第18章

“But，“saidthequeen，“howisitthatthisweapon，aftersuchexploits，hasnotremainedasatrophyintheDouglasfamily？NodoubttheEarlofAngusrequiredagreatoccasiontodecidehimto-

renounceinyourfavourthismodernExcalibur“。[HistoryofScotland，bySirWalterScott——“TheAbbott“：historicalpart。]

“Yes，nodoubt，madam，itwasuponagreatoccasion，“repliedLindsay，inspiteoftheimploringsignsmadebyMelville，“andthiswillhaveatleasttheadvantageoftheothers，inbeingsufficientlyrecentforyoutoremember。Itwastendaysago，onthebattlefieldofCarberryHill，madam，whentheinfamousBothwellhadtheaudacitytomakeapublicchallengeinwhichhedefiedtosinglecombatwhomsoeverwoulddaretomaintainthathewasnotinnocentofthemurderofthekingyourhusband。Imadehimanswerthen，Ithethird，thathewasanassassin。Andasherefusedtofightwiththetwoothersunderthepretextthattheywereonlybarons，Ipresentedmyselfinmyturn，Iwhoamearlandlord。ItwasonthatoccasionthatthenobleEarlofMortongavemethisgoodswordtofighthimtothedeath。Sothat，ifhehadbeenalittlemorepresumptuousoralittlelesscowardly，dogsandvultureswouldbeeatingatthismomentthepiecesthat，withthehelpofthisgoodsword，Ishouldhavecarvedforthemfromthattraitor’scarcass。“

Atthesewords，MarySeytonandRobertMelvillelookedateachotherinterror，fortheeventsthattheyrecalledweresorecentthattheywere，sotospeak，stilllivinginthequeen’sheart；butthequeen，withincredibleimpassibilityandasmileofcontemptonherlips——

“Itiseasy，mylord，“saidshe，“tovanquishanenemywhodoesnotappearinthelists；however，believeme，ifMaryhadinheritedtheStuarts’swordasshehasinheritedtheirsceptre，yoursword，longasitis，wouldyethaveseemedtoyoutooshort。Butasyouhaveonlytorelatetousnow，mylord，whatyouintendeddoing，andnotwhatyouhavedone，thinkitfitthatIbringyoubacktosomethingofmorereality；forIdonotsupposeyouhavegivenyourselfthetroubletocomeherepurelyandsimplytoaddachaptertothelittletreatiseDesRodomontadesEspagnollesbyM。deBrantome。“

“Youareright，madam，“repliedLindsay，reddeningwithanger，“andyouwouldalreadyknowtheobjectofourmissionifLordRuthvendidnotsoridiculouslykeepuswaiting。But，“addedhe，“havepatience；

thematterwillnotbelongnow，forhereheis。“

Indeed，atthatmomenttheyheardstepsmountingthestaircaseandapproachingtheroom，andatthesoundofthesesteps，thequeen，whohadbornewithsuchfirmnessLindsay’sinsults，grewsoperceptiblypaler，thatMelville，whodidnottakehiseyesoffher，——putouthishandtowardsthearm-chairasiftopushittowardsher；butthequeenmadeasignthatshehadnoneedofit，andgazedatthedoorwithapparentcalm。LordRuthvenappeared；itwasthefirsttimethatshehadseenthesonsinceRizziohadbeenassassinatedbythefather。

LordRuthvenwasbothawarriorandastatesman，andatthismomenthisdresssavouredofthetwoprofessions：itconsistedofaclosecoatofembroideredbuffleather，elegantenoughtobewornasacourtundress，andonwhich，ifneedwere，onecouldbuckleacuirass，forbattle：likehisfather，hewaspale；likehisfather，hewastodieyoung，and，evenmorethanhisfather，hiscountenanceworethatill-omenedmelancholybywhichfortune-tellersrecognisethosewhoaretodieaviolentdeath。

