mary stuart-第15部分

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brought　her。　　This　precaution　saddened　Mary　more　than　it　reassured

her；　for　she　understood　that；　while　she　stayed　in　the　castle；　this

ceremony　would　prevent　any　intimacy　at　table。　　However；　it　proceeded

from　too　noble　an　intention　for　her　to　impute　it　as　a　crime　to　her

hosts：　she　resigned　herself；　then；　to　this　company；　insupportable　as

it　was　to　her；　only；　from　that　day　forward；　she　so　cut　short　her

meals　that　all　the　time　she　was　at　Lochleven　her　longest　dinners

barely　lasted　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour。



Two　days　after　her　arrival；　Mary；　on　sitting　down　to　table　for

breakfast；　found　on　her　plate　a　letter　addressed　to　her　which　had

been　put　there　by　William　Douglas。　　Mary　recognised　Murray's

handwriting；　and　her　first　feeling　was　one　of　joy；　for　if　a　ray　of

hope　remained　to　her；　it　came　from　her　brother；　to　whom　she　had

always　been　perfectly　kind；　whom　from　Prior　of　St。　　Andrew's　she　had

made　an　earl　in　bestowing　on　him　the　splendid　estates　which　formed

part　of　the　old　earldom　of　Murray；　and　to　whom；　which　was　of　more

importance；　she　had　since　pardoned；　or　pretended　to　pardon；　the　part

he　had　taken　in　Rizzio's　assassination。



Her　astonishment　was　great；　then；　when；　having　opened　the　letter；　she

found　in　it　bitter　reproaches　for　her　conduct；　an　exhortation　to　do

penance；　and　an　assurance　several　times　repeated　that　she　should

never　leave　her　prison。　　He　ended　his　letter　in　announcing　to　her

that；　in　spite　of　his　distaste　for　public　affairs；　he　had　been

obliged　to　accept　the　regency；　which　he　had　done　less　for　his　country

than　for　his　sister；　seeing　that　it　was　the　sole　means　he　had　of

standing　in　the　way　of　the　ignominious　trial　to　which　the　nobles

wished　to　bring　her；　as　author；　or　at　least　as　chief　accomplice；　of

Darnley's　death。　　This　imprisonment　was　then　clearly　a　great　good

fortune　for　her；　and　she　ought　to　thank　Heaven　for　it；　as　an

alleviation　of　the　fate　awaiting　her　if　he　had　not　interceded　for

her。



This　letter　was　a　lightning　stroke　for　Mary：　only；　as　she　did　not

wish　to　give　her　enemies　the　delight　of　seeing　her　suffer；　she

contained　her　grief；　and；　turning　to　William　Douglas



〃My　lord；〃　said　she；　〃this　letter　contains　news　that　you　doubtless

know　already；　for　although　we　are　not　children　by　the　same　mother；　he

who　writes　to　me　is　related　to　us　in　the　same　degree；　and　will　not

have　desired　to　write　to　his　sister　without　writing　to　his　brother　at

the　same　time；　besides；　as　a　good　son；　he　will　have　desired　to

acquaint　his　mother　with　the　unlooked…for　greatness　that　has　befallen

him。〃



〃Yes；　madam；〃　replied　William；　〃we　know　since　yesterday　that；　for　the

welfare　of　Scotland；　my　brother　has　been　named　regent；　and　as　he　is　a

son　as　respectful　to　his　mother　as　he　is　devoted　to　his　country；　we

hope　that　he　will　repair　the　evil　that　for　five　years　favourites　of

every　sort　and　kind　have　done　to　both。〃



〃It　is　like　a　good　son；　and　at　the　same　time　like　a　courteous　host；

to　go　back　no　farther　into　the　history　of　Scotland；〃　replied　Mary

Stuart；〃　and　not　to　make　the　daughter　blush　for　the　father's　errors；

for　I　have　heard　say　that　the　evil　which　your　lordship　laments　was

prior　to　the　time　to　which　you　assign　it；　and　that　King　James　V　also

had　formerly　favourites；　both　male　and　female。　　It　is　true　that　they

add　that　the　ones　as　ill　rewarded　his　friendship　as　the　others　his

love。　　In　this；　if　you　are　ignorant　of　it；　my　lord；　you　can　be

instructed；　if　he　is　still　living；　by　a　certain。　　Porterfeld　or

Porterfield；　I　don't　know　which；　understanding　these　names　of　the

lower　classes　too　ill　to　retain　and　pronounce　them；　but　about　which；

in　my　stead；　your　noble　mother　could　give　you　information。〃



With　these　words；　Mary　Stuart　rose；　and；　leaving　William　Douglas

crimson　with　rage；　she　returned　into　her　bedroom；　and　bolted　the　door

behind　her。



All　that　day　Mary　did　not　come　down；　remaining　at　her　window；　from

which　she　at　least　enjoyed　a　splendid　view　over　the　plains　and

village　of　Kinross；　but　this　vast　extent　only　contracted　her　heart

the　more；　when；　bringing　her　gaze　back　from　the　horizon　to　the

castle；　she　beheld　its　walls　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　the　deep

