the caged lion-第10节

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！



While　the　meal　was　being　eaten；　Malcolm　studied　the　strangers。　　Lord　Marmion　was　a　good…humoured；　hearty…looking　young　Yorkshireman；　but　the　other　two　attracted　his　attention　far　more。　　They　were　evidently　brothers；　one　perhaps　just　above；　the　other　just　below；　thirty；　both　of　the　most　perfect　mould　of　symmetry；　activity；　and　strength；　though　perhaps　more　inclining　to　agility　than　robustness。　　Both　were　fair…　complexioned；　and　wore　no　beard；　but　John　was　the　paler；　graver；　and　more　sedate；　and　his　aquiline　profile　had　an　older　look　than　that　borne　by　Hal's　perfectly　regular　features。　　It　would　have　been　hard　to　define　what　instantly　showed　the　seniority　of　his　brother；　for　the　clearness　of　his　colouringbright　red　and　white　like　a　lady'shis　short；　well…moulded　chin；　and　the　fresh　earnestness　and　animation　of　his　countenance；　gave　an　air　of　perpetual　youth　in　spite　of　the　scar　of　an　arrow　on　the　cheek　which　told　of　at　least　one　battle；　but　there　were　those　manifestations　of　being　used　to　be　the　first　which　are　the　evident　tokens　of　elder　sonship；　and　the　lordly　manner　more　and　more　impressed　Malcolm。　　He　was　glad　that　his　own　Sir　James　was　equal　in　dignity；　as　well　as　superior　in　height；　and　he　thought　the　terrible　red　lightning　of　those　auburn　eyes　would　be　impossible　to　the　sparkling　azure　eyes　of　the　Englishman；　steadfast；　keen；　and　brilliant　unspeakably　though　they　were；　but　so　soon　as　Sir　James　seemed　to　have　made　his　explanation；　the　look　was　most　winningly　turned　on　him；　a　hand　held　out；　and　he　was　thus　greeted：　　'Welcome；　my　young　Prince　Malcolm；　I　am　happy　that　your　cousin　thinks　so　well　of　our　cheer；　that　he　has　brought　you　to　partake　it。'

'His　keeper；　Somerset；'　thought　Malcolm；　as　he　bowed　stiffly；　'he　seems　to　treat　me　coolly　enough。　　I　come　to　serve　my　King；'　he　said；　but　he　was　scarcely　heard；　for　as　Hal　unbuckled　his　sword　before　sitting　down　on　the　grass；　he　thrust　into　his　bosom　a　small　black　volume；　with　which　he　seemed　to　have　been　beguiling　the　time；　and　John　exclaimed　…

'There　goes　Godfrey　de　Bulloin。　　I　tell　you；　Jamie；　'tis　well　you　are　come！　　Now　have　I　some　one　to　speak　with。　　Ever　since　Harry　borrowed　my　Lady　of　Westmoreland's　book　of　the　Holy　War；　he　has　not　had　a　word　to　fling　at　me。'

'Ah！'　said　Sir　James；　'I　saw　a　book；　indeed；　of　the　Holy　Land！　　It　would　tempt　him　too　much　to　hear　how　near　the　Border　it　dwells！　　What　was　it　named；　Malcolm？'

'The　〃Itinerarium　of　Adamnanus；〃'　replied　Malcolm；　blushing　at　the　sudden　appeal。

'Ha！　　I've　heard　of　it；'　cried　the　English　knight。　　'I　sent　to　half　the　convent　libraries　to　beg　the　loan　when　Gilbert　de　Lannoy　set　forth　for　the　survey　of　Palestine。　　Does　the　Monk　of　Iona　tell　what　commodity　of　landing　there　may　be　on　the　coast？'

Malcolm　had　the　sea…port　towns　at　his　fingers'　ends；　and　having　in　the　hard　process　of　translation；　and　reading　and　re…reading　one　of　the　few　books　that　came　into　his　hands；　nearly　mastered　the　contents；　he　was　able　to　reply　with　promptness　and　precision；　although　with　much　amazement；　for


