the caged lion-第41部分

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！


r　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　loving　of　all　my　children！'

In　truth；　neither　of　his　own　sons　had　been　thus　mourned；　nor　had　any　person　shown　the　poor　crazed　monarch　the　uniform　deferential　consideration　he　had　received　from　Henry。　　He　crept　back　to　his　own　chamber；　and　for　many　days　hardly　spoke；　save　to　moan　for　his　bon　fils　Henri；　scarcely　tasting　food；　and　pining　away　day　by　day。　　Those　who　had　watched　the　likeness　between　the　heroes　of　Monmouth　and　of　Macedon；　saw　the　resemblance　carried　out；　for　as　the　aged　Persian　queen　perished　away　from　grief　for　the　courteous　and　gentle　Alexander；　so　now　the　king　of　the　conquered　realm　was　actually　wasting　to　death　with　mourning　for　his　frank　and　kindly　bon　fils　Henri。

As　part　of　royal　etiquette；　Catherine　betook　herself　to　her　bed；　in　a　chamber　hung　with　black；　the　light　of　day　excluded；　and　ranks　of　wax　tapers　shedding　a　lugubrious　light　upon　rows　of　gentlemen　and　ladies　who　had　to　stand　there　on　duty；　watching　her　as　the　mourners　watched　the　King；　though　her　lying…in…state　was　not　always　as　silent；　for　though；　there　was　much　time　spent　in　slumber；　Catherine　sometimes　would　indulge　in　a　good　deal　of　subdued　prattle　with　her　mother；　or　her　more　confidential　attendants。　　But　at　other　times；　chiefly　when　first　awaking；　or　else　when　anything　had　crossed　her　will；　she　would　fall　into　agonies　of　passionate　griefweeping；　shrieking；　and　rending　her　hair　with　almost　a　frenzy　of　misery；　as　she　called　herself　utterly　desolate；　and　screamed　aloud　for　her　king　to　return　to　her。

She　was　quite　past　the　management　of　her　English　ladies　on　these　occasions；　and　her　mother；　declaring　that　she　was　becoming　crazed　like　her　father；　declined　having　anything　to　do　with　her。　　Even　Sir　Lewis　Robsart　she　used　to　spurn　aside；　and　nothing　ever　seemed　effectual；　but　for　the　Demoiselle　de　Luxemburg；　with　her　full　sweet　voice；　and　force　of　will　in　all　the　tenderness　of　strength；　caressingly　to　hold　her　still；　talk　to　her　almost　as　to　an　infant；　and　sing　away　her　violence　with　some　long　low　dittysometimes　a　mere　Flemish　lullaby；　sometimes　a　Church　hymn。　　As　Lady　Warwick　said；　when　the　ladies　were　all　wearied　out　with　the　endeavour　to　control　their　Queen's　waywardness　and　violence；　and　it　sighed　away　like　a　departing　tempest　before　Esclairmonde；　'It　was　as　great　a　charity　as　ever　ministering　as　a　St。　Katherine's　bedeswoman　could　be。'

To　the　young　Lady　Montagu；　the　blow　was　astounding。　　It　was　the　first　realization　that　a　great　man　could　die；　a　great　support　be　taken　away；　and；　child…like；　she　moved　about；　bewildered　and　stunned；　in　the　great　household　on　which　the　dark　cloud　had　descendedclinging　to　Esclairmonde　as　if　to　protect　her　from　she　knew　not　what；　anything　dreadful　might　happen；　with　the　King　dead；　and　her　father　and　husband　away。

Alas！　poor　Esclairmonde！　　She　was　in　much　more　real　danger　herself；　as　came　to　the　bride's　mind　presently；　when；　in　the　midst　of　her　lamentations；　she　exclaimed；　'And；　ah；　Clairette！　there　ends　his　goodly　promise　about　the　sisterhood　of　good　works　at　Paris。'

Esclairmonde　responded　with　a　gesture　of　sorrow；　and　the　murmur　of　the　'In　principibus　non　confide'　that　is　so　often　the　echo　of　disappointment。

'And　what　will　you　do？'　continued　Alice；　watching　her　anxiously；　as　her　face；　turning　very　pale；　was　nevertheless　uplifted　towards　heaven。

'Strive　to　trust　more　in　God；　less　in　princes；'　she　breathed　forth；　clasping　her　hands；　and　compressing　her　lips。

'Nay；　but　does　it　grieve　you　so　intensely？'　asked　Alice。　　'Mayhap'

'Alas！　sweet　one！　　I　would　that　the　fall　of　this　device　seemed　like　to　be　the　worst　effect　to　me　of　your　good　king's　death。　　Pray　for　me；　Alice；　for　now　no　earthly　power　stands　between　me　and　my　kinsmen's　will。'

Alice　cried　aloud；　'Nay；　nay；　lady；　we　are　English　still。　　There　are　my　father；　my　lord；　the　Duke　of　Bedford；　they　will　not　suffer　any　wrong　to　be　done。'

'Hush；　Alice。　　None　of　them　hath　any　power　to　aid　me。　　Even　good　King　Henry　had　no　legal　power　to　protect　me；　only　he　was　so　great；　so　strong　in　word　or　deed；　that　no　man　durst　do　before　him　what　he　declared　a　shame　and　a　sin。　　Now　it　will　be　expedient　more　than　ever　that　nothing　be　done　by　the　English　to　risk　offending　the　Duke　of　Burgundy。　　None　will　dare　withhold　me；　none　ought　to　dare；　for　they　act　not　for　themselves；　but　for　their　infant　charge；　and　my　countess　is　weary　of　me。　　There　is　nothing　to　prevent　my　uncles　from　taking　me　away　with　them；　or'

'Nothing！'　cried　Alice。　　'It　cannot　be！　　Oh；　that　my　father　were　here！'

'He　could　do　nothing　for　me。'

'A　convent！'

'No　convent　here　could　keep　me　against　the　Bishop　of　Therouenne。'

Alice　wrung　her　hands。　　'Oh；　it　cannotshall　not　be！'

'No；　Alice；　I　do　not　believe　it　will　be。　　I　have　that　confidence　in　Him　to　whom　I　have　given　myself；　that　I　do　not　believe　He　will　permit　me　to　be　snatched　from　Him；　so　long　as　my　will　does　not　consent。'　Esclairmonde　faltered　a　moment；　as　she　remembered　her　wavering；　crossed　her　hands　on　her　breast；　and　ejaculated；　'May　He　deal　mercifully　with　me！　　Yet　it　may　be　at　an　exceeding　costat　that　of　all　my　cherished　sch