mary stuart-第36章

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middle　of　her　prayer；　〃Let　us　go；〃　she　replied；　and　she　made　ready　to

follow　him；　then　Bourgoin；　taking　the　cross　of　black　wood　with　an

ivory　Christ　which　was　over　the　altar；　said



〃Madam；　would　you　not　like　to　take　this　little　cross？〃



〃Thank　you　for　having　reminded　me；〃　Mary　answered；　〃I　had　intended

to；　but　I　forgot〃。　　Then；　giving　it　to　Annibal　Stewart；　her　footman；

that　he　might　present　it　when　she　should　ask　for　it；　she　began　to

move　to　the　door；　and　on　account　of　the　great　pain　in　her　limbs；

leaning　on　Bourgoin；　who；　as　they　drew　near；　suddenly　let　her　go；

saying



〃Madam；　your　Majesty　knows　if　we　love　you；　and　all；　such　as　we　are；

are　ready　to　obey　you；　should　you　command　us　to　die　for　you；　but　I；

I　have　not　the　strength　to　lead　you　farther；　besides；　it　is　not

becoming　that　we；　who　should　be　defending　you　to　the　last　drop　of　our

blood；　should　seem　to　be　betraying　you　in　giving　you　thus　into　the

hands　of　these　infamous　English。〃



〃You　are　right；　Bourgoin；〃　said　the　queen；　〃moreover；　my　death　would

be　a　sad　sight　for　you；　which　I　ought　to　spare　your　age　and　your

friendship。　　Mr。　Sheriff；〃　added　she；　〃call　someone　to　support　me；

for　you　see　that　I　cannot　walk。〃



The　sheriff　bowed；　and　signed　to　two　guards　whom　he　had　kept　hidden

behind　the　door　to　lend　him　assistance　in　case　the　queen　should

resist；　to　approach　and　support　her；　which　they　at　once　did；　and　Mary

Stuart　went　on　her　way；　preceded　and　followed　by　her　servants　weeping

and　wringing　their　hands。　　But　at　the　second　door　other　guards

stopped　them；　telling　them　they　must　go　no　farther。　　They　all　cried

out　against　such　a　prohibition：　they　said　that　for　the　nineteen　years

they　had　been　shut　up　with　the　queen　they　had　always　accompanied　her

wherever　she　went；　that　it　was　frightful　to　deprive　their　mistress　of

their　services　at　the　last　moment；　and　that　such　an　order　had

doubtless　been　given　because　they　wanted　to　practise　some　shocking

cruelty　on　her；　of　which　they　desired　no　witnesses。　　Bourgoin；　who

was　at　their　head；　seeing　that　he　could　obtain　nothing　by　threats　or

entreaties；　asked　to　speak　with　the　earls；　but　this　claim　was　not

allowed　either；　and　as　the　servants　wanted　to　pass　by　force；　the

soldiers　repulsed　them　with　blows　of　their　arquebuses；　then；　raising

her　voice



〃It　is　wrong　of　you　to　prevent　my　servants　following　me；〃　said　the

queen；　〃and　I　begin　to　think；　like　them；　that　you　have　some　ill

designs　upon　me　beyond　my　death。〃



The　sheriff　replied；　〃Madam；　four　of　your　servants　are　chosen　to

follow　you；　and　no　more；　when　you　have　come　down；　they　will　be

fetched；　and　will　rejoin　you。〃



〃What！〃　said　the　queen；　〃the　four　chosen　persons　cannot　even　follow

me　now？〃



〃The　order　is　thus　given　by　the　earls；〃　answered　the　sheriff；　〃and；

to　my　great　regret；　madam；　I　can　do　nothing。〃



Then　the　queen　turned　to　them；　and　taking　the　cross　from　Annibal

Stewart；　and　in　her　other　hand　her　book　of　Hours　and　her

handkerchief；　〃My　children；〃　said　she；　〃this　is　one　more　grief　to　add

to　our　other　griefs；　let　us　bear　it　like　Christians；　and　offer　this

fresh　sacrifice　to　God。〃



At　these　words　sobs　and　cries　burst　forth　on　all　sides：　the　unhappy

servants　fell　on　their　knees；　and　while　some　rolled　on　the　ground；

tearing　their　hair；　others　kissed　her　hands；　her　knees；　and　the　hem

of　her　gown；　begging　her　forgiveness　for　every　possible　fault；

calling　her　their　mother　and　bidding　her　farewell。　　Finding；　no

doubt；　that　this　scene　was　lasting　too　long；　the　sheriff　made　a　sign；

and　the　soldiers　pushed　the　men　and　women　back　into　the　room　and　shut

the　door　on　them；　still；　fast　as　was　the　door；　the　queen　none　the

less　heard　their　cries　and　lamentations；　which　seemed；　in　spite　of

the　guards；　as　if　they　would　accompany　her　to　the　scaffold。



At　the　stair…head；　the　queen　found　Andrew　Melville　awaiting　her：　he

was　the　Master　of　her　Household；　who　had　been　secluded　from　her　for

some　time；　and　who　was　at　last　permitted　to　see　her　once　more　to　say

farewell。　　The　queen；　hastening　her　steps；　approached　him；　and

kneeling　down　to　receive　his　blessing；　which　he　gave　her；　weeping



〃Melville；〃　said　she；　without　rising；　and　addressing　him　as　〃thou〃

for　the　first　time；　〃as　thou　hast　been　an　honest　servant　to　me；　be

the　same　to　my　son：　seek　him　out　directly　after　my　death；　and　tell

him　of　it　in　every　detail；　tell　him　that　I　wish　him　well；　and　that　I

beseech　God　to　send　him　His　Holy　Spirit。〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　Melville；　〃this　is　certainly　the　saddest　message

