mary stuart-第24章

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〃Your　Majesty　is　not　mistaken；〃　replied　the　messenger：　〃it　really　was

Sir　Robert　Melville　and　Lord　Lindsay；　but　there　came　yesterday　with

Sir　William　Douglas　a　third　ambassador；　whose　name；　I　am　afraid；　will

be　still　more　odious　to　your　Majesty　than　either　of　the　two　I　have

just　pronounced。〃



〃You　deceive　yourself；　Mary；〃　the　queen　answered　：　〃neither　the　name

of　Melville　nor　that　of　Lindsay　is　odious　to　me。　　Melville's；　on　the

contrary；　is；　in　my　present　circumstances；　one　of　those　which　I　have

most　pleasure　in　hearing；　as　to　Lord　Lindsay's；　it　is　doubtless　not

agreeable　to　me；　but　it　is　none　the　less　an　honourable　name；　always

borne　by　men　rough　and　wild；　it　is　true；　but　incapable　of　treachery。

Tell　me；　then；　what　is　this　name；　Mary；　for　you　see　I　am　calm　and

prepared。〃



〃Alas！　madam；〃　returned　Mary；　〃calm　and　prepared　as　you　may　be；

collect　all　your　strength；　not　merely　to　hear　this　name　uttered；　but

also　to　receive　in　a　few　minutes　the　man　who　bears　it；　for　this　name

is　that　of　Lord　Ruthven。〃



Mary　Seyton　had　spoken　truly；　and　this　name　had　a　terrible　influence

upon　the　queen；　for　scarcely　had　it　escaped　the　young　girl's　lips

than　Mary　Stuart　uttered　a　cry；　and　turning　pale；　as　if　she　were

about　to　faint；　caught　hold　of　the　window…ledge。



Mary　Seyton；　frightened　at　the　effect　produced　by　this　fatal　name；

immediately　sprang　to　support　the　queen；　but　she；　stretching　one　hand

towards　her；　while　she　laid　the　other　on　her　heart



〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　she；　〃I　shall　be　better　in　a　moment。　　Yes；

