mary stuart-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



pardon　of　Murray　and　the　nobles　compromised　with　him　in　the　affair　of

the　〃run　in　every　sense〃。　　Darnley　granted　all　they　asked　of　him；　and

a　messenger　was　sent　to　Murray　to　inform　him　of　the　expedition　in

preparation；　and　to　invite　him　to　hold　himself　in　readiness　to

reenter　Scotland　at　the　first　notice　he　should　receive。　　Then；　this

point　settled；　they　made　Darnley　sign　a　paper　in　which　he

acknowledged　himself　the　author　and　chief　of　the　enterprise。　　The

other　assassins　were　the　Earl　of　Morton；　the　Earl　of　Ruthven；　；George

Douglas　the　bastard　of　Angus；　Lindley；　and　Andrew；　Carew。　　The

remainder　were　soldiers；　simple　murderers'　tools；　who　did　not　even

know　what　was　afoot。　　Darnley　reserved　it　for　himself　to　appoint　the

time。



Two　days　after　these　conditions　were　agreed　upon；　Darnley　having　been

notified　that　the　queen　was　alone　with　Rizzio；　wished　to　make　himself

sure　of　the　degree　of　her　favour　enjoyed　by　the　minister。　　He

accordingly　went　to　her　apartment　by　a　little　door　of　which　he　always

kept　the　key　upon　him；　but　though　the　key　turned　in　the　lock；　the

door　did　not　open。　　Then　Darnley　knocked；　announcing　himself；　but

such　was　the　contempt　into　which　he　had　fallen　with　the　queen；　that

Mary　left　him　outside；　although；　supposing　she　had　been　alone　with

Rizzio；　she　would　have　had　time　to　send　him　away。　　Darnley；　driven　to

extremities　by　this；　summoned　Morton；　Ruthven；　Lennox；　Lindley；　and

Douglas's　bastard；　and　fixed　the　assassination　of　Rizzio　for　two　days

later。



They　had　just　completed　all　the　details；　and　had；　distributed　the

parts　that　each　must　play　in　this　bloody　tragedy；　when　suddenly；　and

at　the　moment　when　they　least　expected　it；　the　door　opened　and；　Mary

Stuart　appeared　on　the　threshold。



〃My　lords；〃　said　she；　〃your　holding　these　secret　counsels　is　useless。

I　am　informed　of　your　plots；　and　with　God's　help　I　shall　soon　apply　a

remedy〃。



With　these　words；　and　before　the　conspirators　hid　had　time　to　collect

themselves；　she　shut　the　door　again；　and　vanished　like　a　passing　but

threatening　vision。　　All　remained　thunderstruck。　　Morton　was　the

first　to　find　his　tongue。



〃My　lords；〃　said　he；　〃this　is　a　game　of　life　and　death；　and　the

winner　will　not　be　the　cleverest　or　the　strongest；　but　the　readiest。

If　we　do　not　destroy　this　man；　we　are　lost。　　We　must　strike　him　down；

this　very　evening；　not　the　day　after　to…morrow。〃



Everyone　applauded；　even　Ruthven；　who；　still　pale　and　feverish　from

riotous　living；　promised　not　to　be　behindhand。　　The　only　point

changed；　on　Morton's　suggestion；　was　that　the　murder　should　take

place　next　day；　for；　in　the　opinion　of　all；　not　less　than　a　day's

interval　was　needed　to　collect　the　minor　conspirators；　who　numbered

not　less　than　five　hundred。



The　next　day；　which　was　Saturday；　March　9th；　1566；　Mary　Stuart；　who

had　inherited　from　her　father；　James　V；　a　dislike　of　ceremony　and　the

need　of　liberty；　had　invited　to　supper　with　her　six　persons；　Rizzio

among　the　number。　　Darnley；　informed　of　this　in　the　morning；

immediately　gave　notice　of　it　to　the　conspirators；　telling　them　that

he　himself　would　let　them　into　the　palace　between　six　and　seven

o'clock　in　the　evening。　　The　conspirators　replied　that　they　would　be

in　readiness。



