mary stuart-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



this　time　it　was　not　Lady　Lochleven　who　came　to　fulfil　the　duties

enjoined　on　a　member　of　the　family　to　make　the　queen　easy；　but　George

Douglas；　whom　his　mother　in　her　displeasure　at　the　morning　scene　sent

to　replace　her。　　Thus；　when　Mary　Seyton　told　the　queen　that　she　saw

the　young　man　with　dark　hair　cross　the　courtyard　on　his　way　to　her；

Mary　still　further　congratulated　herself　on　her　decision；　for　this

young　man's　insolence　had　wounded　her　more　deeply　than　all　his

mother's　haughty　insults。　　The　queen　was　not　a　little　astonished；

then；　when　in　a　few　minutes　Mary　Seyton　returned　and　informed　her

that　George　Douglas；　having　sent　away　the　servants；　desired　the

honour　of　speaking　to　her　on　a　matter　of　importance。　　At　first　the

queen　refused；　but　Mary　Seyton　told　her　that　the　young　man's　air　and

manner　this　time　were　so　different　from　what　she　had　seen　two　days

before；　that　she　thought　her　mistress　would　be　wrong　to　refuse　his

request。



The　queen　rose　then；　and　with　the　pride　and　majesty　habitual　to　her；

entered　the　adjoining　room；　and；　having　taken　three　steps；　stopped

with　a　disdainful　air；　waiting　for　George　to　address　her。



Mary　Seyton　had　spoken　truly：　George　Douglas　was　now　another　man。

To…day　he　seemed　to　be　as　respectful　and　timid　as　the　preceding　day

he　had　seemed　haughty　and　proud。　　He；　in　his　turn；　made　a　step

towards　the　queen；　but　seeing　Mary　Seyton　standing　behind　her



〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃I　wished　to　speak　with　your　Majesty　alone：　shall　I

not　obtain　this　favour？〃



〃Mary　Seyton　is　not　a　stranger　to　me；　Sir：　she　is　my　sister；　my

friend；　she　is　more　than　all　that；　she　is　my　companion　in　captivity。〃



〃And　by　all　these　claims；　madam；　I　have　the　utmost　veneration　for

her；　but　what　I　have　to　tell　you　cannot　be　heard　by　other　ears　than

yours。　　Thus；　madam；　as　the　opportunity　furnished　now　may　perhaps

never　present　itself　again；　in　the　name　of　what　is　dearest　to　you；

grant　me　what　I　ask。〃



There　was　such　a　tone　of　respectful　prayer　in　George's　voice　that

Mary　turned　to　the　young　girl；　and；　making　her　a　friendly　sign　with

her　hand



〃Go；　then；　darling；〃　said　she；　〃but　be　easy；　you　will　lose　nothing　by

not　hearing。　　Go。〃



Mary　Seyton　withdrew；　the　queen　smilingly　looked　after　her；　till　the

door　was　shut；　then；　turning　to　George



〃Now；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃we　are　alone；　speak。〃



But　George；　instead　of　replying；　advanced　to　the　queen；　and；　kneeling

on　one　knee；　drew　from　his　breast　a　paper　which　he　presented　to　her。

Mary　took　it　with　amazement；　unfolded　it；　glancing　at　Douglas；　who

remained　in　the　same　posture；　and　read　as　follows：



We；　earls；　lords；　and　barons；　in　consideration　that　our　queen　is

detained　at　Lochleven；　and　that　her　faithful　subjects　cannot　have

access　to　her　person；　seeing；　on　the　other　hand；　that　our　duty

pledges　us　to　provide　for　her　safety；　promise　and　swear　to　employ　all

reasonable　means　which　will　depend　on　us　to　set　her　at　liberty　again

on　conditions　compatible　with　the　honour　of　her　Majesty；　the　welfare

of　the　kingdom；　and　even　with　the　safety　of　those　who　keep　her　in

prison；　provided　that　they　consent　to　give　her　up；　that　if　they

refuse；　we　declare　that　we　are　prepared　to　make　use　of　ourselves；　our

children；　our　friends；　our　servants；　our　vassals；　our　goods；　our

persons；　and　our　lives；　to　restore　her　to　liberty；　to　procure　the

safety　of　the　prince；　and　to　co…operate　in　punishing　the　late　king's

murderers。　　If　we　are　assailed　for　this　intent；　whether　as　a　body　or

in　private；　we　promise　to　defend　ourselves；　and　to　aid　one　another；

under　pain　of　infamy　and　perjury。　　So　may　God　help　us。



〃Given　with　our　own　hands　at　Dumbarton；



〃St。　　Andrews；　Argyll；　Huntly；　Arbroath；　Galloway；　Ross；　Fleming；

Herries；　Stirling；　Kilwinning；　Hamilton；　and　Saint…Clair；　Knight。〃





〃And　Seyton！〃　cried　Mary；　〃among　all　these　signatures；　I　do　not　see

that　of　my　faithful　Seyton。〃



Douglas；　still　kneeling；　drew　from　his　breast　a　second　paper；　and

presented　it　to　the　queen　with　the　same　marks　of　respect。　　It

contained　only　these　few　words：



〃Trust　George　Douglas；　for　your　Majesty　has　no　more　devoted　friend　in

the　entire　kingdom。



SEYTON。〃





Mary　lowered　her　eyes　to　Douglas　with　an　expression　which　was　hers

only；　then；　giving　him　her　hand　to　raise　him



〃Ah！〃　said　she；　with　a　sigh　more　of　joy　than　of　sadness；　〃now　I　see

that　God；　in　spite　of　my　faults；　has　not　yet　abandoned　me。　　But　how

is　it；　in　this　castle；　that　you；　a　Douglas。。。。　oh！　it　is　incredible！〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　George；　〃seven　years　have　passed　since　I　saw　you　in

