mary stuart-第16章

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〃Oh；　yes；〃　answered　the　queen；　〃they　reminded　me　of　the　unfortunate

being　who　composed　them。〃



〃And　may　I；　without　indiscretion；　inquire　of　your　grace　who　is　their

author？〃



〃Alas！　he　was　a　noble；　brave；　and　handsome　young　man；　with　a　faithful

heart　and　a　hot　head；　who　would　defend　me　to…day；　if　I　had　defended

him　then；　but　his　boldness　seemed　to　me　rashness；　and　his　fault　a

crime。　　What　was　to　be　done？　　I　did　not　love　him。　　Poor　Chatelard！　I

was　very　cruel　to　him。〃



〃But　you　did　not　prosecute　him；　it　was　your　brother；　you　did　not

condemn　him；　the　judges　did。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　I　know　that　he　too　was　Murray's　victim；　and　that　is　no

doubt　the　reason　that　I　am　calling　him　to　mind　just　now。　　But　I　was

able　to　pardon　him；　Mary；　and　I　was　inflexible；　I　let　ascend　the

scaffold　a　man　whose　only　crime　was　in　loving　me　too　well；　and　now　I

am　astonished　and　complain　of　being　abandoned　by　everyone。　　Listen；

darling；　there　is　one　thing　that　terrifies　me：　it　is；　that　when　I

search　within　myself　I　find　that　I　have　not　only　deserved　my　fate；

but　even　that　God　did　not　punish　me　severely　enough。〃



〃What　strange　thoughts　for　your　grace！〃　cried　Mary；　〃and　see　where

those　unlucky　lines　which　returned　to　your　mind　have　led　you；　the

very　day　when　you　were　beginning　to　recover　a　little　of　your

cheerfulness。〃



〃Alas！〃　replied　the　queen；　shaking　her　head　and　uttering　a　deep　sigh；

〃for　six　years　very　few　days　have　passed　that　I　have　not　repeated

those　lines　to　myself；　although　it　may　be　for　the　first　time　to…day

that　I　repeat　them　aloud。　　He　was　a　Frenchman　too；　Mary：　they　have

exiled　from　me；　taken　or　killed　all　who　came　to　me　from　France。　　Do

you　remember　that　vessel　which　was　swallowed　up　before　our　eyes　when

we　came　out　of　Calais　harbour？　　I　exclaimed　then　that　it　was　a　sad

omen：　you　all　wanted　to　reassure　me。　　Well；　who　was　right；　now；　you

or　I？〃



The　queen　was　in　one　of　those　fits　of　sadness　for　which　tears　are　the

sole　remedy；　so　Mary　Seyton；　perceiving　that　not　only　would　every

consolation　be　vain；　but　also　unreasonable；　far　from　continuing　to

react　against　her　mistress's　melancholy；　fully　agreed　with　her：　it

followed　that　the　queen；　who　was　suffocating；　began　to　weep；　and　that

her　tears　brought　her　comfort；　then　little　by　little　she　regained

self…control；　and　this　crisis　passed　as　usual；　leaving　her　firmer　and

more　resolute　than　ever；　so　that　when　she　went　up　to　her　room　again

it　was　impossible　to　read　the　slightest　alteration　in　her

countenance。



The　dinner…hour　was　approaching；　and　Mary；　who　in　the　morning　was

looking　forward　impatiently　to　the　enjoyment　of　her　triumph　over　Lady

Lochleven；　now　saw　her　advance　with　uneasiness：　the　mere　idea　of

again　facing　this　woman；　whose　pride　one　was　always　obliged　to　oppose

with　insolence；　was；　after　the　moral　fatigues　of　the　day；　a　fresh

weariness。　　So　she　decided　not　to　appear　for　dinner；　as　on　the　day

before：　she　was　all　the　more　glad　she　had　taken　this　resolution；　that

this　time　it　was　not　Lady　Lochleven　who　came　to　fulfil　the　duties

enjoined　on　a　member　of　the　family　to　make　the　queen　easy；　but　George

Douglas；　whom　his　mother　in　her　displeasure　at　the　morning　scene　sent

to　replace　her。　　Thus；　when　Mary　Seyton　told　the　queen　that　she　saw

the　young　man　with　dark　hair　cross　the　courtyard　on　his　way　to　her；

Mary　still　further　congratulated　herself　on　her　decision；　for　this

young　man's　insolence　had　wounded　her　more　deeply　than　all　his

mother's　haughty　insults。　　The　queen　was　not　a　little　astonished；

then；　when　in　a　few　minutes　Mary　Seyton　returned　and　informed　her

that　George　Douglas；　having　sent　away　the　servants；　desired　the

honour　of　speaking　to　her　on　a　matter　of　importance。　　At　first　the

queen　refused；　but　Mary　Seyton　told　her　that　the　young　man's　air　and