'Much　he　marvelled　a　knight　of　pride　Like　book…bosomed　priest　should　ride；'


nor　had　he　ever　before　found　his　accomplishments　treated　as　aught　but　matters　of　scorn　among　the　princes　and　nobles　with　whom　he　had　occasionally　been　thrown。

'Good！　good！'　said　Sir　Harry　at　last。　　'Well　read；　and　clearly　called　to　mind。　　The　stripling　will　do　you　credit；　James。　　Where　have　you　studied；　fair　cousin？'

Cousin！　was　it　English　fashion　to　make　a　cousin　of　everybody？　　But　gentle；　humble　Malcolm　had　no　resentment　in　him；　and　felt　gratified　at　the　friendly　tone　of　so　grand　and　manly…looking　a　knight。　　'At　home；'　he　answered；　'with　a　travelling　scholar　who　had　studied　at　Padua　and　Paris。'

'That　is　where　you　Scots　love　to　haunt！　　But　know　you　how　they　are　served　there？　　I　have　seen　the　gibbet　where　the　Mayor　of　Paris　hung　two　clerks'　sons　for　loving　his　daughters　over　well！'

'The　clerks'　twa　sons　of　Owsenford　that　were　foully　slain！'　cried　Malcolm；　his　face　lighting　up。　　'Oh；　Sir；　have　you　seen　their　gibbet？'

'What？　were　they　friends　of　yours？'　asked　Hal；　much　amused；　and　shaking　his　head　merrily　at　Sir　James。　　'Ill　company；　I　fear'

'Only　in　a　ballad；'　said　Malcolm；　colouring；　'that　tells　how　at　Yuletide　the　ghosts　came　to　their　mother　with　their　hats　made　of　the　birk　that　grew　at　the　gates　of　Paradise。'

'A　rare　ballad　must　that　be！'　exclaimed　Hal。　　'Canst　sing　it？　　Or　are　you　weary？Marmion；　prithee　tell　some　of　the　fellows　to　bring　my　harp　from　the　baggage。'

'His　own　harp　is　with　ours；'　said　Sir　James；　'he　will　make　a　better　figure　therewith。'

At　his　sign；　the　attendant；　Nigel；　the　only　person　besides　Lord　Marmion　of　Tanfield　who　had　been　present　at　the　meal；　besides　the　two　Stewarts　and　the　English　brothers；　rose　and　disappeared　between　the　trees；　beyond　which　a　hum　of　voices；　an　occasional　laugh；　and　the　stamping　of　horses　and　jingling　of　bridles；　betokened　that　a　good　many　followers　were　in　waiting。　　Malcolm's　harp　was　quickly　brought；　having　been　slung　in　its　case　to　the　saddle　of　Halbert's　horse；　and　as　he　had　used　it　to　beguile　the　last　evening's　halt；　it　did　not　need　much　tuning。　　Surprised　as　his　princely　notions　were　at　being　commanded　rather　than　requested　to　sing；　the　sweet　encouraging　smile　and　tone　of　kind　authority　banished　all　hesitation　in　complying；　and　he　gave　the　ballad　of　the　Clerks'　Twa　Sons　of　Owsenford　with　much　grace　and　sweetness；　while　the　weakness　of　his　voice　was　compensated　by　the　manlier　strains　with　which　Sir　James　occasionally　chimed　in。　Then；　as　Harry　gave　full　meed　of　appreciative　praise　and　thanks；　Sir　James　said；　'Lend　me　thine　harp；　Malcolm；　I　have　learnt　thy　song　now；　and　thou；　Harry；　must　hear　and　own　how　far　our　Scottish　minstrelsy　exceeds　thy　boasted　Chevy　Chase。'

And　forth　rang　in　all　the　mellow　beauty　of　his　voice　that　most　glorious　of　ballads；　the　Battle　of　Otterburn；　as　much　more　grand　than　it　had　been　when　he　heard　it　from　the　glee…man　or　from　Malcolm；　as　a　magnificent　voice；　patriotic　enthusiasm；　and　cultivation　and　refinement；　could　make　it。　　He　had　lost　himself　and　all　around　in　the　passion　of　the　victory；　the　pathos　of　the　death。　　But　no　such　bright　look　of　thanks　recompensed　him。　　Harry's　face　grew　dark；　and　he　growled；　'Douglas　dead？　　Ay；　he　wins　more　fields　so　than　alive！　　I　wish　you　would　keep　my　old　Shrewsbury　friend；　Earl　Tyneman；　as　you　call　him；　at　home。'

