the caged lion-第13节

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observing　that　Malcolm's　dress　and　equipments；　the　work　of　Glenuskie　looms；　supplemented　by　a　few　Edinburgh　purchases；　was　uncouth　enough　to　attract　some　scornful　glances　from　the　crowd　who　came　out　to　welcome　the　royal　entrance　into　York　the　next　day；　he　instantly　sent　Brewster　in　search　of　the　best　tailor　and　lorimer　in　the　city；　and　provided　so　handsomely　for　the　appearance　of　young　Glenuskie；　his　horse；　and　his　attendants；　that　the　whole　floor　of　their　quarters　was　strewn　with　doublets；　boots；　chaperons；　and　gloves；　saddles；　bridles；　and　spurs；　when　the　Duke　of　Bedford　loitered　into　the　room；　and　began　to　banter　James　for　thus　（as　he　supposed）　pranking　himself　out　to　meet　the　lady　of　his　love；　and　then　bemoaned　the　fripperies　that　had　become　the　rage　in　their　once　bachelor　court；　vowing；　between　sport　and　earnest；　that　Hal　was　so　enamoured　of　his　fair　bride；　that　anon　the　conquest　of　France　would　be　left　to　himself　and　his　brother；　Tom　of　Clarence；　while　James　retorted　by　thrusts　at　Bedford's　own　rusticity　of　garb；　and　by　endeavouring　to　force　on　him　a　pair　of　shoes　with　points　like　ram's　horns；　as　a　special　passport　to　the　favour　of　Dame　Jaca　lady　who　seemed　to　be　the　object　of　Duke　John's　great　distaste。

Suddenly　a　voice　was　heard　in　the　gallery　of　the　great　old　mansion　where　they　were　lodged。　　'John！　　John！　　Here！Where　is　the　Duke；　I　say？'　　It　was　thick　and　husky；　as　with　some　terrible　emotion；　and　the　King　and　Duke　had　already　started　in　dismay　before　the　door　was　thrown　open；　and　King　Henry　stood　among　them；　his　face　of　a　burning　red。

'See　here；　John！'　he　said；　holding　out　a　letter；　and　then；　with　an　accent　of　wrathful　anguish；　and　a　terrible　frown；　he　turned　on　James；　exclaiming；　'I　would　send　you　to　the　Tower；　Sir；　did　I　think　you　had　a　hand　in　this！'

Malcolm　trembled；　and　sidled　nearer　his　prince；　while　James；　with　an　equally　fierce　look；　replied；　'Hold；　Sir！　　Send　me　where　you　will；　but　dare　not　dishonour　my　name！'　　Then　changing；　as　he　saw　the　exceeding　grief　on　Henry's　brow；　and　heard　John's　smothered　cry　of　dismay；　'For　Heaven's　sake；　Harry；　what　is　it？'

'This！'　said　Henry；　less　loudly；　less　hotly；　but　still　with　an　agony　of　indignation：　　'Thomas　is　deadand　by　the　hand　of　two　of　your　traitor　Scots！'

'Murdered！'　cried　James；　aghast。

'Murdered　by　all　honest　laws　of　war；　but　on　the　battlefield；'　said　Henry。　　'Your　cousin　of　Buchan　and　old　Douglas　fell　on　my　brave　fellows　at　Beauge；　when　they　were　spent　with　travel　to　stop　the　robberies　in　Anjou。　　They　closed　in　with　their　pikes　on　my　brave　fellows；　took　Somerset　prisoner；　and　for　Thomas；　while　he　was　dealing　with　a　knight　named　Swinton　in　front；　the　villain　Buchan　comes　behind　and　cleaves　his　head　in　twain；　and　that　is　what　you　Scots　call　fighting！'

'It　was　worthy　of　a　son　of　Albany！'　said　James。　　'Would　that　vengeance　were　in　my　power！'

