mary stuart-第25章

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

soldiers'　horses。　　It　was　also　with　this　sword　that　he　slew　at　one

blow；　in　the　lists；　Spens　of　Kilspindie；　who　had　insulted　him　in　the

presence　of　King　James　IV；　counting　on　the　protection　his　master

accorded　him；　and　which　did　not　guard　him　against　it　any　more　than

his　shield；　which　it　split　in　two。　　At　his　master's　death；　which　took

place　two　years　after　the　defeat　of　Flodden；　on　whose　battlefield　he

left　his　two　sons　and　two　hundred　warriors　of　the　name　of　Douglas；　it

passed　into　the　hands　of　the　Earl　of　Angus；　who　drew　it　from　the

scabbard　when　he　drove　the　Hamiltons　out　of　Edinburgh；　and　that　so

quickly　and　completely　that　the　affair　was　called　the　'sweeping　of

the　streets。'　　Finally；　your　father　James　V　saw　it　glisten　in　the

fight　of　the　bridge　over　the　Tweed；　when　Buccleuch；　stirred　up　by

him；　wanted　to　snatch　him　from　the　guardianship　of　the　Douglases；　and

when　eighty　warriors　of　the　name　of　Scott　remained　on　the

battlefield。〃



〃But；〃　said　the　queen；　〃how　is　it　that　this　weapon；　after　such

exploits；　has　not　remained　as　a　trophy　in　the　Douglas　family？　　No

doubt　the　Earl　of　Angus　required　a　great　occasion　to　decide　him　to…

renounce　in　your　favour　this　modern　Excalibur〃。　＇History　of　Scotland；

by　Sir　Walter　Scott。〃The　Abbott〃：　historical　part。＇



〃Yes；　no　doubt；　madam；　it　was　upon　a　great　occasion；〃　replied

Lindsay；　in　spite　of　the　imploring　signs　made　by　Melville；　〃and　this

will　have　at　least　the　advantage　of　the　others；　in　being　sufficiently

recent　for　you　to　remember。　　It　was　ten　days　ago；　on　the　battlefield

of　Carberry　Hill；　madam；　when　the　infamous　Bothwell　had　the　audacity

to　make　a　public　challenge　in　which　he　defied　to　single　combat

whomsoever　would　dare　to　maintain　that　he　was　not　innocent　of　the

murder　of　the　king　your　husband。　　I　made　him　answer　then；　I　the

third；　that　he　was　an　assassin。　　And　as　he　refused　to　fight　with　the

two　others　under　the　pretext　that　they　were　only　barons；　I　presented

myself　in　my　turn；　I　who　am　earl　and　lord。　　It　was　on　that　occasion

that　the　noble　Earl　of　Morton　gave　me　this　good　sword　to　fight　him　to

the　death。　　So　that；　if　he　had　been　a　little　more　presumptuous　or　a

little　less　cowardly；　dogs　and　vultures　would　be　eating　at　this

moment　the　pieces　that；　with　the　help　of　this　good　sword；　I　should

have　carved　for　them　from　that　traitor's　carcass。〃



At　these　words；　Mary　Seyton　and　Robert　Melville　looked　at　each　other

in　terror；　for　the　events　that　they　recalled　were　so　recent　that　they

were；　so　to　speak；　still　living　in　the　queen's　heart；　but　the　queen；

with　incredible　impassibility　and　a　smile　of　contempt　on　her　lips





〃It　is　easy；　my　lord；〃　said　she；　〃to　vanquish　an　enemy　who　does　not

appear　in　the　lists；　however；　believe　me；　if　Mary　had　inherited　the

Stuarts'　sword　as　she　has　inherited　their　sceptre；　your　sword；　long

as　it　is；　would　yet　have　seemed　to　you　too　short。　　But　as　you　have

only　to　relate　to　us　now；　my　lord；　what　you　intended　doing；　and　not

what　you　have　done；　think　it　fit　that　I　bring　you　back　to　something

of　more　reality；　for　I　do　not　suppose　you　have　given　yourself　the

trouble　to　come　here　purely　and　simply　to　add　a　chapter　to　the　little

treatise　Des　Rodomontades　Espagnolles　by　M。　de　Brantome。〃



〃You　are　right；　madam；〃　replied　Lindsay；　reddening　with　anger；　〃and

you　would　already　know　the　object　of　our　mission　if　Lord　Ruthven　did

not　so　ridiculously　keep　us　waiting。　　But；〃　added　he；　〃have　patience；

the　matter　will　not　be　long　now；　for　here　he　is。〃



Indeed；　at　that　moment　they　heard　steps　mounting　the　staircase　and

approaching　the　room；　and　at　the　sound　of　these　steps；　the　queen；　who

had　borne　with　such　firmness　Lindsay's　insults；　grew　so　perceptibly

paler；　that　Melville；　who　did　not　take　his　eyes　off　her；put　out　his

hand　towards　the　arm…chair　as　if　to　push　it　towards　her；　but　the

queen　made　a　sign　that　she　had　no　need　of　it；　and　gazed　at　the　door

