mary stuart-第28章

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embarking　with　a　pack　of　hounds　and　some　huntsmen。　　In　fact；　making　a

truce；　for　a　day；　with　his　gaoler's　duties；　to　enjoy　a　pleasure　more

in　harmony　with　his　rank　and　birth；　he　was　going　to　hunt　in　the　woods

which　cover　the　last　ridge　of　Ben　Lomond；　and　which；　ever　sinking；

die　down　on　the　banks　of　the　lake。



The　queen　trembled　with　delight；　for　she　hoped　that　Lady　Lochleven

would　maintain　her　ill…will；　and　that　then　George　would　replace　his

brother：　this　hope　was　not　disappointed。　　At　the　usual　time　the　queen

heard　the　footsteps　of　those　who　were　bringing　her　her　breakfast；　the

door　opened；　and　she　saw　George　Douglas　enter；　preceded　by　the

servants　who　were　carrying　the　dishes。　　George　barely　bowed；　but　the

queen；　warned　by　him　not　to　be　surprised　at　anything；　returned　him

his　greeting　with　a　disdainful　air；　then　the　servants　performed　their

task　and　went　out；　as　they　were　accustomed。



〃At　last；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　are　back　again；　then。〃



George　motioned　with　his　finger；　went　to　the　door　to　listen　if　all

the　servants　had　really　gone　away；　and　if　no　one　had　remained　to　spy。

Then；　returning　more　at　ease；　and　bowing　respectfully



〃Yes；　madam；〃　returned　he；　〃and；　Heaven　be　thanked；　I　bring　good

news。〃



〃Oh；　tell　me　quickly！〃　cried　the　queen；　〃for　staying　in　this　castle

is　hell。　　You　knew　that　they　came；　did　you　not；　and　that　they　made　me

sign　an　abdication？〃



〃Yes；　madam；〃　replied　Douglas；　〃but　we　also　knew　that　your　signature

had　been　obtained　from　you　by　violence　alone；　and　our　devotion　to

your　Majesty　is　increased　thereby；　if　possible。〃



〃But；　after　all；　what　have　you　done？〃



〃The　Seytons　and　the　Hamiltons；　who　are；　as　your　Majesty　knows；　your

most　faithful　servants；〃Mary　turned　round；　smiling；　and　put　out　her

hand　to　Mary　Seyton；〃　have　already；〃　continued　George；　〃assembled

their　troops；　who　keep　themselves　in　readiness　for　the　first　signal；

but　as　they　alone　would　not　be　sufficiently　numerous　to　hold　the

country；　we　shall　make　our　way　directly　to　Dumbarton；　whose　governor

is　ours；　and　which　by　its　position　and　its　strength　can　hold　out　long

enough　against　all　the　regent's　troops　to　give　to　the　faithful　hearts

remaining　to　you　time　to　come　and　join　us。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　see　clearly　what　we　shall　do　once　we

get　out　of　this；　but　how　are　we　to　get　out？〃



〃That　is　the　occasion；　madam；〃　replied　Douglas；　〃for　which　your

Majesty　must　call　to　your　aid　that　courage　of　which　you　have　given

such　great　proofs。〃



〃If　I　have　need　only　of　courage　and　coolness；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃be