with　which　a　man　can　be　charged：　no　matter；　I　shall　faithfully　fulfil

it；　I　swear　to　you。〃



〃What　sayest　thou；　Melville？〃　responded　the　queen；　rising；　〃and　what

better　news　canst　thou　bear；　on　the　contrary；　than　that　I　am

delivered　from　all　my　ills？　　Tell　him　that　he　should　rejoice；　since

the　sufferings　of　Mary　Stuart　are　at　an　end；　tell　him　that　I　die　a

Catholic；　constant　in　my　religion；　faithful　to　Scotland　and　France；

and　that　I　forgive　those　who　put　me　to　death。　　Tell　him　that　I　have

always　desired　the　union　of　England　and　Scotland；　tell　him；　finally；

that　I　have　done　nothing　injurious　to　his　kingdom；　to　his　honour；　or

to　his　rights。　　And　thus；　good　Melville；　till　we　meet　again　in

heaven。〃



Then；　leaning　on　the　old　man；　whose　face　was　bathed　in　tears；　she

descended　the　staircase；　at　the　foot　of　which　she　found　the　two

earls；　Sir　Henry　Talbot；　Lord　Shrewsbury's　son；　Amyas　Paulet；　Drue

Drury；　Robert　Beale；　and　many　gentlemen　of　the　neighbourhood；：　the

queen；　advancing　towards　them　without　pride；　but　without　humility；

complained　that　her　servants　had　been　refused　permission　to　follow

her；　and　asked　that　it　should　be　granted。　　The　lords　conferred

together；　and　a　moment　after　the　Earl　of　Kent　inquired　which　ones　she

desired　to　have；　saying　she　might　be　allowed　six。　　So　the　queen　chose

from　among　the　men　Bourgoin；　Gordon；　Gervais；　and　Didier；　and　from

the　women　Jeanne　Kennedy　and　Elspeth　Curle；　the　ones　she　preferred　to

all；　though　the　latter　was　sister　to　the　secretary　who　had　betrayed

her。　　But　here　arose　a　fresh　difficulty；　the　earls　saying　that　this

permission　did　not　extend　to　women；　women　not　being　used　to　be

present　at　such　sights；　and　when　they　were；　usually　upsetting

everyone　with　cries　and　lamentations；　and；　as　soon　as　the

decapitation　was　over；　rushing　to　the　scaffold　to　staunch　the　blood

with　their　handkerchiefsa　most　unseemly　proceeding。



〃My　lords；〃　then　said　the　queen；　〃I　answer　and　promise　for　my

servants；　that　they　will　not　do　any　of　the　things　your　honours　fear。

Alas！　poor　people！　they　would　be　very　glad　to　bid　me　farewell；　and　I

hope　that　your　mistress；　being　a　maiden　queen；　and　accordingly

sensitive　for　the　honour　of　women；　has　not　given　you　such　strict

orders　that　you　are　unable　to　grant　me　the　little　I　ask；　so　much　the

more；〃　added　she　in　a　profoundly　mournful　tone；　〃that　my　rank　should

be　taken　into　consideration；　for　indeed　I　am　your　queen's　cousin；

granddaughter　of　Henry　VII；　Queen　Dowager　of　France　and　crowned　Queen

of　Scotland。〃



The　lords　consulted　together　for　another　moment；　and　granted　her

demands。　　Accordingly；　two　guards　went　up　immediately　to　fetch　the

chosen　individuals。



The　queen　then　moved　on　to　the　great　hall；　leaning　on　two　of　Sir

Amyas　Paulet's　gentlemen；　accompanied　and　followed　by　the　earls　and

lords；　the　sheriff　walking　before　her；　and　Andrew　Melville　bearing

her　train。　　Her　dress；　as　carefully　chosen　as　possible；　as　we　have

said；　consisted　of　a　coif　of　fine　cambric；　trimmed　with　lace；　with　a

lace　veil　thrown　back　and　falling　to　the　ground　behind。　　She　wore　a

cloak　of　black　stamped　satin　lined　with　black　taffetas　and　trimmed　in

front　with　sable；　with　a　long　train　and　sleeves　hanging　to　the

