the caged lion-第37节

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ce。　　Was　not　the　patience　with　which　he　kept　his　eyes　away　from　her　already　a　proof　of　his　consideration　and　delicate　kindness？

But　deep　in　Esclairmonde's　soul　lay　the　sense　that　her　dedication　was　sacred；　and　her　power　over　herself　gone。　　She　had　always　felt　a　wife's　allegiance　due　to　Him　whom　she　received　as　her　spiritual　Spouse；　and　though　the　sense　at　this　moment　only　brought　her　disappointment　and　self…reproach；　her　will　was　loyal。　　The　bond　was　cutting　into　her　very　flesh；　but　she　never　even　thought　of　breaking　it；　and　all　she　waited　for　was　the　power　of　restraining　her　grateful　tears。

In　this　she　was　assisted　by　observing　that　Bedford's　attention　had　been　attracted　towards　his　brother；　who　was　looking　wan　and　weary；　scarcely　tasting　what　was　set　before　him；　and；　after　fitfully　trying　to　converse　with　Marguerite　of　Burgundy；　at　last　had　taken　advantage　of　an　endless　harangue　from　all　the　Virtues；　and　had　dropped　asleep。　The　Lady　Anne　was　seen　making　a　sign　to　her　sister　not　to　disturb　him；　and　Bedford　murmured；　with　a　sigh；　'There　is；　for　once；　a　discreet　woman。'　　Then；　as　if　recalled　to　a　sense　of　what　was　passing；　he　turned　on　Esclairmonde　his　full　earnest　look；　saying；　'You　will　teach　the　Queen　how　HE　should　be　cared　for。　　You　will　help　me。'

'Sir；'　said　Esclairmonde；　feeling　it　most　difficult　not　to　falter；　'this　is　a　great　grace；　but　it　cannot　be。'

'Cannot！'　said　Bedford；　slowly。　　'You　have　taken　thought？'

'Sir；　it　is　not　the　part　of　a　betrothed　spouse　to　take　thought。　　My　vows　were　renewed　of　my　own　free　will　and　it　were　sacrilege　to　try　to　recall　them　for　the　first　real　temptation。'

She　spoke　steadily；　but　the　effort　ached　through　her　whole　frame；　especially　when　the　last　word　illumined　John　Plantagenet's　face　with　strange　sweet　light；　quenched　as　his　lip　trembled；　his　nostril　quivered；　his　eye　even　moistened；　as　he　said；　'It　is　enough；　lady；　I　will　no　more　vex　one　who　is　vexed　enough　already；　and　you　will　so　far　trust　me　as　to　regard　me　as　your　protector；　if　you　should　be　in　need？'

'Indeed　I　will；'　said　Esclairmonde；　hardly　restraining　her　tears。

'That　is　well；'　said　Bedford。　　And　he　neither　looked　at　her　nor　spoke　to　her　again；　till；　as　he　led　her　away　in　the　procession　from　the　hall；　he　held　her　hand　fast；　and　murmured：　　'There　then　it　rests；　sweet　lady　unless；　having　taken　counsel　with　your　own　heart；　you　should　change　your　decree；　and　consult　some　holy　priest。　　If　so；　make　but　a　sign　of　the　hand；　and　I　am　yours；　for　verily　you　are　the　only　maiden　I　could　ever　have　loved。'

She　was　still　in　utter　confusion；　in　the　chamber　where　the　ladies　were　cloaking　for　their　return；　when　her　hands　were　grasped　on　either　side　by　the　two　Burgundian　princesses。

'Sweet　runaway；　we　have　caught　you　at　last！　　Here；　into　Anne's　chamber。　　See　you　we　must！　　How　is　it　with　you？　　Like　you　the　limping　Scot　better　than　Boemond？'　laughed　the　Dauphiness；　her　company　dignity　laid　aside　for　school…girl　chatter。

'If　you　cannot　hold　out；'　said　Anne；　'the　Scot　seems　a　gentle　youth；　and；　at　least；　you　are　quit　of　Boemond。'

