historic girls-第29章

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Edward；　the　sad　tragedy　of　Lady　Jane　Grey；　Wyatt's　rebellion；　the

tanner's　revolt；　and　all　the　long　horror　of　the　reign　of　〃Bloody

Mary。〃　You　may　read　of　all　this　in　history；　and　may　see　how；

through　it　all；　the　young　princess　grew　still　more　firm　of　will；

more　self…reliant；　wise；　and　strong；　developing　all　those

peculiar　qualities　that　helped　to　make　her　England's　greatest

queen；　and　one　of　the　most　wonderful　women　in　history。　But

through　all　her　long　and　most　historic　life；a　life　of　over

seventy　years；　forty…five　of　which　were　passed　as　England's

queen；scarce　any　incident　made　so　lasting　an　impression　upon

her　as　when；　in　Hatfield　House；　the　first　shock　of　the　false

charge　of　treason　fell　upon　the　thoughtless　girl　of　fifteen　in

the　midst　of　the　Christmas　revels。







CHRISTINA　OF　SWEDEN：



THE　GIRL　OF　THE　NORTHERN　FIORDS。



A。D。　1636。



There　were　tears　and　trouble　in　Stockholm；　there　was　sorrow　in

every　house　and　hamlet　in　Sweden；　there　was　consternation

throughout　Protestant　Europe。　Gustavus　Adolphus　was　dead！　The

〃Lion　of　the　North〃　had　fallen　on　the　bloody　and　victorious　field

of　Lutzen；　and　only　a　very　small　girl　of　six　stood　as　the

representative　of　Sweden's　royalty。



The　States　of　Swedenthat　is；　the　representatives　of　the

different　sections　and　peoples　of　the　kingdomgathered　in　haste

within　the　Riddarhaus；　or　Hall　of　Assembly；　in　Stockholm。　There

was　much　anxious　controversy　over　the　situation。　The　nation　was

in　desperate　strait；　and　some　were　for　one　thing　and　some　were

for　another。　There　was　even　talk　of　making　the　government　a

republic；　like　the　state　of　Venice；　and　the　supporters　of　the

king　of　Poland；　cousin　to　the　dead　King　Gustavus；　openly

advocated　his　claim　to　the　throne。



But　the　Grand　Chancellor；　Axel　Oxenstiern；　one　of　Sweden's

greatest　statesmen；　acted　promptly。



〃Let　there　be　no　talk　between　us；〃　he　said；　〃of　Venetian

republics　or　of　Polish　kings。　We　have　but　one　kingthe　daughter

of　the　immortal　Gustavus！〃



Then　up　spoke　one　of　the　leading　representatives　of　the　peasant

class；　Lars　Larsson；　the　deputy　from　the　western　fiords。



〃Who　is　this　daughter　of　Gustavus？〃　he　demanded。　〃How　do　we　know

this　is　no　trick　of　yours；　Axel　Oxenstiern？　How　do　we　know　that

King　Gustavus　has　a　daughter？　We　have　never　seen　her。〃



〃You　shall　see　her　at　once；〃　replied　the　Chancellor；　and　leaving

the　Hall　for　an　instant；　he　returned　speedily；　leading　a　little

girl　by　the　hand。　With　a　sudden　movement　he　lifted　her　to　the

seat　of　the　high　silver　throne　that　could　only　be　occupied　by　the

kings　of　Sweden。



〃Swedes；　behold　your　king！〃



Lars　Larsson；　the　deputy；　pressed　close　to　the　throne　on　which

the　small　figure　perched　silent；　yet　with　a　defiant　little　look

upon　her　face。



〃She　hath　the　face　of　the　Grand　Gustavus；〃　he　said。　〃Look；

brothers；　the　nose；　the　eyes；　the　very　brows　are　his。〃



〃Aye；〃　said　Oxenstiern；　〃and　she　is　a　soldier's　daughter。　I

myself　did　see　her；　when　scarce　three　years　old；　clap　her　tiny

hands　and　laugh　aloud　when　the　guns　of　Calmar　fortress　thundered

a　salute。　'She　must　learn　to　bear　it；'　said　Gustavus　our　king；

'she　is　a　soldier's　daughter。'　〃



〃Hail；　Christina！〃　shouted　the　assembly；　won　by　the　proud　bearing

of　the　little　girl　and　by　her　likeness　to　her　valiant　father。　〃We

will　have　her　and　only　her　for　our　queen！〃



〃Better　yet；　brothers；〃　cried　Lars　Larsson；　now　her　most　loyal

supporter；　〃she　sits　upon　the　throne　of　the　kings；　let　her　be

proclaimed　King　of　Sweden。〃



And　so　it　was　done。　And　with　their　wavering　loyalty　kindled　into

a　sudden　flame；　the　States　of　Sweden　〃gave　a　mighty　shout〃　and

cried　as　one　man；　〃Hail；　Christina；　King　of　Sweden！〃



There　was　strong　objection　in　Sweden　to　the　rule　of　a　woman；　and

the　education　of　this　little　girl　was　rather　that　of　a　prince

than　of　a　princess。　She　was　taught　to　ride　and　to　shoot；　to　hunt

and　to　fence；　to　undertake　all　of　a　boy's　exercises；　and　to

