the caged lion-第62章

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teadfast。

Father　Akefield　could　tell　nothing　of　Lilias　since　his　own　expulsion；　but　as　the　Prioress　of　St。　Abbs　was　herself　a　Drummond；　and　no　one　durst　interfere　with　her；　he　had　no　alarms　for　her　safety。　　But　he　advised　the　two　gentlemen　to　go　straight　to　St。　Abbs；　without　showing　themselves　at　Coldingham；　lest　Prior　Drax；　being　in　the　Albany　interest；　should　make　any　demur　at　giving　her　up　to　the　care　of　the　brother；　who　still　wanted　some　months　of　his　twenty…first　year。

Accordingly　they　pushed　on；　and　in　due　time　slept　at　Berwick；　receiving　civilities　from　the　English　governor　that　chafed　Patrick's　blood；　which　became　inflammable　as　soon　as　he　neared　the　Border；　and　rising　early　the　next　morning；　they　passed　the　gates；　and　were　on　Scottish　ground　once　more；　their　hearts　bounding　at　the　sense　that　it　was　their　own　land；　and　would　soon　be　no　more　a　land　of　misrule。　With　their　knowledge　of　King　James　and　his　intentions；　well　might　they　have　unlimited　hopes　for　the　country　over　which　he　was　about　to　reign。

They　turned　aside　from　Coldingham；　and　made　for　the　sea；　and　at　length　the　promontory　of　St。　Abbs　Head　rose　before　them；　they　passed　through　the　outer　buildings　intended　as　shelter　for　the　attendants　of　ladies　coming　to　the　nunnery；　and　knocked　at　the　gateway。

A　wicket　in　the　door　was　opened；　and　the　portress　looked　out　through　a　grating。

'Benedicite；　good　Sister；'　said　Malcolm。　　'Prithee　tell　the　Mother　Abbess　that　Malcolm　Stewart　of　Glenuskie　is　here　from　the　King；　and　craves　to　speak　with　her　and　the　Lady　Lilias。'

'Lord　Malcolm！　　Lady　Lilias！　　St。　Ebba's　good　mercy！'　shrieked　the　affrighted　portress。　　They　heard　her　rushing　headlong　across　the　court；　and　looked　on　one　another　in　consternation。

Patrick　betook　himself　to　knocking　as　if　he　would　beat　down　the　door；　and　Malcolm　leant　against　it　with　a　foreboding　that　took　away　his　breathdreading　the　moment　when　it　should　be　opened。

The　portress　and　her　keys　returned　again；　and　parleyed　a　moment。　'You　are　the　Lord　Malcolm　in　very　deedin　the　flesh？'

'Wherefore　not？'　demanded　Malcolm。

'Nay；　but　we　heard　ye　were　slain；　my　lord；'　explained　the　portress　letting　him　in；　however；　and　leading　them　across　the　court；　to　where　the　Mother　Abbess；　Annabel　Drummond；　awaited　them　in　the　parlour。

'Alas；　Sirs；　what　grievous　error　has　this　been？'　was　her　exclamation；　while　Malcolm；　scarcely　waiting　for　salutation；　demanded；　'Where　is　my　sister？'

'How？　　In　St。　Hilda's　keeping　at　Whitby；　whither　the　King　sent　for　her；'　said　the　Abbess。

'The　King！'　cried　Malcolm；　'we　come　from　the　King！　　Oh；　what　treachery　has　been　here？'

'And　you；　Lord　Malcolmand　you；　my　kinsman；　Sir　Patrick　of　the　Braes；　how　do　I　see　you　here？　　We　had　heard　you　both　were　dead。'

'You　heard　a　lying　tale　then；　good　Mother；'　said　Patrick；　gruffly；　'no　doubt　devised　for　the　misery　of　theof　my'　　He　could　not　finish　the　sentence；　and　Malcolm　entreated　the　Abbess　to　tell　the　whole。

It　appeared　that　about　a　year　previously　the　chaplain　of　the　monastery　had　learnt　at　Coldingham　that　Sir　John　Swinton　of　Swinton　had　sent　home　tidings　that　Patrick　Drummond　had　been　thrown　from　his　horse　and　left　behind　in　a　village　which　the　English　had　harried；　and　as　he　could　not　move；　he　was　sure　to　have　been　either　burnt　or　hung。　This　conclusion　was　natural；　and　argued　no　malice　in　the　reporter；　and　while　poor　Lilias　was　still　in　her　first　agony　of　grief；　Prior　Drax　sent　over　intelligence　derived　from　the　Duke　of　Albany　himself　that　Malcolm　Stewart　of　Glenuskie　had　been　stabbed　in　the　forest　of　Vincennes。　　This　report　Malcolm　himself　accounted　for。　　He　had　heard　a　Scots　tongue　among　his　foes；　though　national　feeling　had　made　him　utterly　silent　on　that　head　to　the　Duke　of　Bedford；　and　he　guessed　it　to　belong　to　a　certain　M'Kay；　whose　clan　regarded　themselves　as　at　feud　with　the　Stewarts；　and　of　whom　he　had　heard　as　living　a　wild　routier　life。　　He　had　probably　been　hired　by　Ghisbert　for　the　attack；　and　had　returned　home　and　spread　the　report　of　its　success。

