mary stuart-第31章

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them　with　an　impatient　air；　fidgeting　in　her　seat；　then　at　last；

unable　to　control　herself；　she　burst　out；　rising　and　growing　red　with

anger



〃M。　de　Bellievre；〃　said　she；　〃are　you　really　charged　by　the　king；　my

brother；　to　speak　to　me　in　such　a　way？〃



〃Yes；　madam；〃　replied　M。　　de　Bellievre；　bowing；　〃I　am　expressly

commanded　to　do　so。〃



〃And　have　you　this　command　under　his　hand？〃　　continued　Elizabeth。



〃Yes；　madam；〃　returned　the　ambassador　with　the　same　calmness；　〃and

the　king；　my　master；　your　good　brother；　has　expressly　charged　me；　in

letters　signed　by　his　own　hand；　to　make　to　your　Majesty　the

remonstrances　which　I　have　had　the　honour　to　address　to　you。〃



〃Well；〃　cried　Elizabeth；　no　longer　containing　herself；　〃I　demand　of

you　a　copy　of　that　letter；　signed　by　you；　and　reflect　that　you　will

answer　for　each　word　that　you　take　away　or　add。〃



〃Madam；〃　answered　M。　de　Bellievre；　〃it　is　not　the　custom　of　the　kings

of　France；　or　of　their　agents；　to　forge　letters　or　documents；　you

will　have　the　copies　you　require　to…morrow　morning；　and　I　pledge

their　accuracy　on　my　honour。〃



〃Enough；　sir；　enough！〃　said　the　queen；　and　signing　to　everyone　in　the

room　to　go　out；　she　remained　nearly　an　hour　with　MM。　de　Chateauneuf

and　de　Bellievre。　　No　one　knows　what　passed　in　that　interview；　except

that　the　queen　promised　to　send　an　ambassador　to　the　King　of　France；

who；　she　promised；　would　be　in　Paris；　if　not　before；　at　least　at　the

same　time　as　M。　de　Bellievre；　and　would　be　the　bearer　of　her　final

resolve　as　to　the　affairs　of　the　Queen　of　Scotland；　Elizabeth　then

withdrew；　giving　the　French　envoys　to　understand　that　any　fresh

attempt　they　might　make　to　see　her　would　be　useless。



On　the　13th　of　January　the　ambassadors　received　their　passports；　and

at　the　same　time　notice　that　a　vessel　of　the　queen's　was　awaiting

them　at　Dover。



The　very　day　of　their　departure　a　strange　incident　occurred。　　A

gentleman　named　Stafford；　a　brother　of　Elizabeth's　ambassador　to　the

King　of　France；　presented　himself　at　M。　de　Trappes's；　one　of　the

officials　in　the　French　chancellery；　telling　him　that　he　was

acquainted　with　a　prisoner　for　debt　who　had　a　matter　of　the　utmost

importance　to　communicate　to　him；　and　that　he　might　pay　the　greater

attention　to　it；　he　told　him　that　this　matter　was　connected　with

the　service　of　the　King　of　France；　and　concerned　the　affairs　of　Queen

Mary　of　Scotland。　　　M。　de　Trappes；　although　mistrusting　this　overture

from　the　first；　did　not　want；　in　case　his　suspicions　deceived　him；　to

have　to　reproach　himself　for　any　neglect　on　such　a　pressing　occasion。

He　repaired；　then；　with；　Mr。　Stafford　to　the　prison；　where　he　who

wished　to　converse　with　him　was　detained。　　When　he　was　with　him；　the

prisoner　told　him　that　he　was　locked　up　for　a　debt　of　only　twenty

crowns；　and　that　his　desire　to　be　at　liberty　was　so　great　that　if

M。　de　Chateauneuf　would　pay　that　sum　for　him　he　would　undertake　to

deliver　the　Queen　of　Scotland　from　her　danger；　by　stabbing　Elizabeth：

to　this　proposal；　M。　de　Trappes；　who　saw　the　pitfall　laid　for　the

French　ambassador；　was　greatly　astonished；　and　said　that　he　was

certain　that　M。　de　Chateauneuf　would　consider　as　very　evil　every

enterprise　having　as　its　aim　to　threaten　in　any　way　the　life　of　Queen

Elizabeth　or　the　peace　of　the　realm；　then；　not　desiring　to　hear　more；

he　returned　to　M。　de　Chateauneuf　and　related　to　him　what　had　just

happened。　　M。　de　Chateauneuf；　who　perceived　the　real　cause　of　this

overture；　immediately　said　to　Mr。　Stafford　that　he　thought　it　strange

that　a　gentleman　like　himself　should　undertake　with　another　gentleman

