the caged lion-第74章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


le　and　violence；　wherein　an　individual　priest　could　do　little：　　yet　Malcolm　would　have　held　by　his　post；　had　not　his　health　been　so　utterly　shattered　that　he　was　incapable　of　the　work　he　had　hitherto　done；　as　a　confessor　and　a　preacher。　　And　therefore；　as　the　state　of　his　beloved　King；　'sent　to　his　account　unhouselled；　disappointed；　unannealed；'　hung　heavy　on　his　mind；　he　determined；　so　soon　as　he　was　in　any　degree　convalescent；　to　set　forth　on　pilgrimage　to　Jerusalem；　the　object　of　so　many　dreams　of　King　Henry；　there　to　offer　masses　and　prayers　for　the　welfare　of　his　departed　prince；　as　well　as　of　the　unhappy　murderers；　and　for　the　country　in　its　distracted　condition。

And　there；　at　the　Holy　Sepulchre；　had　Malcolm；　in　the　fervour　of　his　heart；　offered　the　greatest　treasure　he　possessednay；　the　only　one　that　he　still　really　cared　fornamely　his　betrothal　ring；　which　Esclairmonde　had　worn　for　so　long　and　had　returned　to　him。　　As　a　priest；　he　had　deemed　that　it　was　not　unlawful　for　him　to　retain　the　memorial　of　the　link　that　had　bound　him　to　her　who　had　been　the　light　that　led　him　to　the　true　Light　beyond；　but　as　youth　passed　away；　as　devotion　burned　brighter；　as　the　experiences　of　those　years　became　more　dream…like；　and　the　horror；　grief；　and　misery　of　his　King's　death　had　been　assuaged　only　by　the　steadier　contemplation　of　the　Light　of　Eternity；　he　had　felt　that　this　last　pledge　of　his　once　lower　aims　and　hopes　ought　to　be　resigned；　and　that　if　it　cost　him　a　pang；　it　was　well　that　it　should　be　so；　to　render　the　offering　a　sacrifice。　　So　the　ring　that　had　once　been　Esclairmonde's　protection　was　laid　on　the　altar　of　the　Holy　Tomb。

There　Malcolm　had　well…nigh　died；　under　the　influences　of　agitation；　fatigue；　and　climate；　but　he　had　revived　enough　to　set　out　on　his　return　from　his　pilgrimage；　and　had　made　his　way　tardily　and　wearily；　losing　his　attendants　through　death　and　desertion　on　the　road；　and　passing　from　one　religious　house　to　another；　as　his　strength　and　nearly　exhausted　means　served　him。　　Unable　to　find　any　vessel　bound　for　Leith；　he　had　taken　ship　for　London；　concealing　his　quality；　lest；　in　the　always　probable　contingency　of　a　war；　it　might　lead　to　his　being　made　prisoner；　and　thus　he　had　arrived；　sick　indeed　unto　death；　but　peaceful；　rejoicing；　and　hopeful。

'Sister；'　he　said；　'the　morn　that　I　had　offered　my　ring；　I　was　feeble　and　faint；　and　when　I　knelt　on　before　the　altar　in　continued　prayer　I　know　not　whether　I　slept　or　whether　it　were　a　vision；　but　it　was　to　me　as　though　I　were　again　on　the　river；　and　again　the　hymn　of　Bernard　of　Morlaix　was　sung　around　and　above　me；　by　the　voice　I　never　thought　to　hear　again。　　I　looked　up；　and　behold　it　was　I　that　was　in　the　boatmy　King　was　there　no　more。　　Nay；　he　stood　on　the　shore；　and　his　eyes　beamed　on　me；　while　the　ghastly　wounds　that　I　once　strove　in　anguish　to　staunch　shone　out　like　a　ruby　cross　on　his　breastthe　hands；　that　were　so　sorely　gashed；　were　to　me　as　though　marked　by　the　impress　of　the　Sacred　Wounds。　　He　spake　not；　but　by　his　side　stood　King　Henry；　beautiful　and　spirit…like；　and　smiled　on　me；　and　seemed　as　though　he　pointed　to　the　wounds；　as　he　said；　〃Blessed　is　the　king　who　died　by　his　people's　hand；　for　withstanding　his　people's　sin！　Blessed　is　every　faint　image　of　the　true　King！〃

'Then　methought　they　held　out　their　arms　to　me；　and　I　would　have　come　to　them　on　their　shore　of　rest；　but　the　river　bore　me　awayand　I　looked　up；　to　find　I　was　as　yet　only　in　the　earthly　Jerusalem；　but　I　watch　for　them　every　hour；　to　call　me　once　and　for　ever。'



Footnotes：

｛1｝　　'Hail；　reverend　brother。　　I　come　from　Paris。'

｛2｝　　Student　of　the　first　year。

｛3｝　　Manners　are　lacking　to　the　Northerners。

｛4｝　　Wretches。

｛5｝　　For　supper。

｛6｝　　Telephus　and　Peleus；　when　both　are　poor　and　exiled；　dismiss　boasting　and　six…foot　words。

｛7｝　　It　is　dispersed　in　a　cloud。





End