The　morning　had　been　dark　and　stormy；　as　nearly　all　the　first　days　of

spring　are　in　Scotland；　and　towards　evening　the　snow　and　wind

redoubled　in　depth　and　violence。　　So　Mary　had　remained　shut　up　with

Rizzio；　and　Darnley；　who　had　gone　to　the　secret　door　several　times；

could　hear　the　sound　of　instruments　and　the　voice　of　the　favourite；

who　was　singing　those　sweet　melodies　which　have　come　down　to　our

time；　and　which　Edinburgh　people　still　attribute　to　him。　　These　songs

were　for　Mary　a　reminder　of　her　stay　in　France；　where　the　artists　in

the　train　of　the　Medicis　had　already　brought　echoes　from　Italy；　but

for　Darnley　they　were　an　insult；　and　each　time　he　had　withdrawn

strengthened　in　his　design。



At　the　appointed　time；　the　conspirators；　who　had　been　given　the

password　during　the　day；　knocked　at　the　palace　gate；　and　were

received　there　so　much　the　more　easily　that　Darnley　himself；　wrapped

in　a　great　cloak；　awaited　them　at　the　postern　by　which　they　were

admitted。　　The　five　hundred　soldiers　immediately　stole　into　an　inner

courtyard；　where　they　placed　themselves　under　some　sheds；　as　much　to

keep　themselves　from　the　cold　as　that　they　might　not　be　seen　on　the

snow…covered　ground。　　A　brightly　lighted　window　looked　into　this

courtyard；　it　was　that　of　the　queen's　study：　at　the　first　signal　give

them　from　this　window；　the　soldiers　were　to　break　in　the　door　and　go

to　the　help　of　the　chief　conspirators。



These　instructions　given；　Darnley　led　Morton；　Ruthven；　Lennox；

Lindley；　Andrew　Carew；　and　Douglas's　bastard　into　the　room　adjoining

the　study；　and　only　separated　from　it　by　a　tapestry　hanging　before

the　door。　　From　there　one　could　overhear　all　that　was　being　said；　and

at　a　single　bound　fall　upon　the　guests。



Darnley　left　them　in　this　room；　enjoining　silence；　then；　giving　them

as　a　signal　to　enter　the　moment　when　they　should　hear　him　cry；　〃To

me；　Douglas！〃　he　went　round　by　the　secret　passage；　so　that　seeing　him

come　in　by　his　usual　door　the　queen's　suspicions　might　not　be　roused

by　his　unlooked…for　visit。



Mary　was　at　supper　with　six　persons；　having；　say　de　Thou　and

Melville；　Rizzio　seated　on　her　right；　while；　on　the　contrary；

Carapden　assures　us　that　he　was　eating　standing　at　a　sideboard。　　The

talk　was　gay　and　intimate；　for　all　were　giving　themselves　up　to　the

ease　one　feels　at　being　safe　and　warm；　at　a　hospitable　board；　while

the　snow　is　beating　against　the　windows　and　the　wind　roaring　in　the

chimneys。　　Suddenly　Mary；　surprised　that　the　most　profound　silence

had　succeeded　to　the　lively　and　animated　flow　of　words　among　her

guests　since　the　beginning　of　supper；　and　suspecting；　from　their

glances；　that　the　cause　of　their　uneasiness　was　behind　her；　turned

round　and　saw　Darnley　leaning　on　the　back　of　her　chair。　　The　queen

shuddered；　for　although　her　husband　was　smiling　when　looking　at

Rizzio；　this　smile　lead　assumed　such　a　strange　expression　that　it　was

clear　that　something　terrible　was　about　to　happen。　　At　the　same

moment；　Mary　heard　in　the　next　room　a　heavy；　dragging　step　drew　near

the　cabinet；　then　the　tapestry　was　raised；　and　Lord　Ruthven；　in

armour　of　which　he　could　barely　support　the　weight；　pale　as　a　ghost；

appeared　on　the　threshold；　and；　drawing　his　sword　in　silence；　leaned

upon　it。



The　queen　thought　he　was　delirious。



〃What　do　you　want；　my　lord？〃　she　said　to　him；　〃and　why　do　you　come　to

