the caged lion-第16节

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middle　ages；　but　the　kindness　of　the　smile　went　to　Malcolm's　heart；　and　emboldened　him　to　answer　in　his　best　French；　'You　are　from　Holland；　lady？'

'Not　from　the　fens；'　she　answered。　　'My　home　lies　in　the　borders　of　the　forest　of　Ardennes。'

And　then　they　found　that　they　understood　each　other　best　when　she　spoke　French；　and　Malcolm　English；　or　rather　Scotch；　and　their　acquaintance　made　so　much　progress；　that　when　the　signal　was　again　given　to　mount；　the　Lady　Esclairmonde　permitted　Malcolm　to　assist　her　to　her　saddle；　and　as　he　rode　beside　her　he　felt　pleased　with　himself；　and　as　if　Ralf　Percy　were　welcome　to　look　at　him　now。

On　Esclairmonde's　other　hand　there　rode　a　small；　slight　girl；　whom　Malcolm　took　for　quite　a　child；　and　paid　no　attention　to；　but　presently　old　Sir　Lewis　Robsart　rode　back　with　a　message　that　my　Lady　of　Westmoreland　wished　to　know　where　the　Lady　Alice　Montagu　was。　　A　gentle；　timid　voice　answered；　'O　Sir；　I　am　well　here　with　Lady　Esclairmonde。　　Pray　tell　my　good　lady　so。'

And　therewith　Sir　Lewis　smiled；　and　said；　'You　could　scarcely　be　in　better　hands；　fair　damsel；'　and　rode　back　again；　while　Alice　was　still　entreating；　'May　I　stay　with　you；　dear　lady？　　It　is　all　so　strange　and　new！'

Esclairmonde　smiled；　and　said；　'You　make　me　at　home　here；　Mademoiselle。　　It　is　I　who　am　the　stranger！'

'Ah！　but　you　have　been　in　Courts　before。　　I　never　lived　anywhere　but　at　Middleham　Castle　till　they　fetched　me　away　to　meet　the　Queen。'

For　the　gentle　little　maiden；　a　slender；　fair…haired；　childish…faced　creature；　in　her　sixteenth　year；　was　the　motherless　child　and　heiress　of　the　stout　Earl　of　Salisbury；　the　last　of　the　Montacutes；　or　Montagues；　who　was　at　present　fighting　the　King's　battles　in　France；　but　had　sent　his　commands　that　she　should　be　brought　to　Court；　in　preparation　for　fulfilling　the　long…arranged　contract　between　her　and　Sir　Richard　Nevil；　one　of　the　twenty…two　children　of　the　Earl　of　Westmoreland。

She　was　under　the　charge　of　the　Countessa　stately　dame；　with　all　the　Beaufort　pride；　and　much　afraid　of　her　she　was；　as　everything　that　was　shy　or　forlorn　seemed　to　turn　towards　the　maiden　whose　countenance　not　only　promised　kindness　but　protection。

Presently　the　cavalcade　passed　a　gray　building　in　the　midst　of　green　fields　and　orchards；　where；　under　the　trees；　some　black…veiled　figures　sat　spinning。

'A　nunnery！'　quoth　Esclairmonde；　looking　eagerly　after　it　as　she　rode　past。

'A　nunnery！'　said　Malcolm；　encouraged　into　the　simple　confidingness　of　a　young　boy。　　'How　unlike　the　one　where　my　sister　is！　　Not　a　tree　is　near　it；　it　is　perched　upon　a　wild　crag　overhanging　the　angry　sea；　and　the　winds　roar；　and　the　gulls　and　eagles　scream；　and　the　waves　thunder　round　it！'

'Yet　it　is　not　the　less　a　haven　of　peace；'　replied　Esclairmonde。

'Verily；'　said　Malcolm；　'one　knows　what　peace　is　under　that　cloister；　where　all　is　calm　while　the　winds　rave　without。'

'You　know　how　to　love　a　cloister；'　said　the　lady；　as　she　heard　his　soft；　sad　tones。

