mary stuart-第3章

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at　the　head　of　his　vassals；　he　was　afraid　that　he　should　be　thought；

as　doubtless　he　was；　a　party　to　the　rising；　and　he　set　out　the　same

night　to　assume　command　of　his　troops；　his　mind　made　up；　as　Mary　only

had　with　her　seven　to　eight　thousand　men；　to　risk　a　battle；　giving

out；　however；　as　Buccleuch　had　done　in　his　attempt　to　snatch　James　V

from　the　hands　of　the　Douglases；　that　it　was　not　at　the　queen　he　was

aiming；　but　solely　at　the　regent；　who　kept　her　under　his　tutelage　and

perverted　her　good　intentions。



Murray；　who　knew　that　often　the　entire　peace　of　a　reign　depends　on

the　firmness　one　displays　at　its　beginning；　immediately　summoned　all

the　northern　barons　whose　estates　bordered　on　his；　to　march　against

Huntly。　　All　obeyed；　for　the　house　of　Cordon　was　already　so　powerful

that　each　feared　it　might　become　still　more　so；　but；　however；　it　was

clear　that　if　there　was　hatred　for　the　subject　there　was　no　great

affection　for　the　queen；　and　that　the　greater　number　came　without

fixed　intentions　and　with　the　idea　of　being　led　by　circumstances。



The　two　armies　encountered　near　Aberdeen。　　Murray　at　once　posted　the

troops　he　had　brought　from　Edinburgh；　and　of　which　he　was　sure；　on

the　top　of　rising　ground；　and　drew　up　in　tiers　on　the　hill　slope　all

his　northern　allies。　　Huntly　advanced　resolutely　upon　them；　and

attacked　his　neighbours　the　Highlanders；　who　after　a　short　resistance

retired　in　disorder。　　His　men　immediately　threw　away　their　lances；

and；　drawing　their　swords；　crying；　〃Cordon；　Cordon！〃　pursued　the

fugitives；　and　believed　they　had　already　gained　the　battle；　when　they

suddenly　ran　right　against　the　main　body　of　Murray's　army；　which

remained　motionless　as　a　rampart　of　iron；　and　which；　with　its　long

lances；　had　the　advantage　of　its　adversaries；　who　were　armed　only

with　their　claymores。　　It　was　then　the　turn　of　the　Cordons　to　draw

back；　seeing　which；　the　northern　clans　rallied　and　returned　to　the

fight；　each　soldier　having　a　sprig　of　heather　in　his　cap　that　his

comrades　might　recognise　him。　　This　unexpected　movement　determined

the　day：　the　Highlanders　ran　down　the　hillside　like　a　torrent；

dragging　along　with　them　everyone　who　could　have　wished　to　oppose

their　passage。　　Then　Murray　seeing　that　the　moment　had　come　for

changing　the　defeat　into　a　rout；　charged　with　his　entire　cavalry：

Huntly；　who　was　very　stout　and　very　heavily　armed；　fell　and　was

crushed　beneath　the　horses'　feet；　John　Cordon；　taken　prisoner　in　his

flight；　was　executed　at　Aberdeen　three　days　afterwards；　finally；　his

brother；　too　young　to　undergo　the　same　fate　at　this　time；　was　shut　up

in　a　dungeon　and　executed　later；　the　day　he　reached　the　age　of

sixteen。



Mary　had　been　present　at　the　battle；　and　the　calm　and　courage　she

displayed　had　made　a　lively　impression　on　her　wild　defenders；　who　all

along　the　road　had　heard　her　say　that　she　would　have　liked　to　be　a

man；　to　pass　her　days　on　horseback；　her　nights　under　a　tent；　to　wear

a　coat　of　mail；　a　helmet；　a　buckler；　and　at　her　side　a　broadsword。



Mary　made　her　entry　into　Edinburgh　amid　general　enthusiasm；　for　this

expedition　against　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　who　was　a　Catholic；　had　been

