Mary Stuart

第27章

Allthesepreparationshadbeenmade,oneimagines,becauseMurraywastospendthefollowingdayinLinlithgow。But,secretastheywere,theyweretoberendereduseless,fortheregent’sfriendswarnedhimthatitwouldnotbesafeforhimtopassthroughthetown,whichbelongedalmostwhollytotheHamiltons,andadvisedhimtogobyit。However,Murraywascourageous,and,accustomednottogivewaybeforearealdanger,hechidnothingbutlaughataperilwhichhelookeduponasimaginary,andboldlyfollowedhisfirstplan,whichwasnottogooutofhisway。Consequently,asthestreetintowhichtheArchbishopofSt。Andrews’balconylookedwasonhisroad,heentereduponit,notgoingrapidlyandprecededbyguardswhowouldopenupapassageforhim,ashisfriendsstillcounselled,butadvancingatafoot’space,delayedashewasbythegreatcrowdwhichwasblockingupthestreetstoseehim。Arrivedinfrontofthebalcony,asifchancehadbeenintunewiththemurderer,thecrushbecamesogreatthatMurraywasobligedtohaltforamoment:thisrestgaveBothwellhaughtimetoadjusthimselfforasteadyshot。Heleanedhisarquebuseonthebalcony,and,havingtakenaimwiththenecessaryleisureandcoolness,fired。

Bothwellhaughhadputsuchachargeintothearquebuse,thattheball,havingpassedthroughtheregent’sheart,killedthehorseofagentlemanonhisright。Murrayfelldirectly,saying,“MyGod!Iamkilled。“

Astheyhadseenfromwhichwindowtheshotwasfired,thepersonsintheregent’strainhadimmediatelythrownthemselvesagainstthegreatdoorofthehousewhichlookedontothestreet,andhadsmasheditin;buttheyonlyarrivedintimetoseeBothwellhaughflythroughthelittlegardengateonthehorsehehadgotready:theyimmediatelyremountedthehorsestheyhadleftinthestreet,and,passingthroughthehouse,pursuedhim。Bothwellhaughhadagoodhorseandtheleadofhisenemies;andyet,fourofthem,pistolinhand,weresowellmountedthattheywerebeginningtogainuponhim。

ThenBothwellhaugh;seeingthatwhipandspurwerenotenough,drewhisdaggerandusedittogoadonhishorse。Hishorse,underthisterriblestimulus,acquiredfreshvigour,and,leapingagullyeighteenfeetdeep,putbetweenhismasterandhispursuersabarrierwhichtheydarednotcross。

ThemurderersoughtanasyluminFrance,whereheretiredundertheprotectionoftheGuises。There,astheboldstrokehehadattemptedhadacquiredhimagreatreputation,somedaysbeforetheMassacreofSt。Bartholomew,theymadehimoverturestoassassinateAdmiralColigny。ButBothwellhaughindignantlyrepulsedtheseproposals,sayingthathewastheavengerofabusesandnotanassassin,andthatthosewhohadtocomplainoftheadmiralhadonlytocomeandaskhimhowhehaddone,andtodoashe。

AstoMurray,hediedthenightfollowinghiswound,leavingtheregencytotheEarlofLennox,thefatherofDarnley:onlearningthenewsofhisdeath,Elizabethwrotethatshehadlostherbestfriend。

WhiletheseeventswerepassinginScotland,MaryStuartwasstillaprisoner,inspiteofthepressingandsuccessiveprotestsofCharlesIXandHenryIII。Takingfrightattheattemptmadeinherfavour,ElizabethevenhadherremovedtoSheffieldCastle,roundwhichfreshpatrolswereincessantlyinmotion。

Butdays,months,yearspassed,andpoorMary,whohadbornesoimpatientlyherelevenmonths’captivityinLochlevenCastle,hadbeenalreadyledfromprisontoprisonforfifteenorsixteenyears,inspiteofherprotestsandthoseoftheFrenchandSpanishambassadors,whenshewasfinallytakentoTutburyCastleandplacedunderthecareofSirAmyasPaulet,herlastgaoler:thereshefoundforhersolelodgingtwolowanddamprooms,wherelittlebylittlewhatstrengthremainedtoherwassoexhaustedthatthereweredaysonwhichshecouldnotwalk,onaccountofthepaininallh

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