LordRuthvenunitedinhimselfthepolisheddignityofacourtierandtheinflexiblecharacterofaminister；butquiteresolvedashewastoobtainfromMaryStuart，evenifitwerebyviolence，whathehadcometodemandintheregent’sname，henonethelessmadeher，onentering，acoldbutrespectfulgreeting，towhichthequeenrespondedwithacourtesy；thenthestewarddrewuptotheemptyarm-

chairaheavytableonwhichhadbeenpreparedeverythingnecessaryforwriting，andatasignfromthetwolordshewentout，leavingthequeenandhercompanionalonewiththethreeambassadors。Thenthequeen，seeingthatthistableandthisarm-chairwereputreadyforher，satdown；andafteramoment，herselfbreakingthissilencemoregloomythananywordcouldhavebeen“Mylords，“saidshe，“youseethatIwait：canitbethatthismessagewhichyouhavetocommunicatetomeissoterriblethattwosoldiersasrenownedasLordLindsayandLordRuthvenhesitateatthemomentoftransmittingit？“

“Madam，“answeredRuthven，“Iamnotofafamily，asyouknow，whicheverhesitatestoperformaduty，painfulasitmaybe；besides，wehopethatyourcaptivityhaspreparedyoutohearwhatwehavetotellyouonthepartoftheSecretCouncil。“

“TheSecretCouncil！“saidthequeen。“Institutedbyme，bywhatrightdoesitactwithoutme？Nomatter，Iamwaitingforthismessage：IsupposeitisapetitiontoimploremymercyforthemenwhohavedaredtoreachtoapowerthatIholdonlyfromGod。“

“Madam，“repliedRuthven，whoappearedtohaveundertakenthepainfulroleofspokesman，whileLindsay，muteandimpatient，fidgetedwiththehiltofhislongsword，“itisdistressingtometohavetoundeceiveyouonthispoint：itisnotyourmercythatIcometoask；

itis，onthecontrary，thepardonoftheSecretCouncilthatIcometoofferyou。“

“Tome，mylord，tome！“criedMary：“subjectsofferpardontotheirqueen！Oh！itissuchanewandwonderfulthing，thatmyamazementoutweighsmyindignation，andthatIbegyoutocontinue，insteadofstoppingyouthere，asperhapsIoughttodo。“

“AndIobeyyousomuchthemorewillingly，madam，“wentonRuthvenimperturbably，“thatthispardonisonlygrantedoncertainconditions，statedinthesedocuments，destinedtore-establishthetranquillityoftheState，socruellycompromisedbytheerrorsthattheyaregoingtorepair。“

“AndshallIbepermitted，mylord，toreadthesedocuments，ormustI，alluredbymyconfidenceinthosewhopresentthemtome，signthemwithmyeyesshut？“

“No，madam，“Ruthvenreturned；“theSecretCouncildesire，onthecontrary，thatyouacquaintyourselfwiththem，foryoumustsignthemfreely。“

“Readmethesedocuments，mylord；forsuchareadingis，Ithink，includedinthestrangedutiesyouhaveaccepted。“

LordRuthventookoneofthetwopapersthathehadinhishand，andreadwiththeimpassivenessofhisusualvoicethefollowing：

“SummonedfrommytenderestyouthtothegovernmentofthekingdomandtothecrownofScotland，Ihavecarefullyattendedtotheadministration；butIhaveexperiencedsomuchfatigueandtroublethatInolongerfindmymindfreeenoughnormystrengthgreatenoughtosupporttheburdenofaffairsofState：accordingly，andasDivinefavourhasgrantedusasonwhomwedesiretoseeduringourlifetimebearthecrownwhichhehasacquiredbyrightofbirth，wehaveresolvedtoabdicate，andweabdicateinhisfavour，bythesepresents，freelyandvoluntarily，allourrightstothecrownandtothegovernmentofScotland，desiringthathemayimmediatelyascendthethrone，asifhewerecalledtoitbyournaturaldeath，andnotastheeffectofourownwill；andthatourpresentabdicationmayhaveamorecompleteandsolemneffect，andthatnooneshouldputforwardtheclaimofignorance，wegivefullpowerstoourtrustyandfaithfulcousins，thelordsLindsayofByresandWilliamRuthven，toappearinournamebeforethenobility，theclergy，andtheburgessesofScotland，ofwhomtheywillconvokeanassemblyatStirling，andtothererenounce，publiclyandsolemnly，onourpart，allourclaimstothecrownandtothegovernmentofScotland。

