mary stuart-第18节

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〃Madam；〃　said　he；　bowing　to　the　former；　〃the　boat　which　took　my

brother　has　just　returned；　and　one　of　the　men　in　it　is　charged　with　a

pressing　charge　that　Lord　William　forgot　to　make　to　you　himself。〃



Then；　saluting　the　old　lady　with　the　same　respect；　he　immediately

went　out　of　the　room；　without　even　glancing　at　the　queen；　who；　hurt

by　this　impertinence；　turned　round　to　Mary　Seyton；　and；　with　her

usual　calm



〃What　have　they　told　us；　Seyton；　of　injurious　rumours　which　were

spread　about　our　worthy　hostess　apropos　of　a　child　with　a　pale　face

and　dark　hair？　　If　this　child；　as　I　have　every　reason　to　believe；　has

become　the　young　man　who　just　went　out　of　the　room；　I　am　ready　to

affirm　to　all　the　incredulous　that　he　is　a　true　Douglas；　if　not　for

courage；　of　which　we　cannot　judge；　then　for　insolence；　of　which　he

has　just　given　us　proofs。　　Let　us　return；　darling；〃　continued　the

queen；　leaning　on　Mary　Seyton's　arm；〃　for　our　good　hostess；　out　of

courtesy；　might　think　herself　obliged　to　keep　us　company　longer；

while　we　know　that　she　is　impatiently　awaited　elsewhere。〃



With　these　words；　Mary　went　into　her　bedroom；　while　the　old　lady；

still　quite　stunned　with　the　shower　of　sarcasms　that　the　queen　had

rained　on　her；　withdrew；　murmuring；　〃Yes；　yes；　he　is　a　Douglas；　and

with　God's　help　he　will　prove　it；　I　hope。〃



The　queen　had　had　strength　as　long　as　she　was　sustained　by　her

enemy's　presence；　but　scarcely　was　she　alone　than　she　sank　into　a

chair；　and　no　longer　having　any　witness　of　her　weakness　than　Mary

Seyton；　burst　into　tears。　　Indeed；　she　had　just　been　cruelly　wounded：

till　then　no　man　had　come　near　her　who　had　not　paid　homage　either　to

the　majesty　of　her　rank　or　to　the　beauty　of　her　countenance。　　But

precisely　he；　on　whom　she　had　reckoned；　without　knowing　why；　with

instinctive　hopes；　insulted　her　at　one　and　the　same　time　in　her

double　pride　of　queen　and　woman：　thus　she　remained　shut　up　till

evening。



At　dinner…time；　just　as　Lady　Lochleven　had　informed　Mary；　she

ascended　to　the　queen's　apartment；　in　her　dress　of　honour；　and

preceding　four　servants　who　were　carrying　the　several　dishes

composing　the　prisoner's　repast；　and　who；　in　their　turn；　were

followed　by　the　old　castle　steward；　having；　as　on　days　of　great

ceremony；　his　gold　chain　round　his　neck　and　his　ivory　stick　in　his

hand。　　The　servants'　placed　the　dishes　on　the　table；　and　waited　in

silence　for　the　moment　when　it　should　please　the　queen　to　come　out　of

her　room；　but　at　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　in　place　of　the

queen　Mary　Seyton　appeared。



〃Madam；〃　said　she　on　entering；　〃her　grace　was　indisposed　during　the

day；　and　will　take　nothing　this　evening；　it　will　be　useless；　then；

for　you　to　wait　longer。〃



〃Permit　me　to　hope；〃　replied　Lady　Lochleven；　〃that　she　will　change

her　decision；　in　any　case；　see　me　perform　my　office。〃



At　these　words；　a　servant　handed　Lady　Lochleven　bread　and　salt　on　a

silver　salver；　while　the　old　steward；　who；　in　the　absence　of　William

Douglas；　fulfilled　the　duties　of　carver；　served　to　her　on　a　plate　of

the　same　metal　a　morsel　from　each　of　the　dishes　that　had　been

brought；　then；　this　transaction　ended



〃So　the　queen　will　not　appear　to…day？〃　Lady　Lochleven　inquired。



〃It　is　her　Majesty's　resolve；〃　replied　Mary　Seyton。



〃Our　presence　is　then　needless；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃but　in　any　case

