hyme 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,
stay--Yorkshiremen 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 knew--nay, 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 s