waters　of　the　lake；　on　whose　wide　surface　a　single　boat；　where　Little

Douglas　was　fishing；　was　rocking　like　a　speck。　　For　some　moments

Mary's　eyes　mechanically　rested　on　this　child；　whom　she　had　already

seen　upon　her　arrival；　when　suddenly　a　horn　sounded　from　the　Kinross

side。　　At　the　same　moment　Little　Douglas　threw　away　his　line；　and

began　to　row　towards　the　shore　whence　the　signal　had　come　with　skill

and　strength　beyond　his　years。　　Mary；　who　had　let　her　gaze　rest　on

him　absently；　continued　to　follow　him　with　her　eyes；　and　saw　him　make

for　a　spot　on　the　shore　so　distant　that　the　boat　seemed　to　her　at

length　but　an　imperceptible　speck；　but　soon　it　reappeared；　growing

larger　as　it　approached；　and　Mary　could　then　observe　that　it　was

bringing　back　to　the　castle　a　new　passenger；　who；　having　in　his　turn

taken　the　oars；　made　the　little　skiff　fly　over　the　tranquil　water　of

the　lake；　where　it　left　a　furrow　gleaming　in　the　last　rays　of　the

sun。　　Very　soon；　flying　on　with　the　swiftness　of　a　bird；　it　was　near

enough　for　Mary　to　see　that　the　skilful　and　vigorous　oarsman　was　a

young　man　from　twenty…five　to　twenty…six　years　of　age；　with　long

black　hair；　clad　in　a　close　coat　of　green　cloth；　and　wearing　a

Highlander's　cap；　adorned　with　an　eagle's　feather；　then；　as　with　his

back　turned　to　the　window　he　drew　nearer；　Little　Douglas；　who　was

leaning　on　his　shoulder；　said　a　few　words　which　made　him　turn　round

towards　the　queen：　immediately　Mary；　with　an　instinctive　movement

rather　than　with　the　dread　of　being　an　object　of　idle　curiosity；　drew

back；　but　not　so　quickly；　however；　but　that　she　had　been　able　to　see

the　handsome　pale　face　of　the　unknown；　who；　when　she　returned　to　the

window；　had　disappeared　behind　one　of　the　corners　of　the　castle。



Everything　is　a　cause　of　conjecture　to　a　prisoner：　it　seemed　to　Mary

that　this　young　man's　face　was　not　unknown　to　her；　and　that　he　had

seen　her　already；　but　though　great　the　care　with　which　she　questioned

her　memory；　she　could　not　recall　any　distinct　remembrance；　so　much　so

that　the　queen　ended　in　thinking　it　the　play　of　her　imagination；　or

that　some　vague　and　distinct　resemblance　had　deceived　her。



However；　in　spite　of　Mary；　this　idea　had　taken　an　important　place　in

her　mind：　she　incessantly　saw　this　little　boat　skimming　the　water；

and　the　young　man　and　the　child　who　were　in　it　drawing　near　her；　as

if　to　bring　her　help。　　It　followed　that；　although　there　had　been

nothing　real　in　all　these　captive's　dreams；　she　slept　that　night　a

calmer　sleep　than　she　had　yet　done　since　she　had　been　in　Lochleven

Castle。



Next　day；　on　rising；　Mary　ran　to　her　window：　the　weather　was　fine；

and　everything　seemed　to　smile　on　her；　the　water；　the　heavens　and　the

earth。　　But；　without　being　able　to　account　for　the　restraining

motive；　she　did　not　want　to　go　down　into　the　ga　den　before　breakfast。

