第5章

Twodaysaftertheseconditionswereagreedupon，DarnleyhavingbeennotifiedthatthequeenwasalonewithRizzio，wishedtomakehimselfsureofthedegreeofherfavourenjoyedbytheminister。Heaccordinglywenttoherapartmentbyalittledoorofwhichhealwayskeptthekeyuponhim；butthoughthekeyturnedinthelock，thedoordidnotopen。ThenDarnleyknocked，announcinghimself；butsuchwasthecontemptintowhichhehadfallenwiththequeen，thatMarylefthimoutside，although，supposingshehadbeenalonewithRizzio，shewouldhavehadtimetosendhimaway。Darnley，driventoextremitiesbythis，summonedMorton，Ruthven，Lennox，Lindley，andDouglas’sbastard，andfixedtheassassinationofRizziofortwodayslater。

Theyhadjustcompletedallthedetails，andhad，distributedthepartsthateachmustplayinthisbloodytragedy，whensuddenly，andatthemomentwhentheyleastexpectedit，thedooropenedand，MaryStuartappearedonthethreshold。

“Mylords，“saidshe，“yourholdingthesesecretcounselsisuseless。

Iaminformedofyourplots，andwithGod’shelpIshallsoonapplyaremedy“。

Withthesewords，andbeforetheconspiratorshidhadtimetocollectthemselves，sheshutthedooragain，andvanishedlikeapassingbutthreateningvision。Allremainedthunderstruck。Mortonwasthefirsttofindhistongue。

“Mylords，“saidhe，“thisisagameoflifeanddeath，andthewinnerwillnotbethecleverestorthestrongest，butthereadiest。

Ifwedonotdestroythisman，wearelost。Wemuststrikehimdown，thisveryevening，notthedayafterto-morrow。“

Everyoneapplauded，evenRuthven，who，stillpaleandfeverishfromriotousliving，promisednottobebehindhand。Theonlypointchanged，onMorton’ssuggestion，wasthatthemurdershouldtakeplacenextday；for，intheopinionofall，notlessthanaday’sintervalwasneededtocollecttheminorconspirators，whonumberednotlessthanfivehundred。

Thenextday，whichwasSaturday，March9th，1566，MaryStuart，whohadinheritedfromherfather，JamesV，adislikeofceremonyandtheneedofliberty，hadinvitedtosupperwithhersixpersons，Rizzioamongthenumber。Darnley，informedofthisinthemorning，immediatelygavenoticeofittotheconspirators，tellingthemthathehimselfwouldletthemintothepalacebetweensixandseveno’clockintheevening。Theconspiratorsrepliedthattheywouldbeinreadiness。

Themorninghadbeendarkandstormy，asnearlyallthefirstdaysofspringareinScotland，andtowardseveningthesnowandwindredoubledindepthandviolence。SoMaryhadremainedshutupwithRizzio，andDarnley，whohadgonetothesecretdoorseveraltimes，couldhearthesoundofinstrumentsandthevoiceofthefavourite，whowassingingthosesweetmelodieswhichhavecomedowntoourtime，andwhichEdinburghpeoplestillattributetohim。ThesesongswereforMaryareminderofherstayinFrance，wheretheartistsinthetrainoftheMedicishadalreadybroughtechoesfromItaly；butforDarnleytheywereaninsult，andeachtimehehadwithdrawnstrengthenedinhisdesign。

Attheappointedtime，theconspirators，whohadbeengiventhepasswordduringtheday，knockedatthepalacegate，andwerereceivedtheresomuchthemoreeasilythatDarnleyhimself，wrappedinagreatcloak，awaitedthemattheposternbywhichtheywereadmitted。Thefivehundredsoldiersimmediatelystoleintoaninnercourtyard，wheretheyplacedthemselvesundersomesheds，asmuchtokeepthemselvesfromthecoldasthattheymightnotbeseenonthesnow-coveredground。Abrightlylightedwindowlookedintothiscourtyard；itwasthatofthequeen’sstudy：atthefirstsignalgivethemfromthiswindow，thesoldiersweretobreakinthedoorandgotothehelpofthechiefconspirators。

