mary stuart-第21章

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〃But　I；　how　shall　I　be　warned？〃



〃Everything　is　already　provided　for　on　that　side：　the　light　which

shines　each　night　in　the　little　house　in　Kinross　incessantly　tells

you　that　your　friends　keep　watch　for　you；　but　when　you　would　like　to

know　if　the　hour　of　your　deliverance　approaches　or　recedes；　in　your

turn　place　a　light　in　this　window。　　The　other　will　immediately

disappear；　then；　placing　your　hand　on　your　breast；　count　your

heartbeats：　if　you　reach　the　number　twenty　without　the　light

reappearing；　nothing　is　yet　settled；　if　you　only　reach　ten；　the

moment　approaches；　if　the　light　does　not　leave　you　time　to　count

beyond　five；　your　escape　is　fixed　for　the　following　night；　if　it

reappears　no　more；　it　is　fixed　for　the　same　evening；　then　the　owl's

cry；　repeated　thrice　in　the　courtyard；　will　be　the　signal；　let　down

the　ladder　when　you　hear　it〃。



〃Oh；　Douglas；〃　cried　the　queen；　〃you　alone　could　foresee　and

calculate　everything　thus。　　Thank　you；　thank　you　a　hundred　times！〃

And　she　gave　him　her　hand　to　kiss。



A　vivid　red　flushed　the　young　man's　cheeks；　but　almost　directly

mastering　his　emotion；　he　kneeled　down；　and；　restraining　the

expression　of　that　love　of　which　he　had　once　spoken　to　the　queen；

while　promising　her　never　more　to　speak　of　it；　he　took　the　hand　that

Mary　extended；　and　kissed　it　with　such　respect　that　no　one　could　have

seen　in　this　action　anything　but　the　homage　of　devotion　and　fidelity。



Then；　having　bowed　to　the　queen；　he　went　out；　that　a　longer　stay　with

her　should　not　give　rise　to　any　suspicions。



At　the　dinner…hour　Douglas　brought；　as　he　had　said；　a　parcel　of　cord。

It　was　not　enough；　but　when　evening　came　Mary　Seyton　was　to　unroll　it

and　let　fall　the　end　from　the　window；　and　George　would　fasten　the

remainder　to　it：　the　thing　was　done　as　arranged；　and　without　any

mishap；　an　hour　after　the　hunters　had　returned。



The　following　day　George　left　the　castle。



The　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　lost　no　time　in　setting　about　the　rope