When　the　door　opened；　'she　turned　quickly　round：　it　was；　as　on　the

day　before；　William　Douglas；　who　came　to　fulfil　his　duty　as　taster。



The　breakfast　was　a　short　and　silent　one；　then；　as　soon　as　Douglas

had　withdrawn；　Mary　descended　in　her　turn：　in　crossing　the　courtyard

she　saw　two　horses　ready　saddled；　which　pointed　to　the　near　departure

of　a　master　and　a　squire。　　Was　it　the　young　man　with　the　black　hair

already　setting　out　again？　　This　is　what　Mary　did　not　dare　or　did　not

wish　to　ask。　　She　consequently　went　her　way；　and　entered　the　garden：

at　the　first　glance　she　took　it　in　in　its　full　extent；　it　was

deserted。



Mary　walked　there　a　moment；　then；　soon　tiring　of　the　promenade；　she

went　up　again　to　her　room：　in　passing　back　through　the　courtyard　she

had　noticed　that　the　horses　were　no　longer　there。　　Directly　she

returned　into　her　apartment；　she　went　then　to　the　window　to　see　if

she　could　discover　anything　upon　the　lake　to　guide　her　in　her

conjectures：　a　boat　was　in　fact　receding；　and　in　this　boat　were　the

two　horses　and　the　two　horsemen；　one　was　William　Douglas；　the　other　a

simple　squire　from　the　house。



Mary　continued　watching　the　boat　until　it　had　touched　the　shore。

Arrived　there；　the　two　horsemen　got　out；　disembarked　their　horses；。

and　went　away　at　full　gallop；　taking　the　same　road　by　which　the　queen

had　come；　so　that；　as　the　horses　were　prepared　for　a　long　journey；

Mary　thought　that　William　Douglas　was　going　to　Edinburgh。　　As　to　the

boat；　scarcely　had　it　landed　its　two　passengers　on　the　opposite　shore

than　it　returned　towards　the　castle。



At　that　moment　Mary　Seyton　announced　to　the　queen　that　Lady　Douglas

was　asking　permission　to　visit　her。



It　was　the　second　time；　after　long　hatred　on　Lady　Douglas's　part　and

contemptuous　indifference　on　the　queen's；　that　the　two　women　were

face　to　face；　therefore　the　queen；　with　that　instinctive　impulse　of

coquetry　which　urges　women；　in　whatever　situation　they　find

themselves；　to　desire　to　be　beautiful；　above　all　for　women；　made　a

sign　to　Mary　Seyton；　and；　going　to　a　little　mirror　fastened　to　the

wall　in　a　heavy　Gothic　frame；　she　arranged　her　curls；　and　readjusted

the　lace　of　her　collar；　then；　having　seated　herself　in　the　pose　most

favourable　to　her；　in　a　great　arm…chair；　the　only　one　in　her　sitting…

room；　she　said　smilingly　to　Mary　Seyton　that　she　might　admit　Lady

Douglas；　who　was　immediately　introduced。



Mary's　expectation　was　not　disappointed：　Lady　Douglas；　in　spite　of

her　hatred　for　James　Vs　daughter；　and　mistress　of　herself　as　she

thought　she　as；　could　not　prevent　herself　from　showing　by　a　movement

of　surprise　the　impression　that　this　marvelous　beauty　was　making　on

her：　she　thought　she　should　find　Mary　crushed　by　her　unhappiness；

pallid　from　her　fatigues；　humbled　by　captivity；　and　she　saw　hers

calm；　lovely；　and　haughty　as　usual。　　Mary　perceived　the　effect　that