with　apparent　calm。　　Lord　Ruthven　appeared；　it　was　the　first　time

that　she　had　seen　the　son　since　Rizzio　had　been　assassinated　by　the

father。



Lord　Ruthven　was　both　a　warrior　and　a　statesman；　and　at　this　moment

his　dress　savoured　of　the　two　professions：　it　consisted　of　a　close

coat　of　embroidered　buff　leather；　elegant　enough　to　be　worn　as　a

court　undress；　and　on　which；　if　need　were；　one　could　buckle　a

cuirass；　for　battle：　like　his　father；　he　was　pale；　like　his　father；

he　was　to　die　young；　and；　even　more　than　his　father；　his　countenance

wore　that　ill…omened　melancholy　by　which　fortune…tellers　recognise

those　who　are　to　die　a　violent　death。



Lord　Ruthven　united　in　himself　the　polished　dignity　of　a　courtier　and

the　inflexible　character　of　a　minister；　but　quite　resolved　as　he　was

to　obtain　from　Mary　Stuart；　even　if　it　were　by　violence；　what　he　had

come　to　demand　in　the　regent's　name；　he　none　the　less　made　her；　on

entering；　a　cold　but　respectful　greeting；　to　which　the　queen

responded　with　a　courtesy；　then　the　steward　drew　up　to　the　empty　arm…

chair　a　heavy　table　on　which　had　been　prepared　everything　necessary

for　writing；　and　at　a　sign　from　the　two　lords　he　went　out；　leaving

the　queen　and　her　companion　alone　with　the　three　ambassadors。　　Then

the　queen；　seeing　that　this　table　and　this　arm…chair　were　put　ready

for　her；　sat　down；　and　after　a　moment；　herself　breaking　this　silence

more　gloomy　than　any　word　could　have　been



〃My　lords；〃　said　she；　〃you　see　that　I　wait：　can　it　be　that　this

message　which　you　have　to　communicate　to　me　is　so　terrible　that　two

soldiers　as　renowned　as　Lord　Lindsay　and　Lord　Ruthven　hesitate　at　the

moment　of　transmitting　it？〃



〃Madam；〃　answered　Ruthven；　〃I　am　not　of　a　family；　as　you　know；　which

ever　hesitates　to　perform　a　duty；　painful　as　it　may　be；　besides；　we

hope　that　your　captivity　has　prepared　you　to　hear　what　we　have　to

tell　you　on　the　part　of　the　Secret　Council。〃



〃The　Secret　Council！〃　said　the　queen。　　〃Instituted　by　me；　by　what

right　does　it　act　without　me？　　No　matter；　I　am　waiting　for　this

message：　I　suppose　it　is　a　petition　to　implore　my　mercy　for　the　men

who　have　dared　to　reach　to　a　power　that　I　hold　only　from　God。〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　Ruthven；　who　appeared　to　have　undertaken　the　painful

role　of　spokesman；　while　Lindsay；　mute　and　impatient；　fidgeted　with

the　hilt　of　his　long　sword；　〃it　is　distressing　to　me　to　have　to

undeceive　you　on　this　point：　it　is　not　your　mercy　that　I　come　to　ask；

it　is；　on　the　contrary；　the　pardon　of　the　Secret　Council　that　I　come

to　offer　you。〃



〃To　me；　my　lord；　to　me！〃　cried　Mary：　〃subjects　offer　pardon　to　their

queen！　Oh！　it　is　such　a　new　and　wonderful　thing；　that　my　amazement

outweighs　my　indignation；　and　that　I　beg　you　to　continue；　instead　of

stopping　you　there；　as　perhaps　I　ought　to　do。〃



〃And　I　obey　you　so　much　the　more　willingly；　madam；〃　went　on　Ruthven

imperturbably；　〃that　this　pardon　is　only　granted　on　certain

conditions；　stated　in　these　documents；　destined　to　re…establish　the

tranquillity　of　the　State；　so　cruelly　compromised　by　the　errors　that

they　are　going　to　repair。〃



〃And　shall　I　be　permitted；　my　lord；　to　read　these　documents；　or　must

I；　allured　by　my　confidence　in　those　who　present　them　to　me；　sign

them　with　my　eyes　shut？〃



〃No；　madam；〃　Ruthven　returned；　〃the　Secret　Council　desire；　on　the

contrary；　that　you　acquaint　yourself　with　them；　for　you　must　sign

them　freely。〃



〃Read　me　these　documents；　my　lord；　for　such　a　reading　is；　I　think；

included　in　the　strange　duties　you　have　accepted。〃



Lord　Ruthven　took　one　of　the　two　papers　that　he　had　in　his　hand；　and

read　with　the　impassiveness　of　his　usual　voice　the　following：



〃Summoned　from　my　tenderest　youth　to　the　government　of　the　kingdom

and　to　the　crown　of　Scotland；　I　have　carefully　attended　to　the

administration；　but　I　have　experienced　so　much　fatigue　and　trouble

that　I　no　longer　find　my　mind　free　enough　nor　my　strength　great

enough　to　support