the caged lion-第40节

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'It　is　nothing；'　said　Henry。　　'Let　me　alone。'

Ere　the　words　were　finished；　he　put　his　hand　to　his　side；　dropped　his　bridle；　and　gasped；　while　a　look　of　intense　suffering　passed　over　his　features；　and　he　was　passive　while　his　horse　was　led　back　to　the　tent；　and　he　was　lifted　down　and　placed　on　the　couch　he　had　just　quitted。

'Loose　my　belt；'　he　gasped；　then　trying　to　smile；　'Percy　has　strained　it　three　holes　tighter。'

Alas！　though　it　was　indeed　thus　drawn　in；　his　armour　was　hanging　on　him　like　the　shell　of　a　last　year's　nut。　　They　released　him　from　it；　and　he　lay　against　the　cushions　with　short　painful　respiration；　and　frequent　cough。

'You　must　go　on　with　the　men　at　once；　John；'　he　said。　　'I　will　but　be　blooded；　and　follow　in　the　litter。'

'Warwick　and　Salisbury'　began　Bedford。

'No；　no！'　peremptorily　gasped　Henry。　　'It　must　be　you　or　I；　I　would；　but　this　stitch　in　the　side　catches　me；　so　that　I　can　neither　ride　nor　speak。　　Go；　instantly。　　You　know　what　I　have　ordered。　　I'll　be　up　with　you　ere　the　battle。'

He　brooked　no　resistance。　　His　impatience；　and　with　it　the　oppression　and　pain；　only　grew　by　remonstrance；　and　Bedford　was　forced　to　obey　the　command　to　go　himself；　and　leave　no　one　he　could　help　behind　him。

'You　will　stay；　at　least；'　said　John；　in　his　distress；　turning　to　the　Scottish　king。

'I　must；'　said　James。

'You　hold　not　your　wrath？'　said　Bedford。　　'It　will　madden　me　to　leave　him　to　any　save　you　in　this　stress。　　Some　are　dull；　some　he　will　not　heed。'

'I　will　tend　him　like　yourself；　John；'　said　the　Scot；　taking　his　hand。　　'Do　what　he　may；　Harry　is　Harry　still。　　Hasten　to　your　command；　John；　he　will　be　calmer　when　you　are　gone。'

Bedford　groaned。　　It　was　hard　to　leave　his　brother　at　a　moment　when　he　must　be　more　than　himselfbecome　general　of　an　army；　with　a　battle　imminent；　but　he　was　under　dire　necessity；　and　forced　himself　to　listen　to　and　gather　the　import　of　the　few　terse　orders　and　directions　that　Henry；　breathless　as　he　was；　rendered　clear　and　trenchant　as　ever。

The　King　almost　drove　his　brother　away　at　last；　while　a　barber　was　taking　a　copious　stream　of　blood　from　him；　and　as　the　army　had　already　been　set　in　motion；　a　great　stillness　soon　prevailed；　no　one　being　left　save　a　small　escort；　and　part　of　the　King's　own　immediate　household；　for　Henry　had　himself　ordered　away　Montagu；　his　chamberlain；　Percy；　and　almost　all　on　whom　his　eyes　fell。　　The　bleeding　relieved　him；　he　breathed　less　tightly；　but　became　deadly　pale；　and　sank　into　a　doze　of　extreme　exhaustion。

'Who　is　here？'　he　said；　awakening。　　'Some　drink！　　What　you；　Jamie！　You　that　were　on　fire　to　see　a　stricken　field！'

'Not　so　much　as　to　see　you　better　at　ease；'　said　James。

'I　am　better；'　said　Henry。　　'I　could　move　now；　and　I　must。　　This　tent　will　stifle　me　by　noon。'

'You　will　not　go　forward？'

'No；　I'll　go　back。　　A　sick　man　is　best　with　his　wife。　　And　I　can　battle　it　no　further；　nor　grudge　the　glory　of　the　day　to　John。　　He　deserves　it。'

The　irascible　sharpness　had　passed　from　his　voice　and　manner；　and　given　place　to　a　certain　languid　cheerfulness；　as　arrangements　were　made　for　his　return　to　Vincennes。