Some　few　weeks　later；　the　Abbess　Annabel　continued；　there　had　arrived　two　monks　from　Coldingham；　with　an　escort；　declaring　themselves　to　have　received　orders　from　King　James　to　transport　the　Lady　Lilias　to　the　nunnery　at　Whitby；　where　the　Abbess　had　promised　to　receive　her；　till　he　could　determine　her　fate。

The　forlorn　and　desolate　Lilias；　believing　herself　to　stand　alone　in　the　world；　was　very　loth　to　quit　her　shelter　and　her　friends　at　St。　Abbs；　but　the　Abbess；　doubting　her　own　ability　to　protect　her　from　the　rapacious　grasp　of　Walter　Stewart；　now　that　she　had；　as　she　believed；　become　an　heiress；　and　glad　to　avert　from　her　house　the　persecution　that　such　protection　would　bring　upon　it；　had　gratefully　heard　of　this　act　of　consideration　on　the　King's　part；　and　expedited　her　departure。　　The　two　monks；　Simon　Bell　and　Ringan　Johnstone；　had　not　returned　to　the　monastery；　but　had　been　thought　to　be　in　the　parent　house　at　Durham；　but　Malcolm；　who　knew　Brother　Simon　by　sight；　was　clear　that　he　had　not　seen　him　there。

All　this　had　taken　place　a　year　ago；　and　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　some　treachery　had　been　exercised。　　Nothing　had　since　been　heard　of　Lilias；　none　of　Malcolm's　letters　had　reached　St。　Abbs；　having　doubtless　been　suppressed　by　the　Prior　of　Coldingham；　and　all　that　was　certain　was　that　Walter　Stewart；　to　whom　their　first　suspicions　directed　themselves；　had　not　publicly　avouched　any　marriage　with　Lilias　or　claimed　the　Glenuskie　estates；　or　the　King；　who　had　of　late　been　in　close　correspondence　with　Scotland；　must　have　heard　of　it。　And　it　was　also　hardly　possible　that　the　Regent　Murdoch　and　his　sons；　though　they　might　for　a　few　weeks　have　been　misled　by　M'Kay's　report；　should　not　have　soon　become　aware　of　Malcolm's　existence。

Unless；　then；　Walter　had　married　her　'on　the　first　brash；'　as　Patrick　called　it；　he　might　not　have　thought　her　a　prize　worth　the　winning；　but　the　whole　aspect　of　affairs　had　become　most　alarming；　and　Malcolm　turned　pale　as　death　at　the　thought　that　his　sister　might　be　suffering　retribution　for　the　sin　he　had　contemplated。

The　danger　was　terrible！　　He　could　not　imagine　Lilias　to　have　the　moral　grandeur　and　force　of　Esclairmonde。　　Moreover；　she　supposed　her　lover　dead；　and　had　not　the　same　motive　for　guarding　her　troth。　Forlorn　and　despairing；　she　might　have　yielded；　and　Walter　Stewart　was；　Malcolm　verily　believed；　worse　to　deal　with　than　even　Boemond。　As　the　whole　danger　and　uncertainty　came　over　him；　his　senses　seemed　to　reel；　he　leant　back　in　his　seat；　and　heard　as　in　the　midst　of　a　dream　his　sister's　sobs　and　groans；　Patrick's　fierce　and　furious　exclamations；　and　the　Abbess's　attempts　at　consoling　him。　　Dizzy　with　horror　at　the　scene　he　realized；　Lilias's　cries　and　shrieks　of　entreaty　were　ringing　in　his　ear；　when　suddenly　a　sweet　full　low　voice　seemed　to　come　through　them；　'I　am　bound　ever　to　pray　for　you　and　your　sister。'　　Mingled　with　the　cry　came　ever　the　sweet　soft　Litany　cadences'For　all　that　are　desolate　and　oppressed：　　we　beseech　Thee　to　hear　us；　good　Lord。'　Gradually　the　cries　seemed　to　be　swallowed　up；　both　voices　blended　in　Kyrie　eleison　and　then　in　the　Gloria；　and　at　that　moment　he　became　aware　of　Patrick　crying；　'I　will　seek　her　in　every　castle　in　Scotland。'

'Stay；　Patrick；'　he　said；　rising；　though　forced　to　hold　by　his　chair；　'that　must　be　my　part。'

'Youwhy；　the　laddie　is　white　as　a　sheet！　　He　well…nigh　swooned　at　the　tidings。　　You　seek　her；　forsooth！'　and　Patrick　laughed　bitterly。

'Yes；　Patie；'　said　Malcolm；　'for　this　I　am　strong。　　It　is　my　duty　and　not　yours；　and　God　will　strengthen　me　for　it。'

Patrick　burst　out　at　this：　　'Neither　man　nor　devil　shall　tell　me　it　is　not　mine！'

'You　are　the　King's　prisoner　still；'　said　Malcolm；　rising　to　energy；　'you　are　bound　to　return　to　him。　　The　tidings　must　be　taken　to　him　at　once。'

'A　groom　could　do　that。'

'Neither　so　swiftly　nor　surely　as　you。　　Moreover；　your　word　of　honour　binds　you　not　to　wander　at　your　own　pleasure。'

'My　honour　binds　me　not　to　trust　youwee　Malcolmto　wander　into　the　wolf's　cage　alone。'

'I　am　not　the　silly　feckless　callant　I　once　was；　Patie；'　answered　Malcolm。　　'There　are　many　places　where　my　student's　serge　gown　will　take