mary stuart-第50章

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more；〃　added　she　in　a　profoundly　mournful　tone；　〃that　my　rank　should

be　taken　into　consideration；　for　indeed　I　am　your　queen's　cousin；

granddaughter　of　Henry　VII；　Queen　Dowager　of　France　and　crowned　Queen

of　Scotland。〃



The　lords　consulted　together　for　another　moment；　and　granted　her

demands。　　Accordingly；　two　guards　went　up　immediately　to　fetch　the

chosen　individuals。



The　queen　then　moved　on　to　the　great　hall；　leaning　on　two　of　Sir

Amyas　Paulet's　gentlemen；　accompanied　and　followed　by　the　earls　and

lords；　the　sheriff　walking　before　her；　and　Andrew　Melville　bearing

her　train。　　Her　dress；　as　carefully　chosen　as　possible；　as　we　have

said；　consisted　of　a　coif　of　fine　cambric；　trimmed　with　lace；　with　a

lace　veil　thrown　back　and　falling　to　the　ground　behind。　　She　wore　a

cloak　of　black　stamped　satin　lined　with　black　taffetas　and　trimmed　in

front　with　sable；　with　a　long　train　and　sleeves　hanging　to　the

ground；　the　buttons　were　of　jet　in　the　shape　of　acorns　and　surrounded

with　pearls；　her　collar　in　the　Italian　style；　her　doublet　was　of

figured　black　satin；　and　underneath　she　wore　stays；　laced　behind；　in

crimson　satin；　edged　with　velvet　of　the　same　colour；　a　gold　cross

hung　by　a　pomander　chain　at　her　neck；　and　two　rosaries　at　her　girdle：

it　was　thus　she　entered　the　great　hall　where　the　scaffold　was

erected。



It　was　a　platform　twelve　feet　wide；　raised　about　two　feet　from　the

floor；　surrounded　with　barriers　and　covered　with　black　serge；　and　on

it　were　a　little　chair；　a　cushion　to　kneel　on；　and　a　block　also

covered　in　black。　　Just　as；　having　mounted　the　steps；　she　set　foot　on

the　fatal　boards；　the　executioner　came　forward；　and；　asking

forgiveness　for　the　duty　he　was　about　to　perform；　kneeled；　hiding

behind　him　his　axe。　　Mary　saw　it；　however；　and　cried



〃Ah！　I　would　rather　have　been　beheaded　in　the　French　way；　with　a

sword！。。。〃



〃It　is　not　my　fault；　madam；〃　said　the　executioner；　〃if　this　last　wish

of　your　Majesty　cannot　be　fulfilled；　but；　not　having　been　instructed

to　bring　a　sword；　and　having　found　this　axe　here　only；　I　am　obliged

to　use　it。　　Will　that　prevent　your　pardoning　me；　then？〃



〃I　pardon　you；　my　friend；〃　said　Mary；　〃and　in　proof　of　it；　here　is　my

hand　to　kiss。〃



The　executioner　put　his　lips　to　the　queen's　hand；　rose　and　approached

the　chair。　　Mary　sat　down；　and　the　Earls　of　Kent　and　Shrewsbury

standing　on　her　left；　the　sheriff　and　his　officers　before　her；　Amyas

Paulet　behind；　and　outside　the　barrier　the　lords；　knights；　and

gentlemen；　numbering　nearly　two　hundred　and　fifty；　Robert　Beale　for

the　second　time　read　the　warrant　for　execution；　and　as　he　was

beginning　the　servants　who　had　been　fetched　came　into　the　hall　and

placed　themselves　behind　the　scaffold；　the　men　mounted　upon　a　bench

put　back　against　the　wall；　and　the　women　kneeling　in　front　of　it；　and

a　little　spaniel；　of　which　the　queen　was　very　fond；　came　quietly；　as

if　he　feared　to　be　driven　away；　and　lay　down　near　his　mistress。



The　queen　listened　to　the　reading　of　the　warrant　without　seeming　to

pay　much　attention；　as　if　it　had　concerned　someone　else；　and　with　a

countenance　as　calm　and　even　as　joyous　as　if　it　had　been　a　pardon　and

not　a　sentence　of　death；　then；　when　Beale　had　ended；　and　having

ended；　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　〃God　save　Queen　Elizabeth！〃　to　which　no

one　made　any　response；　Mary　signed　herself　with　the　cross；　and；

rising　without　any　change　of　expression；　and；　on　the　contrary；

lovelier　than　ever



〃My　lords；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　a　queen…born　sovereign　princess；　and　not