such　treachery；　and　requested　him　to　leave　the　Embassy　at　once；　and

never　to　set　foot　there　again。　　Then　Stafford　withdrew；　and；

appearing　to　think　himself　a　lost　man；　he　implored　M。　de　Trappes　to

allow　him　to　cross　the　Channel　with　him　and　the　French　envoys。　　M。

de　Trappes　referred　him　to　M。　de　Chateauneuf；　who　answered　Mr。

Stafford　directly　that　he　had　not　only　forbidden　him　his　house；　but

also　all　relations　with　any　person　from　the　Embassy；　that　he　must

thus　very　well　see　that　his　request　could　not　be　granted；　he　added

that　if　he　were　not　restrained　by　the　consideration　he　desired　to

keep　for　his　brother；　the　Earl　of　Stafford；　his　colleague；　he　would

at　once　denounce　his　treason　to　Elizabeth。　　The　same　day　Stafford　was

arrested。



After　this　conference；　M。　de　Trappes　set　out　to　rejoin　his　travelling

companions；　who　were　some　hours　in　advance　of　him；　when；　on　reaching

Dover　he　was　arrested　in　his　turn　and　brought　hack　to　prison　in

London。　　Interrogated　the　same　day；　M。　　de　Trappes　frankly　related

what　had　passed；　appealing　to　M。　　de　Chateauneuf　as　to　the　truth　of

what　he　said。



The　day　following　there　was　a　second　interrogatory；　and　great　was　his

amazement　when；　on　requesting　that　the　one　of　the　day　before　should

be　shown　him；　he　was　merely　shown；　according　to　custom　in　English

law；　counterfeit　copies；　in　which　were　avowals　compromising　him　as

well　as　M。　de　Chateauneuf　：　he　objected　and　protested；　refused　to

answer　or　to　sign　anything　further；　and　was　taken　back　to　the　Tower

with　redoubled　precaution；　the　object　of　which　was　the　appearance　of

an　important　accusation。



Next　day；　M。　de　Chateauneuf　was　summoned　before　the　queen；　and　there

confronted　with　Stafford；　who　impudently　maintained　that　he　had

treated　of　a　plot　with　M。　de　Trappes　and　a　certain　prisoner　for　debt

a　plot　which　aimed　at　nothing　less　than　endangering　the　queen's

life。　　M。　de　Chateauneuf　defended　himself　with　the　warmth　of

indignation；　but　Elizabeth　had　too　great　an　interest　in　being

unconvinced　even　to　attend　to　the　evidence。　　She　then　said　to　M。　de

Chateauneuf　that　his　character　of　ambassador　alone　prevented　her

having　him　arrested　like　his　accomplice　M。　de　Trappes　；　and

immediately　despatching；　as　she　had　promised；　an　ambassador　to　King

Henry　III；　she　charged　him　not　to　excuse　her　for　the　sentence　which

had　just　been　pronounced　and　the　death　which　must　soon　follow；　but　to

accuse　M。　de　Chateauneuf　of　having　taken　part　in　a　plot　of　which　the

discovery　alone　had　been　able　to　decide　her　to　consent　to　the　death

of　the　（queen　of　Scotland；　certain　as　she　was　by　experience；　that　so

long　as　her　enemy　lived　her　existence　would　be　hourly　threatened。



On　the　same　day；　Elizabeth　made　haste　to　spread；　not　only　in　London；

but　also　throughout　England；　the　rumour　of　the　fresh　danger　from

which　she　had　just　escaped；　so　that；　when；　two　days　after　the

departure　of　the　French　envoys；　the　Scottish　ambassadors；　who；　as　one

sees；　had　not　used　much　speed；　arrived；　the　queen　answered　them　that

their　request　came　unseasonably；　at　a　time　when　she　had　just　had

proof　that；　so　long　as　Mary　Stuart　existed；　her　own　（Elizabeth's）

life　was　in　danger。　　Robert　Melville　wished　to　reply　to　this；　but

Elizabeth　flew　into　a　passion；　saying　that　it　was　he；　Melville；　who

had　given　the　King　of　Scotland　the　bad　advice　to　intercede　for　his

mother；　and　that　if　she　had　such　an　adviser　she　would　have　him

beheaded。　　To　which　Melville　answered



〃That　at　the　risk　of　his　life　he　would　never　spare　his　master　good

advice；　and　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　who　would　counsel　a　son　to　let

