the caged lion-第64章

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　dole。'

It　was　clear　that　the　good　brother　knew　no　more；　and　Malcolm　could　only　thank　him　for　his　condescension；　and　follow　among　the　herdsmen　into　the　well…known　monastery　court。

Here　he　availed　himself　of　his　avowed　connection　with　Glenuskie；　to　beg　to　be　shown　good　old　Sir　David　Drummond's　grave。　　A　flat　gray　stone　in　the　porch　was　pointed　out　to　him；　and　beside　this　he　knelt；　until　the　monks　flocked　in　for　prayerswhich　were　but　carelessly　and　hurriedly　sung；　and　then　followed　supper。　　It　was　all　so　natural　to　him；　that　it　was　with　an　effort　that　he　recalled　that　his　place　was　not　at　the　high　table；　as　Lord　Malcolm　Stewart；　but　that　Malcolm；　the　nameless　begging　scholar；　must　be　trencher…fellow　with　the　servants　and　lay　brethren。　　He　was　the　less　concerned；　that　here　there　was　less　danger　of　recognition；　and　more　freedom　of　conversation。

Things　were　evidently　much　altered。　　A　novice　was　indeed；　as　usual；　placed　aloft　in　the　refectory　pulpit；　to　read　aloud　to　the　brethren　during　their　repast；　but　no　one　seemed　to　think　it　needful　to　preserve　the　decorous　silence　that　had　been　rigidly　exacted　during　Prior　Akefield's　time；　and　there　was　a　continual　buzz　of　conversation。　　Lent　though　it　was；　the　fish　was　of　the　most　esteemed　kinds；　and　it　was　evident　that；　like　the　monks　of　Melrose；　they　'made　gude　kale。'　　Few　of　the　kindly　old　faces　that　Malcolm　remembered　were　to　be　seen　under　their　cowls。　　Prior　Drax　himself　had　much　more　the　countenance　of　a　moss…trooper　than　of　a　monkmayhap　he　was　then　meditating　that　which　he　afterwards　carried　out　successfully；　i。e。　the　capture　and　appropriation　of　a　whole　instalment　of　King　James's　ransom；　on　its　way　across　the　Border；　and　there　was　a　rude　recklessness　and　self…indulgence　about　the　looks；　voices；　and　manners　of　the　brethren　he　had　brought　with　him；　such　as　made　Malcolm　feel　that　if　he　had　had　his　wish；　and　remained　at　Coldingham；　he　should　soon　have　found　it　no　haven　of　peace。

The　lay…brothers　and　old　servants　were　fixtures；　but　the　old　faithful　and　devout　ones　looked　forlorn　and　unhappy　and　there　had　been　a　great　importation　of　the　ruffianly　men…at…arms；　whom　the　more　pugnacious　ecclesiastics；　as　well　as　nobles；　of　Scotland；　were　apt　to　maintain。　Guards　there　had　been　in　old　times；　but　kept　under　strict　discipline；　whereas；　in　the　rude　conduct　of　these　men；　there　was　no　sign　that　they　knew　themselves　to　be　in　a　religious　house。　　Malcolm；　keeping　aloof　from　these　as　much　as　might　be；　gave　such　an　account　of　himself　as　was　most　consistent　with　truth；　since　it　was　necessary　to　account　for　his　returning　so　young　from　his　studies。　　He　had；　he　said；　been　told　that　there　was　an　inheritance　fallen　due　to　him；　and　that　the　kinsman；　in　whose　charge　his　sister　had　been　left；　was　dead；　and　he　had　come　home　to　seek　her　out；　and　inquire　into　the　matter　of　his　heirship。

Rude　jokes；　from　some　of　the　new　denizens　of　the　monastery；　were　spent　on　the　improbability　of　his　finding　sister　or　lands；　if　it　were　in　the　Barony　of　Glenuskie；　the　House　of　Albany　had　taken　the　administration　of　that　into　their　own　hands。

'Naybut；'　said　Malcolm；　'could　I　but　see　my　young　Lady　Lilias；　she　might　make　suit　for　me。'

The　gray…headed　lay…brother；　to　whom　he　addressed　himself；　replied　that　it　was　little　the　Lady　Lilias　could　do；　but　directed　him　to　St。　Abbs　to　find　her；　whereat　one　of　the　men…at…arms　burst　out　laughing；　and　crying；　'That's　a'　that　ye　ken；　auld　Davie！　　As　though　the　Master　of　Albany　would　let　a　bonnie　lassie　ware　hersel'　and　her　tocher　on　stone　walls　and　dour　old　nuns。'

'Has　she　wedded　the　Master　of　Albany；　then？'　asked　Malcolm；　concealing　his　anxiety　as　best　he　might。

'That's　as　he　pleases；　and　by　my　troth　he　took　pains　enow　to　get　her！'

'What　pains？'

'Why；　once　she　slipped　out　of　his　very　fingers；　that　time　that　he　had　laid　hands　on　her；　and　the　hirpling　doited　brother　of　hers　cam　down　with　a　strange　knight；　put　her　into　St。　Abbs；　and　made　off　for　Englandso　they　said。　　Some　of　the　rogues　would　have　it　'twas　St。　Andrew　in　bodily　shape；　and　that　he　tirled　the　young　laird；　as　was　only　fit　for　a　saint；　aff　to　heaven　wi'　him；　for　he　was　no　more　seen　in　these　parts。'

