mary stuart-第28节

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the　lake　broke　its　ice…crust；　the　first　buds　opened；　the　green　turf

reappeared；　everything　came　out　of　its　prison　at　the　joyous　approach

of　spring；　and　it　was　a　great　grief　to　Mary　to　see　that　she　alone　was

condemned　to　an　eternal　winter。



At　last；　one　evening；　she　thought　she　observed　in　the　motions　of　the

light　that　something　fresh　was　happening：　she　had　so　often　questioned

this　poor　flickering　star；　and　she　had　so　often　let　it　count　her

heart…beats　more　than　twenty　times；　that　to　spare　herself　the　pain　of

disappointment；　for　a　long　time　she　had　no　longer　interrogated　it；

however；　she　resolved　to　make　one　last　attempt；　and；　almost　hopeless；

she　put　her　light　near　the　window；　and　immediately　took　it　away；

still；　faithful　to　the　signal；　the　other　disappeared　at　the　same

moment；　and　reappeared　at　the　eleventh　heart…beat　of　the　queen。　　At

the　same　time；　by　a　strange　coincidence；　a　stone　passing　through　the

window　fell　at　Mary　Seyton's　feet。　　It　was；　like　the　first；　wrapped

in　a　letter　from　George：　the　queen　took　it　from　her　companion's

hands；　opened　it；　and　read：



〃The　moment　draws　near；　your　adherents　are　assembled；　summon　all　your

courage。〃



〃To…morrow；　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　drop　a　cord　from　your