his　mother　perish；　would　deserve　to　be　beheaded。〃



Upon　this　reply；　Elizabeth　ordered　the　Scotch　envoys　to　withdrew；

telling　them　that　she　would　let　them　have　her　answer。



Three　or　four　days　passed；　and　as　they　heard　nothing　further；　they

asked　again　for　a　parting　audience　to　hear　the　last　resolve　of　her　to

whom　they　were　sent：　the　queen　then　decided　to　grant　it；　and　all

passed；　as　with　M。　de　Bellievre；　in　recriminations　and　complaints。

Finally；　Elizabeth　asked　them　what　guarantee　they　would　give　for　her

life　in　the　event　of　her　consenting　to　pardon　the　Queen　of　Scotland。

The　envoys　responded　that　they　were　authorised　to　make　pledges　in　the

name　of　the　King　of　Scotland；　their　master；　and　all　the　lords　of　his

realm；　that　Mary　Stuart　should　renounce　in　favour　of　her　son　all　her

claims　upon　the　English　crown；　and　that　she　should　give　as　security

for　this　undertaking　the　King　of　France；　and　all　the　princes　and

lords；　his　relations　and　friends。



To　this　answer；　the　queen；　without　her　usual　presence　of　mind；　cried；

〃What　are　you　saying；　Melville？　　That　would　be　to　arm　my　enemy　with

two　claims；　while　he　has　only　one〃。



〃Does　your　Majesty　then　regard　the　king；　my　master；　as　your　enemy？〃

replied　Melville。　　〃He　believed　himself　happier；　madam；　and　thought

he　was　your　ally。〃



〃No；　no；〃　Elizabeth　said；　blushing；　〃it　is　a　way　of　speaking：　and　if

you　find　a　means　of　reconciling　everything；　gentlemen；　to　prove　to

you；　on　the　contrary；　that　I　regard　King　James　VI　as　my　good　and

faithful　ally；　I　am　quite　ready　to　incline　to　mercy。　　Seek；　then；　on

your　side〃　added　she；　〃while　I　seek　on　mine。〃



With　these　words；　she　went　out　of　the　room；　and　the　ambassadors

retired；　with　the　light　of　the　hope　of　which　she　had　just　let　them

catch　a　glimpse。



The　same　evening；　a　gentleman　at　the　court　sought　out　the　Master　of

Gray；　the　head　of　the　Embassy；　as　if　to　pay　him　a　civil　visit；　and

while　conversing　said　to　him；　〃That　it　was　very　difficult　to

reconcile　the　safety　of　Queen　Elizabeth　with　the　life　of　her

prisoner；　that　besides；　if　the　Queen　of　Scotland　were　pardoned；　and

she　or　her　son　ever　came　to　the　English　throne；　there　would　be　no

security　for　the　lords　commissioners　who　had　voted　her　death；　that

there　was　then　only　one　way　of　arranging　everything；　that　the　King　of

Scotland　should　himself　give　up　his　claims　to　the　kingdom　of　England；

that　otherwise；　according　to　him；　there　was　no　security　for　Elizabeth

in　saving　the　life　of　the　Scottish　queen〃。　　The　Master　of　Gray　then；

looking　at　him　fixedly；　asked　him　if　his　sovereign　had　charged　him　to

come　to　him　with　this　talk。　　But　the　gentleman　denied　it；　saying　that

all　this　was　on　his　own　account　and　in　the　way　of　opinion。



Elizabeth　received　the　envoys　from　Scotland　once　more；　and　then　told

them



〃That　after　having　well　considered；　she　had　found　no　way　of　saving

the　life　of　the　Queen　of　Scotland　while　securing　her　own；　that

accordingly　she　could　not　grant　it　to　them〃。　　To　this　declaration；

the　Master　of　Gray　replied：　〃That　since　it　was　thus；　he　was；　in　this

case；　ordered　by　his　master　to　say　that　they　protested　in　the　name　of

King　James　that　all　that　had　been　done　against　his　mother　was　of　no

account；　seeing　that　Queen　Elizabeth　had　no　authority　over　a　queen；

as　she　was　her　equal　in　rank　and　birth；　that　accordingly　they

declared　that　immediately　after　their　return；　and　when　their　master

should　know　the　result　of　their　mission；　he　would　assemble　his

Parliament　and　send　messengers　to　all　the　Christian　princes；　to　take

counsel　with　them　as　to　what　could　be　done　to　avenge　her　whom　they

could　not　save。〃



Then　Elizabeth　again　flew　into　a　passion；　saying　t