the caged lion-第31节

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ded　in　his　turn；　'why　is　the　Lady　Joan　not　here？'

'How　can　I　tell？　　It　was　no　fault　of　mine。　　I　even　got　a　prim　warning　that　it　became　me　not　to　meddle　about　her　ladies；　and　I　doubted　what　slanders　you　might　hear　if　I　were　seen　asking　your　Nightingale　for　a　token。'

'Have　you　none！　　Good　John；　I　know　you　have。'

John　smiled　his　ironical　smile；　produced　from　the　pouch　at　his　girdle　a　small　packet　bound　with　rose…coloured　silk；　and　said：　　'The　Nightingale　hath　a　plume；　you　see；　and　saith；　moreover；　that　her　knight　hath　done　his　devoir　passably；　but　that　she　yet　looks　to　see　him　send　some　captive　giant　to　her　feet。　　So；　Sir　Knight；　I　hope　your　poor　dwarf　hath　acquitted　him　well　in　your　chivalrous　jargon。'

James　smiled　and　coloured　with　pleasure；　the　fantastic　message　was　not　devoid　of　reality　in　the　days　when　young　imaginative　spirits　tried　to　hide　the　prose　of　war　and　policy　in　a　bright　mist　of　romantic　fancy；　nor　was　he　ashamed　to　bend　his　manly　head　in　reverence　to；　and　even　press　to　his　lips；　his　lady's　first　love…　letter；　in　the　very　sight　of　the　satirical　though　sympathizing　Bedford；　of　whom　he　eagerly　asked　of　the　fair　Joan's　health　and　welfare；　and　whether　she　were　flouted　by　Queen　Catherine。

'No　more　than　is　the　meed　of　her　beauty；'　said　Bedford。　　'Sister　Kate　likes　not　worship　at　any　shrine　save　one。　　Look　at　our　suite：　　our　knightsyea；　our　very　grooms　are　picked　for　their　comeliness；　to　wit　that　great　feather…pated　oaf　of　a　Welshman；　Owen　Tudor　there；　while　dames　and　demoiselles；　tire…women　and　all；　are　as　near　akin　as　may　be　to　Sir　Gawain's　loathly　lady。'

'Not　at　least　the　fair　Luxemburg。　　Did　not　I　see　her　stately　mien？'

'She　is　none　of　the　Queen's；　and　moreover　she　stands　aloof；　so　that　the　women　forgive　her　gifts！　　There　is　that　cough　of　Harry's　again！　He　is　the　shadow　of　the　man　he　was；　I　would　I　knew　if　this　were　the　step…dame's　doing。'

'Nay；　John；　when　you　talk　to　me　of　Harry's　cough；　and　of　night…　watches　and　flooded　camps；　I　hearken；　but　when　your　wits　run　wool…　gathering　after　that　poor　woman；　making　waxen　images　stuck　full'

'You　are　in　the　right　on't；　James；'　said　Henry；　who　had　come　up　to　them　while　he　was　speaking。　　'John　will　never　get　sorceries　out　of　his　head。　　I　have　thought　it　over；　and　will　not　be　led　into　oppressing　my　father's　widow　any　more。　　I　cannot　spend　this　Pentecost　cheerily　till　I　know　she　is　set　free　and　restored　to　her　manors；　and　I　shall　write　to　Humfrey　and　the　Council　to　that　effect。'

And　as　John　shrugged　his　shoulders；　Henry　gaily　added：　　'Thou　seest　what　comes　of　a　winter　spent　with　this　unbeliever　Jamie；　and　truly；　I　found　the　thought　of　unright　to　my　father's　widow　was　a　worse　pin　in　my　heart　than　ever　she　is　like　to　thrust　there。'