window；　and　draw　up　the　packet　that　will　be　fastened　to　it。〃



There　remained　in　the　queen's　apartments　the　rope　over　and　above　what

had　served　for　the　ladder　taken　away　by　the　guards　the　evening　of　the

frustrated　escape：　next　day；　at　the　appointed　hour；　the　two　prisoners

shut　up　the　lamp　in　the　bedroom；　so　that　no　light　should　betray　them；

and　Mary　Seyton；　approaching　the　window；　let　down　the　cord。　　After　a

minute；　she　felt　from　its　movements　that　something　was　being　attached

to　it。　　Mary　Seyton　pulled；　and　a　rather　bulky　parcel　appeared　at　the

bars；　which　it　could　not　pass　on　account　of　its　size。　　Then　the　queen

came　to　her　companion's　aid。　　The　parcel　was　untied；　and　its

contents；　separately；　got　through　easily。　　The　two　prisoners　carried

them　into　the　bedroom；　and；　barricaded　within；　commenced　an

inventory。　　There　were　two　complete　suits　of　men's　clothes　in　the

Douglas　livery。　　The　queen　was　at　a　loss；　when　she　saw　a　letter

fastened　to　the　collar　of　one　of　the　two　coats。　　Eager　to　know　the

meaning　of　this　enigma；　she　immediately　opened　it；　and　read　as

follows：



〃It　is　only　by　dint　of　audacity　that　her　Majesty　can　recover　her

liberty：　let　her　Majesty　read　this　letter；　then；　and　punctually

follow；　if　she　deign　to　adopt　them；　the　instructions　she　will　find

therein。



〃In　the　daytime　the　keys　of　the　castle　do　not　leave　the　belt　of　the

old　steward；　when　curfew　is　rung　and　he　has　made　his　rounds　to　make

sure　that　all　the　doors　are　fast　shut；　he　gives　them　up　to　William

Douglas；　who；　if　he　stays　up；　fastens　them　to　his　sword…belt；　or；　if

he　sleeps；　puts　them　under　his　pillow。　　For　five　months；　Little

Douglas；　whom　everyone　is　accustomed　to　see　working　at　the　armourer's

forge　of　the　castle；　has　been　employed　in　making　some　keys　like

enough　to　the　others；　once　they　are　substituted　for　them；　for　William

to　be　deceived。　　Yesterday　Little　Douglas　finished　the　last。



〃On　the　first　favourable　opportunity　that　her　Majesty　will　know　to　be

about　to　present　itself；　by　carefully　questioning　the　light　each　day；

Little　Douglas　will　exchange　the　false　keys　for　the　true；　will　enter

the　queen's　room；　and　will　find　her　dressed；　as　well　as　Miss　Mary

Seyton；　in　their　men's　clothing；　and　he　will　go　before　them　to　lead

them；　by　the　way　which　offers　the　best　chances　for　their　escape；　a

boat　will　be　prepared　and　will　await　them。



〃Till　then；　every　evening；　as　much　to　accustom　themselves　to　these

new　costumes　as　to　give　them　an　appearance　of　having　been　worn；　her

Majesty　and　Miss　Mary　Seyton　will　dress　themselves　in　the　suits；

which　they　must　keep　on　from　nine　o'clock　till　midnight。　　Besides；　it

is　possible　that；　without　having　had　time　to　warn　them；　their　young

guide　may　suddenly　come　to　seek　them：　it　is　urgent；　then；　that　he

find　them　ready。



〃The　garments　ought　to　fit　perfectly　her　Majesty　and　her　companion；

the　measure　having　been　taken　on　Miss　Mary　Fleming　and　Miss　Mary

Livingston；　who　are　exactly　their　size。



〃One　cannot　too　strongly　recommend　her　Majesty　to　summon　to　her　aid

on　the　supreme　occasion　the　coolness　and　courage　of　which　she　has

given　such　frequent　proofs　at　other　times。〃



The　two　prisoners　were　astounded　at　the　boldness　of　this　plan：　at

first　they　looked　at　one　another　in　consternation；　for　success　seemed

impossible。　　They　none　the　less　made　trial　of　their　disguise：　as

George　had　said；　it　fitted　each　of　them　as　if　they　had　been　measured

for　it。



Every　evening　the　queen　questioned　the　light；　as　George　had　urged；

and　that　for　a　whole　long　month；　during　which　each　evening　the　queen

and　Mary　Seyton；　although　the　light　gave　no　fresh　tidings；　arrayed

themselves　in　their　men's　clothes；　as　had　been　arranged；　so　that　they

both　acquired　such　practice　that　they　became　as　familiar　to　them　as

those　of　their　own　sex。



At　last；　the　2nd　May；　1568；　the　queen　was　awakened　by　the　blowing　of

a　horn：　uneasy　as　to　what　it　announced；　she　slipped　on　a　cloak　and

ran　to　the　window；　where　Mary　Seyton　joined　her　directly。　　A　rather

numerous　band　of　horsemen　had　halted　on　the　side　of　the　lake；

displaying　the　Douglas　pennon；　and　three　boats　were　rowing　together

and　vying　with　each　other　to　fetch　the　new　arrivals。



This　event　caused　the　queen　dismay：　in　her　situation　the　least　change

in　the　castle　routine　was　to　be　feared；　for　it　might　upset　all　the

concerted　plans。　　This　apprehension　redoubled　when；　on　the　boats

drawing　near；　the　queen　recognised　in　the　elder　Lord　Douglas；　the

husband　of　Lady　Lochleven；　and　the　father　of　William　and　George。　　The

venerable　knight；　who　was　Keeper　of　the　Marches　in　the　north；　was

coming　to　visit　his　ancient　manor；　in　which　he　had　not　set　foot　for

three　years。



It　was　an　event　for　Lochleven；　and；　some　minutes　after　the　arrival　of

the　boats；　Mary　Stuart　heard　the　old　steward's　footsteps　mounting　the

stairs：　he　came　to　announce　his　master's　arrival　to　the　queen；　and；

as　it　must　needs　be　a　time　of　rejoicing　to　all　the　castle　inhabitants

when　its　master　returned；　he　came　to　invite　the　queen　to　the　dinner

in　celebration　of　the　event：　whether　instinctively　or　from　distaste；

the　queen　declined。



All　day　long　the　bell　and　the　bugle　resounded：　Lord　Douglas；　like　a

true　feudal　lord；　travelled　with　the　retinue　of　a　prince。　　One　saw

nothing　but　new　soldiers　and　servants　passing　and　repassing　beneath

the　queen's　windows：　the　footmen　and　horsemen　were　wearing；　moreover；

a　livery　similar　to　that　which　the　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　had

received。



Mary　awaited　the　night　with　impatience。　　The　day　before；　she　had

questioned　her　light；　and　it　had　informed　her　as　usual；　in

reappearing　at　her　eleventh　or　twelfth　heart…beat；　that　the　moment　of

escape　was　near；　but　she　greatly　feared　that　Lord　Douglas's　arrival

might　have　upset　everything；　and　that　this　evening's　signal　could

only　announce　a　postponement。　　But　hardly　had　she　seen　the　light

shine　than　she　placed　her　lamp　in　the　window；　the　other　disappeared

directly；　and　Mary　Stuart；　with　terrible　anxiety；　began　to　question

it。　　This　anxiety　increased　when　she　had　counted　more　than　fifteen

beats。　　Then　she　stopped；　cast　down；　her　eyes　mechanically　fixed　on

the　spot　where　the　light　had　been。　　But　her　astonishment　was　great

when；　at　the　end　of　a　few　minutes；　she　did　not　see　it　reappear；　and

when；　half　an　hour　having　elapsed；　everything　remained　in　darkness。

The　queen　then　renewed　her　signal；　but　obtained　no　response：　the

escape　was　for　the　same　evening。



The　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　were　so　little　expecting　this　issue；　that；

contrary　to　their　custom；　they　had　not　put　on　their　men's　clothes

that　evening。　　They　immediately　flew　to　the　queen's　bed…chamber；

bolted　the　door　behind　them；　and　began　to　dress。



They　had　hardly　finished　their　hurried　toilette　when　they　heard　a　key

turn　in　the　lock：　they　immediately　blew　out　the　lamp。　　Light　steps

approached　the　door。　　The　two　women　leaned　one　against　the　other；　for

they　both　were　near　falling。　　Someone　tapped　gently。　　The　queen　asked

who　was　there；　and　Little　Douglas's　voice　answered　in　the　two　first

lines　of　an　old　ballad



〃Douglas；　Douglas；

Tender　and　true。〃



Mary　opened；　directly：　it　was　the　watchword　agreed　upon　with　George

Douglas。



The　child　was　without　a　light。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand　and

encountered　the　queen's：　in　the　starlight；　Mary　Stuart　saw　him　kneel

down；　then　she　felt　the　imprint　of　his　lips　on　her　fingers。



〃Is　your　Majesty　ready　to　follow　me？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　tone；　rising。



〃Yes；　my　child；〃　the　queen　answered：　〃it　is　for　this　evening；　then？〃



〃With　your　Majesty's　permission；　yes；　it　is　for　this　evening。〃



〃Is　everything　ready？〃



〃Everything。〃



〃What　are　we