Theseinstructionsgiven，DarnleyledMorton，Ruthven，Lennox，Lindley，AndrewCarew，andDouglas’sbastardintotheroomadjoiningthestudy，andonlyseparatedfromitbyatapestryhangingbeforethedoor。Fromthereonecouldoverhearallthatwasbeingsaid，andatasingleboundfallupontheguests。

Darnleylefttheminthisroom，enjoiningsilence；then，givingthemasasignaltoenterthemomentwhentheyshouldhearhimcry，“Tome，Douglas！“hewentroundbythesecretpassage，sothatseeinghimcomeinbyhisusualdoorthequeen’ssuspicionsmightnotberousedbyhisunlooked-forvisit。

Marywasatsupperwithsixpersons，having，saydeThouandMelville，Rizzioseatedonherright；while，onthecontrary，Carapdenassuresusthathewaseatingstandingatasideboard。Thetalkwasgayandintimate；forallweregivingthemselvesuptotheeaseonefeelsatbeingsafeandwarm，atahospitableboard，whilethesnowisbeatingagainstthewindowsandthewindroaringinthechimneys。SuddenlyMary，surprisedthatthemostprofoundsilencehadsucceededtothelivelyandanimatedflowofwordsamongherguestssincethebeginningofsupper，andsuspecting，fromtheirglances，thatthecauseoftheiruneasinesswasbehindher，turnedroundandsawDarnleyleaningonthebackofherchair。Thequeenshuddered；foralthoughherhusbandwassmilingwhenlookingatRizzio，thissmileleadassumedsuchastrangeexpressionthatitwasclearthatsomethingterriblewasabouttohappen。Atthesamemoment，Maryheardinthenextroomaheavy，draggingstepdrewnearthecabinet，thenthetapestrywasraised，andLordRuthven，inarmourofwhichhecouldbarelysupporttheweight，paleasaghost，appearedonthethreshold，and，drawinghisswordinsilence，leaneduponit。

Thequeenthoughthewasdelirious。

“Whatdoyouwant，mylord？“shesaidtohim；“andwhydoyoucometothepalacelikethis？“

“Asktheking，madam，“repliedRuthveninanindistinctvoice。“Itisforhimtoanswer。“

“Explain，mylord，“Marydemanded，turningagaintowardsDarnley；

“whatdoessuchaneglectofordinaryproprietymean？“

“Itmeans，madam，“returnedDarnley，pointingtoRizzio，“thatthatmanmustleaveherethisveryminute。“

“Thatmanismine，mylord，“Marysaid，risingproudly，“andconsequentlytakesordersonlyfromme。“

“Tome，Douglas！“criedDarnley。

Atthesewords，theconspirators，whoforsomemomentshaddrawnnearerRuthven，fearing，sochangeablewasDarnley’scharacter，lesthehadbroughttheminvainandwouldnotdaretoutterthesignal——atthesewords，theconspiratorsrushedintotheroomwithsuchhastethattheyoverturnedthetable。ThenDavidRizzio，seeingthatitwashealonetheywanted，threwhimselfonhiskneesbehindthequeen，seizingthehemofherrobeandcryinginItalian，“Giustizia！

