mary stuart-第32章

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both　acquired　such　practice　that　they　became　as　familiar　to　them　as

those　of　their　own　sex。



At　last；　the　2nd　May；　1568；　the　queen　was　awakened　by　the　blowing　of

a　horn：　uneasy　as　to　what　it　announced；　she　slipped　on　a　cloak　and

ran　to　the　window；　where　Mary　Seyton　joined　her　directly。　　A　rather

numerous　band　of　horsemen　had　halted　on　the　side　of　the　lake；

displaying　the　Douglas　pennon；　and　three　boats　were　rowing　together

and　vying　with　each　other　to　fetch　the　new　arrivals。



This　event　caused　the　queen　dismay：　in　her　situation　the　least　change

in　the　castle　routine　was　to　be　feared；　for　it　might　upset　all　the

concerted　plans。　　This　apprehension　redoubled　when；　on　the　boats

drawing　near；　the　queen　recognised　in　the　elder　Lord　Douglas；　the

husband　of　Lady　Lochleven；　and　the　father　of　William　and　George。　　The

venerable　knight；　who　was　Keeper　of　the　Marches　in　the　north；　was

coming　to　visit　his　ancient　manor；　in　which　he　had　not　set　foot　for

three　years。



It　was　an　event　for　Lochleven；　and；　some　minutes　after　the　arrival　of

the　boats；　Mary　Stuart　heard　the　old　steward's　footsteps　mounting　the

stairs：　he　came　to　announce　his　master's　arrival　to　the　queen；　and；

as　it　must　needs　be　a　time　of　rejoicing　to　all　the　castle　inhabitants

when　its　master　returned；　he　came　to　invite　the　queen　to　the　dinner

in　celebration　of　the　event：　whether　instinctively　or　from　distaste；

the　queen　declined。



All　day　long　the　bell　and　the　bugle　resounded：　Lord　Douglas；　like　a

true　feudal　lord；　travelled　with　the　retinue　of　a　prince。　　One　saw

nothing　but　new　soldiers　and　servants　passing　and　repassing　beneath

the　queen's　windows：　the　footmen　and　horsemen　were　wearing；　moreover；

a　livery　similar　to　that　which　the　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　had

received。



Mary　awaited　the　night　with　impatience。　　The　day　before；　she　had

questioned　her　light；　and　it　had　informed　her　as　usual；　in

reappearing　at　her　eleventh　or　twelfth　heart…beat；　that　the　moment　of

escape　was　near；　but　she　greatly　feared　that　Lord　Douglas's　arrival

might　have　upset　everything；　and　that　this　evening's　signal　could

only　announce　a　postponement。　　But　hardly　had　she　seen　the　light

shine　than　she　placed　her　lamp　in　the　window；　the　other　disappeared

directly；　and　Mary　Stuart；　with　terrible　anxiety；　began　to　question

it。　　This　anxiety　increased　when　she　had　counted　more　than　fifteen

beats。　　Then　she　stopped；　cast　down；　her　eyes　mechanically　fixed　on

the　spot　where　the　light　had　been。　　But　her　astonishment　was　great

when；　at　the　end　of　a　few　minutes；　she　did　not　see　it　reappear；　and

when；　half　an　hour　having　elapsed；　everything　remained　in　darkness。

The　queen　then　renewed　her　signal；　but　obtained　no　response：　the

escape　was　for　the　same　evening。



The　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　were　so　little　expecting　this　issue；　that；

contrary　to　their　custom；　they　had　not　put　on　their　men's　clothes

that　evening。　　They　immediately　flew　to　the　queen's　bed…chamber；

bolted　the　door　behind　them；　and　began　to　dress。



They　had　hardly　finished　their　hurried　toilette　when　they　heard　a　key

turn　in　the　lock：　they　immediately　blew　out　the　lamp。　　Light　steps

approached　the　door。　　The　two　women　leaned　one　against　the　other；　for

they　both　were　near　falling。　　Someone　tapped　gently。　　The　queen　asked

who　was　there；　and　Little　Douglas's　voice　answered　in　the　two　first

lines　of　an　old　ballad



〃Douglas；　Douglas；

Tender　and　true。〃



Mary　opened；　directly：　it　was　the　watchword　agreed　upon　with　George

Douglas。



The　child　was　without　a　light。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand　and

encountered　the　queen's：　in　the　starlight；　Mary　Stuart　saw　him　kneel

down；　then　she　felt　the　imprint　of　his　lips　on　her　fingers。



〃Is　your　Majesty　ready　to　follow　me？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　tone；　rising。