manner　this　time　were　so　different　from　what　she　had　seen　two　days

before；　that　she　thought　her　mistress　would　be　wrong　to　refuse　his

request。



The　queen　rose　then；　and　with　the　pride　and　majesty　habitual　to　her；

entered　the　adjoining　room；　and；　having　taken　three　steps；　stopped

with　a　disdainful　air；　waiting　for　George　to　address　her。



Mary　Seyton　had　spoken　truly：　George　Douglas　was　now　another　man。

To…day　he　seemed　to　be　as　respectful　and　timid　as　the　preceding　day

he　had　seemed　haughty　and　proud。　　He；　in　his　turn；　made　a　step

towards　the　queen；　but　seeing　Mary　Seyton　standing　behind　her



〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃I　wished　to　speak　with　your　Majesty　alone：　shall　I

not　obtain　this　favour？〃



〃Mary　Seyton　is　not　a　stranger　to　me；　Sir：　she　is　my　sister；　my

friend；　she　is　more　than　all　that；　she　is　my　companion　in　captivity。〃



〃And　by　all　these　claims；　madam；　I　have　the　utmost　veneration　for

her；　but　what　I　have　to　tell　you　cannot　be　heard　by　other　ears　than

yours。　　Thus；　madam；　as　the　opportunity　furnished　now　may　perhaps

never　present　itself　again；　in　the　name　of　what　is　dearest　to　you；

grant　me　what　I　ask。〃



There　was　such　a　tone　of　respectful　prayer　in　George's　voice　that

Mary　turned　to　the　young　girl；　and；　making　her　a　friendly　sign　with

her　hand



〃Go；　then；　darling；〃　said　she；　〃but　be　easy；　you　will　lose　nothing　by

not　hearing。　　Go。〃



Mary　Seyton　withdrew；　the　queen　smilingly　looked　after　her；　till　the

door　was　shut；　then；　turning　to　George



〃Now；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃we　are　alone；　speak。〃



But　George；　instead　of　replying；　advanced　to　the　queen；　and；　kneeling

on　one　knee；　drew　from　his　breast　a　paper　which　he　presented　to　her。

Mary　took　it　with　amazement；　unfolded　it；　glancing　at　Douglas；　who

remained　in　the　same　posture；　and　read　as　follows：



We；　earls；　lords；　and　barons；　in　consideration　that　our　queen　is

detained　at　Lochleven；　and　that　her　faithful　subjects　cannot　have

access　to　her　person；　seeing；　on　the　other　hand；　that　our　duty

pledges　us　to　provide　for　her　safety；　promise　and　swear　to　employ　all

reasonable　means　which　will　depend　on　us　to　set　her　at　liberty　again

on　conditions　compatible　with　the　honour　of　her　Majesty；　the　welfare

of　the　kingdom；　and　even　with　the　safety　of　those　who　keep　her　in

prison；　provided　that　they　consent　to　give　her　up；　that　if　they

refuse；　we　declare　that　we　are　prepared　to　make　use　of　ourselves；　our

children；　our　friends；　our　servants；　our　vassals；　our　goods；　our

persons；　and　our　lives；　to　restore　her　to　liberty；　to　procure　the

safety　of　the　prince；　and　to　co…operate　in　punishing　the　late　king's

murderers。　　If　we　are　assailed　for　this　intent；　whether　as　a　body　or

in　private；　we　promise　to　defend　ourselves；　and　to　aid　one　another；

under　pain　of　infamy　and　perjury。　　So　may　God　help　us。



〃Given　with　our　own　hands　at　Dumbarton；



〃St。　　Andrews；　Argyll；　Huntly；　Arbroath；　Galloway；　Ross；　Fleming；

Herries；　Stirling；　Kilwinning；　Hamilton；　and　Saint…Clair；　Knight。〃





〃And　Seyton！〃　cried　Mary；　〃among　all　these　signatures；　I　do　not　see

that　of　my　faithful　Seyton。〃



Douglas；　still　kneeling；　drew　from　his　breast　a　second　paper；　and

presented　it　to　the　queen　with　the　same　marks　of　respect。　　It

contained　only　these　few　words：



〃Trust　George　Douglas；　for　your　Majesty　has　no　more　devoted　friend　in

the　entire　kingdom。



SEYTON。〃





Mary　lowered　her　eyes　to　Douglas　with　an　expression　which　was　hers

only；　then；　giving　him　her　hand　to　raise　him



〃Ah！〃　said　she；　with　a　sigh　more　of　joy　than　of　sadness；　〃now　I　see

that　God；　in　spite　of　my　faults；　has　not　yet　abandoned　me。　　But　how

is　it；　in　this　castle；　that　you；　a　Douglas。。。。　oh！　it　is　incredible！〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　George；　〃seven　years　have　passed　since　I　saw　you　in

