mary stuart-第14节

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with　Lord　Kirkcaldy　was　that　she　should　abandon　Bothwell's　cause；　and

pass　over　into　the　camp　of　the　Confederates；　on　condition　that　they

would　lay　down　their　arms　before　her　and　bring　her　as　queen　to

Edinburgh。　　Kirkcaldy　left　her　to　take　these　conditions　to　the

nobles；　and　promised　to　return　next　day　with　a　satisfactory　answer。

But　at　the　moment　of　leaving　Bothwell；　Mary　was　seized　again　with

that　fatal　love　for　him　that　she　was　never　able　to　surmount；　and　felt

herself　overcome　with　such　weakness；　that；　weeping　bitterly；　and

before　everyone；　she　wanted　Kirkcaldy　to　be　told　that　she　broke　off

all　negotiations；　however；　as　Bothwell　had　understood　that　he　was　no

longer　safe　in　camp；　it　was　he　who　insisted　that　things　should　remain

as　they　were；　and；　leaving　Mary　in　tears；　he　mounted；　and　setting　off

at　full　speed；　he　did　not　stop　till　he　reached　Dunbar。



Next　day；　at　the　time　appointed；　the　arrival　of　Lord　Kirkcaldy　of

Grange　was　announced　by　the　trumpeters　preceding　him。　　Mary　mounted

directly　and　went　to　meet　him；　them；　as　he　alighted　to　greet　her；　〃My

lord；〃　said　she；　〃I　surrender　to　you；　on　the　conditions　that　you　have

proposed　to　me　on　the　part　of　the　nobles；　and　here　is　my　hand　as　a

sign　of　entire　confidence〃。　　Kirkcaldy　then　knelt　down；　kissed；　the

queen's　hand　respectfully；　and；　rising；　he　took　her　horse　by　the

bridle　and　led　it　towards　the　Confederates'　camp。

Everyone　of　any　rank　in　the　army　received　her　with　such　marks　of

respect　as　entirely　to　satisfy　her；　but　it　was　not　so　at　all　with　the

soldiers　and　common　people。　　Hardly　had　the　queen　reached　the　second

line；　formed　by　them；　than　great　murmurs　arose；　and　several　voices

cried；　〃To　the　stake；　the　adulteress！　To　the　stake；　the　parricide！〃

However；　Mary　bore　these　outrages　stoically　enough　but　a　more

terrible　trial　yet　was　in　store　for　her。　　Suddenly　she　saw　rise

before　her　a　banner；　on　which　was　depicted　on　one　side　the　king　dead

and　stretched　out　in　the　fatal　garden；　and　on　the　other　the　young

prince　kneeling；　his　hands　joined　and　his　eyes　raised　to　heaven；　with

this　inscription；　〃O　Lord！　judge　and　revenge　my　cause！〃　　Mary　reined

in　her　horse　abruptly　at　this　sight；　and　wanted　to　turn　back；　but　she

had　scarcely　moved　a　few　paces　when　the　accusing　banner　again　blocked

her　passage。　　Wherever　she　went；　she　met　this　dreadful　apparition。

For　two　hours　she　had　incessantly　under　her　eyes　the　king's　corpse

asking　vengeance；　and　the　young　prince　her　son　praying　God　to　punish

the　murderers。　　At　last　she　could　endure　it　no　longer；　and；　crying

out；　she　threw　herself　back；　having　completely　lost　consciousness；

and　would　have　fallen；　if　someone　had　not　caught　hold　of　her。

In　the　evening　she　entered　Edinburgh；　always　preceded　by　the　cruel

banner；　and　she　already　had　rather　the　air　of　a　prisoner　than　of　a

queen；　for；　not　having　had　a　moment　during　the　day　to　attend　to　her

toilet；　her　hair　was　falling　in　disorder　about　her　shoulders；　her

face　was　pale　and　showed　traces　of　tears；　and　finally；　her　clothes

were　covered　with　dust　and　mud。　　As　she　proceeded　through　the　town；

the　hootings　of　the　people　and　the　curses　of　the　crowd　followed　her。

At　last；　half　dead　with　fatigue；　worn　out　with　grief；　bowed　down　with

shame；　she　reached　the　house　of　the　Lord　Provost；　but　scarcely　had

she　got　there　when　the　entire　population　of　Edinburgh　crowded　into

the　square；　with　cries　that　from　time　to　time　assumed　a　tone　of

terrifying　menace。　　Several　times；　then；　Mary　wished　to　go　to　the

window；　hoping　that　the　sight　of　her；　of　which　she　had　so　often

proved　the　influence；　would　disarm　this　multitude；　but　each　time　she

saw　this　banner　unfurling　itself　like　a　bloody　curtain　between

herself　and　the　peoplea　terrible　rendering　of　their　feelings。



However；　all　this　hatred　was　meant　still　more　for　Bothwell　than　for

her：　they　were　pursuing　Bothwell　in　Darnley's　widow。　　The　curses　were

for　Bothwell：　Bothwell　was　the　adulterer；　Bothwell　was　the　murderer；

Bothwell　was　the　coward；　while　Mary　was　the　weak；　fascinated　woman；

who；　that　same　evening；　gave　afresh　proof　of　her　folly。



In　fact；　directly　the　falling　night　had　scattered　the　crowd　and　a

little　quiet　was　regained；　Mary；　ceasing　to　be　uneasy　on　her　own

account；　turned　immediately　to　Bothwell；　whom　she　had　been　obliged　to

abandon；　and　who　was　now　proscribed　and　fleeing；　while　she；　as　she

believed；　was　about　to　reassume　her　title　and　station　of　queen。　　With

