the caged lion-第4节

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but　an　ecclesiastic。

Their　talk　continued　till　they　were　summoned　to　supper；　which　had　been　somewhat　delayed　to　provide　for　the　new…comers。　　It　was　a　simple　enough　meal；　suited　to　Lent；　and　was　merely　of　dried　fish；　with　barley　bread　and　kail　brose；　but　there　were　few　other　places　in　Scotland　where　it　would　have　been　served　with　so　much　of　the　refinement　that　Sir　David　Drummond　and　his　late　wife　had　learnt　in　France。　　A　tablecloth　and　napkins；　separate　trenchers；　and　water　for　hand　cleansing；　were　not　always　to　be　found　in　the　houses　of　the　nobles；　and　in　fact；　there　were　those　who　charged　Malcolm's　delicacy　and　timidity　on　the　nisete　or　folly　of　his　effeminate　education；　the　having　the　rushes　on　the　floor　frequently　changed；　the　preference　of　lamps　for　pine　torches；　and　the　not　keeping　falcons；　dogs；　swine；　and　all；　pell　mell　in　the　great　hall。

Lilias　sat　between　her　uncle　and　his　guest；　looking　so　fair　and　bright　that　Patrick　felt　fresh　accesses　of　angry　jealousy；　while　the　visitor　talked　as　one　able　to　report　to　the　natives　from　another　world；　and　that　world　the　hateful　England；　which　as　a　Scotsman　he　was　bound　to　abhor。　　Had　it　been　France；　it　had　been　endurable；　but　praise　of　English　habits　was　mere　disloyalty；　and　yet；　whenever　Patrick　tried　to　throw　in　a　disparaging　word；　he　found　himself　met　with　a　quiet　superiority　such　as　he　had　believed　no　knight　in　Scotland　could　assume　with　him；　and　still　it　was　neither　brow…beating　nor　insolence；　nothing　that　could　give　offence。

Malcolm　begged　to　know　whether　there　had　not　been　a　rare　good　poet　in　England；　called　Chaucer。　　Verily　there　had　been；　said　the　knight；　and　on　a　little　solicitation；　so　soon　as　supper　was　over；　he　recited　to　the　eager　and　delighted　auditors　the　tale　of　patient　Grisel；　as　rendered　by　Chaucer；　calling　forth　eager　comments　from　both　Patrick　and　Lily；　on　the　unknightliness　of　the　Marquis。　　Malcolm；　however；　added；　'Yet；　after　all；　she　was　but　a　mere　peasant　wench。'

'What　makes　that；　young　Sir？'　replied　Sir　James　gravely。　　'I　would　have　you　to　know　that　the　husband's　rank　is　the　wife's；　and　the　more　unequal　were　their　lot　before；　the　more　is　he　bound　to　respect　her；　and　to　make　her　be　respected。'

'That　may　be；　after　the　deed　is　done；'　said　Sir　David；　in　a　warning　voice；　'but　it　is　not　well　that　like　should　not　match　with　like。　Many　an　evil　have　I　seen　in　my　time；　from　unequal　mating。'

'And；　Sir；'　eagerly　exclaimed　Patrick；　'no　doubt　you　can　gainsay　the　slander；　that　our　noble　King　has　been　caught　in　the　toils　of　an　artful　Englishwoman；　and　been　drawn　in　to　promise　her　a　share　in　his　crown。'

A　flush　of　crimson　flamed　forth　on　Sir　James　Stewart's　cheeks；　and　his　tawny　eye　glanced　with　a　fire　like　red　lightning；　but　he　seemed；　as　it　were；　to　be　holding　himself　in；　and　answered　with　a　voice　forcibly　kept　low　and　calm；　and　therefore　the　more　terribly　stern；　'Young　Sir；　I　warn　you　to　honour　your　future　queen。'

Sir　David　made　a　gesture　with　his　hand；　enforcing　restraint　upon　his　son；　and　turning　to　Sir　James；　said；　'Our　queen　will　we　honour；　when　such　she　is；　Sir；　but　if　you　are　returning　to　the　King；　it　were　well　that　he　should　know　that　our　hot　Scottish　bloods；　here；　could　scarce　brook　an　English　alliance；　and　certainly　not　one　beneath　his　birth。'

