the caged lion-第9节

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st　of　the　company　to　the　fact　that　the　uncovered　boards　of　the　table　were　the　only　trenchers；　and　the　salt　and　mustard　were　taken　by　the　point　of　each　man's　dagger　from　common　receptacles　dispersed　along　the　board。　　Probably　the　only　person　really　disgusted　or　amazed　was　the　English　Brewster；　who；　though　too　cautious　to　express　a　word　of　his　feelings；　preserved　the　most　complete　silence；　and　could　scarcely　persuade　himself　to　taste　the　rude　fare。

Nor　when　the　meal　was　over　was　Sir　James　disposed　to　heed　the　wistful　looks　of　his　attendants；　but　wandered　off　to　watch　the　contest　in　archery　at　the　butts；　where　arrow　after　arrow　flew　wide　of　the　clout；　for　the　strength　of　Scotland　did　not　lie　in　the　long…bow；　and　Albany's　edict　that　shooting　should　be　practised　on　Sundays　and　holidays　had　not　produced　as　yet　any　great　dexterity。

Sir　James　at　first　laughed　merrily　at　the　extraordinary　screwings　of　visage　and　contortions　of　attitude；　and　the　useless　demonstration　of　effort　with　which　the　clowns　aimed　their　shafts　and　drew　their　bow；　sometimes　to　find　the　arrow　on　the　grass　at　their　feet；　sometimes　to　see　it　producing　consternation　among　the　bystanders；　but　when　he　saw　Brewster　standing　silently　apart；　viewing　their　efforts　with　a　scorn　visible　enough　in　the　dead　stolidity　of　his　countenance；　he　murmured　a　bitter　interjection；　and　turned　away　with　folded　arms　and　frowning　brow。

Nigel　again　urged　their　departure；　but　at　that　moment　the　sweet　notes　of　a　long　narrative　ballad　began　to　sound　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　harp；　and　he　stood　motionless　while　the　wild　mournful　ditty　told　of　the　cruelty　of　the　Lady　of　Frendraught；　and　how


'Morning　sun　ne'er　shone　upon　Lord　John　and　Rothiemay。


Large　tears　were　dropping　from　under　the　hand　with　he　veiled　his　emotion；　and　when　Nigel　touched　his　cloak　to　remind　him　that　the　horses　were　ready；　he　pressed　the　old　man's　hand；　saying；　with　a　sigh；　'I　heard　that　last　at　my　father's　knee！　　It　rung　in　my　ears　for　many　a　year！　　Here；　lad！'　and　dropping　a　gold　coin　into　the　wooden　bowl　carried　round　by　the　blind　minstrel's　attendant；　he　was　turning　away；　when　the　glee…man；　detecting　perhaps　the　ring　of　the　coin；　broke　forth　in　stirring　tones　…


〃It　fell　about　the　Lammas　tide；　When　moormen　win　their　hay；　The　doughty　Earl　of　Douglas　rode　Into　England　to　catch　a　prey。〃


Again　he　stood　transfixed；　beating　time　with　his　hand；　his　eyes　beaming；　his　hips　moving　as　he　followed　the　spirit…stirring　ballad；　and　then；　as　Douglas　falls；　and　is　laid　beneath　the　bracken　bush；　unseen　by　his　men；　and　Montgomery　forces　Hotspur　to　yield；　not　to　him；　but


'to　the　bracken　bush　That　grows　upon　the　lily　lea；'


he　sobbed　without　disguise；　and　no　sooner　was　the　ballad　ended　than　he　sprang　forward　to　the　harper；　crying；　'Again；　again；　another　gold　crown　to　hear　it　again！'

'Sir；'　entreated　Nigel；　'remember　how　much　hangs　on　your　speed。'

'The　ballad　I　MUST　have；'　exclaimed　Sir　James；　trying　to　shake　him　off。　　'It　moves　the　heart　more　than　aught　I　ever　heard！　　How　runs　it？'

'_I_　know　the　ballad；'　said　Malcolm；　half　in　impatience；　half　in　contempt。　　'I　could　sing　every　word　of　it。　　Every　glee…man　has　it。'

