the caged lion-第45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！


　had　erred；　not　thoughtlessly；　but　with　a　conscience　of　them　all；　in　wilful　abandonment　of　his　higher　principles。　　On　these　the　chaplain　mostly　dwelt；　on　these　he　tried　to　direct　Malcolm's　repentance；　and；　finding　that　the　youth　was　in　perpetual　extremes　of　remorse；　and　that　his　abject　submission　was　a　sort　of　fresh　form　of　wilfulness；　almost　passion　at　being　forbidden　to　bind　himself　by　the　vow；　he　told　him　that　the　true　token　of　repentance　was　steadiness　and　constancy；　and　that　therefore　his　absolution　must　be　deferred　until　he　had　thus　shown　that　his　penitence　was　true　and　sincereby　perseverance；　firstly；　in　the　devotions　that　the　chaplain　appointed　for　him；　and；　secondly；　in　meeting　whatever　temptations　might　be　in　store　for　him。　Nay；　the　cruel　chaplain　absolutely　forbade　the　white；　excited；　eager　boy　to　spend　half　the　night　in　chapel　over　the　first　division　of　these　penitential　psalms　and　prayers；　but　on　his　obedience　sent　him　at　once　to　his　bed。

Malcolm　could　have　torn　his　hair。　　Unabsolved！　　Still　under　the　weight　of　sin；　still　unpledged；　still　on　dangerous　ground；　still　left　to　a　secular　lifeand　that　without　Esclairmonde！　　Why　had　he　not　gone　to　a　French　Benedictine；　who　would　have　caught　at　his　vow；　and　crowned　his　penitence　with　some　magnificent　satisfying　asceticism？

Yet　something　in　his　heart；　something　in　the　father's　own　authority；　made　him　submit；　and　in　a　tumult　of　feeling；　more　wretched　even　than　before　his　confession；　he　threw　himself　on　his　bed；　expecting　to　charge　the　tossings　of　a　miserable　night　on　Dr。　Bennet；　and　to　creep　down　barefoot　to　the　chapel　in　the　early　morning　to　begin　his　Misereres。

Instead　of　which；　his　first　wakening　was　in　broad　daylight；　by　King　James　standing　over　him。　　'Malcolm；'　he　said；　'I　have　answered　for　you　that　you　are　discreet　and　trusty。　　A　message　of　weight　is　to　be　placed　in　your　hands。　　Come　with　me　to　the　Duke　of　Bedford。'

Malcolm　could　only　dress　himself；　and　obediently　follow　to　the　chamber；　where　sat　the　Duke；　his　whole　countenance　looking　as　if　the　light　of　his　life　had　gone　out；　but　still　steadfastly　set　to　bear　the　heavy　burden　that　had　been　placed　on　his　shoulders。

He　called　Malcolm　to　him；　and　showed　him　a　ring；　asking　whether　he　knew　it。

'The　King's　signetKing　Harry's；'　said　Malcolm。

He　was　then　reminded　how；　in　the　winter；　Henry　had　lost　the　ring；　and　after　having　caused　another　to　be　made　at　Paris；　had　found　it　in　the　finger　of　his　gauntlet。　　Very　few　knew　of　the　existence　of　this　duplicate。　　Bedford　himself　was　not　aware　of　it　till　it　had　been　mentioned　by　James　and　Lord　Fitzhugh　the　chamberlain；　and　then　search　was　made　for　it；　without　effect；　so　that　it　evidently　had　been　left　with　the　Queen。　　These　private　signets　were　of　the　utmost　importance；　far　more　so　than　even　the　autograph；　for；　though　signatures　were　just　acquiring　individuality　enough　to　become　the　best　authentication；　yet　up　to　this　very　reign　the　seal　was　the　only　valid　affirmation。　　Such　signets　were　always　destroyed　on　a　prince's　death；　and　it　was　of　the　utmost　importance　that　the　duplicate　should　not　be　left　in　Queen　Catherine's　handsabove　all；　while　she　was　with　her　mother　and　her　party；　who　were　quite　capable　of　affixing　it　to　forgeries。

