the caged lion-第68章

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as　since　he　had　felt　her　touch；　four　years　since　she　had　sat　behind　him　as　they　followed　the　King　to　Coldingham！　　His　heart　swelled　with　thankfulness　as　he　passed　under　the　gateway；　and　the　arms　that　clung　round　his　waist　clasped　him　fervently；　but　neither　ventured　on　a　word；　amid　Kennedy's　escort；　and　they　rode　on　a　couple　of　miles　in　the　same　silence。　　Then　Kennedy；　pausing；　said；　'There　lies　your　way；　Brother。　　Tam；　you　may　show　the　scholar　the　way　to　the　Gray　Friars'　Grange；　bear　them　greetings　frae　me；　and　halt　till　ye　hear　from　me。　　Fare　ye　well。'

Lilias　trusted　her　voice　to　say；　'Blessings　on　ye；　Sir；　for　all　ye　have　done　for　me；'　but　Malcolm　thought　it　wiser　in　his　character　of　retainer　to　respond　only　by　a　bow。

Of　course　they　understood　that　the　direction　Kennedy　gave　was　the　very　one　they　were　not　to　take；　but　they　followed　it　till　a　tall　bush　of　gorse　hid　them　from　the　escort；　and　then　Malcolm；　grasping　his　sister's　hand；　plunged　down　among　the　rowans；　ferns；　and　hazels；　that　covered　the　steep　bank　of　the　river；　and　so　soon　as　a　footing　was　gained　under　shelter　of　a　tall　rock；　threw　his　arms　round　her；　almost　sobbing　in　an　under…tone；　'My　Lily；　my　tittie！safe　at　last！　　Oh；　God　be　thanked！　　I　knew　her　prayers　would　be　heard！　　Oh；　would　that　Patrick　were　here！'　　Then；　as　her　face　changed　and　quivered　ready　to　weep；　he　cried；　'Eh；　what！　art　still　deeming　him　dead？'

'How！'　she　cried　wildly。　　'He　fell　into　the　hands　of　your　English；　and'

'He　fell　into　the　hands　of　your　King　and　mine；'　said　Malcolm。　　'Yes；　King　James　dragged　him　out　of　the　burning　house；　and　wrung　his　pardon　out　of　King　Harry。　　He　came　with　me　to　St。　Abbs　to　fetch　you；　Lily；　and　only　went　back　because　his　knighthood　would　not　serve　in　this　quest　like　my　clerkship。'

'Patrick　living；　Patrick　safe！　　Oh！'　she　fell　on　her　knees　among　the　ferns；　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　drew　a　long　breath。　　'Malcolm；　this　is　joy　overmuch。　　The　desolation　of　yesterday；　the　joy　to…day！'

Malcolm；　seeing　her　like　one　stifled　by　emotion；　fell　on　his　knees　beside　her；　and　whispered　forth　a　thanksgiving。　　She　rested　with　her　head　on　his　shoulder　in　content　till　he　started　up；　saying　in　a　lively　manner；　'Come；　Lily；　we　must　be　on　our　way。　　A　very　bonnie　young　clerk　you　are；　with　your　berry…brown　locks　cut　so　short　round　your　face。'

Lilias　blushed　up　to　the　short　dark　curls　she　had　left　herself。　　'Had　I　thought　he　lived；　I　could　scarce　have　done　it。'

'What；　not　to　get　to　him；　silly　maid？　　Here；'　as　he　shook　out　and　donned　the　gown　he　had　brought　rolled　up；　'now　am　I　a　scholar　too。　Stay；　you　must　take　off　this　badge　of　the　bachelor；　you　have　only　been　in　a　monastery　school；　you　know；　you　are　my　young　brotherwhat　shall　we　call　you？'

'Davie；'　softly　suggested　Lilias。

'Ay；　Davie　then；　that　I've　come　home　to　fetch　to　share　my　Paris　lear。　You　can　be　very　shy　and　bashful；　you　know；　and　leave　all　the　knapping　of　Latin　and　logic　to　me。'

'If　it　is　such　as　you　did　with　Jamie　Kennedy；'　said　Lilias；　'it　will　indeed　be　well。　　Oh；　Malcolm；　I　sat　and　marvelled　at　yeso　gleg　ye　took　him　up。　　How　could　ye　learn　it？　　And　ye　are　a　brave　warrior　too　in　battles；'　she　added；　looking　him　over　with　a　sister's　fond　pride。

'We　have　had　no　battle；　no　pitched　field；'　said　Malcolm　'but　I　have　seen　war。'

'So　that　ugly　words　can　never　be　flung　in　your　face　again！'　cried　Lilias。　　'Are　you　knighted；　brother？'

'No；　but　they　say　I　have　won　my　spurs。　　I'll　tell　you　all；　Lily；　as　we　walk。　　Only　let　me　bestow　this　iron　cap　where　some　mavis　may　nestle　in　it。　　Ay；　and　the　boots　too；　which　scarce　befit　a　clerk。　There；　your　hand；　Clerk　Davie；　we　must　make　westward　to…day；　lest　poor　Duke　Murdoch　be　forced　to　send　to　chase　us。　　After　that；　for　the　Border　and　Patie。'

