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第11节

mary stuart-第11节

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Thus; as one sees; and always supposing these letters to be genuine;

Mary had conceived for Bothwell one of those mad passions; so much

the stronger in the women who are a prey to them; that one the less

understands what could have inspired them。  Bothwell was no longer

young; Bothwell was not handsome; and yet Mary sacrificed for him a

young husband; who was considered one of the handsomest men of his

century。  It was like a kind of enchantment。  Darnley; the sole

obstacle to the union; had been already condemned for a long time; if

not by Mary; at least by Bothwell; then; as his strong constitution

had conquered the poison; another kind of death was sought for。



The queen; as she announces in her letter to Bothwel1; had refused to

bring back Darnley with her; and had returned alone to Edinburgh。

Arrived there; she gave orders for the king to be moved; in his turn;

in a litter; but instead of taking him to Stirling or Holyrood; she

decided to lodge him in the abbey of the Kirk of Field。  The king

made some objections when he knew of this arrangement; however; as he

had no power to oppose it; he contented himself with complaining of

the solitude of the dwelling assigned him; but the queen made answer

that she could not receive him at that moment; either at Holyrood or

at Stirling; for fear; if his illness were infectious; lest he might

give it to his son: Darnley was then obliged to make the best of the

abode allotted him。



It was an isolated abbey; and little calculated by its position to

dissipate the fears that the king entertained; for it was situated

between two ruined churches and two cemeteries: the only house; which

was distant about a shot from a cross…bow; belonged to the Hamiltons;

and as they were Darnley's mortal enemies the neighbourhood was none

the more reassuring: further; towards the north; rose some wretched

huts; called the 〃Thieves' cross…roads〃。  In going round his new

residence; Darnley noticed that three holes; each large enough for a

man to get through; had been made in the walls; he asked that these

holes; through which ill…meaning persons could get in; should be

stopped up: it was promised that masons should be sent; but nothing

was done; and the holes remained open。



The day after his arrival at Kirk of Field; the king saw a light in

that house near his which lie believed deserted; next day he asked

Alexander Durham whence it came; and he heard that the Archbishop of

St。 Andrew's had left his palace in Edinburgh and had housed there

since the preceding evening; one didn't know why: this news still

further increased the king's uneasiness; the Archbishop of St。

Andrew's was one of his most declared enemies。



The king; little by little abandoned by all his servants lived on the

first floor of an isolated pavilion; having about him only this same


Alexander Durham; whom we have mentioned already; and who was his

valet。  Darnley; who had quite a special friendship for him; and who

besides; as we have said; feared some attack on his life at every

moment; had made him move his bed into his own apartment; so that

both were sleeping in the same room。



On the night of the 8th February; Darnley awoke Durham: he thought he

heard footsteps in the apartment beneath him。  Durham rose; took a

sword in one hand; a taper in the other; and went down to the ground

floor; but although Darnley was quite certain he had not been

deceived; Durham came up again a moment after; saying he had seen no

one。



The morning of the next day passed without bringing anything fresh。

The queen was marrying one of her servants named Sebastian: he was an

Auvergnat whom she had brought with her from France; and whom she

liked very much。  However; as the king sent word that he had not seen

her for two days; she left the wedding towards six o'clock in the

evening; and came to pay him a visit; accompanied by the Countess of

Argyll and the Countess of Huntly。  While she was there; Durham; in

preparing his bed; set fire to his palliasse; which was burned as

well as a part of the mattress; so that; having thrown them out of

the window all in flames; for fear lest the fire should reach the

rest of the furniture; he found himself without a bed; and asked

permission to return to the town to sleep; but Darnley; who

remembered his terror the night before; and who was surprised at the

promptness that had made Durham throw all his bedding out of the

window; begged him not to go away; offering him one of his

mattresses; or even to take him into his own bed。  However; in spite

of this offer; Durham insisted; saying that he felt unwell; and that

he should like to see a doctor the same evening。  So the queen

interceded for Durham; and promised Darnley to send him another valet

to spend the night with him: Darnley was then obliged to yield; and;

making Mary repeat that she would send him someone; he gave Durham

leave for that evening。  At that moment Paris; of whom the queen

speaks in her letters; came in: he was a young Frenchman who had been

in Scotland for some years; and who; after having served with

Bothwell and Seyton; was at present with the queen。  Seeing him; she

got up; and as Darnley still wished to keep her



〃Indeed; my lord; it is impossible;〃 said she; 〃to come and see you。

I have left this poor Sebastian's wedding; and I must return to it;

for I promised to came masked to his ball。〃



The king dared not insist; he only reminded her of the promise that

she had made to send him a servant: Mary renewed it yet once again;

and went away with her attendants。  As for Durham; he had set out the

moment he received permission。



It was nine o'clock in the evening。  Darnley; left alone; carefully

shut the doors within; and retired to rest; though in readiness to

rise to let in the servant who should come to spend the night with

him。  Scarcely was he in bed than the same noise that he had heard

the night before recommenced; this time Darnley listened with all the

attention fear gives; and soon he had no longer any doubt but that

several men were walking about beneath him。  It was useless to call;

it was dangerous to go out; to wait was the only course that remained

to the king。  He made sure again that the doors were well fastened;

put his sword under his pillow; extinguished his lamp for fear the

light might betray him; and awaited in silence for his servant's

arrival; but the hours passed away; and the servant did not come。

At one o'clock in the morning; Bothwell; after having talked some

while with the queen; in the presence of the captain of the guard;

returned home to change his dress; after some minutes; he came out

wrapped up in the large cloak of a German hussar; went through the

guard…house; and had the castle gate opened。  Once outside; he took

his way with all speed to Kirk of Field; which he entered by the

opening in the wall: scarcely had he made a step in the garden than

he met James Balfour; governor of the castle。



〃Well;〃 he said to him; 〃how far have we got?



〃Everything is ready;〃 replied Balfour; 〃and we were waiting for you

to set fire to the fuse〃。  〃That is well;〃 Bothwell answered〃but

first I want to make sure that he is in his room。〃



At these words; Bothwell opened the pavilion door with a false key;

and; having groped his way up the stairs; he went to listen at

Darnley's door。  Darnley; hearing no further noise; had ended by

going to sleep; but he slept with a jerky breathing which pointed to

his agitation。  Little mattered it to Bothwell what kind of sleep it

was; provided that he was really in his room。  He went down again in

silence; then; as he had come up; and taking a lantern from one of

the conspirators; he went himself into the lower room to see if

everything was in order: this room was full of barrels of powder; and

a fuse ready prepared wanted but a spark to set the whole on fire。

Bothwell withdrew; then; to the end of the garden with Balfour;

David; Chambers; and three or four others; leaving one man to ignite

the fuse。  In a moment this man rejoined them。



There ensued some minutes of anxiety; during which the five men

looked at one another in silence and as if afraid of themselves;

then; seeing that nothing exploded; Bothwell impatiently turned round

to the engineer; reproaching him for having; no doubt through fear;

done his work badly。  He assured his master that he was certain

everything was all right; and as Bothwell; impatient; wanted to

return to the house himself; to make sure; he offered to go back and

see how things stood。  In fact; he went back to the pavilion; and;

putting his head through a kind of air…hole; he saw the fuse; which

was still burning。  Some seconds afterwards; Bothwell saw him come

running back; making a sign that all was going well; at the same

moment a frightful report was heard; the pavilion was blown to

pieces; the town and the firth were lit up with

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