mary stuart-第17章

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

good　fortune　of　seeing　you　to…day：　if　this　confidence　on　my　mother's

or　my　brother's　part　ever　extends　to　giving　up　to　me　the　castle　keys；

then　you　are　saved！　　Let　your　Majesty　not　be　surprised　at　anything；

then：　in　the　presence　of　others；　I　shall　ever　be　always　a　Douglas；

that　is　an　enemy；　and　except　your　life　be　in　danger；　madam；　I　shall

not　utter　a　word；　I　shall　not　make　a　gesture　which　might　betray　the

faith　that　I　have　sworn　you；　but；　on　your　side；　let　your　grace　know

well；　that　present　or　absent；　whether　I　am　silent　or　speak；　whether　I

act　or　remain　inert；　all　will　be　in　appearance　only；　save　my

devotion。　　Only；〃　continued　Douglas；　approaching　the　window　and

showing　to　the　queen　a　little　house　on　Kinross　hill；〃only；　look

every　evening　in　that　direction；　madam；　and　so　long　as　you　see　a

light　shine　there；　your　friends　will　be　keeping　watch　for　you；　and

you　need　not　lose　hope。〃



〃Thanks；　Douglas；　thanks；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　does　one　good　to　meet

with　a　heart　like　yours　from　time　to　timeoh！　thanks。〃



〃And　now；　madam；〃　replied　the　young　man；　〃I　must　leave　your　Majesty；

to　remain　longer　with　you　would　be　to　raise　suspicions；　and　a　single

doubt　of　me；　think　of　it　well；　madam；　and　that　light　which　is　your

sole　beacon　is　extinguished；　and　all　returns　into　night。〃



With　these　words；　Douglas　bowed　more　respectfully　than　he　had　yet

done；　and　withdrew；　leaving　Mary　full　of　hope；　and　still　more　full　of

pride；　for　this　time　the　homage　that　she　had　just　received　was

certainly　for　the　woman　and　not　for　the　queen。



As　the　queen　had　told　him；　Mary　Seyton　was　informed　of　everything；

even　the　love　of　Douglas；　and；　the　two　women　impatiently　awaited　the

evening　to　see　if　the　promised　star　would　shine　on　the　horizon。

Their　hope　was　not　in　vain：　at　the　appointed　time　the　beacon　was　lit。

The　queen　trembled　with　joy；　for　it　was　the　confirmation　of　her

hopes；　and　her　companion　could　not　tear　her　from　the　window；　where

she　remained　with　her　gaze　fastened　on　the　little　house　in　Kinross。

At　last　she　yielded　to　Mary　Seyton's　prayers；　and　consented　to　go　to

bed；　but　twice　in　the　night　she　rose　noiselessly　to　go　to　the　window：

the　light　was　always　shining；　and　was　not　extinguished　till　dawn；

with　its　sisters　the　stars。



Next　day；　at　breakfast；　George　announced　to　the　queen　the　return　of

his　brother；　William　Douglas：　he　arrived　the　same　evening；　as　to

himself；　George；　he　had　to　leave　Lochleven　next　morning；　to　confer

with　the　nobles　who　had　signed　the　declaration；　and　who　had

immediately　separated　to　raise　troops　in　their　several　counties。　　The

queen　could　not　attempt　to　good　purpose　any　escape　but　at　a　time　when

she　would　be　sure　of　gathering　round　her　an　army　strong　enough　to

hold　the　country；　as　to　him；　Douglas；　one　was　so　used　to　his　silent

disappearances　and　to　his　unexpected　returns；　that　there　was　no

reason　to　fear　that　his　departure　would　inspire　any　suspicion。



All　passed　as　George　had　said：　in　the　evening　the　sound　of　a　bugle

announced　the　arrival　of　William　Douglas；　he　had　with　him　Lord

Ruthven；　the　son　of　him　who　had　assassinated　Rizzio；　and　who；　exiled

with　Morton　after　the　murder；　died　in　England　of　the　sickness　with

which　he　was　already　attacked　the　day　of　the　terrible　catastrophe　in

which　we　have　seen　him　take　such　a　large　share。　　He　preceded　by　one

day　Lord　Lindsay　of　Byres　and　Sir　Robert　Melville；　brother　of　Mary's

former　ambassador　to　Elizabeth：　all　three　were　charged　with　a　mission

from　the　regent　to　the　queen。



On　the　following　day　everything　fell　back　into　the　usual　routine；　and

William　Douglas　reassumed　his　duties　as　carver。　　Breakfast　passed

without　Mary's　having　learned　anything　of　George's　departure　or

Ruthven's　arrival。　　On　rising　from　the　table　she　went　to　her　window：

scarcely　was　she　there　than　she　heard　the　sound　of　a　horn　echoing　on

the　shores　of　the　lake；　and　saw　a　little　troop　of　horsemen　halt；

while　waiting　for　the　boat　to　came　and　take　those　who　were　going　to

the　castle。



The　distance　was　too　great　for　Mary　to　recognise　any　of　the　visitors；

but　it　was　clear；　from　the　signs　of　intelligence　exchanged　between

the　little　troop　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　fortress；　that　the

