the caged lion-第41节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



James's　harp　was　never　far　off；　and　again　his　mellow　voice　went　through　that　gallant　and　plaintive　strain；　though　in　a　far　more　subdued　manner　than　the　first　time　he　had　sung　it；　and　Henry；　weakened　and　softened；　actually　dropped　a　brave　man's　tear　at　the　'bracken　bush　upon　the　lily　lea；'　and　the　hero　who　lay　there。

'That　I　should　weep　for　a　Douglas！'　he　said；　half　laughing；　'but　the　hearts　of　all　honest　men　lie　near　together；　on　whatever　side　they　draw　their　swords。　　God　have　mercy　on　whosoever　may　fall　to…morrow！　I　trow；　Jamie；　thou　couldst　not　sing　that　rough　rhyme　of　Agincourt。　I　was　bashful　and　ungracious　enough　to　loathe　the　very　sound　of　it　when　I　came　home　in　my　pride　of　youth；　but　I　would　lief　hear　it　once　more。　　Or；　stayYorkshiremen　always　have　voices；'　and　raising　his　tone；　he　unspeakably　gratified　Trenton　and　Kitson　by　the　request；　and　their　voices；　deep　and　powerful；　and　not　uncultivated；　poured　forth　the　Lay　of　Agincourt　to　the　waves　of　the　French　river；　and　to　its　mighty　victor：


'Our　King　went　forth　to　Normandye。'


Long　and　lengthily　chanted　was　the　triumphant　song；　with　the　Latin　choruses；　which　were　echoed　back　by　the　escort　on　the　bank；　while　Henry　lay；　listening　and　musing；　and　Malcolm　had　time　for　many　a　thought　and　impulse。

Patrick's　life　was　granted；　although　it　had　been　promised　too　late　to　send　the　intelligence　back　to　the　tent　at　Corbeil。　　So　far；　the　purpose　of　his　vow　to　St。　Andrew　had　been　accomplished；　but　with　the　probability　that　he　should　soon　again　be　associated　with　Patrick；　came　the　sense　of　the　failure　in　purpose　and　in　promise。　　Patrick　would　not　reproach　him；　he　well　knewnay；　would　rejoice　in　the　change；　but　even　this　certainty　galled　him；　and　made　him　dread　his　cousin's　presence　as　likely　to　bring　him　a　sense　of　shame。　　What　would　Patrick　think　of　his　letting　a　lady　be　absolutely　compelled　to　marry　him？　　Might　he　not　say　it　was　the　part　of　Walter　Stewart　over　again？　　Indeed；　Malcolm　remembered　how　carefully　King　James　was　prevented　from　hearing　the　means　by　which　the　Countess　intended　to　make　the　lady　his　own；　and　a　sensation　came　over　him；　that　it　was　profanation　to　call　on　St。　Andrew　to　bless　what　was　to　be　brought　about　by　such　means。　　Why　was　it　that；　as　his　eyes　fell　on　the　face　of　King　Henry；　the　whole　world　and　all　his　projects　acquired　so　different　a　colouring？　and　a　sentence　he　had　once　heard　Esclairmonde　quote　would　come　to　him　constantly：　　'My　son；　think　not　to　buy　off　God。　　It　is　thyself　that　He　requires；　not　thy　gifts。'

But　the　long　lay　of　victory　was　over；　and　King　Henry　had　roused　himself　to　thank　the　singers；　then　sighed；　and　said；　'How　long　ago　that　was！'

'Six　years；'　said　James。

'The　whole　space　from　the　hope　and　pride　of　youth　to　the　care　and　toil　of　eld；'　said　Henry。　　'Your　Scots　made　an　old　man　of　me　the　day　they　slew　Thomas。'

'Yet　that　has　been　your　sole　mishap；'　said　James。

'Yea；　truly！　　But　thenceforth　I　have　learnt　that　the　road　to　Jerusalem　is　not　so　straight　and　plain　as　I　deemed　it　when　I　stood　victorious　at　Agincourt。　　The　Church　one　againthe　Holy　Sepulchre　redeemed！　　It　seemed　then　before　my　eyes；　and　that　I　was　the　man　called　to　do　it。'