'Yes；'　said　Marguerite；　'his　last　prank　was　too　strong　for　the　Duke：　quartering　a　dozen　men…at…arms　on　a　sulky　Cambrai　weaver　till　he　paid　him　2000　crowns。　　Besides；　it　would　be　well　to　get　the　Scottish　king　for　an　ally。　　Do　you　know　what　we　two　are　here　for；　Clairette？　　We　are　both　to　be　betrothed：　　one　to　the　handsome　captive　with　the　gold　locks；　the　other　to　your　hawk…nosed　neighbour；　who　seemed　to　have　not　a　word　to　say。'

'But；'　said　Esclairmonde；　replying　to　the　easiest　part　of　the　disclosure；　'the　King　of　Scots　is　in　love　with　the　Demoiselle　of　Somerset。'

'What　matters　that；　silly　maid？'　said　Marguerite　'he　does　not　displease　me；　and　Anne　is　welcome　to　that　melancholy　duke。'

'Oh；　Lady　Anne！'　exclaimed　Esclairmonde；　'if　such　be　your　lot；　it　would　be　well　indeed。'

'What；　the　surly　brother；　of　whom　Catherine　tells　such　tales！'　continued　Marguerite。

'Credit　them　not；'　said　Esclairmonde。　　'He　never　crosses　her　but　when　he　would　open　her　eyes　to　his　brother's　failing　health。'

'Yes；'　interrupted　Marguerite；　'my　lord　brother　swears　that　this　king　will　not　live　a　year；　and　if　Catherine　have　no　better　luck　with　her　child　than　poor　Michelle；　then　there　will　be　another　good　Queen　Anne　in　England。'

'If　so；'　said　Esclairmonde；　looking　at　her　friend　with　swimming　eyes；　'she　will　have　the　best　of　husbandsas　good　as　even　she　deserves！'

Anne　held　her　hand　fast；　and　would　have　said　many　tender　words　on　Esclairmonde's　own　troubles；　but　the　other　ladies　were　arrayed；　and　Esclairmonde　would　not　for　worlds　have　been　left　behind　in　the　Hotel　de　Bourgogne。

Privacy　was　not　an　attainable　luxury；　and　Esclairmonde　could　not　commune　with　her　throbbing　heart；　or　find　peace　for　her　aching　head；　till　night。　　This　must　be　a　matter　unconfided　to　any；　even　Alice　Montagu。　　And　while　the　maiden　lay　smiling　in　her　quiet　sleep；　after　having　fondly　told　her　friend　that　Sir　Richard　Nevil　had　really　noticed　her　new　silken　kirtle；　she　knelt　on　beneath　the　crucifix；　mechanically　reciting　her　prayers；　and；　as　the　beads　dropped　from　her　fingers；　fighting　out　the　fight　with　her　own　heart。

Her　mind　was　made　up；　but　her　sense　of　the　loss；　her　craving　for　the　worthy　affection　which　lay　within　her　graspthese　dismayed　her。　　The　life　she　had　sighed　for　had　become　a　blank；　and　she　passionately　detested　the　obligation　that　held　her　back　from　affection；　usefulness；　joy；　and　excellencenot　ambition；　for　the　greatest　help　to　her　lay　in　Bedford's　position；　his　exalted　rank；　and　nearness　to　the　crown。　　Indeed；　she　really　dreaded　and　loathed　worldly　pomp　so　much　that　the　temptation　would　have　been　greater　had　he　not　been　a　prince。

It　was　this　sense　of　renunciation　that　came　to　her　aid。　　She　had　at　least　a　REAL　sacrifice　to　offer；　till　now；　as　she　became　aware；　she　had　made　none。　　She　folded　her　hands；　and　laid　her　offering　to　be　hallowed　by　the　One　all…sufficient　Sacrifice。　　She　offered　all　those　capacities　for　love　that　had　been　newly　revealed　to　her；　she　offered　up　the　bliss；　whose　golden　dawn　she　had　seen；　she　tried　to　tear　out　the　earthliness　of　her　heart　and　affections　by　the　roots；　and　lay　them　on　the　altar；　entreating　that；　come　what　might；　her　spirit　might　never　stray　from　the　Heavenly　Spouse　of　her　betrothal。

