the caged lion-第67章

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'Then；'　cried　Kennedy　joyfully；　'you　will　give　yourself。　　Learning　and　culture　turned　to　God's　service；　for　this　poor　country's　sake；　in　one　of　birth　like　you；　may　change　her　indeed。'

Was　this　the　reading　of　Esclairmonde's　riddle？　suddenly　thought　Malcolm。　　Was　the　true　search　for　heavenly　Light；　then；　to　consist　in　holding　up　to　his　countrymen　the　lamp　he　was　kindling　for　himself？　Must　true　wisdom　consist　in　treasuring　knowledge；　not　for　his　own　honour　among　learned　men；　or　the　delectation　of　his　own　mind；　but　to　scatter　it　among　these　rude　northern　souls？　　Must　the　vision　of　learned　research　and　scholarly　calm　vanish；　as　cloistral　peace；　and　chivalrous　love　and　glory；　had　vanished　before？　and　was　the　lot　of　a　hard…working　secular　priest　that　which　called　him？



CHAPTER　XVIII：　　CLERK　DAVIE



For　Malcolm　to　speak　with　his　sister　was　well…nigh　an　impossibility。　Had　he　been　detected；　he　would　have　been　immediately　treated　as　a　spy；　and　the　suspicion　thus　excited　would　have　been　a　dangerous　preparation　for　the　King　as　well　as　for　himself；　nor　was　there　any　pretext　for　giving　the　wandering　scholar　an　interview　with　her。

But　harsh　and　strict　as　was　the　Duchess　of　Albanya　tall；　raw…boned；　red…haired　woman；　daughter　of　the　fierce　old　Earl　of　Lennoxand　resolved　as　she　was　to　bend　Lilias　by　persecution　to　accept　her　son；　she　could　not　debar　a　young　gentleman　of　the　royal　kindred；　like　James　Kennedy；　from　entering　the　apartment　where　the　ladies　of　the　family　sat　with　their　needles；　and　the　Regent；　half　from　pity；　half　from　shame；　had　refused　to　permit　Lilias　Stewart's　being　treated　as　a　mere　captive。

Thus　Malcolm　remained　in　Kennedy's　room　in　much　anxiety；　while　his　cousin　went　forth　to　do　his　best　in　his　cause；　and　after　some　hours　returned　to　him　with　the　tidings　that　he　had　succeeded　in　letting　Lily　know　that　he　was　in　the　Castle。　　Standing　over　her　while　she　bent　over　her　embroidery；　and　thus　concealing　her　trembling　agitation；　he　had　found　it　possible　to　whisper　in　her　ears　the　tidings　of　her　brother　having　come　to　save　her；　and　of　hearing　her　insist　that　Malcolm；　'wee　Malcolm；　must　run　no　peril；　but　that　she　would　do　and　dare　everythingnay；　would　prefer　death　itself　to　Walter　Stewart。'

'Have　you　any　device　in　this　matter？'　demanded　James　Kennedy；　when　he　had　thus　spoken。

'Have　you　your　college　gown　here？'　inquired　Malcolm。

'I　have；　in　yon　kist；'　said　Kennedy。　　'Would　you　disguise　her　therein？　　You　and　she　are　nearly　of　a　height。'

'Ay；'　said　Malcolm。　　'The　plot　I　thought　on　is　thisthe　worst　is　that　the　risk　rests　with　you。'

'That　is　naught；　less　than　naught；'　said　Kennedy。　　'I　had　risked　myself　ten　times　over　had　I　seen　any　hope　for　her　in　so　doing。'

Malcolm　then　explained　his　plan；　namely；　that　if　Lilias　could　have　Kennedy's　gown　conveyed　to　her；　she　should　array　herself　therein；　and　be　conducted　out　of　the　castle　by　her　cousin　by　one　gate；　he　himself　in　secular　garb　going　by　another；　and　joining　at　some　place　of　meeting；　whence；　as　a　pair　of　brothers；　Malcolm　and　she　might　gain　the　English　border。

James　Kennedy　considered；　and　then　added　that　he　could　improve　on　the　plan。　　He　had　long　intended　leaving　Doune　for　his　brother's　castle；　but　only　tarried　in　case　he　could　do　anything　for　Lilias。　　He　would　at　supper　publicly　announce　to　the　Regent　his　departure　for　the　next　day；　and　also　say　that　he　had　detained　his　fellow…scholar　to　go　within　him。　　Then　arranging　for　Malcolm's　exit　in　a　secular　dress　among　his　escort；　as　one　of　the　many　unobserved　loungers；　Lilias　should　go　with　him　in　very　early　morning　in　the　bachelor's　gown；　which　he　would　place　in　a　corner　of　a　dark　passage；　where　she　could　find　it。　　Then　if　Malcolm　and　she　turned　aside　from　his　escort；　as　the　pursuit　as　soon　as　her　evasion　was　discovered　would　be　immediately　directed　on　himself；　they　would　have　the　more　time　for　escape。

It　was　a　complicated　plan；　but　there　was　this　recommendation；　that　Malcolm　need　not　lose　sight　of　his　sister。　　Clerk　as　he　was；　young　Kennedy　could　not　ride　without　an　escort；　and　among　his　followers　he　could　place　Malcolm。　　Accordingly　at　supper　he　announced　his　desire　to　leave　Doune　at　dawn　next　morning；　and　was；　as　a　matter　of　course；　courteously　pressed　to　remain。　　Malcolm　in　the　meantime　eluded　observation　as　much　as　possible　while　watching　his　sister；　who；　in　spite　of　all　her　efforts；　was　pale　and　red　by　turns；　never　durst　glance　towards　him；　and　trembled　whenever　any　one　went　near　him。