'The　King　would　answer；　Sir；'　returned　Sir　James；　haughtily；　but　with　recovered　command　over　himself；　'that　it　is　for　him　to　judge　whom　his　subjects　shall　brook　as　their　queen。　　Moreover；'　he　added；　in　a　different　and　more　conciliatory　voice；　'Scotsmen　must　be　proud　indeed　who　disdain　the　late　King's　niece；　the　great…granddaughter　of　King　Edward　III。；　and　as　noble　and　queenly　a　demoiselle　as　ever　was　born　in　a　palace。'

'She　is　so　very　fair；　then？'　said　Lilies；　who　was　of　course　on　the　side　of　true　love。　　'You　have　seen　her；　gentle　Sir？　　Oh；　tell　us　what　are　her　beauties？'

'Fair　damsel；'　said　Sir　James；　in　a　much　more　gentle　tone；　'you　forget　that　I　am　only　a　poor　prisoner；　who　have　only　now　and　then　viewed　the　lady　Joan　Beaufort　with　distant　reverence；　as　destined　to　be　my　queen。　　All　I　can　tell　is；　that　her　walk　and　bearing　mark　her　out　for　a　throne。'

'And　oh！'　cried　Malcolm；　'is　it　not　true　that　the　King　hath　composed　songs　and　poems　in　her　honour？'

'Pah！'　muttered　Patrick；　'as　though　the　King　would　be　no　better　than　a　wandering　minstrel　rhymester！'

'Or　than　King　David！'　dryly　said　Sir　James。

'It　is　true；　then；　Sir；'　exclaimed　Lilias。　　'He　doth　verily　add　minstrelsy　to　his　other　graces？　　Know　you　the　lines；　Sir？　　Can　you　sing　them　to　us？　　Oh；　I　pray　you。'

'Nay；　fair　maid；'　returned　Sir　James；　'methinks　I　might　but　add　to　the　scorn　wherewith　Sir　Patrick　is　but　too　much　inclined　to　regard　the　captive　King。'

'A　captive；　a　captiveay；　minstrelsy　is　the　right　solace　for　a　captive；'　said　Patrick；　'at　least；　so　they　say　and　sing。　　Our　king　will　have　better　work　when　he　gains　his　freedom。　　Only　there　will　come　before　me　a　subtilty　I　once　saw　in　jelly　and　blanc…mange；　at　a　banquet　in　France；　where　a　lion　fell　in　love　with　a　hunter's　daughter；　and　let　her；　for　love's　sake；　draw　his　teeth　and　clip　his　claws；　whereupon　he　found　himself　made　a　sport　for　her　father's　hounds。'

'I　promise　you；　Sir　Patrick；'　replied　the　guest；　'that　the　Lady　Joan　is　more　hike　to　send　her　Lion　forth　from　the　hunter's　toils；　with　claws　and　teeth　fresh…whetted　by　the　desire　of　honour。

'But　the　laythe　hay；　Sir；'　entreated　Lilias；　'who　knows　that　it　may　not　win　Patrick　to　be　the　Lady　Joan's　devoted　servant？　　Malcolm；　your　harp！'

Malcolm　had　already　gone　in　quest　of　the　harp　he　loved　all　the　better　for　the　discouragement　thrown　on　his　gentle　tastes。

The　knight　leant　back；　with　a　pensive　look　softening　his　features　as　he　said；　after　a　little　consideration；　'Then；　fair　lady；　I　will　sing　you　the　song　made　by　King　James；　when　he　had　first　seen　the　fair　mistress　of　his　heart；　on　the　slopes　of　Windsor；　looking　from　his　chamber　window。　　He　feigns　her　to　be　a　nightingale。'

'And　what　is　that；　Sir？'　demanded　Lilias。　　'I　have　heard　the　word　in　romances；　and　deemed　it　a　kind　of　angel　that　sings　by　night。'