Therewith　came　a　sense　of　His　perfect　sufficiencyof　rest；　peace；　support；　ineffable　love；　that　kept　her　kneeling　in　a　calm；　almost　ecstatic　state；　in　which　common　hopes；　fears；　and　affections　had　melted　away。



CHAPTER　XI：　　THE　TWO　PROMISES



After　all；　Alice　Montagu　was　married　almost　privately；　and　without　any　preparation。　　Tidings　came　that　the　Duke　of　Alencon　was　besieging　Cosne；　a　city　belonging　to　the　Duke　of　Burgundy；　and　that　instant　relief　was　needed。　　The　Duke　was　urgent　with　Henry　to　save　the　place　for　him；　and　set　off　at　once　to　collect　his　brilliant　chivalry；　while　Henry；　rousing　at　the　trumpet…call；　declared　that　nothing　ailed　him　but　pageants；　sent　orders　to　all　his　troops　to　collect　from　different　quarters；　and　prepared　to　take　the　command　in　person；　while　reports　daily　came　in　of　the　great　muster　the　Armagnacs　were　making；　as　though　determined　to　offer　battle。

Salisbury　was　determined　not　to　abide　the　chances　of　the　battle　without　first　giving　a　protector　to　his　little　daughter；　and　therefore；　as　quietly　as　if　she　had　been　merely　going　to　mass；　the　Lady　Alice　was　wedded　to　her　Sir　Richard　Nevil；　who　treated　the　affair　as　the　simplest　matter　of　course；　and　troubled　himself　with　very　slight　demonstrations　of　affection。　　The　wedding　took　place　at　Senlis；　whither　the　female　part　of　the　Court　had　accompanied　the　King；　upon　the　very　day　of　the　parting。　　No　one　was　present；　except　one　of　Sir　Richard's　brothers　（the　whole　family　numbered　twenty…two）；　his　esquire；　and　on　Alice's　side；　her　father；　Esclairmonde；　and　a　few　other　ladies。

At　the　last　moment；　however；　the　King　himself　came　up；　leaning　on　Warwick's　arm；　looking　thin；　ill；　and　flushed；　but　resolved　to　do　honour　to　his　faithful　Salisbury；　at　whose　request　he　had　permitted　the　barony　of　Montagu　to　be　at　once　transferred　to　Nevil；　who　would　thenceforth　be　called　by　that　title。

After　the　ceremony；　King　Henry　kissed　the　gentle　bride；　placed　a　costly　ring　upon　her　finger；　and　gave　his　best　and　warmest　wishes　to　the　newly…married　pair。　　Little　guessed　any　there　present　what　the　sound　of　Warwick　and　Salisbury　would　be　in　forty　years'　time　to　the　babe　cradled　at　Windsor。

As　the　King　passed　Esclairmonde；　he　paused；　and　said；　in　an　undertone；　'Dear　lady；　deem　not　that　I　have　forgotten　your　holy　purpose；　but　you　understand　that　there　are　some　who　are　jealous　of　any　benefit　conferred　on　Paris　save　from　themselves；　and　whose　alliance　I　may　not　risk。　　But　if　God　be　pleased　to　grant　me　this　battle　also；　then；　with　His　good　pleasure；　I　shall　not　be　forced　to　have　such　respect　to　persons；　and　when　I　return；　lady；　whether　the　endowment　come　from　your　bounty　or　no；　God　helping　us；　you　shall　begin　the　holy　work　of　St。　Katharine's　bedeswomen　among　the　poor　of　Paris。'

But　while　Henry　V。；　with　all　his　grave　sweetness；　spoke　these　words　to　Esclairmonde　de　Luxemburg；　this　was　the　farewell　of　Countess　Jaqueline　of　Hainault　to　Malcolm　Stewart：