There　proved　to　be　a　large　and　commodious　barge；　in　which　the　transit　could　be　effected　on　the　river；　with　less　of　discomfort　than　in　the　springless　horse　litter　by　which　he　had　travelled　the　day　before；　and　this　was　at　once　prepared。

Malcolm　had　meanwhile　remained；　as　in　duty　bound；　in　attendance　on　his　king。　　James　had　found　time　to　enjoin　him　to　stay；　being；　to　say　the　truth；　unwilling　to　trust　one　so　inexperienced　and　fragile　in　the　melee　without　himself；　nor　indeed　would　this　have　been　a　becoming　moment　for　him　to　put　himself　forward　to　win　his　spurs　in　the　English　cause。

Nothing　had　passed　about　Patrick　Drummond；　nor　the　high　words　of　last　night。　　Henry　seemed　to　have　forgotten　them；　between　his　bodily　suffering　and　the　anxiety　of　being　forced　to　relinquish　the　command　just　before　a　battle；　and　James　would　have　felt　it　ungenerous　to　harass　him　at　such　a　moment；　when　absolutely　committed　to　his　charge。　For　the　present；　there　was　no　fear　of　the　prisoner　being　summarily　executed　by　any　lawful　authority；　since　the　King　had　promised　to　take　cognizance　of　the　case；　and　the　chief　danger　was　from　his　chance　discovery　by　some　lawless　man…at…arms；　who　would　think　himself　doing　good　service　by　killing　a　concealed　Scot　under　any　circumstances。

Drummond　himself；　after　his　delirious　night；　had　sunk　into　a　heavy　sleep；　and　the　King　thought　the　best　hope　for　him　would　be　to　remain　under　the　care　of　Sir　Nigel　Baird　for　the　present；　until　he　could　obtain　favour　for　him　from　Henry；　and　could　send　back　orders　from　Vincennes。　　He　would　not　leave　Malcolm　to　share　the　care　of　him；　declaring　that　the　canny　Sir　Nigel　would　have　quite　enough　to　do　in　averting　suspicion　without　him；　and；　besides；　he　needed　Malcolm　himself；　in　the　scarcity　of　attendants　who　had　any　tenderness　or　dexterity　of　hand　to　wait　upon　the　suffering　King。

Henry　had　rallied　enough　to　walk　down　to　the　river；　leaning　upon　James；　and　he　smiled　thanks　when　he　was　assisted　by　Trenton　and　Kitson　to　lie　along　on　cushions。　　'So；　my　Yorkshire　knights；'　he　said；　''tis　you　that　have　had　to　stop　from　the　battle　to　watch　a　sick　man　home！'

'Ay；　Sir；'　said　Sir　Christopher；　'I　did　it　with　the　better　will；　that　Trenton　here　has　not　been　his　own　man　since　the　fever；　and　'twere　no　fair　play　in　the　matter　your　Grace　wets　of；　did　I　go　into　battle　whole　and　sound；　and　he　sick　and　sorry。'

Henry's　look　of　amusement　brightened　him　into　his　old　self；　as　he　said；　'Honester　guards　could　I　scarce　have；　good　friend。'

At　that　moment；　after　a　nudge　or　two　from　Trenton；　Kitson　and　he　came　suddenly　down　on　their　knees；　with　an　impetus　that　must　have　tried　the　boards　of　the　bottom　of　the　barge。　　'Sir；'　said　Kitson；　always　the　spokesman；　'we　have　a　grace　to　ask　of　you。'

'Say　on；'　said　Henry。　　'Any　boon；　save　the　letting　you　cut　one　another's　throats。'

'No；　Sir。　　Will　Trenton's　scarce　my　match　now；　more's　the　pity；　and；　moreover；　we've　lost　the　good　will　to　it　we　once　had。　　No；　Sir；　'twas　license　to　go　a　pilgrimage。'

'On　pilgrimage！'