Thus　then　it　was；　that　in　the　overflowing　joy　and　good…will　of　his　heart；　and　mayhap　with　the　presentiment　which　rendered　him　willing　to　be　at　peace　with　all　his　kindred；　Henry　forgave　and　released　his　step…mother；　Joan　of　Navarre；　whom　common　rumour　termed　the　Witch　Queen；　and　whom　he　had　certainly　little　reason　to　love；　whether　it　were　true　or　not　that　she　had　attempted　to　weave　spells　against　him。　In　fact；　there　were　few　of　the　new…comers　from　England　who　did　not；　like　Bedford；　impute　the　transparency　of　Henry's　hands；　and　the　hollowness　of　his　brightly…tinted　cheek；　to　some　form　of　sorcery。

Meantime；　Esclairmonde　de　Luxemburg；　more　beautiful　than　ever　under　a　still　simpler　dress；　had　greeted　Malcolm　with　her　wonted　kindness；　adding；　with　a　smile；　that　he　was　so　much　grown　and　embrowned　that　she　should　not　have　known　him　but　for　the　sweet　Scottish　voice　which　he；　like　his　king；　possessed。

'You　do　me　too　much　grace　in　commending　aught　that　is　mine；　madame；'　said　Malcolm；　with　an　attempt　at　the　assurance　he　believed　himself　to　have　acquired；　but　he　could　only　finish　by　faltering　and　blushing。　There　was　a　power　of　repression　about　Esclairmonde　that　annihilated　all　his　designs；　and　drove　him　back　into　his　bashful　self　whenever　he　came　into　contact　with　her；　and　felt　how　unlike　the　grave　serene　loftiness　of　her　presence　was　to　the　mere　queen　of　romance；　that　in　her　absence　her　shadow　had　become。

Alice　Montagu；　returning　to　her　side；　relieved　while　disconcerting　him。　　Sweet　little　Alice　had　been　in　a　continual　flutter　ever　since　commands　had　come　from　Meaux　that　she　was　to　come　out　to　meet　the　father　whom　she　had　not　seen　since　what　seemed　like　half　her　childish　lifetime；　and　the　betrothed　whom　she　had　never　seen　at　all；　and　Lady　Westmoreland　had　added　to　her　awe　by　the　lengthened　admonition　with　which　she　took　leave　of　her。　　And　on　this　day；　when　Esclairmonde　herself　had　arrayed　the　fair　child　in　the　daintiest　of　rose…pink　boddices　edged　with　swan's…down；　the　whitest　of　kirtles；　and　softest　of　rosy　veils；　the　flush　of　anxiety　on　the　pale　little　face　made　it　so　fair　to　look　upon；　that　as　the　maiden　wistfully　asked；　'Think　you　he　will　flout　me？'　it　was　impossible　not　to　laugh　at　the　very　notion。　'Ah！　but　I　would　be　glad　if　he　did；　for　then　I　might　bide　with　you。'

When；　in　the　general　greeting；　Alice　had　been　sought　out　by　a　tall；　dark…browed；　grizzled　warrior；　Esclairmonde　had；　cruelly；　as　the　maiden　thought；　kept　her　station　behind　the　Countess；　and　never　stirred　for　all　those　wistful　backward　glances；　but　left　her　alone　to　drop　on　her　knee　to　seek　the　blessing　of　the　mighty　old　soldier。

And　now　she　was　holding　his　great　hand；　almost　as　tough　as　his　gauntlets；　and　leading　him　up　to　her　friend；　while　he　louted　low；　and　spoke　with　a　grand　fatherly　courtesy：

'Fair　demoiselle；　this　silly　wench　of　mine　tells　me　that　you　have　been　good　friend　to　her；　and　I　thank　you　for　the　same　with　all　mine　heart。'

'Silly'　was　a　fond　term　of　love　then；　and　had　all　the　affection　of　a　proud　father　in　it；　as　the　Earl　of　Salisbury　patted　the　small　soft　fingers　in　his　grasp。

'Truly；　my　lord；'　responded　Esclairmonde；　'the　Lady　Alice　hath　been　my　sweetest　companion；　friend；　and　sister；　for　these　many　months。'

'Nay；　child；　art　worthy　to　be　called　friend　by　such　a　lady　as　this？　If　so；　I　shall　deem　my　little　Alice　grown　a　woman　indeed；　as　it　is　time　she　wereDiccon　Nevil　is　bent　on　the　wedding　before　we　go　to　the　wars　again。'