the　palace　like　this？〃



〃Ask　the　king；　madam；〃　replied　Ruthven　in　an　indistinct　voice。　〃It　is

for　him　to　answer。〃



〃Explain；　my　lord；〃　Mary　demanded；　turning　again　towards　Darnley；

〃what　does　such　a　neglect　of　ordinary　propriety　mean？〃



〃It　means；　madam；〃　returned　Darnley；　pointing　to　Rizzio；　〃that　that

man　must　leave　here　this　very　minute。〃



〃That　man　is　mine；　my　lord；〃　Mary　said；　rising　proudly；　〃and

consequently　takes　orders　only　from　me。〃



〃To　me；　Douglas！〃　cried　Darnley。



At　these　words；　the　conspirators；　who　for　some　moments　had　drawn

nearer　Ruthven；　fearing；　so　changeable　was　Darnley's　character；　lest

he　had　brought　them　in　vain　and　would　not　dare　to　utter　the　signal

at　these　words；　the　conspirators　rushed　into　the　room　with　such

haste　that　they　overturned　the　table。　　Then　David　Rizzio；　seeing　that

it　was　he　alone　they　wanted；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　behind　the

queen；　seizing　the　hem　of　her　robe　and　crying　in　Italian；　〃Giustizia！

giustizia！〃　　Indeed；　the　queen；　true　to　her　character；　not　allowing

herself　to　be　intimidated　by　this　terrible　irruption；　placed　herself

in　front　of　Rizzio　and　sheltered　him　behind　her　Majesty。　　But　she

counted　too　much　on　the　respect　of　a　nobility　accustomed　to　struggle

hand　to　hand　with　its　kings　for　five　centuries。　　Andrew　Carew　held　a

dagger　to　her　breast　and　threatened　to　kill　her　if　she　insisted　on

defending　any　longer　him　whose　death　was　resolved　upon。　　Then

Darnley；　without　consideration　for　the　queen's　pregnancy；　seized　her

round　the　waist　and　bore　her　away　from　Rizzio；　who　remained　on　his

knees　pale　and　trembling；　while　Douglas's　bastard；　confirming　the

prediction　of　the　astrologer　who　had　warned　Rizzio　to　beware　of　a

certain　bastard；　drawing　the　king's　own　dagger；　plunged　it　into　the

breast　of　the　minister；　who　fell　wounded；　but　not　dead。　　Morton

immediately　took　him　by　the　feet　and　dragged　him　from　the　cabinet

into　the　larger　room；　leaving　on　the　floor　that　long　track　of　blood

which　is　still　shown　there；　then；　arrived　there；　each　rushed　upon　him

as　upon　a　quarry；　and　set　upon　the　corpse；　which　they　stabbed　in

fifty…six　places。　　Meanwhile　Darnley　held　the　queen；　who；　thinking

that　all　was　not　over；　did　not　cease　crying　for　mercy。　　But　Ruthven

came　back；　paler　than　at　first；　and　at　Darnley's　inquiry　if　Rizzio

were　dead；　he　nodded　in　the　affirmative；　then；　as　he　could　not　bear

further　fatigue　in　his　convalescent　state；　he　sat　down；　although　the

queen；　whom　Darnley　had　at　last　released；　remained　standing　on　the

same　spot。　　At　this　Mary　could　not　contain　herself。



〃My　lord；〃　cried　she；　〃who　has　given　you　permission　to　sit　down　in　my

presence；　and　whence　comes　such　insolence？〃



〃Madam；〃　Ruthven　answered；　〃I　act　thus　not　from　insolence；　but　from

weakness；　for；　to　serve　your　husband；　I　have　just　taken　more　exercise

than　my　doctors　allow〃。　　Then　turning　round　to　a　servant；　〃Give　me　a

glass　of　wine；〃　said　he；　showing　Darnley　his　bloody　dagger　before

putting　it　back　in　its　sheath；　〃for　here　is　the　proof　that　I　have

well　earned　it〃。　　The　servant　obeyed；　and　Ruthven　drained　his　glass

with　as　much　calmness　as　if　he　had　just　performed　the　most　innocent

act。



〃My　lord；〃　the　queen　then　said；　taking　a　step　towards　him；　〃it　may　be

that　as　I　am　a　woman；　in　spite　o