France　for　the　first　time；　and　for　seven　years　I　have　loved　you〃。

Mary　moved；　but　Douglas　put　forth　his　hand　and　shook　his　head　with　an

air　of　such　profound　sadness；　that　she　understood　that　she　might　hear

what　the　young　man　had　to　say。　　He　continued：　〃Reassure　yourself；

madam；　I　should　never　have　made　this　confession　if；　while　explaining

my　conduct　to　you；　this　confession　would　not　have　given　you　greater

confidence　in　me。　　Yes；　for　seven　years　I　have　loved　you；　but　as　one

loves　a　star　that　one　can　never　reach；　a　madonna　to　whom　one　can　only

pray；　for　seven　years　I　have　followed　you　everywhere　without　you　ever

having　paid　attention　to　me；　without　my　saying　a　word　or　making　a

gesture　to　attract　your　notice。　　I　was　on　the　knight　of　Mevillon's

galley　when　you　crossed　to　Scotland；　I　was　among　the　regent's

soldiers　when　you　beat　Huntly；　I　was　in　the　escort　which　accompanied

you　when　you　went　to　see　the　sick　king　at　Glasgow；　I　reached

Edinburgh　an　hour　after　you　had　left　it　for　Lochleven；　and　then　it

seemed　to　me　that　my　mission　was　revealed　to　me　for　the　first　time；

and　that　this　love　for　which　till　then；　I　had　reproached　myself　as　a

crime；　was　on　the　contrary　a　favour　from　God。　　I　learned　that　the

lords　were　assembled　at　Dumbarton：　I　flew　thither。　　I　pledged　my

name；　I　pledged　my　honour；　I　pledged　my　life；　and　I　obtained　from

them；　thanks　to　the　facility　I　had　for　coming　into　this　fortress；　the

happiness　of　bringing　you　the　paper　they　have　just　signed。　　Now；

madam；　forget　all　I　have　told　you；　except　the　assurance　of　my

devotion　and　respect：　forget　that　I　am　near　you；　I　am　used　to　not

being　seen：　only；　if　you　have　need　of　my　life；　make　a　sign；　for　seven

years　my　life　has　been　yours。〃



〃Alas！〃　replied　Mary；　〃I　was　complaining　this　morning　of　no　longer

being　loved；　and　I　ought　to　complain；　on　the　contrary；　that　I　am

still　loved；　for　the　love　that　I　inspire　is　fatal　and　mortal。　　Look

back；　Douglas；　and　count　the　tombs　that；　young　as　I　am；　I　have

already　left　on　my　pathFrancis　II；　Chatelard；　Rizzio；　Darnley。。。。

Oh　to　attach　one's　self　to　my　fortunes　more　than　love　is　needed　now

heroism　and　devotion　are　requisite　so　much　the　more　that；　as　you　have

said；　Douglas；　it　is　love　without　any　possible　reward。　　Do　you

understand？〃



〃Oh；　madam；　madam；〃　answered　Douglas；　〃is　it　not　reward　beyond　my

deserts　to　see　you　daily；　to　cherish　the　hope　that　liberty　will　be

restored　to　you　through　me；　and　to　have　at　least；　if　I　do　not　give　it

you；　the　certainty　of　dying　in　your　sight？〃



〃Poor　young　man！〃　murmured　Mary；　her　eyes　raised　to　heaven；　as　if　she

were　reading　there　beforehand　the　fate　awaiting　her　new　defender。



〃Happy　Douglas；　on　the　contrary；〃　cried　George；　seizing　the　queen's

hand　and　kissing　it　with　perhaps　still　more　respect　than　love；　〃happy

Douglas！　for　in　obtaining　a　sigh　from　your　Majesty　he　has　already

obtained　more　than　he　hoped。〃



〃And　upon　what　have　you　decided　with　my　friends？〃　said　the　queen；

raising　Douglas；　who　till　then　had　remained　on　his　knees　before　her。



〃Nothing　yet；〃　George　replied；　〃for　we　scarcely　had　time　to　see　one

another。　　Your　escape；　impossible　without　me；　is　difficult　even　with

me；　　and　your　Majesty　has　seen　that　I　was　obliged　publicly　to　fail　in

respect；　to　obtain　from　my　mother　the　confidence　which　gives　me　the

good　fortune