Bedford；　James；　and　Fitzhugh　were　all　required　at　Vincennes；　the　two　latter　at　the　lying…in…state　in　the　chapel。　　Most　of　the　other　trusty　nobles　had　repaired　to　the　army；　and；　indeed；　Bedford；　aware　of　the　terrible　jealousies　that　were　sure　to　break　out　in　the　headless　realm；　did　not　choose　to　place　a　charge　that　might　hereafter　prove　invidious　in　the　hands　of　any　Englishman；　or　to　extend　the　secret　any　further　than　could　be　helped；　since　who　could　tell　what　suspicion　might　not　be　thus　cast　on　any　paper　sealed　by　Henry？

In　his　perplexity；　James　had　suggested　young　Malcolm；　who　had　assisted　in　the　search　for　the　lost　ring；　and　been　witness　to　its　discovery；　and　whom　he　could　easily　send　as　bearer　of　his　condolences　to　the　widowed　Queen；　who　had　indeed　the　entree　of　the　palace；　but　had　no　political　standing；　was　neither　French　nor　English；　and　had　shown　himself　discreet　enough　with　other　secrets　to　deserve　confidence。

Bedford　caught　at　the　proposal。　　And　Malcolm　now　received　orders　to　take　horse；　with　a　sufficient　escort；　and　hasten　at　once　to　Paris；　where　he　should　try　if　possible　to　obtain　the　ring　from　the　Queen　herself；　but　if　he　could　not　speak　to　her　in　private；　he　might　apply　to　Sir　Lewis　Robsart。　　No　other　person　was　to　be　informed　of　the　real　object　of　the　mission；　and　he　was　to　get　back　to　Vincennes　as　soon　as　possible。

Neither　prince　could　understand　the　scared；　distressed　looks　with　which　Malcolm　listened　to　commands　showing　so　much　confidence　in　a　youth　of　his　years。　　They　encouraged　him　by　assurances　that　Sir　Lewis　Robsart；　who　had　a　curious　kind　of　authority；　half　fatherly；　half　nurselike；　over　the　Queen；　would　manage　all　for　him。　　And　King　James；　provoked　by　his　reluctance；　began；　as　they　left　Bedford's　chamber；　to　chide　him　for　ungraciousness　in　the　time　of　distress；　and　insensibility　to　the　honour　conferred　on　him。

'Nay；　nay；'　disclaimed　Malcolm；　almost　ready　to　weep；　'but　I　have　a　whole　world　of　penance！'

'Penance！　　Plague　on　the　boy's　perverseness！　　What　penance　is　so　good　as　obedience？'　said　James；　much　displeased。

'Sir；　Sir；'　panted　Malcolm；　''tis　not　only　that。　　Could　any　one　but　be　sent　in　my　stead？　　My　returning　alone　is　what　Madame　of　Hainault　badeforfor　some　scheme　on'

His　voice　was　choked；　and　his　face　was　burning。

'Is　the　lad　gone　daft？'　cried　James；　in　great　anger。　　'If　Madame　of　Hainault　were　so　lost　to　decorum　as　to　hatch　such　schemes　at　such　a　moment；　I　trow　you　are　neither　puppet　nor　fool　in　her　hands　for　her　to　do　what　she　will　with。　　I'll　have　no　more　fooling！'

Malcolm　could　only　obey。

In　the　brief　space　while　the　horses　were　preparing；　and　he　had　to　equip　and　take　food；　he　sped　in　search　of　Dr。　Bennet；　hoping；　he　knew　not　what；　from　his　interference；　or　trusting；　at　any　rate；　to　explain　his　own　sudden　absence。