easy；　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　will　fail　me。〃



〃Here　is　a　file；〃　said　George；　giving　Mary　Seyton　that　instrument

which　he　judged　unworthy　to　touch　the　queen's　hands；　〃and　this

evening　I　shall　bring　your　Majesty　cords　to　construct　a　ladder。　　You

will　cut　through　one　of　the　bars　of　this　window；　it　is　only　at　a

height　of　twenty　feet；　I　shall　come　up　to　you；　as　much　to　try　it　as

to　support　you；　one　of　the　garrison　is　in　my　pay；　he　will　give　us

passage　by　the　door　it　is　his　duty　to　guard；　and　you　will　be　free。〃



〃And　when　will　that　be？〃　cried　the　queen。



〃We　must　wait　for　two　things；　madam；〃　replied　Douglas：　〃the　first；　to

collect　at　Kinross　an　escort　sufficient　for　your　Majesty's　safety；

the　second；　that　the　turn　for　night　watch　of　Thomas　Warden　should

happen　to　be　at　an　isolated　door　that　we　can　reach　without　being

seen。〃



〃And　how　will　you　know　that？　　Do　you　stay　at　the　castle；　then？〃



〃Alas！　no；　madam；〃　replied　George；　〃at　the　castle　I　am　a　useless　and

even　a　dangerous　fried　for　you；　while　once　beyond　the　lake　I　can

serve　you　in　an　effectual　manner。〃



〃And　how　will　you　know　when　Warden's　turn　to　mount　guard　has　come？〃



〃The　weathercock　in　the　north　tower；　instead　of　turning　in　the　wind

with　the　others；　will　remain　fixed　against　it。〃



〃But　I；　how　shall　I　be　warned？〃



〃Everything　is　already　provided　for　on　that　side：　the　light　which

shines　each　night　in　the　little　house　in　Kinross　incessantly　tells

you　that　your　friends　keep　watch　for　you；　but　when　you　would　like　to

know　if　the　hour　of　your　deliverance　approaches　or　recedes；　in　your

turn　place　a　light　in　this　window。　　The　other　will　immediately

disappear；　then；　placing　your　hand　on　your　breast；　count　your

heartbeats：　if　you　reach　the　number　twenty　without　the　light

reappearing；　nothing　is　yet　settled；　if　you　only　reach　ten；　the

moment　approaches；　if　the　light　does　not　leave　you　time　to　count

beyond　five；　your　escape　is　fixed　for　the　following　night；　if　it

reappears　no　more；　it　is　fixed　for　the　same　evening；　then　the　owl's

cry；　repeated　thrice　in　the　courtyard；　will　be　the　signal；　let　down

the　ladder　when　you　hear　it〃。



〃Oh；　Douglas；〃　cried　the　queen；　〃you　alone　could　foresee　and

calculate　everything　thus。　　Thank　you；　thank　you　a　hundred　times！〃

And　she　gave　him　her　hand　to　kiss。



A　vivid　red　flushed　the　young　man's　cheeks；　but　almost　directly

mastering　his　emotion；　he　kneeled　down；　and；　restraining　the

expression　of　that　love　of　which　he　had　once　spoken　to　the　queen；

while　promising　her　never　more　to　speak　of　it；　he　took　the　hand　that

Mary　extended；　and　kissed　it　with　such　respect　that　no　one　could　have

seen　in　this　action　anything　but　the　homage　of　devotion　and　fidelity。



Then；　having　bowed　to　the　queen；　he　went　out；　that　a　longer　stay　with

her　should　not　give　rise　to　any　suspicions。



At　the　dinner…hour　Douglas　brought；　as　he　had　said；　a　parcel　of　cord。

It　was　not　enough；　but　when　evening　came　Mary　Seyton　was　to　unroll　it

and　let　fall　the　end　from　the　window；　and　George　would　fasten　the

remainder　to　it：　the　thing　was　done　as　arranged；　and　without　any

mishap；　an　hour　after　the　hunters　had　returned。



The　following　day　George　left　the　castle。



The　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　lost　no　time　in　setting　about　the　rope

ladder；　and　it　was　finished　on　the　third　day。　　The　same　evening；　the

queen　in　her　impatience；　and　rather　to　assure　herself　of　her

partisans'　vigilance　than　in　the　hope　that　the　time　of　her

deliverance　was　so　near；　brought　her　lamp　to　the　window：　immediately；

and　as　George　Douglas　had　told　her；　the　light　in　the　little　house　at

Kinross　disappeared：　the　queen　then　laid　her　hand　on　her　heart　and

counted　up　to　twenty…two；　then　the　light　reappeared；　they　were　ready

for　everything；　but　nothing　was　yet　settled。　　For　a　week　the　queen

thus　questioned　the　light　and　her　heart…beats　without　their　number

changing；　at　last；　on　the　eighth　day；　she　counted　only　as　far　as　ten；

at　the　eleventh　the　light　reappeared。



The　queen　believed　herself　mistaken：　she　did　not　dare　to　hope　what

this　announced。　　She　withdrew　the　lamp；　then；　at　the　end　of　a　quarter

of　an　hour；　showed　it　again：　her　unknown　correspondent　understood。

with　his　usual　intelligence　that　a　fresh　trial　was　required　of　him；

and　the　light　in　the　little　house　disappeared　in　its　turn。　　Mary

again　questioned　the　pulsations　of　her　heart；　and；　fast　as　it　leaped；

before　the　twelfth　beat　the　propitious　star　was　shining　on　the

horizon：　there　was　no　longer　any　doubt；　everything　was　settled。



Mary　could　not　sleep　all　night：　this　persistency　of　her　partisans

inspired　her　with　gratitude　to　the　point　of　tears。　　The　day　came；　and

the　queen　several　times　questioned　her　companion　to　assure　herself

that　it　was　not　all　a　dream；　at　every　sound　it　seemed　to　her　that　the

scheme　on　which　her　liberty　hung　was　discovered；　and　when；　at

breakfast　and　at　dinner　time；　William　Douglas　entered　as　usual；　she

hardly　dared　look　at　him；　for　fear　of　reading　on　his　face　the

announcement　that　all　was　lost。



In　the　evening　the　queen　again　questioned　the　light：　it　made　the　same

answer；　nothing　had　altered；　the　beacon　was　always　one　of　hope。



For　four　days　it　thus　continued　to　indicate　that　the　moment　of　escape

was　at　hand；　on　the　evening　of　the　fifth；　before　the　queen　had

counted　five　beats；　the　light　reappeared：　the　queen　leaned　upon　M