mary stuart-第29节

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〃Is　everything　ready？〃



〃Everything。〃



〃What　are　we　to　do？〃



〃Follow　me　everywhere。〃



〃My　God！　my　God！〃　cried　Mary　Stuart；　〃have　pity　on　us！〃　Then；　having

breathed　a　short　prayer　in　a　low　voice；　while　Mary　Seyton　was　taking

the　casket　in　which　were　the　queen's　jewels；　〃I　am　ready；〃　said　she：

〃and　you；　darling？〃



〃I　also；〃　replied　Mary　Seyton。



〃Come；　then；〃　said　Little　Douglas。



The　two　prisoners　followed　the　child；　the　queen　going　first；　and　Mary

Seyton　after。　　Their　youthful　guide　carefully　shut　again　the　door

behind　him；　so　that　if　a　warder　happened　to　pass　he　would　see

nothing；　then　he　began　to　descend　the　winding　stair。　　Half…way　down；

the　noise　of　the　feast　reached　them；　a　mingling　of　shouts　of

laughter；　the　confusion　of　voices；　and　the　clinking　of　glasses。　　The

queen　placed　her　hand　on　her　young　guide's　shoulder。



〃Where　are　you　leading　us？〃　she　asked　him　with　terror。



〃Out　of　the　castle；〃　replied　the　child。



〃But　we　shall　have　to　pass　through　the　great　hall？〃



〃Without　a　doubt；　and　that　is　exactly　what　George　foresaw。　　Among　the

footmen；　whose　livery　your　Majesty　is　wearing；　no　one　will　recognise

you。〃



〃My　God！　my　God！〃　the　queen　murmured；　leaning　against　the　wall。



〃Courage；　madam；〃　said　Mary　Seyton　in　a　low　voice；　〃or　we　are　lost。〃



〃You　are　right；〃　returned　the　queen；　〃let　us　go〃。　　And　they　started

again　still　led　by　their　guide。



At　the　foot　of　the　stair　he　stopped；　and　giving　the　queen　a　stone

pitcher　full　of　wine



〃Set　this　jug　on　your　right　shoulder；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃it　will　hide

your　face　from　the　guests；　and　your　Majesty　will　give　rise　to　less

suspicion　if　carrying　something。　　You；　Miss　Mary；　give　me　that

casket；　and　put　on　your　head　this　basket　of　bread。　　Now；　that's

right：　do　you　feel　you　have　strength？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　queen。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mary　Seyton。



〃Then　follow　me。〃



The　child　went　on　his　way；　and　after　a　few　steps　the　fugitives　found

themselves　in　a　kind　of　antechamber　to　the　great　hall；　from　which

proceeded　noise　and　light。　　Several　servants　were　occupied　there　with

different　duties；　not　one　paid　attention　to　them；　and　that　a　little

reassured　the　queen。　　Besides；　there　was　no　longer　any　drawing　back：

Little　Douglas　had　just　entered　the　great　hall。



The　guests；　seated　on　both　sides　of　a　long　table　ranged　according　to

the　rank　of　those　assembled　at　it；　were　beginning　dessert；　and

consequently　had　reached　the　gayest　moment　of　the　repast。　　Moreover；

the　hall　was　so　large　that　the　lamps　and　candles　which　lighted　it；

multiplied　as　they　were；　left　in　the　most　favourable　half…light　both

sides　of　the　apartment；　in　which　fifteen　or　twenty　servants　were

coming　and　going。　　The　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　mingled　with　this　crowd；

