the caged lion-第63章

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'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　me　safely；　where　your　corslet　and　lance　would　never　find　entrance。　　No　one　will　know　me　again　as　I　am　now：　　will　they；　holy　Mother？'

'Assuredly　not；'　said　the　Abbess。

'A　student　is　too　mean　a　prey　to　be　meddled　with；'　proceeded　Malcolm；　'and　is　sure　of　hospitality　in　castle　or　convent。　　I　can　try　at　Coldingham　to　find　out　whither　the　two　monks　are　gone；　and　then　follow　up　the　track。'

Patrick　stormed　at　the　plan；　and　was　most　unwilling　it　should　be　adopted。　　He　at　least　must　follow；　and　keep　watch　over　his　young　cousin；　or　it　would　be　a　mere　throwing　the　helve　after　the　hatcheta　betrayal　of　his　trust。

But　a　little　reflection　convinced　him　that　thus　to　follow　would　only　bring　suspicion　on　Malcolm　and　defeat　his　plans；　and　that　it　were　better　to　obtain　some　certain　information　ere　the　King　should　come　home；　and　have　to　interfere　with　a　high　hand；　and　Malcolm's　arguments　about　his　obligations　as　a　captive；　too；　had　their　effect。　　He　perceived　his　own　incapacity　to　act；　and　in　his　despair　at　nothing　being　done　consented　to　risk　Malcolm　in　the　search；　while　he　himself　should　proceed　to　the　King；　only　ascertaining　on　the　way　that　Lilias　was　not　at　Whitby。　　And　so；　in　grief　and　anxiety；　the　cousins　parted；　and　Malcolm　alone　durst　speak　a　word　of　hope。



CHAPTER　XVII：　　THE　BEGGING　SCHOLAR



'The　poor　scholar；'　now　only　existing　in　Ireland　and　Brittanynay；　we　believe　extinct　there　since　the　schoolmaster　has　become　not　abroad；　but　at　home；　in　Government　collegeswas　to　be　found　throughout　the　commonwealth　of　Europe　in　the　Middle　Ages。　　Young　lads；　in　whom　convent　schools　had　developed　a　thirst　for　learning；　could　only　gratify　it　by　making　their　way　to　some　university；　where　between　begging；　singing；　teaching；　receiving　doles；　earning　rewards　in　encounters　of　wit　and　learning；　doing　menial　services　and　using　all　manner　of　shifts；　they　contrived　to　live　a　hard　life；　half　savage　on　the　one　side；　highly　intellectual　upon　the　other。　　They　would　suck　the　marrow　of　one　university；　and　then　migrate　to　another；　and　the　rank　they　had　gained　in　the　first　was　available　in　the　second；　so　that　it　was　no　means　uncommon　for　them　to　bring　away　degrees　from　half　the　universities　in　Europe；　all　of　which　formed　one　general　systemall　were　like　islands　of　one　country；　whose　common　language　was　queer　Latin；　and　whose　terms；　manners；　and　customs　were　alike　in　all　main　points。

Scotland　contributed　many　of　her　sons　to　this　curious　race　of　vagabond　students；　when　she　herself　was　without　any　university　to　satisfy　the　cravings　of　her　thoughtful　and　intellectual　people。　　'No　country　without　a　Scot　or　a　flea'　was　an　uncomplimentary　proverb　due　to　the　numerous　young　clerks；　equally　fierce　for　frays　and　for　lectures；　who　flocked　to　the　seats　of　learning　on　the　Continent；　and　sometimes　became　naturalized　there；　sometimes　came　home　again；　to　fight　their　way　to　the　higher　benefices　of　the　Church；　or　to　become　councillors　of　state。

It　was　true　that　Malcolm　was　an　Oxford　scholar；　or　rather　bachelor；　and　that　Oxford　and　Cambridge　were　almost　the　only　universities　where　Scots　were　nottheir　place　being　taken　by　multitudinous　Irish；　yet　not　only　were　all　universities　alike　in　essentials；　but　he　had　seen　and　heard　enough　of　that　at　Paris　to　be　able　to　personate　a　clerk　from　thence。

It　was　no　small　plunge　for　one　hitherto　watched；　tended；　and　guarded　as　Malcolm　had　been；　to　set　forth　entirely　alone；　but　as　he　had　approached　manhood；　and　strengthened　in　body；　his　spirit　had　gained　much　in　courage；　and　the　anxiety　about　his　sister　swallowed　up　all　other　considerations。　　Even　while　he　entreated　the　prayers　of　the　Abbess；　he　felt　quite　sure　that　he　had　those　of　Esclairmonde；　and　when　he　had　hunted　out　of　his　mails　the　plain　bachelor's　rabbit…skin　hood　and　black　gownwhich；　perhaps；　was　a　little　too　fine　in　texture　for　the　poor　wandererand　fastened　on　his　back；　with　a　leathern　thong；　a　package　containing　a　few　books　and　a　change　of　linen；　his　pale　and　intellectual　face　made　him　look　so　entirely　the　young　clerk；　that　Patrick　hardly　believed　it　was　Malcolm。