'Nayhear　you；　Sirthe　lad　can　sing　it；'　reiterated　Nigel；　and　Sir　James；　throwing　the　promised　guerdon　to　the　minstrel；　let　himself　be　led　away　to　the　front　of　the　inn；　but　there　was　a　piper；　playing　to　a　group　of　dancers；　and　as　if　his　feet　could　not　resist　the　fascination；　Sir　James　held　out　his　hand　to　the　first　comely　lass　he　saw　disengaged；　and　in　spite　of　the　steel…guarded　boots　that　he　wore；　answered　foot　for　foot；　spring　for　spring；　to　the　deft　manoeuvres　of　her　shoeless　feet；　with　equal　agility　and　greater　grace。　　Nigel　frowned　more　than　ever　at　this　exhibition；　and　when　the　knight　had　led　his　panting　partner　to　a　seat；　and　called　for　a　tankard　of　ale　for　her　refreshment；　he　remonstrated　more　seriously　still。　　'Sir；　the　gates　of　Berwick　will　be　shut。'

'The　days　lengthen；　man。'

'And　who　knows　if　some　of　yon　land…loupers　be　not　of　Walter　Stewart's　meine？　　Granted　that　they　ken　not　yourself；　that　lad　is　only　too　ken…　speckle。　　Moreover；　you　ye　made　free　enough　with　your　siller　to　set　the　haill　crew　of　moss…troopers　on　our　track。'

'Twenty　mile　to　Berwick…gate；'　said　Sir　James；　carelessly；　'nor　need　you　ever　look　behind　you　at　jades　like　theirs。　　Nay；　friend；　I　come；　since　you　grudge　me　for　once　the　sight　of　a　little　wholesome　glee　among　my　own　people。　　My　holiday　is　dropping　from　me　like　sands　in　an　hour…glass！'

He　mounted；　however；　and　put　his　horse　to　as　round　a　pace　as　could　be　maintained　by　the　whole　party　with　out　distress；　nor　did　he　again　break　silence　for　many　miles。

At　the　gates　of　Berwick；　then　in　English　hands；　be　gave　a　pass…word；　and　was　admitted；　he　bade　Nigel　conduct　Lord　Malcolm　to　an　inn；　explaining　that　it　was　his　duty　to　present　himself　to　the　governor；　and；　being　detained　to　sup　with　him；　was　seen　no　more　till　they　started　the　next　morning。　　The　governor　rode　out　with　them　some　ten　miles；　with　a　strong　guard　of　spearmen；　and　after　parting　with　him　they　pushed　on　to　the　south。

After　the　first　day's　journey；　Malcolm　was　amazed　to　see　Sir　James　mount　without　any　of　his　defensive　armour；　which　was　piled　on　the　spare　horse；　his　head　was　covered　by　a　chaperon；　or　flat　cap　with　a　short　curtain　to　it；　and　his　sword　was　the　only　weapon　he　retained。　Nigel　was　also　nearly　unarmed；　and　Sir　James　advised　Malcolm　himself　to　lay　aside　the　light　hawberk　he　wore；　then；　at　his　amazed　look；　said；　'Poor　lad！　he　never　saw　the　day　when　he　could　ride　abroad　scathless。　　When　will　the　breadth　of　Scotland　be　as　safe　as　these　English　hills？'

He　was　very　kind　to　his　young　companion；　treating　him　in　all　things　like　a　guest；　pointing　out　what　was　worthy　of　note；　and　explaining　what　was　new　and　surprising。　　Malcolm　would　have　asked　much　concerning　the　King；　to　whom　he　was　bound；　but　these　questions　were　the　only　ones　Sir　James　put　aside；　saying　that　his　kinsman　would　one　day　learn　that　it　ill　beseemed　those　who　were　about　a　king's　person　to　speak　of　him　freely。

