　her　place；　and　held　it　with　a　simple　dignity　of　her　own；　quite　ready　to　ripen　into　all　the　matronly　authority；　without　the　severe　formality；　of　her　grand…dame。

She　treated　Malcolm　with　a　gentle　smiling　courtesy　such　as　she　had　never　vouchsafed　to　him　before；　and　all　the　shyness　that　had　once　made　her　silent　was　gone；　when　at　the　supper…table；　and　afterwards　seated　around　the　fire；　the　tidings　of　the　camp　and　court　were　talked　over　with　all　the　zest　of　those　to　whom　King　Harry's　last　campaign　was　becoming　'old　times'；　and　what　with　her　husband's　letters　and　opinions；　little　Alice　was　really　the　best…informed　as　to　the　present　state　of　things。　　Esclairmonde　took　her　part　in　the　conversation；　but　there　was　no　opportunity　of　exchanging　a　private　or　personal　word　between　her　and　Malcolm　in　a　party　of　five；　where　one　was　as　vigilant　and　grave…eyed　as　my　Lady　Salisbury。

However；　the　next　was　a　peculiar　day；　the　Fourth　Sunday　in　Lent；　called　'Mothering　Sunday'　because　on　that　day　it　was　originally　the　custom　for　offerings　to　be　carried　from　all　the　country　round　to　the　cathedral　or　mother　church　on　that　day。　　This　custom　had　been　modified；　but　it　was　still　the　rule　that　all　the　persons；　who　at　other　times　worshipped　at　the　nearest　monastery　chapel　or　at　a　private　chapel　in　their　own　houses；　should　on　that　day　repair　to　their　parish　church；　and　there　make　a　special　offering　at　the　Mass　that　offering　which　has　since　become　the　Easter　dues。　　It　was　a　festival　Sunday　too'Refreshing　Sunday'then；　as　now；　marked　by　the　Gospel　on　the　feeding　of　the　multitude；　and　from　this；　as　well　as　from　the　name；　the　pretty　custom　had　begun　of　offering　the　mother　of　each　house　her　rich　simnal　cake；　with　some　other　gift　from　each　of　her　children。

Hearing　a　pattering　of　feet　in　the　early　morning；　Malcolm　looked　out　and　beheld　a　whole　troop　of　small　children　popping　in　and　out　of　a　low　archway。　　If　he　could　have　peeped　in；　he　would　have　known　how　many　simnals　Ladies　Esclairmonde　and　Alice　were　sending　downwith　something　more　substantialto　be　given　to　mothers　by　the　children　who　as　yet　had　nothing　to　bring　of　their　own。

But　when　the　household　assembled　in　the　castle　hall；　they　did　see　fair　young　Lady　Montagu　kneel　at　the　chair　of　the　grave　old　Countess；　and　hold　up　a　silver　dish；　wherein　lay　the　simnal；　mixed；　kneaded；　and　moulded　by　her　own　hands；　and　bearing　on　it　a　rich　ruby　clasp；　sent　by　her　father；　the　Earl；　as　his　special　gift　to　his　mother　on　this　Sunday。

And　then；　when　the　old　lady；　with　glistening　eyes；　had　spoken　her　blessing　on　the　fair　young　head　bent　down　before　her；　and　the　grandchild　rose　up；　there　was　the　pretty　surprise　for　her　of　her　little　swaddled　son；　lying　in　Esclairmonde's　arms；　and　between　the　small　fingers；　that　as　yet　knew　not　how　to　grasp；　the　tiny　simnal；　and　moreover　a　fair　pearl　devised　in　like　manner　by　the　absent　Sir　Richard　as　a　gift　for　his　wife's　first　'Mothering　Sunday。'　　There　was　no　etiquette　here　to　hinder　sweet　Alice　from　passionately　clasping　her　child；　and　covering　him　with　kisses；　as　many　for　his　father　as　for　himself；　as　she　laughed　at　the　baby　smiles　and　helpless　gestures　of　the　future　king…maker；　whose　ambition　and　turbulence　were　to　be　the　ruin　of　that　fair　and　prosperous　household；　and　bring　the　gentle　Alice　to　a　widowed；　bereaved；　and　attainted　old　age。

Well　that　none　there　present　saw　the　future；　as　she　proudly　claimed　the　admiration　of　Malcolm　for　her　babe！

She　was　equipped　for　the　expedition　to　the　parish　church；　as　likewise　were　Esclairmonde　and　almost　all　the　rest；　but　the　aged　Countess　could　not　encounter　the　cold　March　winds；　and　had　a　dispensation；　and　thus　Alice；　being　the　lady　of　the　procession；　contrived　at　the　same　time　to　call　Sir　Patrick　to　her　side；　and　bid　Lord　Malcolm　lead　the　Lady　Esclairmonde。

For　as　the　weather　was　dry　and　cold；　Lady　Montagu　had　chosen　to　go　on　foot；　and　a　grand　procession　it　was　that　she　led；　of　gentlemen　and　ladies；　two　and　two；　in　their　bright　dresses　and　adornments　that　delighted　the　eyes　of　the　homely　yeomen　and　their　wives；　flocking　in　from　their　homesteads　with　baskets　of　offerings；　often　in　kind。

Meantime；　Malcolm；　holding　the　tips　of　Esclairmonde's　fingers；　durst　not　speak　till　she　began：　　'This　is　a　devout　and　pious　household　full　of　peace　and　good　government。'

'And　your　time　goes　happily　here？'　asked　Malcolm。