the caged lion-第47节

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As　she　had　apprehended；　the　door　was　flung　back；　and　Countess　Jaqueline　rushed　in；　clasping　her　hands　in　an　affectation　of　merry　surprise；　as　she　cried；　'Here　they　are！　　See；　Monseigneur！　　No　keeping　doves　apart！'

'Madame；'　said　Esclairmonde；　turning　on　her　with　cold　dignity；　'I　have　been　thanking　Monsieur　de　Glenuskie　for　having　resigned　the　suit　that　I　always　declared　to　be　in　vain。'

'You　misunderstood；　Clairette；'　said　Jaqueline。　　'No　gentleman　ever　so　spoke！　　No；　no；　my　young　lord　has　kept　his　promise　to　me；　and　I　will　not　fail　him。'

'Madame；'　faltered　Malcolm；　'I　came　by　command　of　the　King　of　Scots。'

'So　much　the　better；'　cried　Jaqueline。　　'So　he　can　play　into　our　hands；　for　all　his　grandeur！　　It　will　lose　him　his　wager；　though！　Here　is　bridethere　is　priestnay；　bishop！'　pointing　to　him　of　Therouenne；　who　had　accompanied　her；　but　hitherto　had　stood　silent。

'Madame；'　said　Malcolm；　'the　time　and　state　of　the　household　forbid。'

'Ma　foi！　　What　is　that　to　us？　　King　Henry　is　neither　our　brother　nor　our　father；　and　Catherine　will　soon　laugh　at　it　as　a　good　joke。'

'Nay；'　said　the　Bishop；　with　more　propriety；　'it　is　the　contract　and　troth…plight　alone　that　could　take　place　at　present。　　That　secure；　the　full　solemnities　will　await　a　fitting　time；　but　it　is　necessary　that　the　troth　be　exchanged　at　once。'

'Monseigneur；'　said　Esclairmonde；　'mine　is　in　other　keeping。'

'And；　Monseigneur；'　added　Malcolm；　'I　have　just　told　the　lady　that　I　repent　of　having　fallen　from　my　vocation；　and　persecuted　her。'

'How；　Sir！'　said　the　Bishop；　turning　on　him；　'do　you　thus　lightly　treat　a　lady　of　the　house　of　Luxemburg？　　Beware！　　There　are　those　who　know　how　to　visit　an　insult　on　a　malapert　lad；　who　meddles　with　the　honour　of　the　family。'

'Be　not　threatened；　Lord　Malcolm；'　said　Esclairmonde；　with　a　gleam　in　her　eye。

And　Malcolm　was　Stewart　enough　to　answer　with　spirit：　　'My　lord；　I　will　meet　them　if　needed。　　This　lady　is　so　affianced；　that　it　is　sacrilege　to　aspire　to　her。'

'Ah！'　said　the　Bishop；　in　an　audible　aside　to　the　giggling　Countess：　'this　comes　of　her　having　thrown　herself　at　the　youth's　head。　　Now　he　will　no　more　of　her。'

Crimson　with　wrath；　and　also　with　a　wild　sense　of　hope　that　the　obligation　had　become　absolute；　Malcolm　made　a　vehement　incoherent　exclamation；　but　Esclairmonde　retained　her　composure。

'Monseigneur　and　Madame　both　know　better；'　she　said。　　'This　is　but　another　menace。'

'Peace；　minion；'　said　the　Bishop　of　Therouenne；　'and　listen　to　me。　If　this　young　gentleman；　after　professing　himself　willing　to　wed　you；　now　draws　back；　so　much　the　worse　for　him。　　But　if　you　terrify　him　out　of　it　with　your　humours；　then　will　my　brother　St。　Pol　and　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　soon　be　here；　with　no　King　of　England　to　meddle；　and　by　St。　Adrian；　Sir　Boemond　will　be　daunted　by　no　airs；　like　Monsieur　there。　　A　bride　shall　you　be；　Esclairmonde　de　Luxemburg；　ere　the　week　is　out；　if　not　to　Monsieur　de　Glenuskie；　to　the　Chevalier　Boemond　de　Bourgogne。'

