mary stuart-第36章

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〃No；　not　there！　not　there！〃　said　the　queen　in　terror：　〃within　that

castle　I　came　to　spend　the　first　days　of　my　marriage　with　Darnley；　it

will　bring　me　misfortune。〃



〃Well；　beneath　that　yew…tree；　then；〃　said　George；　pointing　to　another

slight　rise　near　the　first；　〃but　it　is　important　for　us　to　lose　no

detail　of　this　engagement。　　Everything　depends　perhaps　for　your

Majesty　on　an　ill…judged　manoeuvre　or　a　lost　moment。〃



〃Guide　me；　then；〃　the　queen　said；　〃for；　as　for　me；　I　no　longer　see

it。　　Each　report　of　that　terrible　cannonade　echoes　to　the　depths　of

my　heart。〃



However　well　placed　as　was　this　eminence　for　overlooking　from　its

summit　the　whole　battlefield；　the　reiterated　discharge　of　cannon　and

musketry　covered　it　with　such　a　cloud　of　smoke　that　it　was　impossible

to　make　out　from　it　anything　but　masses　lost　amid　a　murderous　fog。

At　last；　when　an　hour　had　passed　in　this　desperate　conflict；　through

the　skirts　of　this　sea　of　smoke　the　fugitives　were　seen　to　emerge　and

disperse　in　all　directions；　followed　by　the　victors。　　Only；　at　that

distance；　it　was　impossible　to　make　out　who　had　gained　or　lost　the

battle；　and　the　banners；　which　on　both　sides　displayed　the　Scottish

arms；　could　in　no　way　clear　up　this　confusion。



At　that　moment　there　was　seen　coming　down　from　the　Glasgow　hillsides

all　the　remaining　reserve　of　Murray's　army；　it　was　coming　at　full

speed　to　engage　in　the　fighting；　but　this　manoeuvre　might　equally

well　have　for　its　object　the　support　of　defeated　friends　as　to

complete　the　rout　of　the　enemy。　　However；　soon　there　was　no　longer

any　doubt；　for　this　reserve　charged　the　fugitives；　amid　whom　it

spread　fresh　confusion。　　The　queen's　army　was　beaten。　　At　the　same

time；　three　or　four　horsemen　appeared　on　the　hither　side　of　the

ravine；　advancing　at　a　gallop。　　Douglas　recognised　them　as　enemies。



〃Fly；　madam；〃　cried　George；　〃fly　without　loss　of　a　second；　for　those

who　are　coming　upon　us　are　followed　by　others。　　Gain　the　road；　while

I　go　to　check　them。　　And　you；〃　added　he；　addressing　the　escort；　〃be

killed　to　the　last　man　rather　than　let　them　take　your　queen。〃



〃George！　George！〃　cried　the　queen；　motionless；　and　as　if　riveted　to

the　spot。



But　George　had　already　dashed　away　with　all　his　horse's　speed；　and　as

he　was　splendidly　mounted；　he　flew　across　the　space　with　lightning

rapidity；　and　reached　the　gorge　before　the　enemy。　　There　he　stopped；

put　his　lance　in　rest；　and　alone　against　five　bravely　awaited　the

encounter。



As　to　the　queen；　she　had　no　desire　to　go；　but；　on　the　contrary；　as　if

turned　to　stone；　she　remained　in　the　same　place；　her　eyes　fastened　on

this　combat　which　was　taking　place　at　scarcely　five　hundred　paces

from　her。　　Suddenly；　glancing　at　her　enemies；　she　saw　that　one　of

them　bore　in　the　middle　of　his　shield　a　bleeding　heart；　the　Douglas

arms。　　Then　she　uttered　a　cry　of　pain；　and　drooping　her　head



〃Douglas　against　Douglas；　brother　against　brother！〃　she　murmured：　〃it

only　wanted　this　last　blow。〃



〃Madam；　madam；〃　cried　her　escort；　〃there　is　not　an　instant　to　lose：

the　young　master　of　Douglas　cannot　hold　out　long　thus　alone　against

five；　let　us　fly！　let　us　fly！〃　And　two　of　them　taking　the　queen's

horse　by　the　bridle；　put　it　to　the　gallop；　at　the　moment　when　George；

after　having　beaten　down　two　of　his　enemies　and　wounded　a　third；　was

thrown　down　in　his　turn　in　the　dust；　thrust　to　the　heart　by　a　lance…

head。　　The　queen　groaned　on　seeing　him　fall；　then；　as　if　he　alone　had

detained　her；　and　as　if　he　being　killed　she　had　no　interest　in

anything　else；　she　put　Rosabelle　to　the　gallop；　and　as　she　and　her

troop　were　splendidly　mounted；　they　had　soon　lost　sight　of　the

battlefield。



She　fled　thus　for　sixty　miles；　without　taking　any　rest；　and　without

ceasing　to　weep　or　to　sigh：　at　last；　having　traversed　the　counties　of

Renfrew　and　Ayr；　she　reached　the　Abbey　of　Dundrennan；　in　Galloway；