But；　looking　into　the　chapel；　he　recognized　the　chaplain　as　one　of　the　leading　priests　in　one　of　the　lengthiest　of　masses；　which　was　just　commencing。　　It　was　impossible　to　wait　for　the　conclusion。　　He　could　but　kneel　down；　find　himself　too　much　hurried　and　confused　to　recollect　any　prayer；　then　dash　back　again　to　don　his　riding…gear；　before　King　James　should　miss　him；　and　be　angered　again。

'Unabsolvedunvowed！'　he　thought。　　'Sent　off　thither　against　my　will。　　Whatever　may　fall　out；　it　is　no　fault　of　mine！'



CHAPTER　XIV：　　THE　TROTH　FLIGHT



Trembling　and　awed；　the　ladies　waited　at　Paris。　　It　was　well　known　how　the　King's　illness　must　end。　　No　one；　save　the　Queen；　professed　to　entertain　any　hope　of　his　amendment；　but　Catherine　appeared　to　be　too　lethargic　to　allow　herself　to　be　roused　to　any　understanding　of　his　danger；　and　as　to　the　personal　womanly　tendance　of　wife　to　suffering　husband；　she　seemed　to　have　no　notion　of　it。　　Her　mother　had　never　been　supposed　to　take　the　slightest　care　of　King　Charles；　and　Catherine；　after　her　example；　regarded　the　care　either　of　husband　or　child　as　no　more　required　of　a　royal　lady　than　of　a　queen　bee。

The　little　Lady　Montagu；　as　Alice　was　now　to　be　called；　who　had　been　scheming　that　her　Richard　should　be　wounded　just　enough　to　learn　to　call　her　his　good　little　nurse…tender；　was　dreadfully　scandalized；　as　indeed　were　wives　of　more　experience；　when　they　found　all　their　endeavours　to　make　their　mistress　understand　how　ill　the　King　really　was；　and　how　much　he　wished　for　her；　fall　upon　uncomprehending　ears；　and　at　last　were　desired　by　her　mother　Isabeau　not　to　torment　the　poor　Queen；　or　they　would　make　her　ill。

'Make　her　ill！　　I　wish　I　could！'　muttered　Lady　Warwick；　as　she　left　the　presence…chamber；　'but　it　is　like　my　little　Nan　telling　her　apple…stock　baby　that　all　her　kin　were　burnt　alive　in　one　castle。　She　heeds　as　much！'

But　when　at　late　evening　Sir　Lewis　Robsart　rode　up　to　the　hotel；　and　a　hush　went　along　with　him；　for　all　knew　that　he　would　never　have　left　his　King　alive；　Catherine's　composure　gave　way。　　She　had　not　imagination　enough　for　apprehension　of　what　was　out　of　sight；　but　when　she　knew　that　she　had　lost　her　king；　to　whom　she　had　owed　the　brief　splendour　of　an　otherwise　dreary　and　neglected　life；　she　fell　into　a　passion　of　cries　and　tears；　even　at　the　mere　sight　of　Sir　Lewis；　and　continued　to　bewail　her　king；　her　lord；　her　husband；　her　light；　her　love；　with　the　violence　of　an　utterly　unexpected　bereavement。

But　while　her　shrieks　and　sobs　were　rending　the　air；　a　hoarse　voice　gasped　out；　'What　say　you？　　My　son　Henri　dead！'　and　white　and　ghastly；　the　gray　hair　hanging　wildly　from　the　temples；　the　eyes　roaming　with　the　wistful　gaze　of　the　half　insane；　poor　King　Charles　stood　among　them；　demanding；　'Tell　me　I　am　sick　again！　　Tell　me　it　is　but　one　of　my　delusions！　　So　brave；　so　strong；　so　lively；　so　good　to　the　poor　old　man！　　My　son　Henri　cannot　die！　　That　is　for　the　old；　the　sick！'

And　when　Sir　Lewis　with　gentle　words　had　made　him　understand　the　truth；　he　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　staggered　away；　led　by　his　attendant　knight；　still　murmuring　in　a　dazed　way；　'Mon　fils　Henri；　mon　bon　fils　Henrimost　lovin