So　brother　and　sister　set　forth　on　their　wanderingand　truly　it　was　a　happy　journey。　　The　weather　favoured　them；　and　their　hearts　were　light。　　Lilias；　delivered　from　terrible；　hopeless　captivity；　her　brother　beside　her；　and　now　not　a　brother　to　be　pitied　and　protected；　but　to　protect　her　and　be　exulted　in；　trod　the　heather　with　an　exquisite　sense　of　joy　and　freedom　that　buoyed　her　up　against　all　hardships；　and　Malcolm　was　at　peace；　as　he　had　seldom　been。　　His　happiness　was　not　exactly　like　his　sister's　in　her　renewed　liberty　and　restoration　to　love　and　joy；　for　he　had　known　a　wider　range　of　life；　and　though　really　younger　than　Lily；　his　more　complicated　history　could　not　but　make　him　older　in　thought　and　mind。　　Another　self…abnegation　was　beginning　to　rise　upon　him；　as　he　travelled　slowly　southwards　by　stages　suited　to　his　sister's　powers；　and　by　another　track　than　that　by　which　he　had　gone。　　On　the　moor；　or　by　the　burn　side；　there　was　peace　and　brightness；　but　wherever　he　met　with　man　he　found　something　to　sadden　him。　　Did　they　rest　in　a　monastery；　there　was　often　irregularity；　seldom　devotion；　always　crass　ignorance。　　The　manse　was　often　a　scene　of　such　dissolute　life　that　Malcolm　shunned　to　bring　his　sister　into　the　sight　of　it；　the　peel　tower　was　the　dwelling　of　savagery；　the　farm　homestead　either　rude　and　lawless　or　in　constant　terror；　the　black　spaces　on　many　a　brae　side　showed　where　dwellings　had　been　burned；　more　than　once　they　passed　skeletons　depending　from　the　trees　or　lying　rotting　by　the　way…side。　　And　it　was　frightful　to　Malcolm；　after　his　four　years'　absence；　to　find　how　little　Lilias　shared　his　horror；　taking　quite　naturally　what　to　Alice　Montagu　would　have　seemed　beyond　the　bounds　of　possibility；　and　would　have　set　Esclairmonde's　soul　on　fire；　while　Lilias　seemed　to　think　it　her　brother's　amiable　peculiarity　to　be　shocked；　or　to　long　to　set　such　things　straight。

He　felt　the　truth　of　James　Kennedy's　wordsthat　reformation　could　not　be　the　sole　work　of　the　King；　but　that　his　hands　must　be　strengthened　by　all　the　few　who　knew　that　a　different　state　of　things　was　possible；　and　that；　above　all；　the　clergy　needed　to　be　awakened　into　vigour　and　intelligence。　　Formerly；　the　miserable　aspect　of　the　country　had　merely　terrified　him；　and　driven　him　to　strive　to　hide　his　head　in　a　convent；　but　the　strength　and　the　sense　of　duty　he　had　acquired　had　brought　his　heart　to　respond　to　Kennedy's　call　to　work。

Esclairmonde's　words　wrought　within　him　beyond　her　own　ken　or　purpose　in　speaking　them。　　He　began　to　understand　that　to　bury　himself　in　an　Italian　university　and　dive　into　Aristotle's　sayings；　to　heap　up　his　own　memory　with　the　stores　of　thought　he　loved；　or　to　plunge　into　the　mazes　of　mathematics；　philosophy；　and　music；　while　his　brethren　in　his　own　country　were　tearing　one　another　to　pieces　for　lack　of　any　good　influence　to　teach　or　show　them　better　things；　would　be　a　storing　of　treasure　for　himself　on　earth；　a　pursuit　of　the　light　of　knowledge　indeed；　but　not　a　wooing　of　the　light　of　Wisdom；　the　true　Light　of　the　World；　as　seen　in　Him　who　went　about　doing　good。　　To　complete　his　present　course　was；　he　knew；　necessary。　　He　had　seen　enough　of　really　learned　scholars　to　know　the　depths　of　his　own　ignorance；　and　to　be　aware　that　certain　books　must　be　read　under　guidance；　and　certain　studies　gone　through；　before　his　cultivation　would　be　on　a　level　with　the　standard　of　the　best　working　clergy　of　the　English　Churchsuch　as　Chicheley；　Waynflete；　or　the　like。　　He　would　therefore　remain　at　Oxford；　he　thought；　long　enough　to　take　his　Master　of　Arts　degree；　and　then；　though　to　his　own　perceptions　only　the　one…eyed　among　the　blind；　he　would　make　the　real　sacrifice　of　himself　in　the　rude　and　cruel　world　of　Scotland。

He　knew　that　his　king　was　well　satisfied　with　Patrick；　and　also　that　a　man　of　sound　heart　and　prompt；　hard　hand　was　far　fitter　to　rule　as　a　secular　lord　than　his　own　more　fine…drawn　mature　could　ever　be；　but　as　a　priest；　with　the　influence　that　his　birth　and　the　King's　friendship　would　give　him；　he　already　saw　chances　of　raising　the　tone　of　the　clergy；　and　thus　improving　the　wild　and　lawless　people。

A　deep　purpose　of　self…devotion　was　growing　up　in　his　soul；　but　without　saddening　him；　only　rendering　him　more　energetic　and　cheerful　than　his　sister　had　ever　known　him。

As　they　walked　together　over　the　long　stretches　of　moor；　many　were　Lily's　questions；　and　Malcolm　beguiled　the　way　with　many　a　story　of　camp　and　court