'Look　not　at　me；'　said　Jaqueline。　　'I　am　weary　of　your　contumacy。　All　I　shall　do　is　to　watch　you　well。　　I've　suspected　for　some　days　that　you　were　concocting　mischief　with　the　little　Montagu；　but　you'll　not　escape　again；　as　when　I　was　fool　enough　to　help　you。'

The　two　stood　a　few　paces　apart；　where　they　had　been　discovered；　Esclairmonde's　eyes　were　closed；　her　hands　clasped；　as　if　in　silent　prayer　for　aid。

'Girlyour　choice！'　said　the　Bishop；　peremptorily。　　'Wedlock　on　the　spot　to　this　gentleman；　or　to　Sir　Boemond　a　week　hence。'

Esclairmonde　was　very　white。

'My　will　shall　not　consent　to　a　present　breach　of　vow　to　save　a　future　one；'　she　said；　in　a　scarce　audible　voice。

A　sudden　thought　darted　into　Malcolm's　mind。　　With　colour　flooding　his　face　to　his　very　temples；　he　stepped　nearer　to　her；　and　said；　in　a　tremulous　under…tone；　'Lady；　trust　me。'

The　Bishop　withheld　Jaqueline　almost　by　force；　so　soon　as　he　saw　that　the　pair　were　whispering　together；　and　that　there　was　something　of　relaxation　in　Esclairmonde's　face　as　she　looked　up　at　him　in　silent　interrogation。

He　spoke　low；　but　solemnly　and　imploringly。　　'Trust　me　with　your　plight；　lady；　and　I　will　restore　it　when　you　are　free。'

Hardly　able　to　speak；　she　however　murmured；　'You　will　indeed　do　this？'

'So　help　me　Heaven！'　he　said；　and　his　eyes　grew　large　and　bright；　he　held　his　head　with　the　majesty　of　his　race。

'Heaven　has　sent　you；'　said　Esclairmonde；　with　a　long　sigh；　and　holding　out　her　hand　to　him；　as　though　therewith　she　conferred　a　high…souled　woman's　full　trust。

And　Malcolm　took　it　with　a　strange　pang　of　pain　and　exultation　at　the　heart。　　The　trust　was　won；　but　the　hope　of　earthly　joy　was　gone　for　ever。

The　Countess　broke　out　with　a　shout　of　triumph：　　'There；　there！　they　have　come　to　reason　at　last。　　There's　an　end　of　her　folly。'

Malcolm　felt　himself　a　man；　and　Esclairmonde's　protector；　all　at　once；　as　he　stood　forth；　still　holding　her　hand。

'Monseigneur；'　he　said；　'this　lady　consents　to　intrust　her　troth　to　me；　and　be　affianced　to　me'his　chest　heaved；　but　he　still　spoke　firmly'on　condition　that　no　word　be　spoken　of　the　matter；　nor　any　completion　of　the　rite　take　place　until　the　mourning　for　King　Henry　be　at　an　end；'　and；　at　a　sort　of　shiver　from　Esclairmonde；　he　added：　'Not　for　a　year；　by　which　time　I　shall　be　of　full　age。'

'A　strange　bridegroom！'　said　Jaqueline；　'but　maybe　you　do　well　to　get　her　on　what　terms　you　can。　　Do　you　agree；　Monseigneur？'

In　truth；　Monseigneur　may　have　been　relieved　that　the　trial　of　strength　between　him　and　his　ward　had　thus　terminated。　　He　was　only　anxious　to　have　the　matter　concluded。

The　agreement；　binding　Malcolm　to　accept　a　stated　number　of　crowns　in　instalments；　as　the　value　of　Esclairmonde's　lands；　under　the　guarantee　of　the　Duke　of　Burgundy　and　King　James　of　Scotland；　had　all　been　long　ago　signed；　sealed；　and　secured；　and　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　the　fiancailles；　or　espousals；　from　taking　place　at　once。

