mary stuart-第33章

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

the　casket　and　the　keys；　he　kept　on　his　way　on　tiptoe　and　with　an

attentive　ear。　　On　getting　near　the　wall；　they　again　stopped；　and

after　a　moment's　anxious　waiting　they　heard　a　groan；　then　something

like　the　sound　of　a　falling　body。　　Some　seconds　later　the　owl's　cry

wasanswered　by　a　tu…whit…tu…whoo。



〃It　is　over；〃　Little　Douglas　said　calmly；　〃come。〃



〃What　is　over？〃　asked　the　queen；　〃and　what　is　that　groan　we　heard？〃



〃There　was　a　sentry　at　the　door　on　to　the　lake；〃　the　child　answered；

〃but　he　is　no　longer　there。〃



The　queen　felt　her　heart's　blood　grow　cold；　at　the　same　tine　that　a

chilly　sweat　broke　out　to　the　roots　of　her　hair；　for　she　perfectly

understood：　an　unfortunate　being　had　just　lost　his　life　on　her

account。　　Tottering；　she　leaned　on　Mary　Seyton；　who　herself　felt　her

strength　giving　way。　　Meanwhile　Little　Douglas　was　trying　the　keys：

the　second　opened　the　door。



〃And　the　queen？〃　said　in　a　low　voice　a　man　who　was　waiting　on　the

other　side　of　the　wall。



〃She　is　following　me；〃　replied　the　child。



George　Douglas；　for　it　was　he；　sprang　into　the　garden；　and；　taking

the　queen's　arm　on　one　side　and　Mary　Seyton's　on　the　other；　he

hurried　them　away　quickly　to　the　lake…side。　　When　passing　through　the

doorway　Mary　Stuart　could　not　help　throwing　an　uneasy　look　about　her；

and　it　seemed　to　her　that　a　shapeless　object　was　lying　at　the　bottom

of　the　wall；　and　as　she　was　shuddering　all　over



〃Do　not　pity　him；〃　said　George　in　a　low　voice；　〃for　it　is　a　judgment

from　heaven。　　That　man　was　the　infamous　Warden　who　betrayed　us。〃



〃Alas！〃　said　the　queen；　〃guilty　as　he　was；　he　is　none　the　less　dead

on　my　account。〃



〃When　it　concerned　your　safety；　madam；　was　one　to　haggle　over　drops

of　that　base　blood？　　But　silence！　　This　way；　William；　this　way；　let

us　keep　along　the　wall；　whose　shadow　hides　us。　　The　boat　is　within

twenty　steps；　and　we　are　saved。〃



With　these　words；　George　hurried　on　the　two　women　still　more　quickly；

and　all　four；　without　having　been　detected；　reached　the　banks　of　the

lake。　　'As　Douglas　had　said；　a　little　boat　was　waiting；　and；　on

seeing　the　fugitives　approach；　four　rowers；　couched　along　its　bottom；

rose；　and　one　of　them；　springing　to　land；　pulled　the　chain；　so　that

the　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　could　get　in。　　Douglas　seated　them　at　the

