mary stuart-第26章

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his　side　with　the　same　object；　〃come；　my　men…at…arms！　For　God　and　the

queen！〃



The　two　troops　precipitated　themselves　immediately　in　disorder　and

ran　against　one　another　in　the　narrow　way；　where；　as　we　have　said；

two　men　could　hardly　pass　abreast。　　There　was　a　terrible　collision

there；　and　the　conflict　began　among　friends　who　should　have　been

united　against　the　enemy。　　Finally；　the　two　troops；　leaving　behind

them　some　corpses　stifled　in　the　press；　or　even　killed　by　their

companions；　passed　through　the　defile　pell…mell　and　were　lost　sight

of　in　the　ravine。　　But　during　this　struggle　Seyton　and　Arbroath　had

lost　precious　time；　and　the　detachment　sent　by　Murray；　which　had

taken　the　road　by　Glasgow；　had　reached　the　village　beforehand；　it　was

now　necessary　not　to　take　it；　but　to　retake　it。



Argyll　saw　that　the　whole　day's　struggle　would　be　concentrated　there；

and；　understanding　more　and　more　the　importance　of　the　village；

immediately　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　body　of　his　army；

commanding　a　rearguard　of　two　thousand　men　to　remain　there　and　await

further　orders　to　take　part　in　the　fighting。　　But　whether　the　captain

who　commanded　them　had　ill　understood；　or　whether　he　was　eager　to

distinguish　himself　in　the　eyes　of　the　queen；　scarcely　had　Argyll

vanished　into　the　ravine；　at　the　end　of　which　the　struggle　had

already　commenced　between　Kirkcaldy　of　Grange　and　Morton　on　the　one

side；　and　on　the　other　between　Arbroath　and　Seyton；　than；　without

regarding　the　cries　of　Mary　Stuart；　he　set　off　in　his　turn　at　a

gallop；　leaving　the　queen　without　other　guard　than　the　little　escort

of　twenty　men　which　Douglas　had　chosen　for　her。　　Douglas　sighed。



〃Alas！〃　said　the　queen；　hearing　him；　〃I　am　not　a　soldier；　but　there

it　seems　to　me　is　a　battle　very　badly　begun。〃



〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　replied　Douglas。　　〃We　are　every　one　of　us