very　popular　among　the　inhabitants；　who　had　no　very　clear　idea　of　the

real　motives　which　had　caused　her　to　undertake　it：　They　were　of　the

Reformed　faith；　the　earl　was　a　papist；　there　was　an　enemy　the　less；

that　is　all　they　thought　about。　　Now；　therefore；　the　Scotch；　amid

their　acclamations；　whether　viva　voce　or　by　written　demands；

expressed　the　wish　that　their　queen；　who　was　without　issue　by　Francis

II；　should　re…marry：　Mary　agreed　to　this；　and；　yielding　to　the

prudent　advice　of　those　about　her；　she　decided　to　consult　upon　this

marriage　Elizabeth；　whose　heir　she　was；　in　her　title　of　granddaughter

of　Henry　VII；　in　the　event　of　the　Queen　of　England's　dying　without

posterity。　　Unfortunately；　she　had　not　always　acted　with　like

circumspection；　for　at　the　death　of　Mary　Tudor；　known　as　Bloody。

Mary；　she　had　laid　claim　to　the　throne　of　Henry　VIII；　and；　relying　on

the　illegitimacy　of　Elizabeth's　birth；　had　with　the　dauphin　assumed

sovereignty　over　Scotland；　England；　and　Ireland；　and　had　had　coins

struck　with　this　new　title；　and　plate　engraved　with　these　new

armorial　bearings。



Elizabeth　was　nine　years　older　than　Marythat　is　to　say；　that　at

this　time　she　had　not　yet　attained　her　thirtieth　year；　she　was　not

merely　her　rival　as　queen；　then；　but　as　woman。　　As　regards　education；

she　could　sustain　comparison　with　advantage；　for　if　she　had　less

charm　of　mind；　she　had　more　solidity　of　judgment：　versed　in　politics；

philosophy；　history；　rhetoric；　poetry　and　music；　besides　English；　her

maternal　tongue；　she　spoke　and　wrote　to　perfection　Greek；　Latin；

French；　Italian　and　Spanish；　but　while　Elizabeth　excelled　Mary　on

this　point；　in　her　turn　Mary　was　more　beautiful；　and　above　all　more

attractive；　than　her　rival。　　Elizabeth　had；　it　is　true；　a　majestic

and　agreeable　appearance；　bright　quick　eyes；　a　dazzlingly　white

complexion；　but　she　had　red　hair；　a　large　foot；＇Elizabeth　bestowed

a　pair　of　her　shoes　on　the　University　of　Oxford；　their　size　would

point　to　their　being　those　of　a　man　of　average　stature。＇and　a

powerful　hand；　while　Mary；　on　the　contrary；　with　her　beautiful　ashy…

fair　hair；＇Several　historians　assert　that　Mary　Stuart　had　black

hair；　but　Brantome；　who　had　seen　it；　since；　as　we　have　said；　he

accompanied　her　to　Scotland；　affirms　tat　it　was　fair。　　And；　so

saying；　he　（the　executioner）　took　off　her　headdress；　in　a

contemptuous　manner；　to　display　her　hair　already　white；　that　while

alive；　however；　she　feared　not　to　show；　nor　yet　to　twist　and　frizz　as

in　the　days　when　it　was　so　beautiful　and　so　fair。〃＇her　noble　open

forehead；　eyebrows　which　could　be　only　blamed　for　being　so　regularly

arched　that　they　looked　as　if　drawn　by　a　pencil；　eyes　continually

beaming　with　the　witchery　of　fire；　a　nose　of　perfect　Grecian　outline；

a　mouth　so　ruby　red　and　gracious　that　it　seemed　that；　as　a　flower

opens　but　to　let　its　perfume　escape；　so　it　could　not　open　but　to　give

passage　to　gentle　words；　with　a　neck　white　and　graceful　as　a　swan's；

hands　of　alabaster；　with　a　form　like　a　goddess's　and　a　foot　like　a

child's；　Mary　was　a　harmony　in　which　the　most　ardent　enthusiast　for

sculptured　form　could　have　found　nothing　to　reproach。



This　was　indeed　Mary's　great　and　real　crime：　one　single　imperfection

in　face　or　figure；　and　she　would　not　have　died　upon　the　scaffold。

Besides；　to　Elizabeth；　who　had　never　seen　her；　and　who　consequently

could　only　judge　by　hearsay；　this　beauty　was　a　great　cause　of

uneasiness　and　of　jealousy；　which　she　could　not　even　disguise；　and

which　showed　itself　unceasingly　in　eager　questions。　　One　day　when　she

was　chatting　with　James　Melville　about　his　mission　to　her　court；

Mary's　offer　to　be　guided　by　Elizabeth　in　her　choice　of　a　husband；a

choice　which　the　queen　of　England　had　seemed　at　first　to　wish　to　see

fixed　on　the　Earl　of　Leicester；she　led　the　Scotch　ambassador　into　a

cabinet；　where　she　showed　him　several　portraits　with　labels　in　her