〃Yes；　my　child；〃　the　queen　answered：　〃it　is　for　this　evening；　then？〃



〃With　your　Majesty's　permission；　yes；　it　is　for　this　evening。〃



〃Is　everything　ready？〃



〃Everything。〃



〃What　are　we　to　do？〃



〃Follow　me　everywhere。〃



〃My　God！　my　God！〃　cried　Mary　Stuart；　〃have　pity　on　us！〃　Then；　having

breathed　a　short　prayer　in　a　low　voice；　while　Mary　Seyton　was　taking

the　casket　in　which　were　the　queen's　jewels；　〃I　am　ready；〃　said　she：

〃and　you；　darling？〃



〃I　also；〃　replied　Mary　Seyton。



〃Come；　then；〃　said　Little　Douglas。



The　two　prisoners　followed　the　child；　the　queen　going　first；　and　Mary

Seyton　after。　　Their　youthful　guide　carefully　shut　again　the　door

behind　him；　so　that　if　a　warder　happened　to　pass　he　would　see

nothing；　then　he　began　to　descend　the　winding　stair。　　Half…way　down；

the　noise　of　the　feast　reached　them；　a　mingling　of　shouts　of

laughter；　the　confusion　of　voices；　and　the　clinking　of　glasses。　　The

queen　placed　her　hand　on　her　young　guide's　shoulder。



〃Where　are　you　leading　us？〃　she　asked　him　with　terror。



〃Out　of　the　castle；〃　replied　the　child。



〃But　we　shall　have　to　pass　through　the　great　hall？〃



〃Without　a　doubt；　and　that　is　exactly　what　George　foresaw。　　Among　the

footmen；　whose　livery　your　Majesty　is　wearing；　no　one　will　recognise

you。〃



〃My　God！　my　God！〃　the　queen　murmured；　leaning　against　the　wall。



〃Courage；　madam；〃　said　Mary　Seyton　in　a　low　voice；　〃or　we　are　lost。〃



〃You　are　right；〃　returned　the　queen；　〃let　us　go〃。　　And　they　started

again　still　led　by　their　guide。



At　the　foot　of　the　stair　he　stopped；　and　giving　the　queen　a　stone

pitcher　full　of　wine



〃Set　this　jug　on　your　right　shoulder；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃it　will　hide

your　face　from　the　guests；　and　your　Majesty　will　give　rise　to　less

suspicion　if　carrying　something。　　You；　Miss　Mary；　give　me　that

casket；　and　put　on　your　head　this　basket　of　bread。　　Now；　that's

right：　do　you　feel　you　have　strength？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　queen。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mary　Seyton。



〃Then　follow　me。〃



The　child　went　on　his　way；　and　after　a　few　steps　the　fugitives　found

themselves　in　a　kind　of　antechamber　to　the　great　hall；　from　which

proceeded　noise　and　light。　　Several　servants　were　occupied　there　with

different　duties；　not　one　paid　attention　to　them；　and　that　a　little

reassured　the　queen。　　Besides；　there　was　no　longer　any　drawing　back：

Little　Douglas　had　just　entered　the　great　hall。



The　guests；　seated　on　both　sides　of　a　long　table　ranged　according　to

the　rank　of　those　assembled　at　it；　were　beginning　dessert；　and

consequently　had　reached　the　gayest　moment　of　the　repast。　　Moreover；

the　hall　was　so　large　that　the　lamps　and　candles　which　lighted　it；

multiplied　as　they　were；　left　in　the　most　favourable　half…light　both

sides　of　the　apartment；　in　which　fifteen　or　twenty　servants　were

coming　and　going。　　The　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　mingled　with　this　crowd；

which　was　too　much　occupied　to　notice　them；　and　without　stopping；

without　slackening；　without　looking　back；　they　crossed　the　whole

length　of　the　hall；　reached　the　other　door；　and　found　themselves　in

the　vestibule　corresponding　to　the　one　they　had　passed　through　on

coming　in。　　The　queen　set　down　her　jug　there；　Mary　Seyton　her　basket；

and　both；　still　led　by　the　child；　entered　a　corridor　at　the　end　of

which　they　found　themselves　in　the　courtyard。　　A　patrol　was　passing

at　the　moment；　but　he　took　no　notice　of　them。



The　child　made　his　way　towards　the　garden；　still　followed　by　the　two

women。　　There；　for　no　little　while；　it　was　necessary　to　try　which　of

all　the　keys　opened　the　door；　itwas　a　time　of　inexpressible

anxiety。　　At　last　the　key　turned　in　the　lock；　the　door　opened；　the

queen　and　Mary　Seyton　rushed　into　the　garden。　　The　child　closed　the

door　behind　them。



About　two…thirds　of　the　way　across；　Little　Douglas　held　out　his　hand

as　a　sign　to　them　to　stop；　then；　putting　down　the　casket　and　the　keys

on　the　ground；　he　placed　his　hands　together；　and　blowing　into　them；

thrice　imitated　the　owl's　cry　so　well　that　it　was　impossible　to

believe　that　a　human　voice　was　uttering　the　sounds；　then；　picking　up

the　casket　and　the　keys；　he　kept　on　h