the caged lion-第20节

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n　unwillingness　to　go　to　her　husband。　But　even　then　the　Black　Death　was　in　Bordeaux；　and　being　low　and　mournful　at　heart；　the　sweet　maid　contracted　it；　and　lay　down　to　die　ere　she　had　made　two　days'　journey；　and　her　last　words　were；　〃My　God　hath　shown　me　more　pity　than　father　or　brother；〃　and　so　she　died　like　a　lamb；　and　mine　aunt　was　sent　by　the　Prince　to　bear　home　the　tidings　to　the　good　Queen；　who　was　a　woeful　woman。　　And　therewith；　here　was　the　pestilence　in　London；　raging　among　the　poor　creatures　that　lived　in　the　wharves　and　on　the　river　bank；　in　damp　and　filth；　so　that　whole　households　lay　dead　at　once；　and　the　contagion；　gathering　force；　spread　into　the　city；　and　even　to　the　nobles　and　their　ladies。　Then　my　good　aunt；　having　some　knowledge　of　the　sickness　already；　and　being　without　fear；　went　among　the　sick；　and　by　her　care；　and　the　food；　wine；　and　clothing　she　brought；　saved　a　many　lives。　　And　from　whom　should　the　bounties　come；　save　from　the　good　Queen；　who　ever　had　a　great　pity　for　those　touched　like　her　own　fair　child？　　Moreover；　when　she　heard　from　my　aunt　how　the　poor　things　lived　in　uncleanness　and　filth；　and　how；　what　with　many　being　strangers　coming　by　sea；　and　others　being　serfs　fled　from　home；　they　were　a　nameless；　masterless　sort；　who　knew　not　where　to　seek　a　parish　priest；　and　whom　the　friars　shunned　for　their　poverty；　she　devised　a　fresh　foundation　to　be　added　to　the　hospital　of　St。　Katharine's　in　the　Docks；　providing　for　a　chapter　of　ten　bedeswomen；　gentle　and　well…nurtured；　who　should　both　sing　in　choir；　and　likewise　go　forth　constantly　among　the　poor；　to　seek　out　the　children；　see　that　they　learn　their　Credo；　Ave；　and　Pater　Noster；　bring　the　more　toward　to　be　further　taught　in　St。　Katharine's　school；　and　likewise　to　stir　poor　folk　up　to　go　to　mass　and　lead　a　godly　life；　to　visit　the　sick；　feed　and　tend　them；　and　so　instruct　them；　that　they　may　desire　the　Sacraments　of　the　Church。'

'Ah！　good　Flemish　Queen！'　cried　Esclairmonde。　　'She　learnt　that　of　our　Beguines！'

'If　your　ladyship　will　have　it　so；'　said　Mrs。　Bolt；　'but　my　aunt　Cicely　began！'

'Who　nominates　these　bedeswomen？'　asked　Esclairmonde。

'That　does　the　Queen；'　said　Mistress　Bolt。　　'Not　this　young　Queen；　as　yet；　for　Queen　Joan；　the　late　King's　widow；　holds　the　hospital　till　her　death；　unless　it　should　be　taken　from　her　for　her　sorceries；　from　which　Heaven　defend　us！'

'Can　it　be　visited？'　said　Esclairmonde。　　'I　feel　much　drawn　thither；　as　I　ever　did　to　the　Beguines。'

'Ay；　marry　may　it！'　cried　delighted　Mrs。　Bolt。　　'I　have　more　than　one　gossip　there；　foreby　Sister　Avice；　who　was　godchild　to　Aunt　Cis；　and　if　the　good　lady　would　wish　to　see　the　hospital；　I　would　bear　her　company　with　all　my　heart。'

To　Malcolm's　disgust；　Esclairmonde　caught　at　the　proposal；　which　the　Scottish　haughtiness　that　lay　under　all　his　gentleness　held　somewhat　degrading　to　the　cousin　of　the　Emperor。　　He　fell　into　a　state　of　gloom；　which　lasted　till　the　loving…cup　had　gone　round　and　been　partaken　of　in　pairs。