infatuated；　from　first　to　last；　and　all　these　men　are　behaving　to…day

like　madmen　or　children。〃



〃Victory！　victory！〃　said　the　queen；　〃the　enemy　is　retreating；

fighting。　　I　see　the　banners　of　Seyton　and　Arbroath　floating　near　the

first　houses　in　the　village。　　Oh！　my　brave　lords；〃　cried　she；

clapping　her　hands。　　〃Victory！　victory！〃



But　she　stopped　suddenly　on　perceiving　a　body　of　the　enemy's　army

advancing　to　charge　the　victors　in　flank。



〃It　is　nothing；　it　is　nothing；〃　said　Douglas；　〃so　long　as　there　is

only　cavalry　we　have　nothing　much　to　fear；　and　besides　the　Earl　of

Argyll　will　fall　in　in　time　to　aid　them。〃



〃George；〃　said　Little　William。



〃Well？〃　asked　Douglas。



〃Don't　you　see？　　〃the　child　went　on；　stretching　out　his　arms　towards

the　enemy's　force；　which　was　coming　on　at　a　gallop。



〃What？〃



〃Each　horseman　carries　a　footman　armed　with　an　arquebuse　behind　him；

so　that　the　troop　is　twice　as　numerous　as　it　appears。〃



〃That's　true；　upon　my　soul；　the　child　has　good　sight。　　Let　someone　go

at　once　full　gallop　and　take　news　of　this　to　the　Earl　or　Argyll。〃



〃I！　I！〃　cried　Little　William。　　〃I　saw　them　first；　it　is　my　right　to

bear　the　tidings。〃



〃Go；　then；　my　child；〃　said　Douglas；　〃and　may　God　preserve　thee！〃



The　child　flew；　quick　as　lightning；　not　hearing　or　feigning　not　to

hear　the　queen；　who　was　recalling　him。　　He　was　seen　to　cross　the

gorge　and　plunge　into　the　hollow　road　at　the　moment　when　Argyll　was

debouching　at　the　end　and　coming　to　the　aid　of　Seyton　and　Arbroath。

Meanwhile；　the　enemy's　detachment　had　dismounted　its　infantry；　which；

immediately　formed　up；　was　scattering　on　the　sides　of　the　ravine　by

paths　impracticable　for　horses。



〃William　will　come　too　late！〃　cried　Douglas；　〃or　even；　should　he

arrive　in　time；　the　news　is　now　useless　to　them。　　Oh　madmen；　madmen

that　we　are！　　This　is　how　we　have　always　lost　all　our　battles！〃



〃Is　the　battle　lost；　then？〃　demanded　Mary；　growing　pale。



〃No；　madam；　no；〃　cried　Douglas；　〃Heaven　be　thanked；　not　yet；　but

through　too　great　haste　we　have　begun　badly。〃



〃And　William？〃　said　Mary　Stuart。



〃He　is　now　serving　his　apprenticeship　in　arms；　for；　if　I　am　not

mistaken；　he　must　be　at　this　moment　at　the　very　spot　where　those

marksmen　are　making　such　quick　firing。〃



〃Poor　child！〃　cried　the　queen；　〃if　ill　should　befall　him；　I　shall

never　console　myself。〃



〃Alas！　madam；〃　replied　Douglas；　〃I　greatly　fear　that　his　first　battle

is　his　last；　and　that　everything　is　already　over　for　him；　for；　unless

I　mistake；　there　is　his　horse　returning　riderless。〃



〃Oh；　my　God！　my　God！〃　said　the　queen；　weeping；　and　raising　her　hands

to　heaven；　〃it　is　then　decreed　that　I　should　be　fatal　to　all　around

me！〃



George　was　not　deceived：　it　was　William's　horse　coming　back　without

his　young　master　and　covered　with　blood。



〃Madam；〃　said　Douglas；　〃we　are　ill　placed　here；　let　us　gain　that

hillock　on　which　is　the　Castle　of　Crookstone：　from　thence　we　shall

survey　the　whole　battlefield。〃



〃No；　not　there！　not　there！〃　said　the　queen　in　terror：　〃within　that

castle　I　came　to　spend　the　first　days　of　my　marriage　with　Darnley；　it

will　bring　me　misfortune。〃



〃Well；　beneath　that　yew…tree；　then；〃　said　George；　pointing　to　another

slight　rise　near　the　first；　〃but　it　is　important　for　us　to　lose　no

detail　of　this　engagement。　　Everything　depends　perhaps　for　your

Majesty　on　an　ill…judged　manoeuvre　or　a　lost　moment。〃



〃Guide　me；　then；〃　the　queen　said；　〃for；　as　for　me；　I　no　longer　see

it。　　Each　report　of　that　terrible　cannonade　echoes　to　the　depths　of

my　heart。〃



However　well　placed　as　was　this　eminence　for　overlooking　from　its

summit　the　whole　battlefield；　the　reiterated　discharge　of　cannon　and

musketry　covered　it　with　such　a　cloud　of　smoke　that　it　was　impossible

to　make　out　from　it　anything　but　masses　lost　amid　a　murderous　fog。

At　last；　when　an　hour　had　passed　in　this　desperate　conflict；　through

the　skirts　of　this　sea　of　smoke　the　fugitives　were　seen　to　emerge　and

disperse　in　all　directions；　followed　by　the　victors。　　Only；　at　that

distance；　it　was　impossible　to　make　out　who　had　gained　or　lost　the

battle；　and　the　banners；　which　on　both　sides　displayed　the　Scottish

arms；　could　in　no　way　clear　up　this　confusion。



At　that　moment　there　was　seen　coming　down　from　the　Glasgow　hillsides

all　the　remaining　reserve　of　Murray's　army；　it　was　coming　at　full

speed　to　engage　in　the　fighting；　but　this　manoeuvre　might　equally

well　have　for　its　object　the　support　of　defeated　friends　as　to