subject　to　law；a　near　relation　of　the　Queen　of　England；　and　her

rightful　heir；　for　a　long　time　I　have　been　a　prisoner　in　this

country；　I　have　suffered　here　much　tribulation　and　many　evils　that　no

one　had　the　right　to　inflict；　and　now；　to　crown　all；　I　am　about　to

lose　my　life。　　Well；　my　lords；　bear　witness　that　I　die　in　the

Catholic　faith；　thanking　God　for　letting　me　die　for　His　holy　cause；

and　protesting；　to…day　as　every　day；　in　public　as　in　private；　that　I

have　never　plotted；　consented　to；　nor　desired　the　queen's　death；　nor

any　other　thing　against　her　person；　but　that；　on　the　contrary；　I　have

always　loved　her；　and　have　always　offered　her　good　and　reasonable

conditions　to　put　an　end　to　the　troubles　of　the　kingdom　and　deliver

me　from　my　captivity；　without　my　having　ever　been　honoured　with　a

reply　from　her；　and　all　this；　my　lords；　you　well　know。　　Finally；　my

enemies　have　attained　their　end；　which　was　to　put　me　to　death：

I　do　not　pardon　them　less　for　it　than　I　pardon　all　those　who　have

attempted　anything　against　me。　　After　my；　death；　the　authors　of　it

will　be　known。　　But　I　die　without　accusing　anyone；　for　fear　the　Lord

should　hear　me　and　avenge　me。〃



Upon　this；　whether　he　was　afraid　that　such　a　speech　by　so　great　a

queen　should　soften　the　assembly　too　much；　or　whether　he　found　that

all　these　words　were　making　too　much　delay；　the　Dean　of　Peterborough

placed　himself　before　Mary；　and；　leaning　on　the　barrier



〃Madam；〃　he　said；　〃my　much　honoured　mistress　has　commanded　me　to　come

to　you〃　　But　at　these　words；　Mary；　turning　and　interrupting　him



〃Mr。　Dean；〃　she　answered　in　a　loud　voice；　〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with

you；　I　do　not　wish　to　hear　you；　and　beg　you　to　withdraw。〃



〃Madam；〃　said　the　dean；　persisting　in　spite　of　this　resolve　expressed

in　such　firm　and　precise　terms；　〃you　have　but　a　moment　longer：　change

your　opinions；　abjure　your　errors；　and　put　your　faith　in　Jesus　Christ

alone；　that　you　may　be　saved　through　Him。〃



〃Everything　you　can　say　is　useless；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃and　you　will

gain　nothing　by　it；　be　silent；　then；　I　beg　you；　and　let　me　die　in

peace。〃



And　as　she　saw　that　he　wanted　to　go　on；　she　sat　down　on　the　other

side　of　the　chair　and　turned　her　back　to　him；　but　the　dean

immediately　walked　round　the　scaffold　till　he　faced　her　again；　then；

as　he　was　going　to　speak；　the　queen　turned　about　once　more；　and　sat

as　at　first。　　Seeing　which　the　Earl　of　Shrewsbury　said



〃Madam；　truly　I　despair　that　you　are　so　attached　to　this　folly　of

papacy：　allow　us；　if　it　please　you；　to　pray　for　you。〃



〃My　lord；〃　the　queen　answered；　〃if　you　desire　to　pray　for　me；　I　thank

you；　for　the　intention　is　good；　but　I　cannot　join　in　your　prayers；

for　we　are　not　of　the　same　religion。〃



The　earls　then　called　the　dean；　and　while　the　queen；　seated　in　her

little　chair；　was　praying　in　a　low　tone；　he；　kneeling　on　the　scaffold

steps；　prayed　aloud；　and　the　whole　assembly　except　the　queen　and　her

servants　prayed　after　him；　then；　in　the　midst　of　her　orison；　which

she　said　with　her　Agnus　Dei　round　her　neck；　a　crucifix　in　one　hand；

and　her　book　of　Hours　in　the　other；　she　fell　from　her　seat　on　to；　her

knees；　praying　aloud　in　Latin；　whilst　the　others　prayed　in　English；

and　when　the　others　were　silent；　she　continued　in　English　in　her

turn；　so　that　they　could　hear　her；　praying　for　the　afflicted　Church

of　Christ；　for　an　end　to　the　persecution　of　Catholics；　arid　for　the

happiness　of　her　son's　reign；　then　she　said；　in　accents　full　of　faith

and　fervour；　that　she　hoped　to　be　saved　by　the　merits　of　Jesus

Christ；　at　the　foot　of　whose　cross　she　was　going　to　shed　her　blood。



At　these　words　the　Earl　of　Kent　could　no　longer　contain　himself；　and

without　respect　for　the　sanctity　of　the　moment



〃Oh；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃put　Jesus　Christ　in　your　heart；　and　reject

all　this　rubbish　of　popish　deceptions。〃



But　she；　without　listening；　went　on；　praying　the　saints　to　intercede

with　God　for　her；　and　kissing　the　crucifix；　she　cried



〃Lord！　Lord！　receive　me　in　Thy　arms　out　stretched　on　the　cross；　and

forgive　me　all　my　sins！〃



Thereupon；she　being　again　seated　in　the　chair；　the　Earl　of　Kent

asked　her　if　she　had　any　confession　to　make；　to　which　she　replied

that；　not　being　guilty　of　anything；　to　confess　would　be　to　give

herself；　the　lie。



〃It　is　well；〃　the　earl　answered；　〃then；　madam；　prepare。〃



The　queen　rose；　and　as　the　executioner　approached　t