It　was　a　much　more　real　ceremony　than　a　mere　betrothal；　being；　in　fact；　in　the　eye　of　the　civil　law　a　marriage；　though　the　full　blessing　and　the　sacramental　words　of　union　were　deferred　for　the　completion　of　the　rite。　　It　was　the　first　part　of　the　Marriage　Service；　binding　the　pair　so　indissolubly　to　one　another；　that　neither　could　enter　into　wedlock　with　any　one　else　as　long　as　the　other　livedexcept；　of　course；　by　Papal　dispensation；　and　in　cases　of　stolen　weddings；　it　was　all　that　was　deemed　needful。

All　therefore　that　remained　to　be　done　was；　that　the　Bishop　summoned　his　chaplain　to　serve　as　a　witness　and　as　scribe；　and　then　the　two　young　people；　in　their　deep　mourning　dresses；　standing　before　the　Bishop；　vowed　to　belong　to　none　other　than　to　one　another；　and　the　betrothal　rings　being　produced；　were　placed　on　their　fingers；　and　their　hands　were　clasped。　　Malcolm's　was　steady；　as　he　felt　Esclairmonde's　rest　in　his　untrembling；　but　with　the　quietness　of　one　who　trusted　all　in　all　where　she　trusted　at　all。

'Poor　children！　they　have　all　to　learn；'　hilariously　shouted　the　Countess。　　'They　have　forgotten　the　kiss！'

'Will　you　suffer　it；　my　sister？'　said　Malcolm；　with　burning　cheeks。

'My　brother　and　my　guardian！'　responded　Esclairmonde；　raising　the　white　brow　to　his　lips。

At　that　moment　back　went　the　door；　and　in　flew　Alice　Montagu；　crying　aloud；　'Clairette！　the　Queenoh；　Madame；　your　pardon！　but　I　am　sent　for　Esclairmonde。　　The　Queen　is　in　worse　fits　than　ever。　　Sir　Lewis　can't　get　the　ring　from　her。　　They　think　she　will　rave　like　her　father　presently！　　Come！'

Esclairmonde　could　only　hurry　away　at　this；　while　Alice；　grasping　her　hand；　continued：

'Oh；　have　they　been　persecuting　you？　　I　dreaded　it　when　I　saw　yon　little　wretch；　butoh；　Esclairmonde；　what　is　this？'　in　an　utterly　changed　voice。

'He　holds　my　faith　in　trust。　　He　will　restore　it；'　said　Esclairmonde；　hurriedly。

But　Lady　Montagu　spoke　not　another　word；　and；　indeed；　they　were　hard　upon　the　English　queen's　rooms；　whence　they　already　heard　hysterical　screams　of　passion。

Jaqueline　had　immediately　set　forth　in　the　same　direction　out　of　curiosity；　and　Malcolm　in　much　anxiety；　since　the　mission　that　he　had　been　cautioned　to　guard　so　jealously　seemed　in　danger　of　being　known　everywhere。　　He　had　himself　been　allowed　to　stand　by　the　Queen's　bedside；　and　rehearse　James's　message；　but　when　he　had　further　hinted　of　his　being　sent　by　Bedford　to　bring　the　ring；　the　Queen；　perhaps　at　the　mention　of　the　brother…in…law；　pouted；　knew　nothing　of　any　ring；　and　supposed　M。　le　Duc　meant　to　strip　her；　a　poor　desolate　widow；　of　all　her　jewels。

Then　Malcolm　had　spoken　in　private　with　Sir　Lewis　Robsart；　who　knew　the　ring　was　among　her　jewels；　and　promised　to　get　it　for　him　as　soon　as　was　possible；　and　it　was　while　waiting　for　this　that　Malcolm　had　been　summoned　to　the　Countess　of　Hainault's　apartments。

But　ere　Sir　Lewis　could　get　the　ear　of　the　Queen；　as　he　now　told　Malcolm；　her　mother　had　been　with　her。　　Catherine　was　dull；　jealous；　unwilling　to　part　with　anything；　but　always　easily　coaxed　over。　　Her　mother　Isabeau　had；　on　the　other　hand；　a　good　deal　of　low　cunning　and　selfishness；　and　understood　how　valuable　an　instrument　might　be　a　duplicate　seal　of　a　deceased　monarc