own　handwriting：　the　first　was　one　of　the　Earl　of　Leicester。　　As　this

nobleman　was　precisely　the　suitor　chosen　by　Elizabeth；　Melville　asked

the　queen　to　give　it　him　to　show　to　his　mistress；　but　Elizabeth

refused；　saying　that　it　was　the　only　one　she　had。　　Melville　then

replied；　smiling；　that　being　in　possession　of　the　original　she　might

well　part　with　the　copy；　but　Elizabeth　would　on　no　account　consent。

This　little　discussion　ended；　she　showed　him　the　portrait　of　Mary

Stuart；　which　she　kissed　very　tenderly；　expressing　to　Melville　a

great　wish　to　see　his　mistress。　　〃That　is　very　easy；　madam；〃　he

replied：　〃keep　your　room；　on　the　pretext　that　you　are　indisposed；　and

set　out　incognito　for　Scotland；　as　King　James　V　set　out　for　France

when　he　wanted　to　see　Madeleine　de　Valois；　whom　he　afterwards

married。〃



〃Alas！〃　replied　Elizabeth；　〃I　would　like　to　do　so；　but　it　is　not　so

easy　as　you　think。　　Nevertheless；　tell　your　queen　that　I　love　her

tenderly；　and　that　I　wish　we　could　live　more　in　friendship　than　we

have　done　up　to　the　present〃。　　Then　passing　to　a　subject　which　she

seemed　to　have　wanted　to　broach　for　a　long　time；　〃Melville；〃　she

continued；　〃tell　me　frankly；　is　my　sister　as　beautiful　as　they　say？〃



〃She　has　that　reputation；〃　replied　Melville；　〃but　I　cannot　give　your

Majesty　any　idea　of　hex　beauty；　having　no　point　of　comparison。〃



〃I　will　give　you　one；〃　the　queen　said。　　〃Is　she　more　beautiful　than

I？〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　Melville；　〃you　are　the　most　beautiful　woman　in

England；　and　Mary　Stuart　is　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　Scotland。〃



〃Then　which　of　the　two　is　the　taller？〃　asked　Elizabeth；　who　was　not

entirely　satisfied　by　this　answer；　clever　as　it　was。



〃My　mistress；　madam；〃　responded　Melville；　〃I　am　obliged　to　confess

it。〃



〃Then　she　is　too　tall；〃　Elizabeth　said　sharply；　〃for　I　am　tall

enough。　　And　what　are　her　favourite　amusements？〃　she　continued。



〃Madam；〃　Melville　replied；　〃hunting；　riding；　performing　on　the　lute

and　the　harpischord。〃



〃Is　she　skilled　upon　the　latter？〃　Elizabeth　inquired。　　〃Oh　yes；

madam；〃　answered　Melville；　〃skilled　enough　for　a　queen。〃



There　the　conversation　stopped；　but　as　Elizabeth　was　herself　an

excellent　musician；　she　commanded　Lord　Hunsdon　to　bring　Melville　to

her　at　a　time　when　she　was　at　her　harpischord；　so　that　he　could　hear

her　without　her　seeming　to　have　the　air　of　playing　for　him。　　In　fact；

the　same　day；　Hunsdon；　agreeably　to　her　instructions；　led　the

ambassador　into　a　gallery　separated　from　the　queen's　apartment　merely

by　tapestry；　so　that　his　guide　having　raised　it。　　Melville　at　his

leisure　could　hear　Elizabeth；　who　did　not　turn　round　until　she　had

finished　the　piece；　which；　however；　she　was　playing　with　much　skill。

When　she　saw　Melville；　she　pretended　to　fly　into　a　passion；　and　even

wanted　to　strike　him；　but　her　anger　calmed　down　by　little　and　little

at　the　ambassador's　compliments；　and　ceased　altogether　when　he

admitted　that　Mary　Stuart　was　not　her　equal。　　But　this　was　not　all：

proud　of　her　triumph；　Elizabeth　desired　also　that　Melville　should　see

her　dance。　　Accordingly；　she　kept　back　her　despatches　for　two　days

that　he　might　be　present　at　a　ball　that　she　was　giving。　　These

despatches；　as　we　have　said；　contained　the　wish　that　Mary　Stuart

should　espouse　Leicester；　but　this　proposal　could　not　be　taken

seriously。　　Leicester；　whose　personal　worth　was　besides　sufficiently

mediocre；　was　of　birth　too　inferior　to　aspire　to　the　hand　of　the

daughter　of　so　many　kings；　thus　Mary　replied　that　such　an　alliance

would　not　become　her。　　Meanwhile；　something　strange　and　tragic　came

to　pass。









CHAPTER　II



Among　the　lords　who　had　followed　Mary　Stuart　to　Scotland　was；　as　we

have　mentioned；　a　young　nobleman　named　Chatelard；　a　true　type　of　the

nobility　of　that　time；　a　nephew　of　Bayard　on　his　mother