Alice　coloured　like　a　damask　rose；　and　hid　her　face　behind　her　friend。

'Hast　seen　him；　sweet？'　asked　Esclairmonde；　when　Salisbury　had　been　called　away。　　'Is　he　here？'

'Yes；　out　therehe　with　the　white　bull　on　his　surcoat；'　said　Alice；　dreading　to　look　that　way。

'And　hast　spoken　with　him？'　asked　the　lady　next；　feeling　as　if　the　stout；　commonplace；　hardy…looking　soldier　she　saw　was　scarce　what　she　would　have　chosen　for　her　little　wild　rose　of　an　Alice；　comely　and　brave　though　he　were。

'He　hath　kissed　mine　hand；'　faltered　Alice；　but　it　was　quite　credible　that　not　a　word　had　passed。　　The　marriage　was　a　business　contract　between　the　houses　of　Wark　and　Raby；　and　a　grand　speculation　for　Sir　Richard　Nevil；　that　was　all；　but　gentle　Alice　had　no　reluctance　beyond　mere　maidenly　shyness；　and　unwillingness　to　enter　on　an　unknown　future　under　a　new　lord。　　She　even　whispered　to　her　dear　Clairette　that　she　was　glad　Sir　Richard　never　tormented　her　by　talking　to　her；　and　that　he　was　grave；　and　so　old。

'So　old？　why；　little　one；　he　can　scarce　be　seven…and…twenty！'

'And　is　not　that　old？　oh；　so　old！'　said　Alice。　　'Able　to　take　care　of　me。　　I　would　not　have　a　youth　like　that　young　Lord　of　Glenuskie。　　Oh　nonever！'

'That　is　well；'　said　Esclairmonde；　smiling；　'but　wherefore　put　such　disdain　in　thy　voice；　Alice？　　He　used　to　be　our　playfellow；　and　he　hath　grown　older　and　more　manly　in　this　year。'

'His　boyhood　was　better　than　such　manhood；'　said　Alice；　'he　was　more　to　my　taste　when　he　was　meek；　than　now　that　he　seems　to　say；　〃I　would　be　saucy　if　I　durst。〃　　And　he　hath　not　the　stuff　to　dare　any　way。'

'Fie！　fie！　　Alice；　you　are　growing　slanderous。'

'Nay；　now；　Clairette；　own　verilyyou　feel　the　like！'

'Hush；　silly　one；　what　skills　it？　　Youths　must　pass　through　temptation；　and　if　his　king　hindered　his　vocation；　maybe　the　poor　lad　may　rue　it　sorely；　but　methinks　he　will　come　to　the　right　at　last。　It　were　better　to　say　a　prayer　for　his　faults　than　to　speak　evil　of　them；　Alice。'

Poor　Malcolm！　　He　was　at　that　very　moment　planning　with　an　embroiderer　a　robe　wherein　to　appear；　covered　with　flashes　of　lightning　transfixing　the　world；　and　mottoes　around'Esclaire　mais　Embrase'

Every　moment　that　he　was　absent　from　Esclairmonde　was　spent　in　composing　chivalrous　discourses　in　which　to　lay　himself　at　her　feet；　but　the　mere　sight　of　her　steady　dark　eyes　scattered　them　instantly　from　his　memory；　and　save　for　very　shame　he　would　have　entreated　King　James　again　to　break　the　ice　for　him；　since　the　lady　evidently　supposed　that　she　had　last　year　entirely　quashed　his　suit。　　And　in　this　mood　Malcolm　mounted　and　took　his　place　to　ride　into　Paris；　where　the　King　wished　to　arrive　in　the　evening；　and　with　little　preparation；　so　as　to　avoid　the　weary　length　of　a　state　reception；　with　all　its　speeches　and　pageants。

In　the　glow　of　a　May　evening　the　cavalcade　passed　the　gates；　and　entered　the　city；　where　the　streets　were　so　narrow　that　it　was　often　impossible　to　ride　otherwise　than　two　and　two。　　The　foremost　had　emerged　into　an　open　space　be