'So　it　may　be　yet；'　said　James。　　'Sickness　alters　everything；　and　raises　mountains　before　us。'

'It　may　be　so；'　said　Henry；　'and　yetJerusalem！　　Jerusalem！　　It　was　my　father's　cry；　it　was　King　Edward's　cry；　it　was　St。　Louis'　cry；　and　yet　they　never　got　there。'

'St。　Louis　was　far　on　his　way；'　said　James。

'Ay！　he　never　turned　aside！'　said　Henry；　sighing；　and　moving　restlessly　and　wearily　with　something　of　returning　fever。


〃'O　bona　patria；　lumina　sobria　te　speculantur〃


Boy；　are　you　there？'　as；　in　turning；　his　eye　fell　on　Malcolm。　　'Take　warning：　　the　straight　road　is　the　best。　　You　see；　I　have　never　come　to　Jerusalem。'　　Then　again　he　murmured：


〃'Hic　breve　vivitur；　hic　breve　plangitur；　hic　breve　fletur；　Non　breve　vivere；　non　breve　plangere；　retribuetur。〃


And　James；　seeing　that　nothing　lulled　him　like　song；　offered　to　sing　that　mysteriously　beautiful　rhythm　of　Bernard　of　Morlaix。

'Ay；　prithee　do　so；'　said　Henry。　　'There's　a　rest　there；　when　the　Agincourt　lay　rings　hollow。　　Well；　there　is　a　Jerusalem　where　our　shortcomings　are　made　up；　only　the　straight　waythe　straight　way。'

Malcolm　took　his　part　with　James　in　singing　the　rhythm；　which　he　had　learnt　long　ago　at　Coldingham；　and　which　thus　in　every　note　brought　back　the　vanished　aspirations　and　self…dedication　to　'the　straight　way。'

For　such；　an　original　purpose　of　self…devotion　must　ever　benot　of　course　exclusively　to　the　monastic　life；　but　whoever　lowers　his　aims　of　serving　God　under　any　worldly　inducement；　is　deviating　from　the　straight　way：　　and；　thought　Malcolm；　if　King　Harry　feels　Agincourt　an　empty　word　beside　the　song　of　Sion；　must　not　all　I　have　sought　for　be　a　very　vanity？

Sometimes　dozing；　but　sometimes　restless；　and　with　the　pain　of　breathing　constantly　increasing　on　him；　Henry　wore　through　the　greater　part　of　the　day；　upon　the　river；　until　it　was　necessary　to　land；　and　be　taken　through　the　forest　in　his　litter。　　He　was　now　obliged　to　be　lifted　from　the　barge；　and　his　weariness　rendered　the　conveyance　very　distressing；　save　that　his　patient　smile　never　faded；　and　still　he　said；　'All　will　be　well　when　I　come　to　my　Kate！'

Alas！　when　the　gates　were　reached；　James　hardly　knew　how　to　tell　him　that　the　Queen　had　gone　that　morning　to　Paris　with　her　mother。　　Yet　still　he　was　cheerful。　　'If　the　physicians　deal　hard　with　me；'　he　said；　'it　will　be　well　that　she　should　not　be　here　till　the　worst　is　over。'

The　physicians　were　there。　　A　messenger　had　gone　direct　from　Corbeil　to　summon　them；　and　Henry　delivered　himself　up　into　their　hands；　to　fight　out　the　battle　with　disease；　as　he　had　set　himself　to　fight　out　many　another　battle　in　his　time。

A　sharp　conflict　it　wasbetween　a　keen　and　aggravated　disease；　apparently　pleurisy　coming　upon　pulmonary　affection　of　long　standing；　and　a　strong　and　resolute　nature；　unquenched　by　suffering；　and　backed　by　the　violent　remedies　of　a　half…instructed　period。　　Those　who　watched　him；　and　strove　to　fulfil　the　directions　of　the　physicians；　hardly　marked　the　lapse　of　hours；　even　though　more　than　one　day　and　night　had　passed　ere　in　the　early　twilight　of　a　long　summer's　morn　he　sank　into　a　sleep；　his　face　still　distressed；　but　less　acutely；　and　his　breath　heavy　and　labouring；　though　without　the　severe　pain。

