Chapter 2

Dear James． Very soon I am going to die， and meet my God¹．Before I die， I want to write the true story of my life for you． Everything that I write here is true—I cannot lie to you， or to God． Please believe that， James． It's impor- tant to me．

My father died when I was one week old， so I was the Queen² of Scots when I was a baby． At first I lived with my mother in Scotland³， and then， when I was five， I went to France． My mother was French， but she stayed in Scotland， and died there．

I went to France to marry the King of France's son． His name was Francis， and he was one year younger than me． In 1559， his father died， so Francis was King． Then I was Queen of France， and Queen of Scotland too．

I was very happy in France． Francis， my husband， was like a little brother to me． I think he loved me， bur he was very young，and he was often ill．And then，in 1560，he died．He was sixteen years old．

When he died I was very unhappy， and my life was very different． There was a new King and Queen， and I wasn't important in France， any more． But I was still Queen of Scots， so I came back to Scotland． When I arrived in Scotland， I was a young girl of eighteen． My mother was dead， and there was no one there to meet me． I walked off the ship，and I slept in a little house near the sea．

Next day， the Scots lords⁴ came from Edinburgh． They were pleased to see me， and for a week everyone was happy． People smiled at me and sang in the streets． I think everyone liked me． Then， that Sunday， I went to church．

James， my son， you are a Protestant and I am a Catholic⁵．You are a good man， and you love God， but your church and my church are enemies． I was born a Catholic， and I am going to die a Catholic． I love God， too—I hope you understand that． I'm not going to change now．

That Sunday， people shouted angrily in the streets．‘Your Majesty，'said the Scots lords．‘Scotland is a Protestant coun-try． You can't go to a Catholic church here． The Scottish⁶ people don't like Catholics．’

‘I'm sorry， my lords，’I said．‘But I am your Queen—no one tells me what to do．I don't hate Protestants，and I'm not going to kill them． The people can go to their Protestant churches， and pray⁷ to God there． But I'm going to pray with Catholics， in my church．’

People were angry because of that． A man called John Knox came to see me． He was a famous Protestant churchman， but I didn't like him． He was a big， angry man with black clothes．He hated the Catholic church， and wanted all Catholics to leave Scotland． To him， the Protestant church was the only true church of God． He said：‘Your Majesty， you're a young woman， like my daughter． Women can't understand difficult 10things like God or the church． Find a good Protestant husband，girl． Let him rule this country for you．’

I was very angry with this man Knox． I was a Queen， but I was only eighteen． He didn't talk quietly—he shouted at me．I cried because of his angry words． I could not understand him—he talked so much， and he knew so many books． But I did not go to his church．

He was right about one thing． Perhaps I could rule Scotland without a man， but I could not have a child without one． And every Queen needs a son or daughter to come after her．So I began to look for a husband．

亲爱的詹姆斯，很快我就要死去，去见我的上帝了。在我死之前，我要给你写下我一生的真实的故事。在这里我写的一切都是真实的——我不能对你说谎，也不能对上帝说谎。请相信这一切，詹姆斯，这对我很重要。

在我出生只有一个星期的时候我的父亲便去世了。因此在我还是个婴儿的时候我就成了苏格兰的女王。起初我和母亲一起住在苏格兰，后来在我五岁的时候我去了法国。我母亲是法国人，可是她却呆在苏格兰直到去世。

我去法国并嫁给了法国王子。他叫弗朗西斯，比我小一岁。1559年，他的父亲去世了，因此弗朗西斯成了国王。于是，我既是法国王后，又是苏格兰女王。

在法国我很幸福。我的丈夫弗朗西斯就像是我的一个小弟弟。我想他是爱我的，但是他太年轻了，还经常生病。之后，1560年，他死了，年仅16岁。

他死后我非常伤心，而且我的生活也发生了很大的变化。法国有了新的国王和王后，我在法国已显得不再重要。但是我仍然是苏格兰的女王，因此，我回到了苏格兰。我回到苏格兰的那会儿，我是个才18岁的小姑娘。我的母亲已经去世了，因此没有人来接我。我下了船，就在海边的一间小屋里过夜。

第二天，苏格兰的贵族们从爱丁堡来了。他们见到我很高兴。有一个星期大家都很开心。人们朝我微笑，在大街上唱歌。我以为每个人都很喜欢我。然后，在那个星期天，我去了教堂。

詹姆斯，我的儿子，你是个新教徒而我是个天主教徒。你是好人，且热爱上帝，可是你的教会和我的教会是仇敌。我生为天主教徒，死也是天主教徒。我也爱上帝，——我希望你能理解这些。即使现在我也不打算改变。

那个星期天，人们在大街上愤怒地叫喊。“陛下，”那些苏格兰贵族们说道。“苏格兰是个信奉新教的国家。你不能上这里的天主教教堂。苏格兰人民不喜欢天主教徒。”

“很抱歉，我的勋爵们，”我说。“可我是你们的女王——没有人能告诉我该怎样做。我不憎恨新教徒，也不会杀害他们。人们可以去他们的新教教堂，并在那里祈祷上帝。而我也将和天主教教徒们一起在我的教堂里向上帝祈祷。”

人们听到这些发怒了。一个名叫约翰.诺克斯的人来见我。他是个有名的新教教士，可我不喜欢他。他个头很大，怒气冲冲，穿着一身黑衣服。他憎恨天主教会，且想让所有的天主教教徒都离开苏格兰。对他来说，新教教会才是唯一真正属于上帝的教会。他说道：“陛下，你是位年轻女子，就像我的女儿。女人是不会懂得诸如上帝、教会这类困难的事情的。找一个新教徒的好丈夫吧，女孩，让他来为你统治这个国家。”

我对这个名叫诺克斯的男人很生气。我是女王，可我只有18岁。他没有平静地和我说话——他对我大声叫嚷。由于他措词严厉，我哭了。我不能接受他——虽然他说了那么多，并读过那么多书，但我不会去他的教堂。

可有一点他是对的。没有男人，或许我可以统治苏格兰，但没有男人，我就不会有小孩。每个女王都需要有个儿子或女儿来继承王位。因此我开始物色一个丈夫。

1 god   

n.上帝，神；被极度崇拜的人或物

参考例句：

• God knows how the cat got up on the roof.只有天知道那只猫是怎样爬上房顶的。
• God wills that man should be happy.上帝愿人类幸福。

2 queen   

n.女王，皇后；(纸牌、国际象棋中的)王后

参考例句：

• She sounds like a queen!她听起来像是一个王后！
• The evil queen is very angry.邪恶的皇后非常生气。

3 Scotland   

n.苏格兰

参考例句：

• He has been hiking round Scotland for a month.他围着苏格兰徒步旅行了一个月。
• Scotland is to the north of England.苏格兰在英格兰之北。

4 lords   

n.主( lord的名词复数 )；领主；上帝；（英国用以称呼法官、主教或某些男性贵族成员，表示尊敬）大人

参考例句：

• The powerful lords were guilty of grinding the villagers under their heels. 那些大领主的罪过是以权势欺压村民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The President elevated him to the House of Lords. 总统提拔他为上院议员。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。

6 Scottish   

adj.苏格兰(人)的；n.苏格兰(人)；苏格兰语

参考例句：

• My husband and I are scottish.我和我丈夫是苏格兰人。
• Scottish life in London centres round this spot.苏格兰人在伦敦的生活区集中在这一带。

7 pray   

v.祈祷，祈求；请求，恳求

参考例句：

• We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
• We pray you to set the child free.我们恳求你放了这个孩子。