'Ay；　you　loved　him！'　said　Henry；　grasping　James's　hand；　his　passion　softened　into　a　burst　of　tears；　as　he　wrung　his　prisoner's　hand。　'Nay；　who　did　not　love　him；　my　brave；　free…hearted　brother？　　And　that　II　should　have　dallied　here　and　left　him　to　bear　the　brunt；　and　be　cut　off　by　you　felon　Scots！'　　And　he　hid　his　face；　struggling　within　an　agony　of　heart…rending　grief；　which　seemed　to　sway　his　whole　tall；　powerful　frame　as　he　leant　against　the　high　back　of　a　chair；　while　John；　together　with　James；　was　imploring　him　not　to　accuse　himself；　for　his　presence　had　been　needful　at　home；　and；　to　turn　the　tenor　of　his　thought；　James　inquired　whether　there　were　any　further　disaster。

'Not　as　yet；'　said　Henry；　'there　is　not　a　man　left　in　that　heaven…　abandoned　crew　who　knows　how　to　profit　by　what　they　have　got！　but　I　must　back　again　ere　the　devil　stir　them　up　a　man　of　wit！And　you；　Sir；　can　you　take　order　with　these　heady　Scots？'

'From　Windsor？　no；'　said　James；　'but　set　me　in　the　saddle；　let　me　learn　war　under　such　a　captain　as　yourself；　and　maybe　they　will　not　take　the　field　against　me；　or　if　they　do；　the　slayer　of　Clarence　shall　rue　it。'

'Be　it　so；'　said　Henry；　wringing　his　hand。　　'You　shall　with　me　to　France；　Jamie；　and　see　war。　　The　Scots　should　flock　to　the　Lion　rampant；　and　without　them　the　French　are　mo　better　than　deer；　under　the　fool　and　murderer　they　call　Dauphin。　　Yet；　alas！　will　any　success　give　me　back　my　brothermy　brother；　the　brave　and　true？'　he　added；　weeping　again　within　the　ABANDON　of　an　open　nature　and　simple　age。　'It　was　for　my　sins；　my　forgetfulness　of　my　great　work；　that　this　has　come　on　me。Ho；　Marmion！　carry　these　tidings　from　me　to　the　Dean；　pray　him　that　the　knell　be　tolled　at　the　Minster；　and　a　requiem　sung　for　my　brother　and　all　who　fell　with　him。　　We　will　be　there　ourselves；　and　the　mayor　must　hold　us　excused　from　his　banquet；　these　men　are　too　loyal　not　to　grieve　for　their　King。'

And；　with　his　arm　round　the　neck　of　his　brother　John；　Henry　left　the　room；　and　before　another　word　could　be　said；　Sir　Nigel　was　there；　having　only　retired　on　the　King's　entrance。　　The　news　was　of　course　all　over　the　house；　and　with　an　old　attendant's　freedom　he　exclaimed；　'So；　Sir；　the　English　have　found　tough　cummers　at　last！'

'Not　too　honourably；'　said　James；　sadly。

'Hout；　would　not　the　puir　loons　be　glad　enow　of　any　gate　of　coming　by　a　clout　at　the　man's　brother　that　keeps　you　captive！'

'They　have　taken　away　one　of　those　I　loved　best！'　said　James。

'I'm　no　speaking　ill　of　the　lad　Clarence　himself；'　said　Nigel；　'he　was　a　braw　youth；　leal　and　bold；　and　he　has　died　in　his　helm　and　spurs；　as　a　good　knight　should。　　I'd　wish　none　of　these　princes　a　waur　ending。　　Moreover；　could　Swinton　have　had　the　wit　to　keep　him　living；　he'd　have　been　a　bonnie　barter　for　you；　my　Lord；　but　ony　way　the　fight　was　a　gallant　one；　and　the　very　squire　that　brought　the　tidings　cannot　deny　that　our　Scots　fought　like　lions。'

'Would　Douglas　but　so　fight　in　any　good　quarrel！'　sighed　the　King。　'But　what　are　you　longing　to　ask；　Malcolm？　　Is　it　for　your　kinsman　Patrick？　　I　fear　me　that　there　is　little　chance　of　your　hearing　by　name　of　him。'