ladder；　and　it　was　finished　on　the　third　day。　　The　same　evening；　the

queen　in　her　impatience；　and　rather　to　assure　herself　of　her

partisans'　vigilance　than　in　the　hope　that　the　time　of　her

deliverance　was　so　near；　brought　her　lamp　to　the　window：　immediately；

and　as　George　Douglas　had　told　her；　the　light　in　the　little　house　at

Kinross　disappeared：　the　queen　then　laid　her　hand　on　her　heart　and

counted　up　to　twenty…two；　then　the　light　reappeared；　they　were　ready

for　everything；　but　nothing　was　yet　settled。　　For　a　week　the　queen

thus　questioned　the　light　and　her　heart…beats　without　their　number

changing；　at　last；　on　the　eighth　day；　she　counted　only　as　far　as　ten；

at　the　eleventh　the　light　reappeared。



The　queen　believed　herself　mistaken：　she　did　not　dare　to　hope　what

this　announced。　　She　withdrew　the　lamp；　then；　at　the　end　of　a　quarter

of　an　hour；　showed　it　again：　her　unknown　correspondent　understood。

with　his　usual　intelligence　that　a　fresh　trial　was　required　of　him；

and　the　light　in　the　little　house　disappeared　in　its　turn。　　Mary

again　questioned　the　pulsations　of　her　heart；　and；　fast　as　it　leaped；

before　the　twelfth　beat　the　propitious　star　was　shining　on　the

horizon：　there　was　no　longer　any　doubt；　everything　was　settled。



Mary　could　not　sleep　all　night：　this　persistency　of　her　partisans

inspired　her　with　gratitude　to　the　point　of　tears。　　The　day　came；　and

the　queen　several　times　questioned　her　companion　to　assure　herself

that　it　was　not　all　a　dream；　at　every　sound　it　seemed　to　her　that　the

scheme　on　which　her　liberty　hung　was　discovered；　and　when；　at

breakfast　and　at　dinner　time；　William　Douglas　entered　as　usual；　she

hardly　dared　look　at　him；　for　fear　of　reading　on　his　face　the

announcement　that　all　was　lost。



In　the　evening　the　queen　again　questioned　the　light：　it　made　the　same

answer；　nothing　had　altered；　the　beacon　was　always　one　of　hope。



For　four　days　it　thus　continued　to　indicate　that　the　moment　of　escape

was　at　hand；　on　the　evening　of　the　fifth；　before　the　queen　had

counted　five　beats；　the　light　reappeared：　the　queen　leaned　upon　Mary

Seyton；　she　was　nearly　fainting；　between　dread　and　'delight。　　Her

escape　was　fixed　for　the　next　evening。



The　queen　tried　once　more；　and　obtained　the　same　reply：　there　was　no

longer　a　doubt；　everything　was　ready　except　the　prisoner's　courage；

for　it　failed　her　for　a　moment；　and　if　Mary　Seyton　had　not　drawn　up　a

seat　in　time；　she　would　have　fallen　prone；　but；　the　first　moment

over；　she　collected　herself　as　usual；　and　was　stronger　and　more

resolute　than　ever。



Till　midnight　the　queen　remained　at　the　window；　her　eyes　fixed　on

that　star　of　good　omen：　at　last　Mary　Seyton　persuaded　her　to　go　to

bed；　offering；　if　she　had　no　wish　to　sleep；　to　read　her　some　verses

by　M。　Ronsard；　or　some　chapters　from　the　Mer　des　Histoires；　but　Mary

had　no　desire　now　for　any　profane　reading；　and　had　her　Hours　read；

making　the　responses　as　she　would　have　done　if　she　had　been　present

at　a　mass　said　by　a　Catholic　priest：　towards　dawn；　however；　she　grew

drowsy；　and　as　Mary　Seyton；　for　her　part；　was　dropping　with　fatigue；

she　fell　asleep　directly　in　the　arm…chair　at　the　head　of　the　queen's

bed。



Next　day　she　awoke；　feeling　that　someone　was　tapping　her　on　the

shoulder：　it　was　the　queen；　who　had　already　arisen。



〃Come　and　see；　darling；〃　said　she；〃come　and　see　the　fine　day　that

God　is　giving　us。　　Oh！　how　alive　is　Nature！　How　happy　I　shall　be　to

be　once　more　free　among　those　plains　and　mountains！　Decidedly；　Heaven

is　on　our　side。〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　Mary；　〃I　would　rather　see　the　weather　less　fine：　it

