mary stuart-第26章
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that I no longer find my mind free enough nor my strength great
enough to support the burden of affairs of State: accordingly; and as
Divine favour has granted us a son whom we desire to see during our
lifetime bear the crown which he has acquired by right of birth; we
have resolved to abdicate; and we abdicate in his favour; by these
presents; freely and voluntarily; all our rights to the crown and to
the government of Scotland; desiring that he may immediately ascend
the throne; as if he were called to it by our natural death; and not
as the effect of our own will; and that our present abdication may
have a more complete and solemn effect; and that no one should put
forward the claim of ignorance; we give full powers to our trusty and
faithful cousins; the lords Lindsay of Byres and William Ruthven; to
appear in our name before the nobility; the clergy; and the burgesses
of Scotland; of whom they will convoke an assembly at Stirling; and
to there renounce; publicly and solemnly; on our part; all our claims
to the crown and to the government of Scotland。
〃Signed freely and as the testimony of one of our last royal wishes;
in our castle of Lochleven; the ___ June 1567〃。 (The date was left
blank。)
There was a moment's silence after this reading; then
〃Did you hear; madam?〃 asked Ruthven。
〃Yes;〃 replied Mary Stuart;〃 yes; I have heard rebellious words
that I have not understood; and I thought that my ears; that one has
tried to accustom for some time to a strange language; still deceived
me; and that I have thought for your honour; my lord William Ruthven;
and my lord Lindsay of Byres。〃
〃Madam;〃 answered Lindsay; out of patience at having kept silence so
long; 〃our honour has nothing to do with the opinion of a woman who
has so ill known how to watch over her own。〃
〃My lord!〃 said Melville; risking a word。
〃Let him speak; Robert;〃 returned the queen。 〃We have in our
conscience armour as well tempered as that with which Lord Lindsay is
so prudently covered; although; to the shame of justice; we no longer
have a sword。 Continue; my lord;〃 the queen went on; turning to Lord
Ruthven : 〃is this all that my subjects require of me? A date and a
signature? Ah! doubtless it is too little; and this second paper;
which you have kept in order to proceed by degrees; probably contains
some demand more difficult to grant than that of yielding to a child
scarcely a year old a crown which belongs to me by birthright; and to
abandon my sceptre to take a distaff。〃
〃This other paper;〃 replied Ruthven; without letting himself be
intimidated by the tone of bitter irony adopted by the queen; 〃is the
deed by which your Grace confirms the decision of the Secret Council
which has named your beloved brother; the Earl of Murray; regent of
the kingdom。〃
〃Indeed!〃 said Mary。 〃The Secret Council thinks it needs my
confirmation to an act of such slight importance? And my beloved
brother; to bear it without remorse; needs that it should be I who
add a fresh title to those of Earl of Mar and of Murray that I have
already bestowed upon him? But one cannot desire anything more
respectful and touching than all this; and I should be very wrong to
complain。 My lords;〃 continued the queen; rising and changing her
tone; 〃return to those who have sent you; and tell them that to such
demands Mary Stuart has no answer to give。〃
〃Take care; madam;〃 responded Ruthven; 〃for I have told you it is
only on these conditions that your pardon can be granted you。〃
〃And if I refuse this generous pardon;〃 asked Mary; 〃what will
happen?〃
〃I cannot pronounce beforehand; madam; but your Grace has enough
knowledge of the laws; and above all of the history of Scotland and
England; to know that murder and adultery are crimes for which more
than one queen has been punished with death。〃
〃And upon what proofs could such a charge be founded; my lord?
Pardon my persistence; which takes up your precious time; but I am
sufficiently interested in the matter to be permitted such a
question。〃
〃The proof; madam?〃 returned Ruthven。 〃There is but one; I know; but
that one is unexceptionable: it is the precipitate marriage of the
widow of the assassinated with the chief assassin; and the letters
which have been handed over to us by James Balfour; which prove that
the guilty persons had united their adulterous hearts before it was
permitted them to unite their bloody hands。〃
〃My lord;〃 cried the queen; 〃do you forget a certain repast given in
an Edinburgh tavern; by this same Bothwell; to those same noblemen
who treat him to…day as an adulterer and a murderer; do you forget
that at the end of that meal; and on the same table at which it had
been given; a paper was signed to invite that same woman; to whom to…
day you make the haste of her new wedding a crime; to leave off a
widow's mourning to reassume a marriage robe? for if you have
forgotten it; my lords; which would do no more honour to your
sobriety than to your memory; I undertake to show it to you; I who
have preserved it; and perhaps if we search well we shall find among
the signatures the names of Lindsay of Byres and William Ruthven。
O noble Lord Herries;〃 cried Mary; 〃loyal James Melville; you alone
were right then; when you threw yourselves at my feet; entreating me
not to conclude this marriage; which; I see it clearly to…day; was
only a trap set for an ignorant woman by perfidious advisers or
disloyal lords。〃
〃Madam;〃 cried Ruthven; in spite of his cold impassivity beginning to
lose command of himself; while Lindsay was giving still more noisy
and less equivocal signs of impatience; 〃madam; all these discussions
are beside our aim: I beg you to return to it; then; and inform us
if; your life and honour guaranteed; you consent to abdicate the
crown of Scotland。〃
〃And what safeguard should I have that the promises you here make me
will be kept?〃
〃Our word; madam;〃 proudly replied Ruthven。
〃Your word; my lord; is a very feeble pledge to offer; when one so
quickly forgets one's signature: have you not some trifle to add to
it; to make me a little easier than I should be with it alone?〃
〃Enough; Ruthven; enough;〃 cried Lindsay。 〃Do you not see that for
an hour this woman answers our proposals only by insults?〃
〃Yes; let us go;〃 said Ruthven; 〃and thank yourself only; madam; for
the day when the thread breaks which holds the sword suspended over
your head。〃
〃My lords;〃 cried Melville; 〃my lords; in Heaven's name; a little
patience; and forgive something to her who; accustomed to command; is
today forced to obey。〃
〃Very well;〃 said Lindsay; turning round; 〃stay with her; then; and
try to obtain by your smooth words what is refused to our frank and
loyal demand。 In a quarter of an hour we shall return: let the
answer be ready in a quarter of an hour!〃
With these words; the two noblemen went out; leaving Melville with
the queen; and one could count their footsteps; from the noise that
Lindsay's great sword made; in resounding on each step of the
staircase。
Scarcely were they alone than Melville threw himself at the queen's
feet。
〃Madam;〃 said he;〃 you remarked just now that Lord Herries and my
brother had given your Majesty advice that you repented not having
followed; well; madam; reflect on that I in my turn give you; for it
is more important than the other; for you will regret with still more
bitterness not having listened to it。 Ah! you do not know what may
happen; you are ignorant of what your brother is capable。〃
〃It seems to me; however;〃 returned the queen; 〃that he has just
instructed me on that head: what more will he do than he has done
already? A public trial! Oh! it is all I ask: let me only plead my
cause; and we shall see what judges will dare to condemn me。〃
〃But that is what they will take good care not to do; madam; for they
would be