complete　the　rout　of　the　enemy。　　However；　soon　there　was　no　longer

any　doubt；　for　this　reserve　charged　the　fugitives；　amid　whom　it

spread　fresh　confusion。　　The　queen's　army　was　beaten。　　At　the　same

time；　three　or　four　horsemen　appeared　on　the　hither　side　of　the

ravine；　advancing　at　a　gallop。　　Douglas　recognised　them　as　enemies。



〃Fly；　madam；〃　cried　George；　〃fly　without　loss　of　a　second；　for　those

who　are　coming　upon　us　are　followed　by　others。　　Gain　the　road；　while

I　go　to　check　them。　　And　you；〃　added　he；　addressing　the　escort；　〃be

killed　to　the　last　man　rather　than　let　them　take　your　queen。〃



〃George！　George！〃　cried　the　queen；　motionless；　and　as　if　riveted　to

the　spot。



But　George　had　already　dashed　away　with　all　his　horse's　speed；　and　as

he　was　splendidly　mounted；　he　flew　across　the　space　with　lightning

rapidity；　and　reached　the　gorge　before　the　enemy。　　There　he　stopped；

put　his　lance　in　rest；　and　alone　against　five　bravely　awaited　the

encounter。



As　to　the　queen；　she　had　no　desire　to　go；　but；　on　the　contrary；　as　if

turned　to　stone；　she　remained　in　the　same　place；　her　eyes　fastened　on

this　combat　which　was　taking　place　at　scarcely　five　hundred　paces

from　her。　　Suddenly；　glancing　at　her　enemies；　she　saw　that　one　of

them　bore　in　the　middle　of　his　shield　a　bleeding　heart；　the　Douglas

arms。　　Then　she　uttered　a　cry　of　pain；　and　drooping　her　head



〃Douglas　against　Douglas；　brother　against　brother！〃　she　murmured：　〃it

only　wanted　this　last　blow。〃



〃Madam；　madam；〃　cried　her　escort；　〃there　is　not　an　instant　to　lose：

the　young　master　of　Douglas　cannot　hold　out　long　thus　alone　against

five；　let　us　fly！　let　us　fly！〃　And　two　of　them　taking　the　queen's

horse　by　the　bridle；　put　it　to　the　gallop；　at　the　moment　when　George；

after　having　beaten　down　two　of　his　enemies　and　wounded　a　third；　was

thrown　down　in　his　turn　in　the　dust；　thrust　to　the　heart　by　a　lance…

head。　　The　queen　groaned　on　seeing　him　fall；　then；　as　if　he　alone　had

detained　her；　and　as　if　he　being　killed　she　had　no　interest　in

anything　else；　she　put　Rosabelle　to　the　gallop；　and　as　she　and　her

troop　were　splendidly　mounted；　they　had　soon　lost　sight　of　the

battlefield。



She　fled　thus　for　sixty　miles；　without　taking　any　rest；　and　without

ceasing　to　weep　or　to　sigh：　at　last；　having　traversed　the　counties　of

Renfrew　and　Ayr；　she　reached　the　Abbey　of　Dundrennan；　in　Galloway；

and　certain　of　being；　for　the　time　at　least；　sheltered　from　every

danger；　she　gave　the　order　to　stop。　　The　prior　respectfully　received

her　at　the　gate　of　the　convent。



〃I　bring　you　misfortune　and　ruin；　father；〃　said　the　queen；　alighting

from　her　horse。



〃They　are　welcome；〃　replied　the　prior；　〃since　they　come　accompanied

by　duty。〃



The　queen　gave　Rosabelle　to　the　care　of　one　of　the　men…at…arms　who

had　accompanied　her；　and　leaning　on　Mary　Seyton；　who　had　not　left　her

for　a　moment；　and　on　Lord　Herries；　who　had　rejoined　her　on　the　road；

she　entered　the　convent。



Lord　Herries　had　not　concealed　her　position　from　Mary　Stuart：　the　day

had　been　completely　lost；　and　with　the　day；　at　least　for　the　present；

all　hope　of　reascending　the　throne　of　Scotland。　　There　remained　but

three　courses　for　the　queen　to　take　to　withdraw　into　France；　Spain　or

England。　　On　the　advice　of　Lord　Herries；　which　accorded　with　her　own

feeling；　she　decided　upon　the　last；　and　that　same　night　she　wrote

this　double　missive　in　verse　and　in　prose　to　Elizabeth：



〃MY　DEAR　SISTER；I　have　often　enough　begged　you　to　receive　my

tempest…tossed　vessel　into　your　haven　during　the　storm。　　If　at　this

pass　she　finds　a　safe　harbour　there；　I　shall　cast　anchor　there　for

ever：　otherwise　the　bark　is　in　God's　keeping；　for　she　is　ready　and

caulked　for　defence　on　her　voyage　against　all　storms。　　I　have　dealt

openly　with　you；　and　still　do　so：　do　not　take　it　in　bad　part　if　I

write　thus；　it　is　not　in　defiance　of　you；　as　it　appears；　for　in

everything　I　rely　on　your　friendship。〃



This　sonnet　accompanied　the　letter：



One　thought　alone　brings　danger　and　delight；

Bitter　and　sweet　change　places　in　my　heart；

With　doubt；　and　then　with　hope；　it　takes　its　part；

Till　peace　and　rest　alike　are　put　to　flight。



Therefore；　dear　sister；　if　this　card　pursue

That　keen　desire　by　which　I　am　oppressed；

To　see　you；　'tis　because　I　live　distressed；

Unless　some　swift　and　sweet　result　ensue。



Beheld　I　have　my　ship　compelled　by　fate

To　seek　the　open　sea；　when　close　to　port；

And　calmest　days　break　into　storm　and　gale；