the caged lion-第61章

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　household　full　of　peace　and　good　government。'

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

'Yes；　it　has　been　a　peaceful　harbour　wherein　to　wait；'　said　Esclairmonde。　　'And　even　if　Alice　were　called　to　her　husband　in　France；　my　Lady　Countess　will　keep　me　with　her　till　there　be　a　vacancy　for　me　at　St。　Katharine's。'

'Have　you　the　promise　from　Queen　Joan？'

'Yes；'　replied　Esclairmonde。　　'The　Countess　had　been　a　lady　of　hers；　and　wrought　with　her；　so　that　whenever　the　post　of　bedeswoman　is　in　her　gift　I　shall　be　preferred　to　it。'

'You；　the　heiress；　accept　the　charity！'　Malcolm　could　not　help　exclaiming。

'The　better　for　all　remnants　of　pride；'　returned　the　lady。　　'And　you；　my　lord；　has　it　fared　well　with　you？'

Malcolm；　happy　in　her　interest；　poured　forth　all　that　he　had　to　tell；　and　she　listened　as　Esclairmonde　alone　could　listen。　　There　was　something　in　her　very　expression　of　attention　that　seemed　to　make　the　speaker　take　out　the　alloy　and　leave　only　his　purest　gold　to　meet　her　ears。　　Malcolm　forgot　those　throbs　of　foolish　wild　hope　that　had　shot　across　him　like　demon　temptations　to　hermit　saints；　and　only　felt　that　the　creature　of　his　love　and　reverence　was　listening　benignly　as　he　told　her　of　the　exceeding　delight　that　he　was　unravelling　in　learned　lore；　how　each　step　showed　him　further　heights；　and　how　he　had　come　to　view　the　Light　of　the　World　as　the　light　of　wisdom；　to　the　research　of　which　he　meant　to　devote　his　entire　life；　among　universities　and　manuscripts。

'The　Light　of　Wisdom；'　repeated　Esclairmonde'so　it　may　be；　for　Christ　is　Heavenly　Wisdom；　but　I　doubt　me　if　the　Light　of　the　World　lies　solely　in　books　and　universities。'

'Nay；'　said　Malcolm。　　'Once　I　was　fool　enough　to　fancy　it　was　the　light　of　glory；　calling　knights　to　deeds　of　fame　and　chivalry。　　I　have　seen　mine　error　now；　andoh；　lady；　what　mean　you？　where　should　that　light　be；　save　in　the　writings　of　wise　and　holy　men？'

'Methinks；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'that　the　light　is　there；　even　as　the　light　is　also　before　the　eyes　of　the　true　knight；　but　it　is　not　only　there。'

'Where　is　it　then？'　said　Malcolm。　　'In　helmet　or　in　cowl；　I　am　the　sworn　champion　of　the　Light　of　the　World。'

'The　Light；'　said　Esclairmonde；　looking　upwards；　'the　true　Light　of　the　World　is　the　Blessed　Saviour；　the　Heavenly　Wisdom　of　God；　and　His　champions　find　Him　and　serve　Him　in　camp；　cloister；　or　school；　or　wherever　He　has　marked　their　path；　so　as　they　seek　not　their　own　profit　or　glory；　and　lay　not　up　their　treasure　for　themselves　on　earth。'

'Then　surely；'　said　Malcolm；　'the　hoards　of　deep　study　within　the　mind　are　treasures　beyond　the　earth。'

'Your　schoolmen　speak　of　spirit；　mind；　and　body；'　said　Esclairmonde　'at　least　so　I；　an　ignorant　woman；　have　been　told。　　Should　not　the　true　Light　for　eternity　lighten　the　spirit　rather　than　the　mind？'

Malcolm　pondered　and　said：　　'I　thought　I　had　found　the　right　path　at　last！'

'Naynever；　never　did　I　say　otherwise；'　cried　Esclairmonde。　　'To　seek　God's　Light　in　good　men's　words；　and　pursue　it；　must　be　a　blessed　task。　　Every　task　must　be　blessed　to　which　He　leads。　　And　when　you　are　enlightened　with　that　light；　you　will　hold　it　up　to　others。　　When　you　have　found　the　treasure；　you　will　scatter　it　here；　and　so　lay　it　up　above。'

Esclairmonde's　words　were　almost　a　riddle　to　Malcolm；　but　his　reverence　for　her　made　him　lay　them　up　deeply；　as　he　watched　her　kneeling　at　the　Mass；　her　upturned　face　beaming　with　an　angelic　expression。

His　mind　was　much　calmed　by　this　meeting。　　It　had　had　an　absolutely　contrary　effect　to　what　King　James　had　expected；　by　spiritualizing　his　love；　and　increasing　that　reverence　which　cast　out　its　earthliness。　　That　first　throb　which　had　been　so　keen　at　meeting；　and　knowing　her　not　for　him；　had　passed　away　in　the　refining　of　that　distant　worship　he　had　paid　her　in　those　days　of　innocence。

Lady　Montagu　was　quite　satisfied　with　him　now。　　He　was　the　Malcolm　of　her　first　acquaintance；　only　without　his　foolish　diffidence；　and　with　a　weight　and　earnestness　that　made　him　a　man　and　not　a　boy；　and　she　cordially　invited　him　to　bring　his　sister　with　him；　and　rest；　on　the　way　southward。　　He　agreed　most　thankfully；　since　this　would　be　the　only　opportunity　of　showing　Esclairmonde　and　Lilias　one　to　the　other；　as　well　as　one　of　his　own　few　chances　of　seeing　Esclairmonde。