'It　is　a　bird；　sister；'　replied　Malcolm；　'Philomel；　that　pierces　her　breast　with　a　thorn；　and　sings　sweetly　even　to　her　death。'

'That's　mere　minstrel　leasing；　Malcolm；'　said　Patrick。　　'I　have　both　seen　and　heard　the　bird　in　FranceRossignol；　as　we　call　it　there；　and　were　I　a　lady；　I　should　deem　it　small　compliment　to　be　likened　to　a　little　russet…backed；　homely　fowl　such　as　that。'

'While　I；'　replied　the　prisoner；　'feel　so　much　with　your　fair　sister；　that　nightingales　are　a　sort　of　angels　that　sing　by　night；　that　it　pains　me；　when　I　think　of　winning　my　freedom；　to　remember　that　I　shall　never　again　hear　their　songs　answering　one　another　through　the　forest　of　Windsor。'

Patrick　shrugged　his　shoulders；　but　Lilias　was　so　anxious　to　hear　the　lay；　that　she　entreated　him　to　be　silent；　and　Sir　James；　with　a　manly　mellow　voice；　with　an　exceedingly　sweet　strain　in　it；　and　a　skill；　both　of　modulation　and　finger；　such　as　showed　admirable　taste　and　instruction；　poured　forth　that　beautiful　song　of　the　nightingale　at　Windsor；　which　commences　King　James's　story　of　his　love；　in　his　poem　of　the　King's　Quhair。

There　was　an　eager　pressing　round　to　hear；　and　not　only　were　Lilias　and　Malcolm；　but　old　Sir　David　himself；　much　affected　by　the　strain；　which　the　latter　said　put　him　in　mind　of　the　days　of　King　Robert　III。；　which；　sad　as　they　were；　now　seemed　like　good　old　times；　so　much　worse　was　the　present　state　of　affairs。　　Sir　James；　however；　seemed　anxious　to　prevent　discussion　of　the　verses　he　had　sung；　and　applied　to　Malcolm　to　give　a　specimen　of　his　powers：　　and　thus；　with　music；　ballad；　and　lay；　the　evening　passed　away；　till　the　parting　cup　was　sent　round；　and　the　Tutor　of　Glenuskie　and　Malcolm　marshalled　their　guest　to　the　apartment　where　he　was　to　sleep；　in　a　wainscoted　box　bedstead；　and　his　two　attendant　squires；　a　great　iron…gray　Scot　and　a　rosy　honest…faced　Englishman；　on　pallets　on　the　floor。

In　the　morning　he　went　on　his　journey；　but　not　without　an　invitation　to　rest　there　again　on　his　way　back；　whether　with　or　without　his　ransom。　　He　promised　to　come；　saying　that　he　should　gladly　bear　to　the　King　the　last　advices　from　one　so　honoured　as　the　Tutor　of　Glenuskie；　and；　on　their　sides；　Malcolm　and　Sir　David　resolved　to　do　their　best　to　have　some　gold　pieces　to　contribute；　rather　than　so　'proper　a　knight'　should　fail　in　raising　his　ransom；　but　gold　was　never　plenty；　and　Patrick　needed　all　that　his　uncle　could　supply；　to　bear　him　to　those　wars　in　France；　where　he　looked　for　renown　and　fortune。

For　these　were；　as　may　have　been　gathered；　those　evil　days　when　James　I。　of　Scotland　was　still　a　captive　to　England；　and　when　the　House　of　Albany　exercised　its　cruel　misrule　upon　Scotland；　delaying　to　ransom　the　King；　lest　they　should　bring　home　a　master。

Old　Robert　of　Albany　had　been　King　Stork；　his　son　Murdoch　was　King　Log；　and　the　misery　was　infinitely　increased　by　the　violence　and　lawlessness　of　Murdoch's　sons。　　King　Robert　II。　had　left　Scotland　the　fearful　legacy　of；　as　Froissart　says；　'eleven　sons　who　loved　arms。'　Of　these；　Robert　III。　was　the　eldest；　the　Duke　of　Albany　the　second。　These　were　both　dead；　and　were　represe