And　when　the　roads　parted；　and　Drummond　and　his　escort　had　to　turn　towards　Berwick；　while　Malcolm　took　the　path　to　the　monastery；　it　was　the　younger　who　was　the　stronger　and　more　resolute　of　the　two；　for　Patrick　could　neither　reconcile　himself　to　peril　the　boy；　who　had　always　been　his　anxious　trust；　nor　to　return　to　the　King　without　him；　and　yet　no　one　who　loved　Lilias　could　withhold　him　from　his　quest。

Malcolm　did　not　immediately　speed　to　the　monastery　on　taking　leave　of　Patrick。　　He　stood　first　to　watch　the　armour　flashes　gradually　die　away；　and　the　little　troop　grow　smaller　to　his　eye；　across　the　brown　moor；　till　they　were　entirely　out　of　sight；　and　he　himself　left　alone。　　Then　he　knelt　by　a　bush　of　gorse；　told　his　beads；　and　earnestly　entreated　direction　and　aid　for　himself；　and　protection　for　his　sister；　and　when　the　sun　grew　so　low　as　to　make　it　time　for　a　wanderer　to　seek　harbour；　he　stained　and　daggled　his　gown　in　the　mire　and　water　of　a　peat…moss；　so　as　to　destroy　its　Oxford　gloss；　took　a　book　in　his　hand；　and　walked　towards　the　monastery；　reciting　Latin　verses　in　the　sing…song　tone　then　universally　followed。

As　he　came　among　the　fields；　he　saw　that　the　peasants；　and　lay　brethren　who　had　been　working　among　them；　were　returning；　some　from　sowing；　others　from　herding　the　cattle；　which　they　drove　before　them　to　the　byre　within　the　protecting　wall　of　the　monastery。

A　monkwith　a　weather…beaten　face　and　athletic　figure；　much　like　a　farmer's　of　the　present　dayovertook　him；　and　hailed　him　with　'Benedicite；　you　there　and　welcome　to　your　clerkship！　　Are　you　coming　for　supper　and　bed　in　the　convent？'

Malcolm　knew　good…natured　Brother　Nicolas；　and　kept　his　hood　well　over　his　face　after　the　first　salutation；　though　he　felt　confident　that　Lord　Malcolm　could　hardly　be　recognized　in　the　begging　scholar；　as　he　made　reply；　'Salve；　reverende　frater。　　Venio　de　Lutetia　Parisiorum。'　｛1｝

'Whisht　with　your　Latin；　laddie；'　said　the　brother。　　'Speak　out；　if　you've　a　Scots　tongue　in　your　head；　and　have　not　left　it　in　foreign　parts。'

'For　bed　and　board；　holy　father；　I　shall　be　most　thankful；'　replied　Malcolm。

'That's　more　like　it；'　said　the　brother；　who　acted　as　a　kind　of　farming　steward；　and　was　a　hearty；　good…natured　gossip。　　'An'　what's　the　name　of　ye？'

He　gave　his　real　Christian　name；　and　added　that　he　came　from　Glenuskie；　where　the　good　Tutor　of　Glenuskie　had　been　kind　enough　to　notice　him。

'Ay；'　said　Brother　Nicolas；　'he　was　a　guid　man　to　all　towardly　youths。　　He　died　in　this　house；　more's　the　pity。'

'Yea；　Sirso　I　heard　say；'　returned　Malcolm。　　'He　was　a　good　friend　to　me！'　he　added；　to　cover　his　heavy　sigh。　　'And；　Sir；　how　went　it　with　the　young　laird　and　leddy？'

'For　the　young　lairda　feckless；　ugsome；　sickly　wean　he　was；　puir　laddiea　knight　cam　by；　an'　behoved　to　take　him　to　the　King。　　Nay；　but　if　you've　been　at　Parishif　that's　what　ye　mean　with　your　Lutetiaye'll　have　seen　him　an'　the　King。'

'I　saw　the　King；'　answered　Malcolm；　'but　among　the　Englishry。'

'A　sorry　sight　enow！'　said　the　monk；　'but　he'll　soon　find　his　Scots　heart　again；　and　here　we've　got　rid　of　the　English　leaven　from　the　house；　and　be　all　sound　and　leal　Scots　here。'

'And　the　lady？'　Malcolm　ventured　to　ask。　　'She　had　a　winsome　face。'

'Ho！　ho！　what　have　young　clerks　to　do　wi'　winsome　faces？'　laughed　the　Benedictine。

'She　was　good　to　me；'　Malcolm　could　truly　say。

'They　had　her　in　St。　Abbs　yonder；'　said　the　monk。

'Is　she　there？'　asked　Malcolm。　　'I　would　pay　my　duty　and　thanks　to　her。'

'Nowthere　I　cannot　say；'　replied　Brother　Nicolas。　　'My　good　Mother　Abbess　and　our　Prior　are　not　the　friends　they　were　in　Prior　Akefield's　time；　and　there's　less　coming　and　going　between　the　houses。　　There　was　a　noise　that　Lord　Malcolm　had　been　slain；　and　I　did　hear　that；　thereupon；　she　had　been　claimed　as　a　ward　of　the　Crown。　　But　I　cannot　say。　　If　ye　gang　to　St。　Abbs　the　morn；　ye　may　hear　if　she　be　thereand　at　any　rate　get　the　dole。'

It　was　clear　that　the　good　brother　knew　no　more；