which　was　too　much　occupied　to　notice　them；　and　without　stopping；

without　slackening；　without　looking　back；　they　crossed　the　whole

length　of　the　hall；　reached　the　other　door；　and　found　themselves　in

the　vestibule　corresponding　to　the　one　they　had　passed　through　on

coming　in。　　The　queen　set　down　her　jug　there；　Mary　Seyton　her　basket；

and　both；　still　led　by　the　child；　entered　a　corridor　at　the　end　of

which　they　found　themselves　in　the　courtyard。　　A　patrol　was　passing

at　the　moment；　but　he　took　no　notice　of　them。



The　child　made　his　way　towards　the　garden；　still　followed　by　the　two

women。　　There；　for　no　little　while；　it　was　necessary　to　try　which　of

all　the　keys　opened　the　door；　itwas　a　time　of　inexpressible

anxiety。　　At　last　the　key　turned　in　the　lock；　the　door　opened；　the

queen　and　Mary　Seyton　rushed　into　the　garden。　　The　child　closed　the

door　behind　them。



About　two…thirds　of　the　way　across；　Little　Douglas　held　out　his　hand

as　a　sign　to　them　to　stop；　then；　putting　down　the　casket　and　the　keys

on　the　ground；　he　placed　his　hands　together；　and　blowing　into　them；

thrice　imitated　the　owl's　cry　so　well　that　it　was　impossible　to

believe　that　a　human　voice　was　uttering　the　sounds；　then；　picking　up

the　casket　and　the　keys；　he　kept　on　his　way　on　tiptoe　and　with　an

attentive　ear。　　On　getting　near　the　wall；　they　again　stopped；　and

after　a　moment's　anxious　waiting　they　heard　a　groan；　then　something

like　the　sound　of　a　falling　body。　　Some　seconds　later　the　owl's　cry

wasanswered　by　a　tu…whit…tu…whoo。



〃It　is　over；〃　Little　Douglas　said　calmly；　〃come。〃



〃What　is　over？〃　asked　the　queen；　〃and　what　is　that　groan　we　heard？〃



〃There　was　a　sentry　at　the　door　on　to　the　lake；〃　the　child　answered；

〃but　he　is　no　longer　there。〃



The　queen　felt　her　heart's　blood　grow　cold；　at　the　same　tine　that　a

chilly　sweat　broke　out　to　the　roots　of　her　hair；　for　she　perfectly

understood：　an　unfortunate　being　had　just　lost　his　life　on　her

account。　　Tottering；　she　leaned　on　Mary　Seyton；　who　herself　felt　her

strength　giving　way。　　Meanwhile　Little　Douglas　was　trying　the　keys：

the　second　opened　the　door。



〃And　the　queen？〃　said　in　a　low　voice　a　man　who　was　waiting　on　the

other　side　of　the　wall。



〃She　is　following　me；〃　replied　the　child。



George　Douglas；　for　it　was　he；　sprang　into　the　garden；　and；　taking

the　queen's　arm　on　one　side　and　Mary　Seyton's　on　the　other；　he

hurried　them　away　quickly　to　the　lake…side。　　When　passing　through　the

doorway　Mary　Stuart　could　not　help　throwing　an　uneasy　look　about　her；

and　it　seemed　to　her　that　a　shapeless　object　was　lying　at　the　bottom

of　the　wall；　and　as　she　was　shuddering　all　over



〃Do　not　pity　him；〃　said　George　in　a　low　voice；　〃for　it　is　a　judgment

from　heaven。　　That　man　was　the　infamous　Warden　who　betrayed　us。〃



〃Alas！〃　said　the　queen；　〃guilty　as　he　was；　he　is　none　the　less　dead

on　my　account。〃



〃When　it　concerned　your　safety；　madam；　was　one　to　haggle　over　drops

of　that　base　blood？　　But　silence！　　This　way；　William；　this　way；　let

us　keep　along　the　wall；　whose　shadow　hides　us。　　The　boat　is　within

twenty　steps；　and　we　are　saved。〃



With　these　words；　George　hurried　on　the　two　women　still　more　quickly；

and　all　four；　without　having　been　detected；　reached　the　banks　of　the

lake。　　'As　Douglas　had　said；　a　little　boat　was　waiting；　and；　on

seeing　the　fugitives　approach；　four　rowers；　couched　along　its　bottom；

rose；　and　one　of　them；　springing　to　land；　pulled　the　chain；　so　that

the　queen　and　Mary　Seyton　could　get　in。　　Douglas　seated　them　at　the

prow；　the　child　placed　himself　at　the　rudder；　and　George；　with　a

kick；　pushed　off　the　boat；　which　began　to　glide　over　the　lake。



〃And　now；〃　said　he；　〃we　are　really　saved；　for　they　might　as　well

pursue　a　sea　swallow　on　Solway　Firth　as　try　to　reach　us。　　Row；

children；　row；　never　mind　if　they　hear　us：　the　main　thing　is　to　get

into　the　open。〃



〃Who　goes　there？〃　cried　a　voice　above；　from　the　castle　terrace。



〃Row；　row；〃　said　Douglas；　placing　himself　in　front　of　the　queen。



〃The　boat！　the　boat！〃　cried　the　same　voice；　〃bring　to　the　boat！〃

Then；　seeing　that　it　continued　to　recede；　〃Treason！　treason！〃　cried

the　sentinel。　　〃To　arms！〃



At　the　same　moment　a　flash　lit　up　the　lake；　the　report　of　a　firearm

was　heard；　and　a　ball　passed；　whistling。　　The　queen　uttered　a　little

cry；　although　she　had　run　no　danger；　George；　as　we　have　said；　having

placed　himself　in　front　of　her；　quite　protecting　her　with　his　body。



The　alarm　bell　now　rang；　and　all　the　castle　lights　were　seen　moving

and　glancing　about；　as　if　distracted；　in　the　rooms。



〃Courage；　children！〃　said　Douglas。　　〃Row　as　if　your　lives　depended　on

each　stroke　of　the　oar；　for　ere　five　minutes　the　skiff　will　be　out

after　us。〃



〃That　won't　be　so　easy　for　them　as　you　think；　George；〃　said　Little

Douglas；　〃for　I　shut　all　the　doors　behind　me；　and　some　time　will

elapse　before　the　keys　that　I　have　left　there　open　them。　　As　to

these；〃　added　he；　showing　those　he　had　so　skilfully　abstracted；　〃I

resign　them　to　the　Kelpie；　the　genie　of　the　lake；　and　I　nominate　him

porter　of　Lochleven　Castle。〃



The　discharge　of　a　small　piece　of　artillery　answered　William's　joke；

but　as　the　night　was　too　dark　for　one　to　aim　to　such　a　distance　as

that　already　between　the　castle　and　the　boat；　the　ball　ricochetted　at

twenty　paces　from　the　fugitives；　while　the　report　died　away　in　echo

after　echo。　　Then　Douglas　drew　his　pistol　from　his　belt；　and；　warning

the　ladies　to　have　no　fear；　he　fired　in　the　air；　not　to　answer　by

idle　bravado　the　castle　cannonade；　but　to　give　notice　to　a　troop　of

faithful　friends；　who　were　waiting　for　them　on　the　other　shore　of　the

lake；　that　the　queen　had　escaped。　　Immediately；　in　spite　of　the

danger　of　being　so　near　Kinross；　cries　of　joy　resounded　on　the　bank；

and　William　having　turned　the　rudder；　the　boat　made　for　land　at　the

spot　whence　they　had　been　heard。　　Douglas　then　gave　his　hand　to　the

queen；　who　sprang　lightly　ashore；　and　who；　falling　on　her　knees；

immediately　began　to　give　thanks　to　God　for　her　happy　deliverance。



On　rising；　the　queen　found　herself　surrounded　by　her　most　faithful

servan