'Nay；　that　couldna　be；'　put　in　another　soldier。　　'Sandy　M'Kay　took　his　aith　that　he　was　in　the　English　campmore　shame　till　himan'　was　stickit　dead　for　meddling　between　King　Harry's　brother　and　his　luve。　　It　sorted　him　weel；　I　say。'

'Aweel！'　continued　the　first；　'gane　is　he；　and　sma'　loss　wi'　him！　An'　yon　old　beldame　over　at　St。　Abbs；　she　kens　weel　how　to　keep　a　lass　wi'　a　tocherso　what　does　the　Master　but　sends　a　letter　ower　to　our　Prior；　bidding　him　send　two　trusty　brethren；　as　though　from　the　King；　to　conduct　her　to　Whitby？'

'Ha！'　said　Malcolm；　'but　that's　ower　the　Border。'

'Even　so；　but　the　Glenuskies　are　all　English　at　heart；　and　it　sicker　trained　away　the　silly　lassie。'

'And　then？'the　other　man…at…arms　laughed。

'Why；　at　the　first　hostelry；　ye　can　guess　what　sort　of　nuns　were　ready　to　meet　her！　　I　promise　ye　she　skirled；　and　ca'ed　Heaven　and　earth　to　help；　but　Brother　Simon　and　Brother　Ringan　gave　their　word　they'd　see　nae　ill　dune　to　her；　and　she　rade　with　them　on　each　side　of　her；　and　us　tall　fellows　behind　and　before；　till　we　cam　to　Doune。'

'And　what　became　of　her；　the　poor　lassie；　then？'　inquired　Malcolm；　steadying　his　voice　with　much　effort。

'Ye　maun　ask　the　Master　that；'　said　the　soldier。　　'I　ken　nae　mair；　I　was　sent　on　anither　little　errand　of　the　Earl　of　Fife　into　the　Highlands；　and　only　cam　back　hither　a　week　syne；　to　watch　the　Border。'

'Had　it　been　St。　Andrew　that　saved　her　before；　he　wad　hae　come　again；'　pondered　the　lay…brother。　　'He'd　hardly　hae　given　her　up。'

'Weel；　I　heard　the　lassie　cry　on　the　Master　to　mind　the　aith　he　had　made　the　former　time；　an'　though　he　tried　to　laugh　her　to　scorn；　his　eyes　grew　wild；　and　there　were　some　that　tell'd　me　they　lookit　to　see　that　glittering　awsome　knight　among　them　again！　　My　certie；　they　maun　hae　been　feared　enow　the　time　he　did　come。'

Malcolm　had　now　had　his　fears　and　suspicions　so　far　confirmed；　that　he　perceived　what　his　course　should　next　be。　　Strange　to　say；　in　spite　of　the　horror　of　knowing　his　sister　to　have　been　a　whole　year　in　Walter　Stewart's　power；　he　was　neither　hopeless　nor　disheartened。　Lilias　seemed　to　have　kept　her　persecutor　at　bay　once；　and　she　might　have　done　so　againif　only　by　the　appeal　to　the　mysterious　relic；　on　which　his　oath　to　abstain　from　violence　had　been　sworn。　　And　confidence　in　Esclairmonde's　prayers　continued　to　buoy　him　up；　as　he　recited　his　own；　and　formed　his　designs　for　ascertaining　whether　she　were　to　be　found　at　Douneeither　as　wife；　or　as　captive；　to　Walter；　Earl　of　Fife　and　heir　of　Albany。

So　soon　as　the　doors　of　Coldingham　Priory　were　opened；　he　was　on　his　way　northward。　　It　was　a　sore　and　trying　journey；　in　the　bitter　March　weather；　for　one　so　little　used　to　hardship。　　He　did　not　fail　in　obtaining　shelter　or　food；　his　garb　was　everywhere　a　passport；　but　he　grew　weary　and　footsore；　and　his　anxiety　greatly　increased　when　he　found　that　fatigue　was　bringing　back　the　lameness；　which　greatly　enhanced　the　likelihood　of　his　being　recognized。　　Kind　monks；　and　friendly　gude…wives；　hospitably　persuaded　the　worn　student　to　remain　and　rest；　till　his　blistered　feet　were　whole；　but　he　pressed　on　whenever　he　found　it　possible　to　travel；　and　after　the　first　week　found　his　progress　less　tardy　and　painful。

Resting　at　Edinburgh　for　Passion…tide　and　Easter　Day；　he　found　that　the　Regent　Albany　himself；　with　all　his　family；　were　at　Doune；　and　he　accordingly　made　his　way　thither；　rejoicing　that　he　had　had　some　little　time　to　perfect　himself　in　his　part；　before　rehearsing　it　to　the　persons　most　likely　to　detect　his　disguise。

Along　the　banks　and　braes　of　bonny　Doune　he　slowly　moved；　with　weary　limbs；　looking　up　to　the　huge　pile　of　the　majestic　castle　in　sickening　of　heart　at　the　doubt　that　was　about　to　become　a　certainty；　and　that　involved　the　happiness　or　the　absolute　misery　of　his　sister's　life。　　Nay；　he　would　almost　have　preferred　to　find　that　she　had　perished　in　her　resistance；　rather　than　have　become　wife　to　such　a　man　as　Walter　Stewart。

The　Duke　of　Albany；　as　representing　majesty；　kept　up　all　the　state