''Tis　ill　keeping　the　scholars　in　bounds　when　the　master　is　away；'　returned　Sir　James。

'Well；　by　this　time　Tom　has　taught　them　how　to　transgresssent　them　home　with　the　long　scourge　from　robbing　orchards　in　Anjou。　　He　writes　to　me　almost　with　his　foot　in　the　stirrup；　about　to　give　Douglas　and　Buchan　a　lesson。　　I　shall　make　short　halts　and　long　stages　south。　This　is　too　far　off　for　tidings。'

'True；'　said　Sir　John；　with　a　satirical　curl　of　the　lip；　'above　all；　when　fair　ladies　brook　not　to　ink　their　ivory　fingers。'

'There　spake　the　envious　fiend；'　laughed　the　elder　brother。　　'John　bears　not　the　sight　of　what　he　will　not　or　cannot　get。'

'I'll　never　be　chained　to　a　lady's　litter；　nor　be　forced　to　loiter　till　her　wimple　is　pinned；'　retorted　John。　　'Nor　do　I　like　dames　with　two　husbands　besides。'

'One　would　have　cancelled　the　other；　as　grammarians　tell　us；'　said　Harry；　'if　thy　charms；　John；　had　cancelled　thine　hook　nose！　　I　would　they　had；　ere　her　first　marriage。　　Humfrey　will　burn　his　fingers　there；　and　we　must　hasten　back　to　look　after　that　among　other　things。My　Lord　Marmion；'　he　added；　starting　hastily　up；　and　calling　to　him　as　he　stood　at　some　distance　conversing　with　the　Scottish　Nigel；　'so　please　you；　let　us　have　the　horses；'　and　as　the　gentleman　hastened　to　give　the　summons；　he　said；　'We　shall　make　good　way　now。　We　shall　come　on　Watling　Street。　　Ha；　Jamie；　when　shall　we　prove　ourselves　better　men　than　a　pack　of　Pagan　Romans；　by　having　a　set　of　roads　fit　for　man　or　beast；　of　our　own　making　instead　of　theirs　half　decayed？　　Look　where　I　will；　in　England　or　France；　their　roads　are　the　same　in　buildfirm　as　the　world　itself；　straight　as　arrows。　　An　army　is　off　one's　mind　when　once　one　gets　on　a　Roman　way。　　I'll　learn　the　trick；　and　have　them　from　Edinburgh　to　Bordeaux　ere　ten　years　are　out；　and　then；　what　with　traffic　and　converse　with　the　world；　and　ready　justice；　neither　Highland　men　minor　Gascons　will　have　leisure　or　taste　for　robbery。'

'Perhaps　Gascons　and　Scots　will　have　a　voice　in　the　matter；'　said　James；　a　little　stiffly；　and　the　horses　being　by　this　time　brought；　Sir　Harry　mounted；　and　keeping　his　horse　near　that　of　young　Malcolm；　to　whom　he　had　evidently　taken　a　fancy；　he　began　to　talk　to　him　in　so　friendly　and　winning　a　manner；　that　he　easily　drew　from　the　youth　the　whole　history　of　his　acquaintance　with　Sir　James　Stewart；　of　the　rescue　of　his　sister；　and　the　promise　to　conduct　him　to　the　captive　King　of　Scots；　as　the　only　means　of　saving　him　from　his　rapacious　kindred。

'Poor　lad！'　said　Harry；　gravely。

'Do　you　know　King　James；　Sir？'　asked　Malcolm；　timidly。

'Know　him？'　said　Harry；　turning　round　to　scan　the　boy　with　his　merry　blue　eye。　　'I　know　himyes；　that　as　far　as　a　poor　Welsh　knight　can　know　his　Grace　of　Scotland。'

'And；　Sir；　will　he　be　good　lord　to　me？'

'Eh！　that's　as　you