endure　all　a　boy's　privations。　She　could　bring　down　a　hare；　at

the　first　shot；　from　the　back　of　a　galloping　horse；　she　could

outride　the　most　expert　huntsman　in　her　train。



So　she　grew　from　childhood　into　girlhood；　and　at　thirteen　was　as

bold　and　fearless；　as　wilful　and　self…possessed　as　any　young

fellow　of　twenty…one。　But　besides　all　this　she　was　a　wonderful

scholar；　indeed；　she　would　be　accounted　remarkable　even　in　these

days　of　bright　girl…graduates。　At　thirteen　she　was　a　thorough

Greek　scholar；　she　was　learned　in　mathematics　and　astronomy；　the

classics；　history；　and　philosophy；　and　she　acquired　of　her　own

accord　German；　Italian；　Spanish；　and　French。



Altogether；　this　girl　Queen　of　the　North　was　as　strange　a

compound　of　scholar　and　hoyden；　pride　and　carelessness；　ambition

and　indifference；　culture　and　rudeness；　as　ever；　before　her　time

or　since；　were　combined　in　the　nature　of　a　girl　of　thirteen。　And

it　is　thus　that　our　story　finds　her。



One　raw　October　morning　in　the　year　1639；　there　was　stir　and

excitement　at　the　palace　in　Stockholm。　A　courier　had　arrived

bearing　important　dispatches　to　the　Council　of　Regents　which

governed　Sweden　during　the　minority　of　the　Queen；　and　there　was

no　one　to　officially　meet　him。



Closely　following　the　lackey　who　received　him；　the　courier　strode

into　the　council…room　of　the　palace。　But　the　council…room　was

vacant。



It　was　not　a　very　elegant　apartment；　this　council…room　of　the

palace　of　the　kings　of　Sweden。　Although　a　royal　apartment；　its

appearance　was　ample　proof　that　the　art　of　decoration　was　as　yet

unknown　in　Sweden。　The　room　was　untidy　and　disordered；　the

council…table　was　strewn　with　the　ungathered　litter　of　the　last

day's　council；　and　even　the　remains　of　a　coarse　lunch　mingled

with　all　this　clutter。　The　uncomfortable…looking　chairs　all　were

out　of　place；　and　above　the　table　was　a　sort　of　temporary　canopy

to　prevent　the　dust　and　spiders'　webs　upon　the　ceiling　from

dropping　upon　the　councillors。



The　courier　gave　a　sneering　look　upon　this　evidence　that　the

refinement　and　culture　which　marked　at　least　the　palaces　and

castles　of　other　European　countries　were　as　yet　little　considered

in　Sweden。　Then；　important　and　impatient；　he　turned　to　the

attendant。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃and　is　there　none　here　to　receive　my

dispatches？　They　call　forhouf！　so！　what　manners　are　these？〃



What　manners　indeed！　The　courier　might　well　ask　this。　For；　plump

against　him；　as　he　spoke；　dashed；　first　a　girl　and　then　a　boy　who

had　darted　from　somewhere　into　the　council…chamber。　Too　absorbed

in　their　own　concerns　to　notice　who；　if　any　one；　was　in　the　room；

they　had　run　against　and　very　nearly　upset　the　astonished　bearer

of　dispatches。　Still　more　astonished　was　he；　when　the　girl；　using

his　body　as　a　barrier　against　her　pursuer；　danced　and　dodged

around　him　to　avoid　being　caught　by　her　pursuera　fine…looking

young　lad　of　about　her　own　ageKarl　Gustav；　her　cousin。　The

scandalized　bearer　of　dispatches　to　the　Swedish　Council　of

Regents　shook　himself　free　from　the　girl's　strong　grasp　and

seizing　her　by　the　shoulder；　demanded；　sternly：



〃How　now；　young　mistress！　Is　this　seemly　conduct　toward　a

stranger　and　an　imperial　courier？〃



The　girl　now　for　the　first　time　noticed　the　presence　of　a

stranger。　Too　excited　in　her　mad　dash　into　the　room　to

distinguish　him　from　one　of　the　palace　servants；　she　only　learned

the　truth　by　the　courier's　harsh　words。　A　sudden　change　came　over

her。　She　drew　herself　up　haughtily　and　said　to　the　attendant：



〃And　who　is　this　officious　stranger；　Klas？



The　tone　and　manner　of　the　question　again　surprised　the　courier；

and　he　looked　at　the　speaker；　amazed。　What　he　saw　was　an

attractive　young　girl　of　thirteen；　short　of　stature；　with　bright

hazel　eyes；　a　vivacious　face；　now　almost　stern　in　its　expression

of　pride　and　haughtiness。　A　man's　fur　cap　rested　upon　the　mass　of

tangled　light…brown　hair　which；　tied　imperfectly　with　a　simple

k