and　certain　of　being；　for　the　time　at　least；　sheltered　from　every

danger；　she　gave　the　order　to　stop。　　The　prior　respectfully　received

her　at　the　gate　of　the　convent。



〃I　bring　you　misfortune　and　ruin；　father；〃　said　the　queen；　alighting

from　her　horse。



〃They　are　welcome；〃　replied　the　prior；　〃since　they　come　accompanied

by　duty。〃



The　queen　gave　Rosabelle　to　the　care　of　one　of　the　men…at…arms　who

had　accompanied　her；　and　leaning　on　Mary　Seyton；　who　had　not　left　her

for　a　moment；　and　on　Lord　Herries；　who　had　rejoined　her　on　the　road；

she　entered　the　convent。



Lord　Herries　had　not　concealed　her　position　from　Mary　Stuart：　the　day

had　been　completely　lost；　and　with　the　day；　at　least　for　the　present；

all　hope　of　reascending　the　throne　of　Scotland。　　There　remained　but

three　courses　for　the　queen　to　take　to　withdraw　into　France；　Spain　or

England。　　On　the　advice　of　Lord　Herries；　which　accorded　with　her　own

feeling；　she　decided　upon　the　last；　and　that　same　night　she　wrote

this　double　missive　in　verse　and　in　prose　to　Elizabeth：



〃MY　DEAR　SISTER；I　have　often　enough　begged　you　to　receive　my

tempest…tossed　vessel　into　your　haven　during　the　storm。　　If　at　this

pass　she　finds　a　safe　harbour　there；　I　shall　cast　anchor　there　for

ever：　otherwise　the　bark　is　in　God's　keeping；　for　she　is　ready　and

caulked　for　defence　on　her　voyage　against　all　storms。　　I　have　dealt

openly　with　you；　and　still　do　so：　do　not　take　it　in　bad　part　if　I

write　thus；　it　is　not　in　defiance　of　you；　as　it　appears；　for　in

everything　I　rely　on　your　friendship。〃



This　sonnet　accompanied　the　letter：



One　thought　alone　brings　danger　and　delight；

Bitter　and　sweet　change　places　in　my　heart；

With　doubt；　and　then　with　hope；　it　takes　its　part；

Till　peace　and　rest　alike　are　put　to　flight。



Therefore；　dear　sister；　if　this　card　pursue

That　keen　desire　by　which　I　am　oppressed；

To　see　you；　'tis　because　I　live　distressed；

Unless　some　swift　and　sweet　result　ensue。



Beheld　I　have　my　ship　compelled　by　fate

To　seek　the　open　sea；　when　close　to　port；

And　calmest　days　break　into　storm　and　gale；

Wherefore　full　grieved　and　fearful　is　my　state；

Not　for　your　sake；　but　since；　in　evil　sort；

Fortune　so　oft　snaps　strongest　rope　and　sail。〃



Elizabeth　trembled　with　joy　at　receiving　this　double　letter；　for　the

eight　years　that　her　enmity　had　been　daily　increasing　to　Mary　Stuart；

she　had　followed　her　with　her　eyes　continually；　as　a　wolf　might　a

gazelle；　at　last　the　gazelle　sought　refuge　in　the　wolf's　den。

Elizabeth　had　never　hoped　as　much：　she　immediately　despatched　an

order　to　the　Sheriff　of　Cumberland　to　make　known　to　Mary　that　she　was

ready　to　receive　her。　　One　morning　a　bugle　was　heard　blowing　on　the

sea…shore：　it　was　Queen　Elizabeth's　envoy　come　to　fetch　Queen　Mary

Stuart。



Then　arose　great　entreaties　to　the　fugitive　not　to　trust　herself　thus

to　a　rival　in　power；　glory；　and　beauty；　but　the　poor　dispossessed

queen　was　full　of　confidence　in　her　she　called　her　good　sister；　and

believed　herself　going；　free　and　rid　of　care；　to　take　at　Elizabeth's

court　the　place　due　to　her　rank　and　her　misfortunes：　thus　she

persisted；　in　spite　of　all　that　could　be　said。　　In　our　time；　we　have

seen　the　same　infatuation　seize　another　royal　fugitive；　who　like　Mary

Stuart　confided　himself　to　the　generosity　of　his　enemy　England：　like

Mary　Stuart；　he　was　cruelly　punished　for　his　confidence；　and　found　in



the　deadly　climate　of　St。　Helena　the　scaffold　of　Fotheringay。



Mary　Stuart　set　out　on　her　journey；　then；　with　her　little　following。

Arrived　at　the　shore　of　Solway　Firth；　she　found　there　the　Warden　of

the　English　Marches：　he　was　a　gentleman　named　Lowther；　who　received

the　queen　with　the　greatest　respect；　but　who　gave　her　to　understand

that　he　could　not　permit　more　than　three　of　her　women　to　accompany

her。　　Mary　Seyton　immediately　claimed　her　privilege：　the　queen　held

out　to　her　her　hand。



〃Alas！　mignonne；〃　said　she；　〃but　it　might　well　be　another's　turn：　you

have　already　suffered　enough　for　me　and　with　me。〃