After　hands　had　been　washed　in　rose…water；　the　royal　party　took　their　seats　in　barges　to　return　to　Westminster　by　the　broad　and　beautiful　highway　of　the　Thames。

Here　at　once　Alice　Montagu　nestled　to　Esclairmonde's　side；　delighted　with　her　cat　gloves；　and　further　delighted　with　an　old　captain　of　trained　bands；　to　whose　lot　she　had　fallen；　and　who；　on　finding　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　the　Earl　of　Salisbury；　under　whom　he　had　served；　had　launched　forth　by　the　hour　into　the　praises　of　that　brave　nobleman；　both　for　his　courage　and　his　kindness　to　his　troops。

'No　wonder　King　Henry　loves　his　citizens　so　well！'　cried　Esclairmonde。　　'Would　that　our　Netherlandish　princes　and　burghers　could　take　pride　and　pleasure　in　one　another's　wealth　and　prowess；　instead　of　grudging　and　fearing　thereat！'

'To　my　mind；'　said　Malcolm；　'they　were　a　forward　generation。　　That　city　dame　will　burst　with　pride；　if　you；　lady；　go　with　her　to　see　those　bedeswomen。'

'I　trust　not；'　laughed　Esclairmonde；　'for　I　mean　to　try。'

'Nay；　but；'　said　Malcolm；　'what　should　a　mere　matter　of　old　rockers　and　worn…out　tirewomen　concern　a　demoiselle　of　birth？'

'I　honour　them　for　doing　their　Master's　work；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'and　would　fain　be　worthy　to　follow　in　their　steps。'

'Surely；'　said　Malcolm；　'there　are　houses　fit　for　persons　of　high　and　princely　birth　to　live　apart　from　gross　contact　with　the　world。'

'There　are；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but　I　trust　I　may　be　pardoned　for　saying　that　such　often　seem　to　me　to　play　at　humility　when　they　stickle　for　birth　and　dower　with　the　haughtiest。　　I　never　honoured　any　nuns　so　much　as　the　humble　Sisters　of　St。　Begga；　who　never　ask　for　sixteen　quarterings；　but　only　for　a　tender　hand；　soft　step；　pure　life；　and　pious　heart。'

'I　deemed；'　said　Malcolm；　'that　heavenly　contemplation　was　the　purpose　of　convents。'

'Even　so；　for　such　as　can　contemplate　like　the　holy　man　I　have　told　you　of；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'but　labour　hath　been　greatly　laid　aside　in　convents　of　late；　and　I　doubt　me　if　it　be　well；　or　if　their　prayers　be　the　better　for　it。'

'And　so；'　said　Alice；　'I　heard　my　Lord　of　Winchester　saying　how　it　were　well　to　suppress　the　alien　priories；　and　give　their　wealth　to　found　colleges　like　that　founded　by　Bishop　Wykeham。'

For　in　truths　the　spirit　of　the　age　was　beginning　to　set　against　monasticism。　　It　was　the　period　when　perhaps　there　was　more　of　license　and　less　of　saintliness　than　at　any　other；　and　when　the　long　continuance　of　the　Great　Schism　had　so　injured　Church　discipline　that　the　clergy　and　ecclesiastics　were　in　the　worst　state　of　all；　especially　the　monastic　orders；　who　owned　no　superior　but　the　Pope；　and　between　the　two　rivals　could　avoid　supervision　altogether。　　Such　men　as　Thomas　a　Kempis；　or　the　great　Jean　Gerson；　were　rare　indeed；　and　the　monasteries　had　let　themselves　lose　their　missionary　character；　and　become　mere　large　farms；　inhabited　by　celibate　gentlemen　and　their　attendants；　or　by　the　superfluous　daughters　of　the　nobles　and　gentry。　　Such　devotion　as　led　Esclairmonde　to　the　pure　atmosphere　of　prayer　and　self…sacrifice　had　well…nigh　died　out；　and　almost　every　other　lady　of　the　time　would　have　regarded　her　release　from　the　vows　made　for　her　its　her　babyhood　a　happy　escape。