Once　they　must　meet；　that　their　promises　might　be　restored　the　one　to　the　other；　but　as　the　betrothal　remained　the　lady's　security；　this　could　not　be　done　till　she　became　pledged　at　St。　Katharine's。　　When　the　opportunity　came；　she　was　to　send　Malcolm　a　messenger；　and　he　would　come　to　her　at　once。　　Until　then　he　promised　that　he　would　not　leave　Great　Britain。

On　Monday　the　cousins　proceeded；　coming　after　a　time　to　the　route　by　which　Malcolm　had　ridden　three　years　before；　and　where　he　was　now　at　home　in　comparison　with　Patrick。　　How　redolent　it　was　with　recollections　of　King　Harry；　in　all　his　gaiety　and　grace；　ere　the　shock　of　his　brother's　death　had　fallen　on　him！　　At　Thirsk；　Malcolm　told　of　the　prowess　and　the　knighthood　of　honest　Trenton　and　Kitson；　to　somewhat　incredulous　ears。　　The　two　squires　had　been　held　as　clownish　fellows；　and　the　sentiment　of　the　country　was　that　Mistress　Agnes　was　well　quit　of　them；　and　the　rough　guardianship　by　which　they　had　kept　off　all　other　suitors。　　As　mine　host　concluded；　''Tis　a　fine　thing　to　go　to　the　wars。'

Hearing　that　Kitson's　mother　lived　not　a　mile　out　of　his　way；　Malcolm　rode　to　the　fine　old　moated　grange；　where　he　found　her　sitting　at　her　spinning；　presiding　over　a　great　plentiful　household；　while　her　second　son；　a　much　shrewder…looking　man　than　Sir　Christopher；　managed　the　farm。

The　travellers　were　welcomed　with　eager　hospitality　so　soon　as　it　was　understood　that　they　brought　tidings　of　'our　Kit'；　and　Malcolm's　story　was　listened　to　with　tears　of　joy　by　the　old　lady；　while　the　brother　could　not　get　over　his　amazement　at　hearing　that　Trenton　and　Kitson　had　become　a　proverb　in　the　camp　for　oneness　in　friendship。

'Made　it　up　with　Will　Trenton！　　And　never　fought　it　out！　　I'd　never　know　our　Kit　again　after　that！'

His　steady　bravery；　his　knighthood；　and　the　King's　praise；　his　having　assisted　in　saving　Lord　Glenuskie's　life　against　such　odds；　did　not　seem　to　strike　Wilfred　Kitson　half　as　much　as　the　friendship　with　Trenton；　and　Malcolm　did　not　think　the　regret　was　very　great　at　the　two　knights　having　given　up　their　intention　of　returning。　　'Our　Kit's'　place　seemed　to　have　closed　up　behind　him；　Wilfred　seemed　to　be　too　much　master　to　be　ready　to　give　up　to　the　elder　brother；　and　even　the　mother　had　learnt　to　do　without　him。　　'I'll　warrant；'　quoth　she；　'that　now　he　is　a　knight　and　got　used　to　fine　French　ways；　he'll　think　nothing　good　enow　for　him。　　And　if　he　brought　Will　Trenton　with　him；　I'd　not　sit　at　the　board　with　the　fellow。But　ye'll　ride　over；　Wilfred；　and　take　care　the　minx　Agnes　knows　what　she's　lost。　　Ay；　and　if　you　knew　of　a　safe　hand；　Sir；　when　the　shearing　is　over　I'd　send　the　lad　a　purse　of　nobles　to　keep　up　his　knighthood　in　the　camp；　forsooth。'

'Certes；'　said　Malcolm；　as　after　a　salt…fish　dinner　he　mounted　again；　'if　honest　Kitson　knew；　he　would　scarce　turn　back　from　the　camp；　where　he　is　somebody。　　Shall　we　find　ourselves　as　little　wanted　when　we　get　home；　Patie？'

Patrick　drew　himself　up　with　a　happy　face　of　secret　assurance。　Nothing　could　make　Lilias　forsake　him；　he　well　knew。

At　Durham　they　found　their　good　friend　Father　Akefield；　erst　Prior　of　Coldingham；　but　who　had　been　violently　dispossessed　by　the　House　of　Albany　in　favour　of　their　candidate；　Drax；　about　a　year　before；　and　was　thankful　to　have　been　allowed　with　a　few　English　monks　to　retire　across　the　Border　to　the　mother　Abbey　at　Durham。

The　good　father　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes　when　he　beheld　Malcolm；　now　a　comely　and　personable　young　gentleman；　less　handsome　and　graceful　indeed　than　many；　but　with　all　his　painful　personal　peculiarities　gone；　with　none　of　the　scared；　imploring　look；　but　with　a　grave　thoughtful　earnestness　about　his　face；　as　though　all　that　once　was　timid　and　wandering　was　now　fixed　and　steadfast。

Father　Akefield　could　tell　nothing　of　Lilias　since　his　own　expulsion；　but　as　the　Priore