“Signedfreelyandasthetestimonyofoneofourlastroyalwishes，inourcastleofLochleven，the___June1567“。(Thedatewasleftblank。)

Therewasamoment’ssilenceafterthisreading，then“Didyouhear，madam？“askedRuthven。

“Yes，“repliedMaryStuart，——“yes，IhaveheardrebelliouswordsthatIhavenotunderstood，andIthoughtthatmyears，thatonehastriedtoaccustomforsometimetoastrangelanguage，stilldeceivedme，andthatIhavethoughtforyourhonour，mylordWilliamRuthven，andmylordLindsayofByres。“

“Madam，“answeredLindsay，outofpatienceathavingkeptsilencesolong，“ourhonourhasnothingtodowiththeopinionofawomanwhohassoillknownhowtowatchoverherown。“

“Mylord！“saidMelville，riskingaword。

“Lethimspeak，Robert，“returnedthequeen。“WehaveinourconsciencearmouraswelltemperedasthatwithwhichLordLindsayissoprudentlycovered，although，totheshameofjustice，wenolongerhaveasword。Continue，mylord，“thequeenwenton，turningtoLordRuthven：“isthisallthatmysubjectsrequireofme？Adateandasignature？Ah！doubtlessitistoolittle；andthissecondpaper，whichyouhavekeptinordertoproceedbydegrees，probablycontainssomedemandmoredifficulttograntthanthatofyieldingtoachildscarcelyayearoldacrownwhichbelongstomebybirthright，andtoabandonmysceptretotakeadistaff。“

“Thisotherpaper，“repliedRuthven，withoutlettinghimselfbeintimidatedbythetoneofbitterironyadoptedbythequeen，“isthedeedbywhichyourGraceconfirmsthedecisionoftheSecretCouncilwhichhasnamedyourbelovedbrother，theEarlofMurray，regentofthekingdom。“

“Indeed！“saidMary。“TheSecretCouncilthinksitneedsmyconfirmationtoanactofsuchslightimportance？Andmybelovedbrother，tobearitwithoutremorse，needsthatitshouldbeIwhoaddafreshtitletothoseofEarlofMarandofMurraythatIhavealreadybestoweduponhim？Butonecannotdesireanythingmorerespectfulandtouchingthanallthis，andIshouldbeverywrongtocomplain。Mylords，“continuedthequeen，risingandchanginghertone，“returntothosewhohavesentyou，andtellthemthattosuchdemandsMaryStuarthasnoanswertogive。“

“Takecare，madam，“respondedRuthven；“forIhavetoldyouitisonlyontheseconditionsthatyourpardoncanbegrantedyou。“

“AndifIrefusethisgenerouspardon，“askedMary，“whatwillhappen？“

“Icannotpronouncebeforehand，madam；butyourGracehasenoughknowledgeofthelaws，andaboveallofthehistoryofScotlandandEngland，toknowthatmurderandadulteryarecrimesforwhichmorethanonequeenhasbeenpunishedwithdeath。“

“Anduponwhatproofscouldsuchachargebefounded，mylord？

Pardonmypersistence，whichtakesupyourprecioustime；butIamsufficientlyinterestedinthemattertobepermittedsuchaquestion。“

“Theproof，madam？“returnedRuthven。“Thereisbutone，Iknow；butthatoneisunexceptionable：itistheprecipitatemarriageofthewidowoftheassassinatedwiththechiefassassin，andtheletterswhichhavebeenhandedovertousbyJamesBalfour，whichprovethattheguiltypersonshadunitedtheiradulterousheartsbeforeitwaspermittedthemtounitetheirbloodyhands。“