Still　less；　at　a　time　when　no　active　order　of　Sisters；　save　that　of　the　Beguines　in　Holland；　had　been　invented；　and　when　no　nun　ever　dreamt　of　carrying　her　charity　beyond　the　quadrangle　of　her　own　convent；　could　any　one　be　expected　to　enter　into　Esclairmonde's　admiration　and　longing　for　out…of…door　works；　but　the　person　whom　she　had　chiefly　made　her　friend　was　the　King's　almoner　and　chaplain；　sometimes　called　Sir　Martin　Bennet；　at　others　Dr。　Bennet；　a　great　Oxford　scholar；　bred　up　among　William　of　Wykeham's　original　seventy　at　Winchester　and　New　College；　and　now　much　trusted　and　favoured　by　the　King；　whom　he　everywhere　accompanied。　　That　Sir　Martin　was　a　pluralist　must　be　confessed；　but　he　was　most　conscientious　in　providing　substitutes；　and　was　a　man　of　much　thought　and　of　great　piety；　in　whom　the　fair　pupil　of　the　Canon　of　St。　Agnes　found　a　congenial　spirit。



CHAPTER　VI：　　MALCOLM'S　SUIT



'That　is　a　gentle　and　gracious　slip　of　the　Stewart。　　What　shall　you　do　with　him？'　asked　King　Henry　of　James；　as　they　stood　together　at　one　end　of　the　tilt…yard　at　Westminster；　watching　Malcolm　Stewart　and　Ralf　Percy；　who　were　playing　at　closhey；　the　early　form　of　nine…pins。

'I　know　what　I　should　like　to　do；'　said　James。

'What　may　that　be？'

'To　marry　him　to　the　Lady　Esclairmonde　de　Luxemburg。'

Henry　gave　a　long　whistle。

'Have　you　other　views　for　her？'

'Not　I！　　Am　I　to　have　designs　on　every　poor　dove　who　flies　into　my　tent　from　the　hawk？　　Besides；　are　not　they　both　of　them　vowed　to　a　religious　life？'

'Neither　vow　is　valid；'　replied　James。

'To　meddle　with　such　things　is　what　I　should　not　DARE；'　said　Henry。

'Monks　and　friars　are　no　such　holy　beings；　that　I　should　greatly　concern　me　about　keeping　an　innocent　had　out　of　their　company；'　said　James。

'Nor　do　I　say　they　are；'　said　Henry；　'but　it　is　ill　to　cross　a　vow　of　devotion；　and　to　bring　a　man　back　to　the　world　is　apt　to　render　him　not　worth　the　having。　　You　may　perchance　get　him　down　lower　than　you　intended。'

'This　boy　never　had　any　real　vocation　at　all；'　said　James；　'it　was　only　the　timidity　born　of　ill…health；　and　the　longing　for　food　for　the　mind。'

'Maybe　so；'　replied　the　English　king；　'and　you　may　be　in　the　right；　but　why　fix　on　that　grand　Luxemburg　wench；　who　ought　to　be　a　Lady　Abbess　of　Fontainebleau　at　least；　or　a　very　St。　Hilda；　to　rule　monks　and　nuns　alike？'

'Because　they　have　fixed　on　each　other。　　Malcolm　needs　a　woman　like　her　to　make　a　man　of　him；　and　with　her　spirit　and　fervent　charity；　we　should　have　them　working　a　mighty　change　in　Scotland。'

'If　you　get　her　there！'

'Have　I　your　consent；　Harry？'

'Mine？　　It's　no　affair　of　mine！　　You　must　settle　it　with　Madame　of　Hainault；　but　you　had　best　take　care。　　You　are　more　like　to　make　your　tame　lambkin　into　a　ravening　wolf；　than　to　get　that　Deborah　the　prophetess　to　herd　him。'

James　in　sooth　viewed　this　warning　as　another　touch　of　Lancastrian　superstition；　and　only　considered　how　to　broach　the　question。　Malco