The　ladies　at　length　swept　out　of　the　hall；　and　Robert　and　Alexander　called　for　more　wine　for　a　rere…supper　to　drink　to　James's　good　journey；　but　Kennedy　tore　himself　from　their　hospitable　violence；　and　again　he　and　Malcolm　were　alone；　spending　a　night　of　anxiety　and　consultation。

Morning　came；　Malcolm　arrayed　himself　in　a　somewhat　worn　dress　of　Kennedy's；　with　the　belt　and　dirk　he　had　carried　under　his　scholar's　garb　now　without；　and　a　steel　cap　that　his　cousin　had　procured　for　him　on　his　head。　　With　a　parcel　in　his　arms　of　Kennedy's　gear；　he　might　pass　for　a　servant　sent　from　home　to　meet　him；　and　so　soon　as　this　disguise　was　complete；　Kennedy　opened　the　door。　　On　the　turret　stair　stood　a　hooded　black　figure；　that　started　as　the　door　opened。

Malcolm's　heart　might　well　seem　to　leap　to　his　lips；　but　both　brother　and　sister　felt　the　tension　of　nerve　that　caution　required　too　much　to　give　way　for　a　moment。

Kennedy　whispered；　'Your　license；　fair　Cousin；'　and　passed　on　with　the　free　step　of　lordly　birth；　while　a　few　paces　behind　the　seeming　scholar　humbly　followed；　and　Malcolm；　putting　on　his　soldier's　tread　and　the　careless　free…and…easy　bearing　he　had　affected　before　Meaux；　brought　up　the　rear　with　Master　Kennedy's　mails。

As　they　anticipated；　the　household　was　not　troubling　itself　to　rise　to　see　the　priest　off。　　Not　that　this　made　the　coast　clear；　for　the　floor　of　the　hall　was　cumbered　with　snoring　sleepers　in　all　sorts　of　attitudesnay；　at　the　upper　table；　the　flushed；　debauched；　though　young　and　handsome；　faces　of　Robert　and　Alexander　Stewart　might　have　been　detected　among　those　who　lay　snoring　among　the　relics　of　their　last　night's　revel。

The　old　steward　was；　however；　up　and　alert；　ready　to　offer　the　stirrup…cup；　and　the　horses　were　waiting　in　the　court；　but　what　they　had　by　no　means　expected　or　desired　was　that　Duke　Murdoch　himself；　in　his　long　furred　gown；　came　slowly　across　the　hall　to　bid　his　young　kinsman　Kennedy　farewell。

'Speed　you　well；　my　lad；'　he　said　kindly。　　'I　ask　ye　not　to　tarry　in　what　ye　must　deem　a　graceless　household；'　and　he　looked　sadly　across　at　his　two　sons；　boys　in　age；　but　seniors　in　excess。　　'I　would　we　had　mair　lads　like　you。　　I　fear　me　a　heavy　reckoning　is　coming。'

'You　have　ever　been　good　lord　to　all；　Sir；'　said　Kennedy；　affectionately；　for　he　really　loved　and　pitied　the　soft…hearted　Duke。

'Too　good；　maybe；'　said　Murdoch。　　'What！　the　scholar　goes　with　you？'　and　he　fixed　a　look　on　Lily's　face　that　brought　the　colour　deep　into　it　under　her　hood。

'Yes；　Sir；'　answered　Kennedy；　respectfully。　　'Here；　you　Tam；'　indicating　Malcolm；　'take　him　behind　you　on　the　sumpter…horse。'

'Fare　ye　weel；　gentle　scholar；'　said　Murdoch；　taking　the　hand　that　Lily　was　far　from　offering。　　'May　ye　win　to　your　journey's　end　safe　and　sound；　and　remember；'　he　added；　holding　the　fingers　tight；　and　speaking　under　the　hood；　'if　ye　have　been　hardly　served；　'twas　to　make　ye　the　second　lady　in　Scotland。　　Take　care　of　herhim；　young　laddie；'　he　added；　turning　on　Malcolm：　　''tis　best　so；　and　mind'　（he　spoke　in　the　same　wheedling　tone　of　self…excuse）；　'if　ye　tell　the　tale　down　south；　nae　ill　hath　been　dune　till　her；　and　where　could　she　have　been　mair　fitly　than　beneath　her　kinsman's　roof？　　I'd　not　let　her　go；　but　that　young　blude　is　hot　and　ill　to　guide。'

An　answer　would　have　been　hard　to　find；　and　it　was　well　that　he　did　not　look　for　any。　　Indeed；　Malcolm　could　not　have　spoken　without　being　heard　by　the　seneschal；　and　therefore　could　only　bow；　take　his　seat　on　the　baggage…horse；　and　then　feel　his　sister　mounting　behind　him　in　an　attitude　less　unfamiliar　on　occasion　even　to　the　high…born　ladies　of　the　fifteenth　century　than　to　those　of　our　day。　　Four　years　it　was　since　he　had　felt　her　touch；　four　years