'I　had　promised　myself　to　make　my　home　in　one；'　said　Malcolm；　'but　my　King　will　have　me　make　trial　of　the　world　first。　　And　so　please　you；'　he　added；　recollecting　himself；　'he　forbade　me　to　make　my　purpose　known；　so　pray；　lady；　be　so　good　as　to　forget　what　I　have　said。'

'I　will　be　silent；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but　I　will　not　forget；　for　I　look　on　you　as　one　like　myself；　my　young　lord。　　I　too　am　dedicated；　and　only　longing　to　reach　my　cloistered　haven。'

She　spoke　it　out　with　the　ease　of　those　days　when　the　monastic　was　as　recognized　a　profession　as　any　other　calling；　and　yet　with　something　of　the　desire　to　make　it　evident　on　what　ground　she　stood。

Lady　Alice　uttered　an　exclamation　of　surprise。

'Yes；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'I　was　dedicated　his　my　infancy；　and　promised　myself　in　the　nunnery　at　Dijon　when　I　was　seven　years　old。'

Then；　as　if　to　turn　the　conversation　from　herself；　she　asked　of　Malcolm　if　he　too　had　made　any　vow。

'Only　to　myself；'　said　Malcolm。　　'Neither　my　Tutor　nor　the　Prior　of　Coldingham　would　hear　my　vows。'　　And　he　was　soon　drawn　into　telling　his　whole　story；　to　which　the　ladies　both　listened　with　great　interest　and　kindness；　Esclairmonde　commending　his　resolution　to　leave　the　care　of　his　lands　and　vassals　to　one　whom　he　represented　as　so　much　better　fitted　to　bear　them　as　Patrick　Drummond；　and　only　regretting　the　silence　King　James　had　enjoined；　saying　she　felt　that　there　was　safety　and　protection　in　being　avowed　as　a　destined　religious。

'And　you　are　one；'　said　Lady　Alice；　looking　at　her　in　wonder。　　'And　yet　you　are　with　THAT　lady'　　And　the　girl's　innocent　face　expressed　a　certain　wonder　and　disgust　that　no　one　could　marvel　at　who　had　heard　the　Flemish　Countess　talk　in　the　loudest；　broadest；　most　hoydenish　style。

'She　has　been　my　very　good　lady；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'she　has；　under　the　saints；　saved　me　from　much。'

'Oh；　I　entreat　you；　tell　us；　dear　lady！'　entreated　Alice。　　It　was　not　a　reticent　age。　　Malcolm　Stewart　had　already　avowed　himself　in　his　own　estimation　pledged　to　a　monastic　life；　and　Esclairmonde　of　Luxemburg　had　reasons　for　wishing　her　position　and　intentions　to　be　distinctly　understood　by　all　with　whom　she　came　in　contact；　moreover；　there　was　a　certain　congeniality　in　both　her　companions；　their　innocence　and　simplicity；　that　drew　out　confidence；　and　impelled　her　to　defend　her　lady。

'My　poor　Countess；'　she　said；　'she　has　been　sorely　used；　and　has　suffered　much。　　It　is　a　piteous　thing　when　our　little　imperial　fiefs　go　to　the　spindle　side！'

'What　are　her　lands？'　asked　Malcolm。

'Hainault；　Holland；　and　Zealand；'　replied　the　lady。　　'Her　father　was　Count　of　Hainault；　her　mother　the　sister　of　the　last　Duke　of　Burgundyhim　that　was　slain　on　the　bridge　of　Montereau。　　She　was　married　as　a　mere　babe　to　the　Duke　of　Touraine；　who　was　for　a　brief　time　Dauphin；　but　he　died　ere　she　was　sixteen；　and　her　father　died　at　the　same　time。　　Some　say　they　both　were　poisoned。　　The　saints　forfend　it　should　be　true；　but　thus　it　was　my　poor　Countess　was　left　desolate；　and　her　uncle；　the　Bishop　of　LiegeJean　Sans　Pitie；　as　they　call　himclaimed　her　inheritance。　　You　should　have　seen　how　undaunted　she　was！'