newcomers　were　her　enemies。　　This　was　a　reason　why　the　queen；　in　her

uneasiness；　should　not　lose　sight　for　a　moment　of　the　boat　which　was

going　to　fetch　them。　　She　saw　only　two　men　get　into　it；　and

immediately　it　put　off　again　for　the　castle。



As　the　boat　drew　nearer；　Mary's　presentiments　changed　to　real　fears；

for　in　one　of　the　men　coming　towards　her　she　thought　she　made　out

Lord　Lindsay　of　Byres；　the　same　who；　a　week　before；　had　brought　her

to　her　prison。　　It　was　indeed　he　himself；　as　usual　in　a　steel　helmet

without　a　visor；　which　allowed　one　to　see　his　coarse　face　designed　to

express　strong　passions；　and　his　long　black　beard　with　grey　hairs

here　and　there；　which　covered　his　chest：　his　person　was　protected；　as

if　it　were　in　time　of　war；　with　his　faithful　suit　of　armour；　formerly

polished　and　well　gilded；　but　which；　exposed　without　ceasing　to　rain

and　mist；　was　now　eaten　up　with　rust；　he　had　slung　on　his　back；　much

as　one　slings　a　quiver；　a　broadsword；　so　heavy　that　it　took　two　hands

to　manage　it；　and　so　long　that　while　the　hilt　reached　the　left

shoulder　the　point　reached　the　right　spur：　in　a　word；　he　was　still

the　same　soldier；　brave　to　rashness　but　brutal　to　insolence；

recognising　nothing　but　right　and　force；　and　always　ready　to　use

force　when　he　believed　himself　in　the　right。



The　queen　was　so　much　taken　up　with　the　sight　of　Lord　Lindsay　of

Byres；　that　it　was　only　just　as　the　boat　reached　the　shore　that　she

glanced　at　his　companion　and　recognised　Robert　Melville；：　this　was

some　consolation；　for；　whatever　might　happen；　she　knew　that　she

should　find　in　him　if　not　ostensible　at　least　secret　sympathy。

Besides；　his　dress；　by　which　one　could　have　judged　him　equally　with

Lord　Lindsay；　was　a　perfect　contrast　to　his　companion's。　　It

consisted　of　a　black　velvet　doublet；　with　a　cap　and　a　feather　of　the

same　hue　fastened　to　it　with　a　gold　clasp；　his　only　weapon；　offensive

or　defensive；　was　a　little　sword；　which　he　seemed　to　wear　rather　as　a

sign　of　his　rank　than　for　attack　or　defence。　　As　to　his　features　and

his　manners；　they　were　in　harmony　with　this　peaceful　appearance：　his

pale　countenance　expressed　both　acuteness　and　intelligence；　his　quick

eye　was　mild；　and　his　voice　insinuating；　his　figure　slight　and　a

little　bent　by　habit　rather　than　by　years；　since　he　was　but　forty…

five　at　this　time；　indicated　an　easy　and　conciliatory　character。



However；　the　presence　of　this　man　of　peace；　who　seemed　entrusted　with

watching　over　the　demon　of　war；　could　not　reassure　the　queen；　and　as

to　get　to　the　landing…place；　in　front　of　the　great　door　of　the

castle；　the　boat　had　just　disappeared　behind　the　corner　of　a　tower；

she　told　Mary　Seyton　to　go　down　that　she　might　try　to　learn　what

cause　brought　Lord　Lindsay　to　Lochleven；　well　knowing　that　with　the

force　of　character　with　which　she　was　endowed；　she　need　know　this

cause　but　a　few　minutes　beforehand；　whatever　it　might　be；　to　give　her

countenance　that　calm　and　that　majesty　which　she　had　always　found　to

influence　her　enemies。



Left　alone；　Mary　let　her　glance　stray　back　to　the　little　house　in

Kinross；　her　sole　hope；　but　the　distance　was　too　great　to　distinguish

anything；　besides；　its　shutters　remained　closed　all　day；　and　seemed

to　open　only　in　the　evening；　like　the　clouds；　which；　having　covered