Mary；　yes；　as　you　said；　it　is　a　fatal　name　and　mingled　with　one　of　my

most　bloody　memories。　　What　such　men　are　coming　to　ask　of　me　must　be

dreadful　indeed。　　But　no　matter；　I　shall　soon　be　ready　to　receive　my

brother's　ambassadors；　for　doubtless　they　are　sent　in　his　name。　　You；

darling；　prevent　their　entering；　for　I　must　have　some　minutes　to

myself：　you　know　me；　it　will　not　take　me　long。〃



With　these　words　the　queen　withdrew　with　a　firm　step　to　her

bedchamber。



Mary　Seyton　was　left　alone；　admiring　that　strength　of　character　which

made　of　Mary　Stuart；　in　all　other　respects　so　completely　woman…like；

a　man　in　the　hour　of　danger。　　She　immediately　went　to　the　door　to

close　it　with　the　wooden　bar　that　one　passed　between　two　iron　rings；

but　the　bar　had　been　taken　away；　so　that　there　was　no　means　of

fastening　the　door　from　within。　　In　a　moment　she　heard　someone　coming

up　the　stairs；　and　guessing　from　the　heavy；　echoing　step　that　this

must　be　Lord　Lindsay；　she　looked　round　her　once　again　to　see　if　she

could　find　something　to　replace　the　bar；　and　finding　nothing　within

reach；　she　passed　her　arm　through　the　rings；　resolved　to　let　it　be

broken　rather　than　allow　anyone　to　approach　her　mistress　before　it

suited　her。　　Indeed；　hardly　had　those　who　were　coming　up　reached　the

landing　than　someone　knocked　violently；　and　a　harsh　voice　cried：



〃Come；　come；　open　the　door；　open　directly。〃



〃And　by　what　right；〃　said　Mary　Seyton；　〃am　I　ordered　thus　insolently

to　open　the　Queen　of　Scotland's　door？〃



〃By　the　right　of　the　ambassador　of　the　regent　to　enter　everywhere　in

his　name。　　I　am　Lord　Lindsay；　and　I　am　come　to　speak　to　Lady　Mary

Stuart。〃



〃To　be　an　ambassador；〃　answered　Mary　Seyton；　〃is　not　to　be　exempted

from　having　oneself　announced　in　visiting　a　woman；　and　much　more　a

queen；　and　if　this　ambassador　is；　as　he　says；　Lord　Lindsay；　he　will

await　his　sovereign's　leisure；　as　every　Scottish　noble　would　do　in

his　place。〃



〃By　St。　Andrew！〃　cried　Lord　Lindsay；　〃open；　or　I　will　break　in　the

door。〃



〃Do　nothing　to　it；　my　lord；　I　entreat　you；〃　said　another　voice；　which

Mary　recognised　as　Meville's。　　〃Let　us　rather　wait　for　Lord　Ruthven；

who　is　not　yet　ready。〃



〃Upon　my　soul；〃　cried　Lindsay；　shaking　the　door；　〃I　shall　not　wait　a

second〃。　　Then；　seeing　that　it　resisted；　〃Why　did　you　tell　me；　then；

you　scamp；〃　Lindsay　went　on；　speaking　to　the　steward；　〃that　the　bar

had　been　removed？



〃It　is　true；〃　replied　he。



〃Then；〃　returned　Lindsay；　〃with　what　is　this　silly　wench　securing　the

door？。〃



〃With　my　arm；　my　lord；　which　I　have　passed　through　the　rings；　as　a

Douglas　did　for　King　James　I；　at　a　time　when　Douglases　had　dark　hair

instead　of　red；　and　were　faithful　instead　of　being　traitors。〃



〃Since　you　know　your　history　so　well；〃　replied　Lindsay；　in　a　rage；〃

you　should　remember　that　that　weak　barrier　did　not　hinder　Graham；

that　Catherine　Douglas's　arm　was　broken　like　a　willow　wand；　and　that

James　I　was　killed　like　a　dog。〃



〃But　you；　my　lord；〃　responded　the　courageous　young　girl；　〃ought　also

to　know　the　ballad　that　is　still　sung　in　our　time



'Now；　on　Robert　Gra'am；

The　king's　destroyer；　shame！

To　Robert　Graham　cling

Shame；　who　destroyed　our　king。'〃



〃Mary；〃　cried　the　queen；　who　had　overheard　this　altercation　from　her

bedroom；〃Mary；　I　command　you　to　open　the　door　directly：　do　you

hear？〃



Mary　obeyed；　and　Lord　Lindsay　entered；　followed　by　Melville；　who

walked　behind　him；　with　slow　steps　and　bent　head。　　Arrived　in　the

middle　of　the　second　room；　Lord　Lindsay　stopped；　and；　looking　round

him



〃Well；　where　is　she；　then？〃　he　asked；　〃and　has　she　not　already　kept

us　waiting　long　enough　outside；　without　making　us　wait　again　inside？

Or　does　she　imagine　that；　despite　these　walls　and　these　bars；　she　is

always　queen



〃Patience；　my　lord；〃　murmured　Sir　Robert：　〃you　see　that　Lord　Ruthven

has　not　come　yet；　and　since　we　can　do　nothing　without　him；　let　us

wait。〃



〃Let　wait　who　will；〃　replied　Lindsay；　inflamed　with　anger；　〃but　it

will　not　be　I；　and　wherever　she　may　be；　I　shall　go　and　seek　her。〃



With　these　words；　he　made　some　steps　towards　Mary　Stuart's　bedroom；

but　at　the　same　moment　the　queen　opened　the　door；　without　seeming

moved　either　at　the　visit　or　at　the　insolence　of　the　visitors；　and　so

lovely　and　so　full　of　majesty；　that　each；　even　Lindsay　himself；　was

silent　at　her　appearance；　and；　as　if　in　obedience　to　a　higher　power；

bowed　respectfully　before　her。



〃I　fear　I　have　kept　you　waiting；　my　lord；〃　said　the　queen；　without

replying　to　the　ambassador's　salutation　otherwise　than　by　a　slight

inclination　of　the　head；　〃but　a　woman　does　not　like　to　receive　even

enemies　without　having　spent　a　few　minutes　over　her　toilet。　　It　is

true　that　men　are　less　tenacious　of　ceremony；〃　added　she；　throwing　a

significant　glance　at　Lord　Lindsay's　rusty　armour　and　soiled　and

pierced　doublet。　　〃Good　day；　Melville；〃　she　continued；　without　paying

attention　to　some　words　of　excuse　stammered　by　Lindsay；　〃be　welcome

in　my　prison；　as　you　were　in　my　palace；　for　I　believe　you　as　devoted

to　the　one　as　to　the　other〃。



Then；　turning　to　Lindsay；　who　was　looking　interrogatively　at　the

door；　impatient　as　he　was　for　Ruthven　to　come



〃You　have　there；　my　lord；〃　said　she；　pointing　to　the　sword　he　carried

over　his　shoulder；　〃a　faithful　companion；　though　it　is　a　little

heavy：　did　you　expect；　in　coming　here；　to　find　enemies　against　whom

to　employ　it？　　In　the　contrary　case；　it　is　a　strange　ornament　for　a

lady's　presence。　　But　no　matter；　my　lord；　I；　am　too　much　of　a　Stuart

to　fear　the　sight　of　a　sword；　even　if　it　were　naked；　I　warn　you。〃



〃It　is　not　out　of　place　here；　madam；〃　replied　Lindsay；　bringing　it

forward　and　leaning　his　elbow　on　its　cross　hilt；　〃for　it　is　an　old

acquaintance　of　your　family。〃



〃Your　ancestors；　my　lord；　were　brave　and　loyal　enough　for　me　not　to

refuse　to　believe　what　you　tell　me。　　Besides；　such　a　good　blade　must

have　rendered　them　good　service。〃



〃Yes；　madam；　yes；　surely　it　has　done　so；　but　that　kind　of　service

that　kings　do　not　forgive。　　He　for　whom　it　was　made　was　Archibald

Bell…the…Cat；　and　he　girded　himself　with　it　the　day　when；　to　justify

his　name；　he　went　to　seize　in　the　very　tent　of　King　James　III；　your

grandfather；　his　un　worthy　favourites；　Cochran；　Hummel；　Leonard；　and

Torpichen；　whom　he　hanged　on　Louder　Bridge　with　the　halters　of　his