prow；　the　child　placed　himself　at　the　rudder；　and　George；　with　a

kick；　pushed　off　the　boat；　which　began　to　glide　over　the　lake。



〃And　now；〃　said　he；　〃we　are　really　saved；　for　they　might　as　well

pursue　a　sea　swallow　on　Solway　Firth　as　try　to　reach　us。　　Row；

children；　row；　never　mind　if　they　hear　us：　the　main　thing　is　to　get

into　the　open。〃



〃Who　goes　there？〃　cried　a　voice　above；　from　the　castle　terrace。



〃Row；　row；〃　said　Douglas；　placing　himself　in　front　of　the　queen。



〃The　boat！　the　boat！〃　cried　the　same　voice；　〃bring　to　the　boat！〃

Then；　seeing　that　it　continued　to　recede；　〃Treason！　treason！〃　cried

the　sentinel。　　〃To　arms！〃



At　the　same　moment　a　flash　lit　up　the　lake；　the　report　of　a　firearm

was　heard；　and　a　ball　passed；　whistling。　　The　queen　uttered　a　little

cry；　although　she　had　run　no　danger；　George；　as　we　have　said；　having

placed　himself　in　front　of　her；　quite　protecting　her　with　his　body。



The　alarm　bell　now　rang；　and　all　the　castle　lights　were　seen　moving

and　glancing　about；　as　if　distracted；　in　the　rooms。



〃Courage；　children！〃　said　Douglas。　　〃Row　as　if　your　lives　depended　on

each　stroke　of　the　oar；　for　ere　five　minutes　the　skiff　will　be　out

after　us。〃



〃That　won't　be　so　easy　for　them　as　you　think；　George；〃　said　Little

Douglas；　〃for　I　shut　all　the　doors　behind　me；　and　some　time　will

elapse　before　the　keys　that　I　have　left　there　open　them。　　As　to

these；〃　added　he；　showing　those　he　had　so　skilfully　abstracted；　〃I

resign　them　to　the　Kelpie；　the　genie　of　the　lake；　and　I　nominate　him

porter　of　Lochleven　Castle。〃



The　discharge　of　a　small　piece　of　artillery　answered　William's　joke；

but　as　the　night　was　too　dark　for　one　to　aim　to　such　a　distance　as

that　already　between　the　castle　and　the　boat；　the　ball　ricochetted　at

twenty　paces　from　the　fugitives；　while　the　report　died　away　in　echo

after　echo。　　Then　Douglas　drew　his　pistol　from　his　belt；　and；　warning

the　ladies　to　have　no　fear；　he　fired　in　the　air；　not　to　answer　by

idle　bravado　the　castle　cannonade；　but　to　give　notice　to　a　troop　of

faithful　friends；　who　were　waiting　for　them　on　the　other　shore　of　the

lake；　that　the　queen　had　escaped。　　Immediately；　in　spite　of　the

danger　of　being　so　near　Kinross；　cries　of　joy　resounded　on　the　bank；

and　William　having　turned　the　rudder；　the　boat　made　for　land　at　the

spot　whence　they　had　been　heard。　　Douglas　then　gave　his　hand　to　the

queen；　who　sprang　lightly　ashore；　and　who；　falling　on　her　knees；

immediately　began　to　give　thanks　to　God　for　her　happy　deliverance。



On　rising；　the　queen　found　herself　surrounded　by　her　most　faithful

servantsHamilton；　Herries；　and　Seyton；　Mary's　father。　　Light…headed

with　joy；　the　queen　extended　her　hands　to　them；　thanking　them　with

broken　words；　which　expressed　her　intoxication　and　her　gratitude

better　than　the　choicest　phrases　could　have　done；　when　suddenly；

turning　round；　she　perceived　George　Douglas；　alone　and　melancholy。

Then；　going　to　him　and　taking　him　by　the　hand



〃My　lords；〃　said　she；　presenting　George　to　them；　and　pointing　to

William；　〃behold　my　two　deliverers：　behold　those　to　whom；　as　long　as

I　live；　I　shall　preserve　gratitude　of　which　nothing　will　ever　acquit

me。〃



〃Madam；〃　said　Douglas；　〃each　of　us　has　only　done　what　he　ought；　and

he　who　has　risked　most　is　the　happiest。　　But　if　your　Majesty　will

believe　me；　you　will　not　lose　a　moment　in　needless　words。〃



〃Douglas　is　right；〃　said　Lord　Seyton。　　〃To　horse！　to　horse！〃



Immediately；　and　while　four　couriers　set　out　in　four　different

directions　to　announce　to　the　queen's　friends　her　happy　escape；　they

brought　her　a　horse　saddled　for　her；　which　she　mounted　with　her　usual

skill；　then　the　little　troop；　which；　composed　of　about　twenty

persons；　was　escorting　the　future　destiny　of　Scotland；　keeping　away

from　the　village　of　Kinross；　to　which　the　castle　firing　had　doubtless

given　the　alarm；　took　at　a　gallop　the　road　to　Seyton's　castle；　where

was　already　a　garrison　large　enough　to　defend　the　queen　from　a　sudden

attack。



The　queen　journeyed　all　night；　accompanied　on　one　side　by　Douglas；　on

the　other　by　Lord　Seyton；　then；　at　daybreak；　they　stopped　at　the　gate

of　the　castle　of　West　Niddrie；　belonging　to　Lord　Seyton；　as　we　have

said；　and　situated　in　West　Lothian。　　Douglas　sprang　from　his　horse　to

offer　his　hand　to　Mary　Stuart；　but　Lord　Seyton　claimed　his　privilege

as　master　of　the　house。　　The　queen　consoled　Douglas　with　a　glance；

and　entered　the　fortress。



〃Madam；〃　said　Lord　Seyton；　leading　her　into　a　room　prepared　for　her

for　nine　months；　〃your　Majesty　must　have　need　of　repose；　after　the

fatigue　and　the　emotions　you　have　gone　through　since　yesterday

morning；　you　may　sleep　here　in　peace；　and　disquiet　yourself　for

nothing：　any　noise　you　may　hear　will　be　made　by　a　reinforcement　of

friends　which　we　are　expecting。　　As　to　our　enemies；　your　Majesty　has

nothing　to　fear　from　them　so　long　as　you　inhabit　the　castle　of　a

Seyton。〃



The　queen　again　thanked　all　her　deliverers；　gave　her　hand　to　Douglas

to　kiss　one　last　time；　kissed　Little　William　on　the　forehead；　and

named　him　her　favourite　page　for　the　future；　then；　profiting　by　the

advice　given　her；　entered　her　room　where　Mary　Seyton；　to　the

exclusion　of　every　other　woman；　claimed　the　privilege　of　performing

about　her　the　duties　with　which　she　had　been　charged　during　their

eleven　months'　captivity　in　Lochleven　Castle。



On　opening　her　eyes；　Mary　Stuart　thought　she　had　had　one　of　those

dreams　so　gainful　to　prisoners；　when　waking　they　see　again　the　bolts

on　their　doors　and　the　bars　on　the