One　night　was　spent　at　Durham；　the　parent　of　Coldingham；　and　here　Malcolm　felt　at　home；　far　more　grand　as　was　that　mighty　cathedral　institution。　　There　it　stood；　with　the　Weir　encircling　it；　on　its　own　fair　though　mighty　hill；　with　all　the　glory　of　its　Norman　mister　and　lovely　Lady…chapel；　yet　it　seemed　to　the　boy　more　like　a　glorified　Coldingham　than　like　a　strange　region。

'The　peace　of　God　rests　on　the　place；'　he　said；　when　Sir　James　asked　his　thoughts　as　he　looked　back　at　the　grand　mass　of　buildings。　'These　are　the　only　spots　where　the　holy　and　tender　can　grow；　like　the　Palestine　lilies　sheltered　from　the　blast　in　the　Abbot's　garden　at　Coldingham。'

'Nay；　lad；　it　were　an　ill　world　did　lilies　only　grow　in　abbots'　gardens。'

'It　is　an　ill　world；'　said　Malcolm。

'Let　us　hear　what　you　say　in　a　month's　time；'　replied　the　knight；　lightly：　　then　dreaming　over　the　words。

A　few　days　more；　and　they　were　riding　among　the　lovely　rock　and　woodland　scenery　of　Yorkshire；　when　suddenly　there　leaped　from　behind　a　bush　three　or　four　young　men；　with　a　loud　shout　of　'Stand。'

'Reivers！'　thought　Malcolm；　sick　with　dismay；　as　the　foremost　grasped　Sir　James's　bridle；　but　the　latter　merely　laughed；　saying；　'How　now；　Hal！　be　these　your　old　tricks？'

'Ay；　when　such　prizes　are　errant；'　said　the　assailant　and　Sir　James；　springing　from　his　horse；　embraced　him　and　his　companion　with　a　cordiality　that　made　Malcolm　not　a　little　uneasy。　　Could　he　have　been　kidnapped　by　a　false　Englishman　into　a　den　of　robbers　for　the　sake　of　his　ransom？

'You　are　strict　to　your　time；'　said　the　chief　robber。　　'I　knew　you　would　be。　　So；　when　Ned　Marmion　came　to　Beverley；　and　would　have　us　to　see　his　hunting　at　Tanfield；　we　came　on　thinking　to　meet　you。　Marmion　here　has　a　nooning　spread　in　the　forest；　ere　we　go　on　to　Thirsk；　where　I　have　a　matter　to　settle　between　two　wrong…headed　churls。　　How　has　it　been　with　you；　Jamie？　you　have　added　to　your　meine。'

'Ah；　Hal！　never　in　all　your　cut…purse　days　did　you　fall　on　such　an　emprise　as　I　have　achieved。'

'Let　us　hear；'　said　Hal；　linking　his　arm　in　Sir　James's；　who　turned　for　a　moment　to　say；　'Take　care　of　the　lad；　John；　he　is　a　young　kinsman　of　mine。'

'Kinsman！'　thought　Malcolm；　'do　all　wandering　Stewarts　claim　kin　to　the　blood　royal？'　but　then；　as　he　looked　at　Sir　James's　stately　head；　he　felt　that　no　assumption　could　be　unbecoming　in　one　of　such　a　presence；　and　so　kind　to　himself；　and；　ashamed　of　the　moment's　petulance；　dismounted；　and；　as　John　said；　'This　is　the　way　to　our　noon　meat；'　he　let　himself　be　conducted　through　the　trees　to　a　glade；　sheltered　from　the　wind；　where　a　Lenten　though　not　unsavoury　meal　of　bread；　dried　fish；　and　eggs　was　laid　out　on　the　grass；　in　a　bright　warm　sunshine；　and　Hal；　declaring　himself　to　have　a　hunter's　appetite；　and　that　he　knew　Jamie　had　been　starved　in　Scotland；　and　was　as　lean　as　a　greyhound；　seated　himself　on　the　grass；　and　to　Malcolm's　extreme　surprise；　not　to　say　disgust；　was　served　by　Lord　Marmion　on　the　knee　and　with　doffed　cap。

While　the　meal　was　being　eaten；　Malcolm　studied　the　strangers。　　Lord　Marmion　was　a　good…humoured；　hearty…looking　young　Yorkshireman；　but