The　watchers　felt　that　here　might　be　the　turning　point；　and　stood　or　sat　around；　not　daring　to　change　their　postures；　or　utter　the　slightest　word。　　Suddenly；　James；　who　stood　nearest；　leaning　against　the　wall；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　face　of　the　sleeper；　was　aware　of　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　looking　round；　saw　in　the　now　full　light　Bedford's　faceso　pale；　haggard；　and　replete　with　anxiety；　so　dusty　and　travel…stained；　that　Henry；　awakening　at　that　moment；　exclaimed；　'Ha；　John！'　　And　as　his　brother　was　slow　to　reply'Has　the　day　gone　against　thee？　　How　was　it？　　Never　fear　to　speak；　brother；　thou　art　safe；　and　I　know　thou　hast　done　valiantly。　　Valour　is　never　lost；　whether　in　defeat　or　success。　　Speak；　John。　　Take　it　not　so　much　to　heart。'

'There　has　been　no　battle；　Harry；'　said　Bedford；　gathering　voice　with　difficulty。　　'The　Dauphin　would　not　abide　our　coming；　but　broke　up　his　camp。'

'Beshrew　thee；　man！'　said　Henry；　'but　I　thought　thou　wast　just　off　a　flight！'

'Dost　think　one　can　ride　fast　only　for　a　flight？'　said　Bedford。　　'Ah；　would　that　it　had　been　the　loss　of　ten　battles　rather　than　this！'

And　he　fell　on　his　knees；　grasping　Henry's　hand；　and　hiding　his　face　against　the　bed；　with　the　same　instinct　of　turning　to　him　for　comfort　with　which　the　young　motherless　children　of　Henry　of　Bolingbroke；　when　turned　adrift　among　the　rude　Beaufort　progeny　of　John　of　Gaunt；　had　clung　to　their　eldest　brother；　and　found　tenderness　in　his　love　and　protection　in　his　fearlessness；　so　that　few　royal　brethren　ever　loved　better　than　Henry　and　John　of　Lancaster。

'It　was　well　and　kindly　done；　John；'　said　Henry；　'and　thou　hast　come　at　a　good　time；　for；　thanks　be　to　God；　the　pain　hath　left　me；　and　if　it　were　not　for　this　burthen　of　heaviness　and　weariness；　I　should　be　more　at　ease　than　I　have　been　for　many　weeks。'

But　as　he　spoke；　there　was　that　both　in　his　face　and　voice　that　chilled　with　a　dread　certainty　the　hearts　of　those　who　hung　over　him。

'Is　my　wife　come？　　I　could　see　her　now；'　he　wistfully　asked。

Alas！　no。　　Sir　Lewis　Robsart；　the　knight　attached　to　her　service；　faltered；　with　a　certain　shame　and　difficulty；　that　the　Queen　would　come　when　her　orisons　at　Notre　Dame　were　performed。

It　was　his　last　disappointment；　but　still　he　bore　it　cheerily。

'Best；'　he　said。　　'My　fair　one　was　not　made　for　sights　like　this；　and　were　she　here'his　lip　trembled'I　might　bear　me　less　as　a　Christian　man　should。　　My　sweet　Catherine！　　Take　care　of　her；　John；　she　will　be　the　most　desolate　being　in　the　world。'

John　promised　with　all　his　heart；　though　pity　for　cold…hearted　Catherine　was　not　the　predominant　feeling　there。

'I　would　I　had　seen　my　child's　face；　and　blessed　him；'　continued　Henry。　　'Poor　boy！　　I　would　have　him　Warwick's　charge。'

'Warwick　is　waiting　admission；'　said　Bedford。