France　for　the　first　time；　and　for　seven　years　I　have　loved　you〃。

Mary　moved；　but　Douglas　put　forth　his　hand　and　shook　his　head　with　an

air　of　such　profound　sadness；　that　she　understood　that　she　might　hear

what　the　young　man　had　to　say。　　He　continued：　〃Reassure　yourself；

madam；　I　should　never　have　made　this　confession　if；　while　explaining

my　conduct　to　you；　this　confession　would　not　have　given　you　greater

confidence　in　me。　　Yes；　for　seven　years　I　have　loved　you；　but　as　one

loves　a　star　that　one　can　never　reach；　a　madonna　to　whom　one　can　only

pray；　for　seven　years　I　have　followed　you　everywhere　without　you　ever

having　paid　attention　to　me；　without　my　saying　a　word　or　making　a

gesture　to　attract　your　notice。　　I　was　on　the　knight　of　Mevillon's

galley　when　you　crossed　to　Scotland；　I　was　among　the　regent's

soldiers　when　you　beat　Huntly；　I　was　in　the　escort　which　accompanied

you　when　you　went　to　see　the　sick　king　at　Glasgow；　I　reached

Edinburgh　an　hour　after　you　had　left　it　for　Lochleven；　and　then　it

seemed　to　me　that　my　mission　was　revealed　to　me　for　the　first　time；

and　that　this　love　for　which　till　then；　I　had　reproached　myself　as　a

crime；　was　on　the　contrary　a　favour　from　God。　　I　learned　that　the

lords　were　assembled　at　Dumbarton：　I　flew　thither。　　I　pledged　my

name；　I　pledged　my　honour；　I　pledged　my　life；　and　I　obtained　from

them；　thanks　to　the　facility　I　had　for　coming　into　this　fortress；　the

happiness　of　bringing　you　the　paper　they　have　just　signed。　　Now；

madam；　forget　all　I　have　told　you；　except　the　assurance　of　my

devotion　and　respect：　forget　that　I　am　near　you；　I　am　used　to　not

being　seen：　only；　if　you　have　need　of　my　life；　make　a　sign；　for　seven

years　my　life　has　been　yours。〃



〃Alas！〃　replied　Mary；　〃I　was　complaining　this　morning　of　no　longer

being　loved；　and　I　ought　to　complain；　on　the　contrary；　that　I　am

still　loved；　for　the　love　that　I　inspire　is　fatal　and　mortal。　　Look

back；　Douglas；　and　count　the　tombs　that；　young　as　I　am；　I　have

already　left　on　my　pathFrancis　II；　Chatelard；　Rizzio；　Darnley。。。。

Oh　to　attach　one's　self　to　my　fortunes　more　than　love　is　needed　now

heroism　and　devotion　are　requisite　so　much　the　more　that；　as　you　have

said；　Douglas；　it　is　love　without　any　possible　reward。　　Do　you

understand？〃



〃Oh；　madam；　madam；〃　answered　Douglas；　〃is　it　not　reward　beyond　my

deserts　to　see　you　daily；　to　cherish　the　hope　that　liberty　will　be

restored　to　you　through　me；　and　to　have　at　least；　if　I　do　not　give　it

you；　the　certainty　of　dying　in　your　sight？〃



〃Poor　young　man！〃　murmured　Mary；　her　eyes　raised　to　heaven；　as　if　she

were　reading　there　beforehand　the　fate　awaiting　her　new　defender。



〃Happy　Douglas；　on　the　contrary；〃　cried　George；　seizing　the　queen's

hand　and　kissing　it　with　perhaps　still　more　respect　than　love；　〃happy

Douglas！　for　in　obtaining　a　sigh　from　your　Majesty　he　has　already

obtained　more　than　he　hoped。〃



〃And　upon　what　have　you　decided　with　my　friends？〃　said　the　queen；

raising　Douglas；　who　till　then　had　remained　on　his　knees　before　her。



〃Nothing　yet；〃　George　replied；　〃for　we　scarcely　had　time　to　see　one

another。　　Your　escape；　impossible　without　me；　is　difficult　even　with

me；　　and　your　Majesty　has　seen　that　I　was　obliged　publicly　to　fail　in

respect；　to　obtain　from　my　mother　the　confidence　which　gives　me　the

good　fortune　of　seeing　you　to…day：　if　this　confidenc