'Were　you　with　her　then？'　asked　Alice　Montagu。

'Yes。　　I　had　been　taken　from　our　convent　at　Dijon；　when　my　dear　brothers；　to　whom　Heaven　be　merciful！　died　at　Azincourt。　　My　oncles　a　la　mode　de　Bretagnehow　call　you　it　in　English？'

'Welsh　uncles；'　said　Alice。

'They　are　the　Count　de　St。　Pol　and　the　Bishop　of　Therouenne。　　They　came　to　Dijon。　　In　another　month　I　should　have　been　seventeen；　and　been　admitted　as　a　novice；　but；　alack！　there　were　all　the　lands　that　came　through　my　grandmother；　in　Holland　and　in　Flanders；　all　falling　to　me；　and　Monseigneur　of　Therouenne；　like　almost　all　secular　clergy；　cannot　endure　the　religious　orders；　and　would　not　hear　of　my　becoming　a　Sister。　　They　took　me　away；　and　the　Bishop　declared　my　dedication　null；　and　they　would　have　bestowed　me　in　marriage　at　once；　I　believe；　if　Heaven　had　not　aided　me；　and　they　could　not　agree　on　the　person。　And　then　my　dear　Countess　promised　me　that　she　would　never　let　me　be　given　without　my　free　will。'

'Then；'　said　Alice；　'the　Bishop　did　cancel　your　dedication？'

'Yes；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but　none　can　cancel　the　dedication　of　my　heart。　　So　said　the　holy　man　at　Zwoll。'

'How；　lady？'　anxiously　inquired　Malcolm；　'has　not　a　bishop　power　to　bind　and　unloose？'

'Yea；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'such　power　that　if　my　childish　promise　had　been　made　without　purpose　or　conscience　thereof；　or　indeed　if　my　will　were　not　with　it；　it　would　bind　me　no　more；　there　were　no　sin　in　wedlock　for　me；　no　broken　vow。　　But　my　own　conscience　of　my　vow；　and　my　sense　that　I　belong　to　my　Heavenly　Spouse；　proved；　he　said；　that　it　was　not　my　duty　to　give　myself　to　another；　and　that　whereas　none　have　a　parent's　right　over　me；　if　I　have　indeed　chosen　the　better　part；　He　to　whom　I　have　promised　myself　will　not　let　it　be　taken　from　me；　though　I　might　have　to　bear　much　for　His　sake。　　And　when　I　said　in　presumption　that　such　would　lie　light　on　me；　he　bade　me　speak　less　and　pray　more；　for　I　knew　not　the　cost。'

'He　must　have　been　a　very　holy　man；'　said　Alice；　'and　strict　withal。　Who　was　he？'

'One　Father　Thomas；　a　Canon　Regular　of　the　chapter　of　St。　Agnes；　a　very　saint；　who　spends　his　life　in　copying　and　illuminating　the　Holy　Scripture；　and　in　writing　holy　thoughts　that　verily　seem　to　have　been　breathed　into　him　by　special　inspiration　of　God。　　It　was　a　sermon　of　his　in　Lent；　upon　chastening　and　perplexity；　that　I　heard　when　first　I　was　snatched　from　Dijon；　that　made　me　never　rest　till　I　had　obtained　his　ghostly　counsel。　　If　I　never　meet　him　again；　I　shall　thank　Heaven　for　those　months　at　Zwoll　all　my　lifeere　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　made　my　Countess　resign　Holland　for　twelve　years　to　her　uncle；　and　we　left　the　place。　　Then；　well…nigh　against　her　will；　they　forced　her　into　a　marriage　with　the　Duke　of　Brabant；　though　he　be　her　first　cousin；　her　godson；　and　a　mere　rude　boy。　　I　cannot　tell　you　how　evil　were　the　days　we　often　had　then。　　If　he　had　been　left　to　himself；　Madame　might　have　guided　him；　but　ill　men　came　about　him；　they　maddened　him　with　wine　and　beer；　they　excited　him　to　show　that　he　feared　her　not；　he