'I　wot　not；'　said　Sir　Nigel；　'I　did　but　ask　for　that　hare…brained　young　cousin　of　mine；　Davie　Baird；　that　must　needs　be　off　on　this　journey　to　France；　and　the　squire　tells　me　he　was　no　herald；　to　be　answerable　for　the　rogues　that　fought　on　the　other　side。'

'We　shall　soon　see　for　ourselves；'　said　James；　'I　am　to　make　this　campaign。'

'You！　you；　my　liege！　　Against　your　own　ally；　and　under　the　standard　of　England！　　Woe's　me；　how　could　ye　be　so　lost！'

James　argued　on　his　own　conviction　that　the　true　France　was　with　poor　Charles　VI。；　and　that　it　was　doing　the　country　no　service　to　prolong　the　resistance　of　the　Armagnacs　and　the　Dauphin；　who　then　appeared　mere　partisans　instead　of　patriots。　　As　to　fighting　under　the　English　banner；　no　subjection　was　involved　in　an　adventurer　king　so　doing：　had　not　the　King　of　Bohemia　thus　fought　at　Crecy？　and　was　not　the　King　of　Sicily　with　the　French　army？　　Moreover；　James　himself　felt　the　necessity　of　gaining　some　experience　in　the　art　of　war。　Theoretically　he　had　studied　it　with　all　his　might；　from　Caesar；　Quintus　Curtius；　and　that　favourite　modern　authority；　the　learned　ecclesiastic；　Jean　Pave；　who　was　the　Vauban　of　the　fifteenth　century；　and　he　had　likewise　obtained　greedily　all　the　information　he　could　from　Henry　himself　and　his　warriors；　but　all　this　had　convinced　him　that　if　war　was　to　be　more　than　a　mere　raid；　conducted　by　mere　spirit　and　instinct；　some　actual　apprenticeship　was　necessary。　　Even　for　such　a　dash；　Henry　himself　had　told　him　that　he　would　find　his　book…　knowledge　an　absolute　impediment　without　some　practice；　and　would　probably　fail　for　that　very　reason　when　opposed　to　tough　old　seasoned　warriors。　　And；　prudence　apart；　James；　at　five…and…twenty；　absolutely　glowed　with　shame　at　the　thought　that　every　one　of　his　companions　had　borne　arms　for　at　least　ten　years　past；　while　his　arrows　had　no　mark　but　the　target；　his　lances　had　all　been　broken　in　the　tilt…yard。　　It　was　this　argument　that　above　all　served　to　pacify　old　Bairdsbrae；　though　he　confessed　himself　very　uneasy　as　to　the　prejudice　it　would　create　in　Scotland；　and　so　evidently　loathed　the　expedition；　that　James　urged　on　him　to　return　to　Scotland；　instead　of　continuing　his　attendance。　　There　was　no　fear　but　that　his　ransom　would　be　accepted；　and　he　had　been　absent　twelve　years　from　his　home。

'No；　no；　my　Lord；　I　sware　to　your　father　that　I'd　never　quit　you　till　I　brought　you　safe　home　again；　and；　God　willing；　I'll　keep　my　oath。　But　what's　this　puir　callant　to　do；　that　you　were　set　upon　rearing　upon　your　books　at　Windsor？'

'He　shall　choose；'　said　James。　　'Either　he　shall　study　at　the　learned　university　at　Oxford　or　at　Paris；　or　he　shall　ride　with　me；　and　see　how　cities　and　battles　are　won。　　Speak　not　yet；　cousin；　it　takes　many　months　to　shake　out　the　royal　banner；　and　you　shall　look　about　you　ere　deciding。　　Now　give　me　yonder　black　cloak；　they　are　assembling　for　the　requiem。'

Malcolm；　as　he　followed　his　king；　was　not　a　little　amazed　to　see　that　Henry；　the　magnificent　victor；　was　wrapped　in　a　plain　black　serge　garment；　his　short　dark　hair　uncovered；　his　feet　bare；　and　that　on　arriving　at　the　Minster　he　threw　himself　on　his　knees；　almost　on　his　face；　before　the　choir　steps；　there　re