mary stuart-第19章

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which　she　at　least　enjoyed　a　splendid　view　over　the　plains　and

village　of　Kinross；　but　this　vast　extent　only　contracted　her　heart

the　more；　when；　bringing　her　gaze　back　from　the　horizon　to　the

castle；　she　beheld　its　walls　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　the　deep

waters　of　the　lake；　on　whose　wide　surface　a　single　boat；　where　Little

Douglas　was　fishing；　was　rocking　like　a　speck。　　For　some　moments

Mary's　eyes　mechanically　rested　on　this　child；　whom　she　had　already

seen　upon　her　arrival；　when　suddenly　a　horn　sounded　from　the　Kinross

side。　　At　the　same　moment　Little　Douglas　threw　away　his　line；　and

began　to　row　towards　the　shore　whence　the　signal　had　come　with　skill

and　strength　beyond　his　years。　　Mary；　who　had　let　her　gaze　rest　on

him　absently；　continued　to　follow　him　with　her　eyes；　and　saw　him　make

for　a　spot　on　the　shore　so　distant　that　the　boat　seemed　to　her　at

length　but　an　imperceptible　speck；　but　soon　it　reappeared；　growing

larger　as　it　approached；　and　Mary　could　then　observe　that　it　was

bringing　back　to　the　castle　a　new　passenger；　who；　having　in　his　turn

taken　the　oars；　made　the　little　skiff　fly　over　the　tranquil　water　of

the　lake；　where　it　left　a　furrow　gleaming　in　the　last　rays　of　the

sun。　　Very　soon；　flying　on　with　the　swiftness　of　a　bird；　it　was　near

enough　for　Mary　to　see　that　the　skilful　and　vigorous　oarsman　was　a

young　man　from　twenty…five　to　twenty…six　years　of　age；　with　long

black　hair；　clad　in　a　close　coat　of　green　cloth；　and　wearing　a

Highlander's　cap；　adorned　with　an　eagle's　feather；　then；　as　with　his

back　turned　to　the　window　he　drew　nearer；　Little　Douglas；　who　was

leaning　on　his　shoulder；　said　a　few　words　which　made　him　turn　round

towards　the　queen：　immediately　Mary；　with　an　instinctive　movement

rather　than　with　the　dread　of　being　an　object　of　idle　curiosity；　drew

back；　but　not　so　quickly；　however；　but　that　she　had　been　able　to　see

the　handsome　pale　face　of　the　unknown；　who；　when　she　returned　to　the

window；　had　disappeared　behind　one　of　the　corners　of　the　castle。



Everything　is　a　cause　of　conjecture　to　a　prisoner：　it　seemed　to　Mary

that　this　young　man's　face　was　not　unknown　to　her；　and　that　he　had

seen　her　already；　but　though　great　the　care　with　which　she　questioned

her　memory；　she　could　not　recall　any　distinct　remembrance；　so　much　so

that　the　queen　ended　in　thinking　it　the　play　of　her　imagination；　or

that　some　vague　and　distinct　resemblance　had　deceived　her。



However；　in　spite　of　Mary；　this　idea　had　taken　an　important　place　in

her　mind：　she　incessantly　saw　this　little　boat　skimming　the　water；

and　the　young　man　and　the　child　who　were　in　it　drawing　near　her；　as

if　to　bring　her　help。　　It　followed　that；　although　there　had　been

nothing　real　in　all　these　captive's　dreams；　she　slept　that　night　a

calmer　sleep　than　she　had　yet　done　since　she　had　been　in　Lochleven

Castle。



Next　day；　on　rising；　Mary　ran　to　her　window：　the　weather　was　fine；

and　everything　seemed　to　smile　on　her；　the　water；　the　heavens　and　the

earth。　　But；　without　being　able　to　account　for　the　restraining

motive；　she　did　not　want　to　go　down　into　the　ga　den　before　breakfast。

When　the　door　opened；　'she　turned　quickly　round：　it　was；　as　on　the

day　before；　William　Douglas；　who　came　to　fulfil　his　duty　as　taster。



The　breakfast　was　a　short　and　silent　one；　then；　as　soon　as　Douglas

had　withdrawn；　Mary　descended　in　her　turn：　in　crossing　the　courtyard

she　saw　two　horses　ready　saddled；　which　pointed　to　the　near　departure

of　a　master　and　a　squire。　　Was　it　the　young　man　with　the　black　hair

already　setting　out　again？　　This　is　what　Mary　did　not　dare　or　did　not

wish　to　ask。　　She　consequently　went　her　way；　and　entered　the　garden：

at　the　first　glance　she　took　it　in　in　its　full　extent；　it　was

deserted。



Mary　walked　there　a　moment；　then；　soon　tiring　of　the　promenade；　she

went　up　again　to　her　room：　in　passing　back　through　the　courtyard　she

had　noticed　that　the　horses　were　no　longer　there。　　Directly　she