would　promise　us　a　darker　night；　and　consider；　what　we　need　is

darkness；　not　light。〃



〃Listen；〃　said　the　queen；　〃it　is　by　this　we　are　going　to　see　if　God

is　indeed　for　us；　if　the　weather　remains　as　it　is；　yes；　you　are

right；　He　abandons　us；　but　if　it　clouds　over；　oh！　then；　darling；　this

will　be　a　certain　proof　of　His　protection；　will　it　not？〃



Mary　Seyton　smiled；　nodding　that　she　adopted　her　mistress's

superstition；　then　the　queen；　incapable　of　remaining　idle　in　her

great　preoccupation　of　mind；　collected　the　few　jewels　that　she　had

preserved；　enclosed　them　in　a　casket；　got　ready　for　the　evening　a

black　dress；　in　order　to　be　still　better　hidden　in　the　darkness：　and；

these　preparations　made；　she　sat　down　again　at　the　window；

ceaselessly　carrying　her　eyes　from　the　lake　to　the　little　house　in

Kinross；　shut　up　and　dumb　as　usual。



The　dinner…hour　arrived：　the　queen　was　so　happy　that　she　received

William　Douglas　with　more　goodwill　than　was　her　wont；　and　it　was　with

difficulty　she　remained　seated　during　the　time　the　meal　lasted；　but

she　restrained　herself；　and　William　Douglas　withdrew；　without　seeming

to　have　noticed　her　agitation。



Scarcely　had　he　gone　than　Mary　ran　to　the　window；　she　had　need　of

air；　and　her　gaze　devoured　in　advance　those　wide　horizons　which　she

was　about　to　cross　anew；　it　seemed　to　her　that　once　at　liberty　she

would　never　shut　herself　up　in　a　palace　again；　but　would　wander　about

the　countryside　continually：　then；　amid　all　these　tremors　of　delight；

from　time　to　time　she　felt　unexpectedly　heavy　at　heart。　　She　then

turned　round　to　Mary　Seyton；　trying　to　fortify　her　strength　with

hers；　and　the　young　girl　kept　up　her　hopes；　but　rather　from　duty　than

from　conviction。



But　slow　as　they　seemed　to　the　queen；　the　hours　yet　passed：　towards

the　afternoon　some　clouds　floated　across　the　blue　sky；　the　queen

remarked　upon　them　joyfully　to　her　companion；　Mary　Seyton

congratulated　her　upon　them；　not　on　account　of　the　imaginary　omen

that　the　queen　sought　in　them；　but　because　of　the　real　importance

that　the　weather　should　be　cloudy；　that　darkness　might　aid　them　in

their　flight。　　While　the　two　prisoners　were　watching　the　billowy；

moving　vapours；　the　hour　of　dinner　arrived；　but　it　was　half　an　hour

of　constraint　and　dissimulation；　the　more　painful　that；　no　doubt　in

return　for　the　sort　of　goodwill　shown　him　by　the　queen　in　the

morning；　William　Douglas　thought　himself　obliged；　in　his　turn；　to

accompany　his　duties　with　fitting　compliments；　which　compelled　the

queen　to　take　a　more　active　part　in　the　conversation　than　her

preoccupation　allowed　her；　but　William　Douglas　did　not　seem　in　any

way　to　observe　this　absence　of　mind；　and　all　passed　as　at　breakfast。



Directly　he　had　gone　the　queen　ran　to　the　window：　the　few　clouds

which　were　chasing　one　another　in　the　sky　an　hour　before　had

thickened　and　spread；　andall　the　blue　was　blotted　out；　to　give

place　to　a　hue　dull　and　leaden　as　pewter。　　Mary　Stuart's

presentiments　were　thus　realised：　as　to　the　little　house　in　Kinross；

which　one　could　still　make　out　in　the　dusk；　it　remained　shut　up；　and

seemed　deserted。



Night　fell：　the　light　shone　as　usual；　the　queen　signalled；　it

disappeared。　　Mary　Stuart　waited　in　vain；　everything　remained　in

darkness：　the　escape　was　for　the　same　evening。　　The　queen　heard　eight

o'clock；　nine　o'clock；　and　ten　o'clock　strike　successively。　　At　ten

o'clock　the　sentinels　were　relieved；　Mary　Stuart　heard　the　patrols

pass　beneath　her　windows；　the　steps　of　the　watch　recede：　then　all

returned　to　silence。　　Half　an　hour　passed　away　thus；　suddenly　the

owl's　cry　resounded　thrice；　the　queen　recognised　George　Douglas's

signal：　the　supreme　moment　had　come。



In　these　circumstances　the　queen　found　all　her　strength　revive：　she

signed　to　Mary　Seyton　to　take　away　the　bar　and　to　fix　the　rope

ladder；　while；　putting　out　the　lamp；　she　felt　her　way　into　the

bedroom　to　seek　the　casket　which　contained　her　few　remaining　jewels。

When　she　came　back；　George　Douglas　was　already　in　the　room。



〃All　goes　well；　madam；〃　said　he。　　〃Your　friends　await　you　on　the

other　side　of　the　lake；　Thomas　Warden　watches　at　the　postern；　and　God

has　sent　us　a　dark　night。〃



The　queen；　without　replying；　gave　him　her　hand。　　George　bent　his　knee

and　carried　this　hand　to　his　lips；　but　on　touching　it；　he　felt　it

cold　and　trembling。



〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃in　Heaven's　name　summon　all　your　courage；　and　do

not　let　yourself　be　downcast　at　such　a　moment。〃



〃Our　Lady…of…Good…Help；〃　murmured　Seyton；　〃come　to　our　aid！〃



〃Summon　to　you　the　spirit　of　the　kings　your　ancestors；〃　responded

George；　〃for　at　this　moment　it　is　not　the　resignation　of　a　Christian

that　you　require；　but　the　strength　and　resolution　of　a　queen〃



〃Oh；　Douglas！　Douglas；〃　cried　Mary　mournfully；　〃a　fortune…teller

predicted　to　me　that　I　should　die　in　prison　and　by　a　violent　death：

has　not　the　hour　of　the　prediction　arrived？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　George　said；　〃but　it　is　better　to　die　as　a　queen　than　to

live　in　this　ancient　castle　calumniated　and　a　prisoner。〃



〃You　are　right；　George；〃　the　queen　answered；　〃but　for　a　woman　the

first　step　is　everything：　forgive　me〃。　　Then；　after　a　moment's　pause；

〃Come；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　ready。〃



George　immediately　went　to　the　window；　secured　the　ladder　again　an