giustizia！“Indeed，thequeen，truetohercharacter，notallowingherselftobeintimidatedbythisterribleirruption，placedherselfinfrontofRizzioandshelteredhimbehindherMajesty。Butshecountedtoomuchontherespectofanobilityaccustomedtostrugglehandtohandwithitskingsforfivecenturies。AndrewCarewheldadaggertoherbreastandthreatenedtokillherifsheinsistedondefendinganylongerhimwhosedeathwasresolvedupon。ThenDarnley，withoutconsiderationforthequeen’spregnancy，seizedherroundthewaistandboreherawayfromRizzio，whoremainedonhiskneespaleandtrembling，whileDouglas’sbastard，confirmingthepredictionoftheastrologerwhohadwarnedRizziotobewareofacertainbastard，drawingtheking’sowndagger，plungeditintothebreastoftheminister，whofellwounded，butnotdead。Mortonimmediatelytookhimbythefeetanddraggedhimfromthecabinetintothelargerroom，leavingonthefloorthatlongtrackofbloodwhichisstillshownthere；then，arrivedthere，eachrusheduponhimasuponaquarry，andsetuponthecorpse，whichtheystabbedinfifty-sixplaces。MeanwhileDarnleyheldthequeen，who，thinkingthatallwasnotover，didnotceasecryingformercy。ButRuthvencameback，palerthanatfirst，andatDarnley’sinquiryifRizzioweredead，henoddedintheaffirmative；then，ashecouldnotbearfurtherfatigueinhisconvalescentstate，hesatdown，althoughthequeen，whomDarnleyhadatlastreleased，remainedstandingonthesamespot。AtthisMarycouldnotcontainherself。

“Mylord，“criedshe，“whohasgivenyoupermissiontositdowninmypresence，andwhencecomessuchinsolence？“

“Madam，“Ruthvenanswered，“Iactthusnotfrominsolence，butfromweakness；for，toserveyourhusband，Ihavejusttakenmoreexercisethanmydoctorsallow“。Thenturningroundtoaservant，“Givemeaglassofwine，“saidhe，showingDarnleyhisbloodydaggerbeforeputtingitbackinitssheath，“forhereistheproofthatIhavewellearnedit“。Theservantobeyed，andRuthvendrainedhisglasswithasmuchcalmnessasifhehadjustperformedthemostinnocentact。

“Mylord，“thequeenthensaid，takingasteptowardshim，“itmaybethatasIamawoman，inspiteofmydesireandmywill，Ineverfindanopportunitytorepayyouwhatyouaredoingtome；but，“sheadded，energeticallystrikingherwombwithherhand，“hewhomIbearthere，andwhoselifeyoushouldhaverespected，sinceyourespectmyMajestysolittle，willonedayrevengemeforalltheseinsults“。

Then，withagestureatoncesuperbandthreatening，shewithdrewbyDarnley’sdoor，whichsheclosedbehindher。

Atthatmomentagreatnoisewasheardinthequeen’sroom。Huntly，Athol，andBothwell，who，wearesoonabouttosee，playsuchanimportantpartinthesequelofthishistory，weresuppingtogetherinanotherhallofthepalace，whensuddenlytheyhadheardoutcriesandtheclashofarms，sothattheyhadrunwithallspeed。WhenAthol，whocamefirst，withoutknowingwhoseitwas，struckagainstthedeadbodyofRizzio，whichwasstretchedatthetopofthestaircase，theybelieved，seeingsomeoneassassinated，thatthelivesofthekingandqueenwerethreatened，andtheyhaddrawntheirswordstoforcethedoorthatMortonwasguarding。ButdirectlyDarnleyunderstoodwhatwasgoingon，hedartedfromthecabinet，followedbyRuthven，andshowinghimselftothenewcomers——

“Mylords，“hesaid，“thepersonsofthequeenandmyselfaresafe，andnothinghasoccurredherebutbyourorders。Withdraw，then；youwillknowmoreaboutitintime。Astohim，“headded，holdingupRizzio’sheadbythehair，whilstthebastardofDouglaslitupthefacewithatorchsothatitcouldberecognised，“youseewhoitis，andwhetheritisworthyourwhiletogetintotroubleforhim“。

Andinfact，assoonasHuntly，Athol，andBothwellhadrecognisedthemusician-minister，theysheathedtheirswords，and，havingsalutedtheking，wentaway。

Maryhadgoneawaywithasinglethoughtinherheart，vengeance。