returned　into　her　apartment；　she　went　then　to　the　window　to　see　if

she　could　discover　anything　upon　the　lake　to　guide　her　in　her

conjectures：　a　boat　was　in　fact　receding；　and　in　this　boat　were　the

two　horses　and　the　two　horsemen；　one　was　William　Douglas；　the　other　a

simple　squire　from　the　house。



Mary　continued　watching　the　boat　until　it　had　touched　the　shore。

Arrived　there；　the　two　horsemen　got　out；　disembarked　their　horses；。

and　went　away　at　full　gallop；　taking　the　same　road　by　which　the　queen

had　come；　so　that；　as　the　horses　were　prepared　for　a　long　journey；

Mary　thought　that　William　Douglas　was　going　to　Edinburgh。　　As　to　the

boat；　scarcely　had　it　landed　its　two　passengers　on　the　opposite　shore

than　it　returned　towards　the　castle。



At　that　moment　Mary　Seyton　announced　to　the　queen　that　Lady　Douglas

was　asking　permission　to　visit　her。



It　was　the　second　time；　after　long　hatred　on　Lady　Douglas's　part　and

contemptuous　indifference　on　the　queen's；　that　the　two　women　were

face　to　face；　therefore　the　queen；　with　that　instinctive　impulse　of

coquetry　which　urges　women；　in　whatever　situation　they　find

themselves；　to　desire　to　be　beautiful；　above　all　for　women；　made　a

sign　to　Mary　Seyton；　and；　going　to　a　little　mirror　fastened　to　the

wall　in　a　heavy　Gothic　frame；　she　arranged　her　curls；　and　readjusted

the　lace　of　her　collar；　then；　having　seated　herself　in　the　pose　most

favourable　to　her；　in　a　great　arm…chair；　the　only　one　in　her　sitting…

room；　she　said　smilingly　to　Mary　Seyton　that　she　might　admit　Lady

Douglas；　who　was　immediately　introduced。



Mary's　expectation　was　not　disappointed：　Lady　Douglas；　in　spite　of

her　hatred　for　James　Vs　daughter；　and　mistress　of　herself　as　she

thought　she　as；　could　not　prevent　herself　from　showing　by　a　movement

of　surprise　the　impression　that　this　marvelous　beauty　was　making　on

her：　she　thought　she　should　find　Mary　crushed　by　her　unhappiness；

pallid　from　her　fatigues；　humbled　by　captivity；　and　she　saw　hers

calm；　lovely；　and　haughty　as　usual。　　Mary　perceived　the　effect　that

she　was　producing；　and　addressing　herself　with　an　ironical　smile

partly　to　Mary　Seyton；　who　was　leaning　on　the　back　of　her　chair；　and

partly　to　her　who　was　paying　her　this　unforeseen　visit



〃We　are　fortunate　to…day；〃　said　she；　〃for　we　are　going　as　it　seems　to

enjoy　the　society　of　our　good　hostess；　whom　we　thank　besides　for

having　kindly　maintained　with　us　the　empty　ceremony　of　announcing

herselfa　ceremony　with　which；　having　the　keys　of　our　apartment；　she

could　have　dispensed。〃



〃If　my　presence　is　inconvenient　to　your　grace；〃　replied　Lady

Lochleven；　〃I　am　all　the　more　sorry　for　it；　as　circumstances　will

oblige　me　to　impose　it　twice　daily；　at　least　during　the　absence　of　my

son；　who　is　summoned　to　Edinburgh　by　the　regent；　this　is　of　what　I

came　to　inform　your　grace；　not　with　the　empty　ceremonial　of　the

court；　but　with　the　consideration　which　Lady　Lochleven　owes　to

everyone　who　has　received　hospitality　in　her　castle。〃



〃Our　good　hostess　mistakes　our　intention；〃　Mary　answered；　with

affected　good…nature；　〃and　the　regent　himself　can　bear　witness　to　the

pleasure　we　have　always　had　in　bringing　nearer　to　us　the　persons　who

can　recall　to　us；　even　indirectly；　our　well…beloved　father；　James　V。

It　will　be　therefore　unjustly　that　Lady　Douglas　will　interpret　in　a

manner　disagreeable　to　herself　our　surprise　at　seeing　her；　and　the

hospitality　that　she　offers　us　so　obligingly　does　not　promise　us；　in

spite　of　her　goodwill；　sufficient　distractions　that　we　should　deprive

ourselves　of　those　that　her　visits　cannot　fail　to　procure　us。〃



〃Unfortunately；　madam；〃　replied　Lady　Lochleven；　whom　Mary　was　keeping

standing　before　her；　〃whatever　pleasure　I　myself　derive　from　these

visits；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　deprive　myself　of；　except　at　the　times

I　have　mentioned。　I　am　now　too　old　to　bear　fatigue；　and　I　have；

always　been　too　proud　to　endure　sarcasms。〃



〃Really；　Seyton；〃　cried　Mary；　seeming　to　recollect　herself；　〃we　had

not　dreamed