the　table　is　served；　and　if　her　grace　should　have　need　of　anything

else；　she　would　have　but　to　name　it。〃



With　these　words；　Lady　Lochleven；　with　the　same　stiffness　and　the

same　dignity　with　which　she　had　come；　withdrew；　followed　by　her　four

servants　and　her　steward。



As　Lady　Lochleven　had　foreseen；　the　queen；　yielding　to　the　entreaties

of　Mary　Seyton；　came　out　of　her　room　at　last；　towards　eight　o'clock

in　the　evening；　sat　down　to　table；　and；　served　by　the　only　maid　of

honour　left　her；　ate　a　little；　then；　getting　up；　she　went　to　the

window。



It　was　one　of　those　magnificent　summer　evenings　on　which　the　whole　of

nature　seems　making　holiday：　the　sky　was　studded　with　stars；　which

were　reflected　in　the　lake；　and　in　their　midst；　like　a　more　fiery

star；　the　flame　of　the　chafing…dish　shone；　burning　at　the　stern　of　a

little　boat：　the　queen；　by　the　gleam　of　the　light　it　shed；　perceived

George　Douglas　and　Little　Douglas；　who　were　fishing。　　However　great

her　wish　to　profit　by　this　fine　evening　to　breathe　the　pure　night

air；　the　sight　of　this　young　man　who　had　so　grossly　insulted　her　this

very　day　made　such　a　keen　impression　on　her　that　she　shut　her　window

directly；　and；　retiring　into　her　room；　went　to　bed；　and　made　her

companion　in　captivity　read　several　prayers　aloud；　then；　not　being

able　to　sleep；　so　greatly　was　she　agitated；　she　rose；　and　throwing　on

a　mantle　went　again　to　the　window　the　boat　had　disappeared。



Mary　spent　part　of　the　night　gazing　into　the　immensity　of　the

heavens；　or　into　the　depths　of　the　lake；　but　in　spite　of　the　nature

of　the　thoughts　agitating　her；　she　none　the　less　found　very　great

physical　alleviation　in　contact　with　this　pure　air　and　in

contemplation　of　this　peaceful　and　silent　night：　thus　she　awoke　next

day　calmer　and　more　resigned。　　Unfortunately；　the　sight　of　Lady

Lochleven；　who　presented　herself　at　breakfast…time；　to　fulfil　her

duties　as　taster；　brought　back　her　irritability。　　Perhaps；　however；

things　would　have　gone　on　smoothly　if　Lady　Lochleven；　instead　of

remaining　standing　by　the　sideboard；　had　withdrawn　after　having

tasted　the　various　dishes　of　the　courses；　but　this　insisting　on

remaining　throughout　the　meal；　which　was　at　bottom　a　mark　of　respect；

seemed　to　the　queen　unbearable　tyranny。



〃Darling；〃　said　she；　speaking　to　Mary　Seyton；　〃have　you　already

forgotten　that　our　good　hostess　complained　yesterday　of　the　fatigue

she　felt　inn　standing？　　Bring　her；　then；　one　of　the　two　stools

which　compose　our　royal　furniture；　and　take　care　that　it　is　not　the

one　with　the　leg　broken〃。　　〃If　the　furniture　of　Lochleven　Castle　is

in　such　bad　condition；　madam；〃　the　old　lady　replied；　〃it　is　the　fault

of　the　kings　of　Scotland：　the　poor　Douglases　for　nearly　a　century

have　had　such　a　small　part　of　their　sovereigns'　favour；　that　they

have　not　been　able　to　keep　up　the　splendour　of　their　ancestors　to　the

level　of　that　of　private　individuals；　and　because　there　was　in

Scotland　a　certain　musician；　as　I　am　informed；　who　spent　their　income

for　a　whole　year　in　one　month。〃



〃Those　who　know　how　to　take　so　well；　my　lady；〃　the　queen　answered；

〃have　no　need　of　being　given　to：　it　seems　to　me　the　Douglases　have

lost　nothing　by　waiting；　and　there　is　not　a　younger　son　of　this　noble

family　who　might　not　aspire　to　the　highest　alliances；　it　is　truly

vexatious　that　our　sister　the　queen　of　England　has　taken　a　vow　of

virginity；　as　is　stated。〃



〃Or　rather；〃　interrupted　Lady　Lochleven；　〃that　the　Queen　of　Scotland

is　not　a　widow　by　her　third　husband。　　But；〃　continued　the　old　lady；

pretending　to　recollect　herself；　〃I　do　not　say　that　to　reproach　your

grace。　　Catholics　look　upon　marriage　as　a　sacrament；　and　on　this　head

receive　it　as　often　as　they　can。〃



〃This；　then；〃　returned　Mary；　〃is　the　difference　between　them　and　the

Huguenots；　for　they；　not　having　the　same　respect　for　it；　think　it　is

allowed　them　to　dispense　with　it　in　certain　circumstances。〃



At　this　terrible　sarcasm　Lady　Lochleven　took　a　step　towards　Mary

Stuart；　holding　in　her　hand　the　knife　which　she　had　just　been　using

to　cut　off　a　piece　of　meat　brought　her　to　taste；　but　the　queen　rose

up　with　so　great　a　calm　and　with　such　majesty；　that　either　from

involuntary　respect　or　shame　of　her　first　impulse；　she　let　fall　the

weapon　she　was　holding；　and　not　finding　anything　sufficiently　strong

in　reply　to　express　her　feelings；　she　signed　to　the　servants　to

follow　her；　and　went　out　of　the　apartment　with　all　the　dignity　that

anger　permitted　her　to　summon　to　her　aid。



Scarcely　had　Lady　Lochleven　left　the　room　than　the　queen　sat　down

again；　joyful　and　triumphant　at　the　victory　she　had　just　gained；　and

ate　with　a　better　appetite　than　she　had　yet　done　since　she　was　a

prisoner；　while　Mary　Seyton　deplored　in　a　low　tone　and　with　all

possible　respect　this　fatal　gift　of　repartee　that　Mary　had　received；

and　which；　with　her　beauty；　was　one　of　the　causes　of　all　her

misfortunes；　but　the　queen　did　nothing　but　laugh　at　all　her

observations；　saying　she　was　curious　to　see　the　figure　her　good

hostess　would　cut　at　dinnertime。



After　breakfast；　the　queen　went　down　into　the　garden：　her　satisfied

pride　had　restored　some　of　her　cheerfulness；　so　much　so　that；　seeing；

while　crossing　the　hall；　a　mandolin　lying　forgotten　on　a　chair；　she

told　Mary　Seyton　to　take　it；　to　see；　she　said；　if　she　could　recall

her　old　talent。　　In　reality　the　queen　was　one　of　the　best　musicians

of　the　time；　and　played　admirably；　says　Brantome；　on　the　lute　and

viol　d'amour；　an　instrument　much　resembling　the　mandolin。



Mary　Seyton　obeyed。