the　sky　for　a　whole　morning；　scatter　at　last　to　reveal　to　the　lost

sailor　a　solitary　star。　　She　had　remained　no　less　motionless；　her

gaze　always　fixed　on　the　same　object；　when　she　was　drawn　from　this

mute　contemplation　by　the　step　of　Mary　Seyton。



〃Well；　darling？〃　asked　the　queen；　turning　round。



〃Your　Majesty　is　not　mistaken；〃　replied　the　messenger：　〃it　really　was

Sir　Robert　Melville　and　Lord　Lindsay；　but　there　came　yesterday　with

Sir　William　Douglas　a　third　ambassador；　whose　name；　I　am　afraid；　will

be　still　more　odious　to　your　Majesty　than　either　of　the　two　I　have

just　pronounced。〃



〃You　deceive　yourself；　Mary；〃　the　queen　answered　：　〃neither　the　name

of　Melville　nor　that　of　Lindsay　is　odious　to　me。　　Melville's；　on　the

contrary；　is；　in　my　present　circumstances；　one　of　those　which　I　have

most　pleasure　in　hearing；　as　to　Lord　Lindsay's；　it　is　doubtless　not

agreeable　to　me；　but　it　is　none　the　less　an　honourable　name；　always

borne　by　men　rough　and　wild；　it　is　true；　but　incapable　of　treachery。

Tell　me；　then；　what　is　this　name；　Mary；　for　you　see　I　am　calm　and

prepared。〃



〃Alas！　madam；〃　returned　Mary；　〃calm　and　prepared　as　you　may　be；

collect　all　your　strength；　not　merely　to　hear　this　name　uttered；　but

also　to　receive　in　a　few　minutes　the　man　who　bears　it；　for　this　name

is　that　of　Lord　Ruthven。〃



Mary　Seyton　had　spoken　truly；　and　this　name　had　a　terrible　influence

upon　the　queen；　for　scarcely　had　it　escaped　the　young　girl's　lips

than　Mary　Stuart　uttered　a　cry；　and　turning　pale；　as　if　she　were

about　to　faint；　caught　hold　of　the　window…ledge。



Mary　Seyton；　frightened　at　the　effect　produced　by　this　fatal　name；

immediately　sprang　to　support　the　queen；　but　she；　stretching　one　hand

towards　her；　while　she　laid　the　other　on　her　heart



〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　she；　〃I　shall　be　better　in　a　moment。　　Yes；

Mary；　yes；　as　you　said；　it　is　a　fatal　name　and　mingled　with　one　of　my

most　bloody　memories。　　What　such　men　are　coming　to　ask　of　me　must　be

dreadful　indeed。　　But　no　matter；　I　shall　soon　be　ready　to　receive　my

brother's　ambassadors；　for　doubtless　they　are　sent　in　his　name。　　You；

darling；　prevent　their　entering；　for　I　must　have　some　minutes　to

myself：　you　know　me；　it　will　not　take　me　long。〃



With　these　words　the　queen　withdrew　with　a　firm　step　to　her

bedchamber。



Mary　Seyton　was　left　alone；　admiring　that　strength　of　character　which

made　of　Mary　Stuart；　in　all　other　respects　so　completely　woman…like；

a　man　in　the　hour　of　danger。　　She　immediately　went　to　the　door　to

close　it　with　the　wooden　bar　that　one　passed　between　two　iron　rings；

but　the　bar　had　been　taken　away；　so　that　there　was　no　means　of

fastening　the　door　from　within。　　In　a　moment　she　heard　someone　coming

up　the　stairs；　and　guessing　from　the　heavy；　echoing　step　that　this

must　be　Lord　Lindsay；　she　looked　round　her　once　again　to　see　if　she

could　find　something　to　replace　the　bar；　and　finding　nothing　within

reach；　she　passed　her　arm　through　the　rings；　resolved　to　let　it　be

broken　rather　than　allow　anyone　to　approach　her　mistress　before　it

suited　her。　　Indeed；　hardly　had　those　who　were　coming　up　reached　the

landing　than　someone　knocked　violently；　and　a　harsh　voice　cried：



〃Come；　come；　open　the　door；　open　directly。〃



〃And　by　what　right；〃　said　Mary　Seyton；　〃am　I　ordered　thus　insolently

to　open　the　Quee