ground；　the　buttons　were　of　jet　in　the　shape　of　acorns　and　surrounded

with　pearls；　her　collar　in　the　Italian　style；　her　doublet　was　of

figured　black　satin；　and　underneath　she　wore　stays；　laced　behind；　in

crimson　satin；　edged　with　velvet　of　the　same　colour；　a　gold　cross

hung　by　a　pomander　chain　at　her　neck；　and　two　rosaries　at　her　girdle：

it　was　thus　she　entered　the　great　hall　where　the　scaffold　was

erected。



It　was　a　platform　twelve　feet　wide；　raised　about　two　feet　from　the

floor；　surrounded　with　barriers　and　covered　with　black　serge；　and　on

it　were　a　little　chair；　a　cushion　to　kneel　on；　and　a　block　also

covered　in　black。　　Just　as；　having　mounted　the　steps；　she　set　foot　on

the　fatal　boards；　the　executioner　came　forward；　and；　asking

forgiveness　for　the　duty　he　was　about　to　perform；　kneeled；　hiding

behind　him　his　axe。　　Mary　saw　it；　however；　and　cried



〃Ah！　I　would　rather　have　been　beheaded　in　the　French　way；　with　a

sword！。。。〃



〃It　is　not　my　fault；　madam；〃　said　the　executioner；　〃if　this　last　wish

of　your　Majesty　cannot　be　fulfilled；　but；　not　having　been　instructed

to　bring　a　sword；　and　having　found　this　axe　here　only；　I　am　obliged

to　use　it。　　Will　that　prevent　your　pardoning　me；　then？〃



〃I　pardon　you；　my　friend；〃　said　Mary；　〃and　in　proof　of　it；　here　is　my

hand　to　kiss。〃



The　executioner　put　his　lips　to　the　queen's　hand；　rose　and　approached

the　chair。　　Mary　sat　down；　and　the　Earls　of　Kent　and　Shrewsbury

standing　on　her　left；　the　sheriff　and　his　officers　before　her；　Amyas

Paulet　behind；　and　outside　the　barrier　the　lords；　knights；　and

gentlemen；　numbering　nearly　two　hundred　and　fifty；　Robert　Beale　for

the　second　time　read　the　warrant　for　execution；　and　as　he　was

beginning　the　servants　who　had　been　fetched　came　into　the　hall　and

placed　themselves　behind　the　scaffold；　the　men　mounted　upon　a　bench

put　back　against　the　wall；　and　the　women　kneeling　in　front　of　it；　and

a　little　spaniel；　of　which　the　queen　was　very　fond；　came　quietly；　as

if　he　feared　to　be　driven　away；　and　lay　down　near　his　mistress。



The　queen　listened　to　the　reading　of　the　warrant　without　seeming　to

pay　much　attention；　as　if　it　had　concerned　someone　else；　and　with　a

countenance　as　calm　and　even　as　joyous　as　if　it　had　been　a　pardon　and

not　a　sentence　of　death；　then；　when　Beale　had　ended；　and　having

ended；　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　〃God　save　Queen　Elizabeth！〃　to　which　no

one　made　any　response；　Mary　signed　herself　with　the　cross；　and；

rising　without　any　change　of　expression；　and；　on　the　contrary；

lovelier　than　ever



〃My　lords；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　a　queen…born　sovereign　princess；　and　not

subject　to　law；a　near　relation　of　the　Queen　of　England；　and　her

rightful　heir；　for　a　long　time　I　have　been　a　prisoner　in　this

country；　I　have　suffered　here　much　tribulation　and　many　evils　that　no

one　had　the　right　to　inflict；　and　now；　to　crown　all；　I　am　about　to

lose　my　life。　　Well；　my　lords；　bear　witness　that　I　die　in　the

Catholic　faith；　thanking　God　for　letting　me　die　for　His　holy　cause；

and　protesting；　to…day　as　every　day；　in　public　as　in　private；　that　I

have　never　plotted；　consented　to；　nor　desired　the　queen's　death；　nor

any　ot