that　eternal　confidence　of　the　woman　in　her　own　love；　by　which　she

invariably　measures　the　love　of　another；　she　thought　that　Bothwell's

greatest　distress　was　to　have　lost；　not　wealth　and　power；　but　to　have

lost　herself。　　So　she　wrote　him　a　long　letter；　in　which；　forgetful　of

herself；　she　promised　him　with　the　most　tender　expressions　of　love

never　to　desert　him；　and　to　recall　him　to　her　directly　the　breaking

up　of　the　Confederate　lords　should　give　her　power　to　do　so；　then；

this　letter　written；　she　called　a　soldier；　gave　him　a　purse　of　gold；

and　charged　him　to　take　this　letter　to　Dunbar；　where　Bothwell　ought

to　be；　and　if　he　were　already　gone；　to　follow　him　until　he　came　up

with　him。



Then　she　went　to　bed　and　slept　more　calmly；　for；　unhappy　as　she　was；

she　believed　she　had　just　sweetened　misfortunes　still　greater　than

hers。



Next　day　the　queen　was　awakened　by　the　step　of　an　armed　man　who

entered　her　room。　　Both　astonished　and　frightened　at　this　neglect　of

propriety；　which　could　augur　nothing　good；　Mary　sat　up　in　bed；　and

parting　the　curtains；　saw　standing　before　her　Lord　Lindsay　of　Byres：

she　knew　he　was　one　of　her　oldest　friends；　so　she　asked　him　in　a

voice　which　she　vainly　tried　to　make　confident；　what　he　wanted　of　her

at　such　a　time。



〃Do　you　know　this　writing；　madam？〃　Lord　Lindsay　asked　in　a　rough

voice；　presenting　to　the　queen　the　letter　she　had　written　to　Bothwell

at　night；　which　the　soldier　had　carried　to　the　Confederate　lords；

instead　of　taking　to　its　address。



〃Yes；　doubtless；　my　lord；〃　the　queen　answered；　〃but　am　I　already　a

prisoner；　then；　that　my　correspondence　is　intercepted？　or　is　it　no

longer　allowed　to　a　wife　to　write　to　her　husband？〃



〃When　the　husband　is　a　traitor；〃　replied　Lindsay；　〃no；　madam；　it　is

no　longer　allowed　to　a　wife　to　write　to　her　husbandat　least；

however；　if　this　wife　have　a　part　in　his　treason；　which　seems　to　me；

besides；　quite　proved　by　the　promise　you　make　to　this　wretch　to

recall　him　to　you。〃



〃My　lord；〃　cried　Mary；　interrupting　Lindsay；　〃do　you　forget　that　you

are　speaking　to　your　queen。〃



〃There　was　a　time；　madam；〃　Lindsay　replied；　〃when　I　should　have

spoken　to　you　in　a　more　gentle　voice；　and　bending　the　knee；　although

it　is　not　in　the　nature　of　us　old　Scotch　to　model　ourselves　on　your

French　courtiers；　but　for　some　time；　thanks　to　your　changing　loves；

you　have　kept　us　so　often　in　the　field；　in　harness；　that　our　voices

are　hoarse　from　the　cold　night　air；　and　our　stiff　knees　can　no　longer

bend　in　our　armour：　you　must　then　take　me　just　as　I　am；　madam；　since

to…day；　for　the　welfare　of　Scotland；　you　are　no　longer　at　liberty　to

choose　your　favourites。〃



Mary　grew　frightfully　pale　at　this　want　of　respect；　to　which　she　was

not　yet　accustomed；　but　quickly　containing　her　anger；　as　far　as

possible



〃But　still；　my　lord；〃　said　she；　〃however　disposed　I　may　be　to　take

you　as　you　are；　I　must　at　least　know　by　what　right　you　come　here。

That　letter　which　you　are　holding　in　your　hand　would　lead　me　to　think

it　is　as　a　spy；　if　the　ease　with　which　you　enter　my　room　without

being　asked　did　not　make　me　believe　it　is　as　a　gaoler。　　Have　the

goodness；　then；　to　inform　me　by　which　of　these　two　names　I　must　call

you。〃



〃Neither　by　one　nor　the　other；　madam；　for　I　am　simply　your　fellow…

traveller；　chef　of　the　escort　which　is　to　take　you　to　Lochleven

Castle；　your　future　residence。　　And　yet；　scarcely　have　I　arrived

there　than　I　shall　be　obliged　to　leave　you　to　go　and　assist　the

Confederate　lords　choose　a　regent　for　the　kingdom。〃



〃So；〃　said　Mary；　〃it　was　as　prisoner　and　not　as　queen　that　I

surrendered　to　Lord　Kirkcaldy。　　It　seems　to　me　that　things　were

agreed　upon　otherwise；　but　I　am　glad　to　see　how　much　time　Scotch

noblemen　need　to　betray　their　sworn　undertakings〃。



〃Your　Grace　forgets　that　these　engagements　were　made　on　one

condition；〃　Lindsay　answered。



〃On　which？〃　Mary　asked。



〃That　you　should　separate　for　ever　from　your　husband's　murderer；　and

there　is　the　proof；〃　he　added；　showing　the　letter；　〃that　you　had

forgotten　your　promise　before　we　thought　of　revoking　ours。〃



〃And　at　what　o'clock　is　my　departure　fixed？〃　said　Mary；　whom　this

discussion　was　beginning　to　fatigue。



〃At　eleven　o'clock；　madam。〃



〃It　is　well；　my　lord；　as　I　have　no　desire　to　make　your　lordship　wait；

you　will　have　the　goodness；　in　withdrawing；　to　send　me　someone　to

help　me　dress；　unless　I　am　reduced　to　wait　upon　myself。〃



And；　in　pronouncing　these　words；　Mary　made　a　gest