'Ay；　Sir；　to　yon　shrine　at　BreuilSt。　Fiacre's；　as　they　call　him。　Some　of　our　rogues　pillaged　his　shrine；　as　you　know；　Sir；　and　those　that　know　these　parts　best；　say　he　was　a　Scottish　hermit；　and　bears　malice　like　a　Scot；　saint　though　he　be；　and　that　your　sickness；　my　lord；　is　all　along　of　that。　　So　we　two　have　vowed　to　go　barefoot　there　for　your　healing；　my　liege；　if　so　be　we　have　your　license。'

'And　welcome；　with　my　best　thanks；　good　friends；'　said　Henry；　exerting　himself　to　lean　forward　and　give　his　hand　to　their　kiss。　Then；　as　they　fell　back　into　their　places；　with　a　few　inarticulate　blessings　and　assurances　that　they　only　wished　they　could　go　to　Rome；　or　to　Jerusalem；　if　it　would　restore　their　king；　Henry　said；　smiling；　as　he　looked　at　James；　'Scotsmen　here；　there；　and　everywherein　Heaven　as　well　as　earth！　　What　was　it　last　night　about　a　Scot　that　moved　thine　ire；　Jamie？　　Didst　not　tender　me　thy　sword？　　By　my　faith；　thou　hast　it　not！　　What　was　the　rub？'

James　now　told　the　story　in　its　fulness。　　How　he　had　met　Sir　Patrick　Drummond　at　Glenuskie；　how；　afterwards；　the　knight　had　stood　by　him　in　the　encounter　at　Meaux；　and　how　it　had　been　impossible　to　leave　him　senseless　to　the　flames；　and　how　he　had　trusted　that　a　capture　made　thus；　accidentally；　of　a　helpless　man；　would　not　fall　under　Henry's　strict　rules　against　accepting　Scottish　prisoners。

'Hm！'　said　Henry；　'it　must　be　as　you　will；　only　I　trust　to　you　not　to　let　him　loose　on　us；　either　here　or　on　the　Border。　　Take　back　your　sword；　Jamie。　　If　I　spoke　over　hotly　last　nighta　man　hardly　knows　what　he　says　when　he　has　a　goad　in　the　sideyou　forgive　it；　Jamie。'　And　as　the　Scots　king；　with　the　dew　in　his　eyes；　wrung　his　hand；　he　added　anxiously；　'Your　sword！　　What；　not　here！　　Here's　mine。　　Which　is　it？'　　Then；　as　James　handed　it　to　him：　　'Ay；　I　would　fain　you　wore　it！　　'Tis　the　sword　of　my　knighthood；　when　poor　King　Richard　dubbed　me　in　Ireland；　and　many　a　brave　scheme　came　with　it！'

The　soft　movement　of　the　barge　upon　the　water　had　a　soothing　influence；　and　he　was　certainly　in　a　less　suffering　state；　though　silent　and　dreamy；　as　he　lay　half　raised　on　cushions　under　an　awning；　James　anxiously　watching　over　him；　and　Malcolm　with　a　few　other　attendants　near　at　hand；　stout　bargemen　propelling　the　craft；　and　the　guard　keeping　along　the　bank　of　the　river。

His　thoughts　were　perhaps　with　the　battle；　for　presently　he　looked　up；　and　murmured　the　verse：


'〃I　had　a　dream；　a　weary　dream；　Ayont　the　Isle　of　Skye；　I　saw　a　dead　man　win　a　fight；　And　I　think　that　man　was　I。'


That　stave　keeps　ringing　in　my　brain；　nor　can　I　tell　where　or　when　I　have　heard　it。'

''Tis　from　the　Scottish　ballad　that　sings　of　the　fight　of　Otterburn；'　said　James；　'I　brought　it　with　me　from　Scotland。'

'And　got　little　thanks　for　your　pains；'　said　Henry；　smiling。　　'But；　methinks；　since　no　Percy　is　in　the　way；　I　would　hear　it　again；　there　was　true　knighthood　in　the　Douglas　that　died　there。'

James's　harp　was　never　far　off；　and　again　his　mellow　voice　went　through　that　gallant　and　plaintive　strain；　though　in　a　far