Bothwellwithdrew，then，totheendofthegardenwithBalfour，David，Chambers，andthreeorfourothers，leavingonemantoignitethefuse。Inamomentthismanrejoinedthem。
Thereensuedsomeminutesofanxiety，duringwhichthefivemenlookedatoneanotherinsilenceandasifafraidofthemselves；
then，seeingthatnothingexploded，Bothwellimpatientlyturnedroundtotheengineer，reproachinghimforhaving，nodoubtthroughfear，donehisworkbadly。Heassuredhismasterthathewascertaineverythingwasallright，andasBothwell，impatient，wantedtoreturntothehousehimself，tomakesure，heofferedtogobackandseehowthingsstood。Infact，hewentbacktothepavilion，and，puttinghisheadthroughakindofair-hole，hesawthefuse，whichwasstillburning。Somesecondsafterwards，Bothwellsawhimcomerunningback，makingasignthatallwasgoingwell；atthesamemomentafrightfulreportwasheard，thepavilionwasblowntopieces，thetownandthefirthwerelitupwithaclearnessexceedingthebrightestdaylight；theneverythingfellbackintonight，andthesilencewasbrokenonlybythefallofstonesandjoists，whichcamedownasfastashailinahurricane。
Nextdaythebodyofthekingwasfoundinagardenintheneighbourhood：ithadbeensavedfromtheactionofthefirebythemattressesonwhichhewaslying，andas，doubtless，inhisterrorhehadmerelythrownhimselfonhisbedwrappedinhisdressing-gownandinhisslippers，andashewasfoundthus，withouthisslippers，whichwereflungsomepacesaway，itwasbelievedthathehadbeenfirststrangled，thencarriedthere；butthemostprobableversionwasthatthemurdererssimplyrelieduponpowder——anauxiliarysufficientlypowerfulinitselfforthemtohavenofearitwouldfailthem。
Wasthequeenanaccompliceornot？Noonehaseverknownsaveherself，Bothwell，andGod；but，yesorno，herconduct，imprudentthistimeasalways，gavethechargeherenemiesbroughtagainsther，ifnotsubstance，atleastanappearanceoftruth。Scarcelyhadsheheardthenewsthanshegaveordersthatthebodyshouldbebroughttoher，and，havinghaditstretchedoutuponabench，shelookedatitwithmorecuriositythansadness；thenthecorpse，embalmed，wasplacedthesameevening，withoutpomp，bythesideofRizzio’s。
Scottishceremonialprescribesforthewidowsofkingsretirementforfortydaysinaroomentirelyclosedtothelightofday：onthetwelfthdayMaryhadthewindowsopened，andonthefifteenthsetoutwithBothwellforSeaton，acountryhousesituatedfivemilesfromthecapital，wheretheFrenchambassador，Ducroc，wentinsearchofher，andmadeherremonstranceswhichdecidedhertoreturntoEdinburgh；butinsteadofthecheerswhichusuallygreetedhercoming，shewasreceivedbyanicysilence，andasolitarywomaninthecrowdcalledout，“Godtreatherasshedeserves！“
Thenamesofthemurdererswerenosecrettothepeople。Bothwellhavingbroughtasplendidcoatwhichwastoolargeforhimtoatailor，askinghimtoremakeittohismeasure，themanrecogniseditashavingbelongedtotheking。“That’sright，“saidhe；“itisthecustomfortheexecutionertoinheritfromthe-condemned“。
Meanwhile，theEarlofLennox，supportedbythepeople’smurmurs，loudlydemandedjusticeforhisson’sdeath，andcameforwardastheaccuserofhismurderers。Thequeenwasthenobliged，toappeasepaternalclamourandpublicresentment，tocommandtheEarlofArgyll，theLordChiefjusticeofthekingdom，tomakeinvestigations；thesamedaythatthisorderwasgiven，aproclamationwaspostedupinthestreetsofEdinburgh，inwhichthequeenpromisedtwothousandpoundssterlingtowhoeverwouldmakeknowntheking’smurderers。Nextday，whereverthisletterhadbeenaffixed，anotherplacardwasfound，wordedthus：
“Asithasbeenproclaimedthatthosewhoshouldmakeknowntheking’smurderersshouldhavetwothousandpoundssterling，I，whohavemadeastrictsearch，affirmthattheauthorsofthemurderaretheEarlofBothwell，JamesBalfour，thepriestofFlisk，David，Chambers，Blackmester，JeanSpens，andthequeenherself。“
Thisplacardwastorndown；but，asusuallyhappens，ithadalreadybeenreadbytheentirepopulation。
TheEarlofLennoxaccusedBothwell，andpublicopinion，whichalsoaccusedhim，secondedtheearlwithsuchviolence，thatMarywascompelledtobringhimtotrial：onlyeveryprecautionwastakentodeprivetheprosecutorofthepowerofconvictingtheaccused。Onthe28thMarch，theEarlofLennoxreceivednoticethatthe12thAprilwasfixedforthetrial：hewasgrantedafortnighttocollectdecisiveproofsagainstthemostpowerfulmaninallScotland；buttheEarlofLennox，judgingthatthistrialwasameremockery，didnotappear。Bothwell，onthecontrary，presentedhimselfatthecourt，accompaniedbyfivethousandpartisansandtwohundredpickedfusiliers，whoguardedthedoorsdirectlyhehadentered；sothatheseemedtoberatherakingwhoisabouttoviolatethelawthananaccusedwhocomestosubmittoit。Ofcoursetherehappenedwhatwascertaintohappen——thatistosay，thejuryacquittedBothwellofthecrimeofwhicheveryone，thejudgesincluded，knewhimtobeguilty。
Thedayofthetrial，Bothwellhadthiswrittenchallengeplacarded：
“AlthoughIamsufficientlyclearedofthemurderoftheking，ofwhichIhavebeenfalselyaccused，yet，thebettertoprovemyinnocence，Iam，readytoengageincombatwithwhomsoeverwilldaretomaintainthatIhavekilledtheking。“
Thedayafter，thisreplyappeared：
“Iacceptthechallenge，providedthatyouselectneutralground。“
However，judgmenthadbeenbarelygiven，whenrumoursofamarriagebetweenthequeenandtheEarlofBothwellwereabroad。Howeverstrangeandhowevermadthismarriage，therelationsofthetwoloversweresowellknownthatnoonedoubtedbutthatitwastrue。
ButaseveryonesubmittedtoBothwell，eitherthroughfearorthroughambition，twomenonlydaredtoprotestbeforehandagainstthisunion：theonewasLordHerries，andtheotherJamesMelville。
MarywasatStirlingwhenLordHerries，takingadvantageofBothwell’smomentaryabsence，threwhimselfatherfeet，imploringhernottoloseherhonourbymarryingherhusband’smurderer，whichcouldnotfailtoconvincethosewhostilldoubteditthatshewashisaccomplice。Butthequeen，insteadofthankingHerriesforthisdevotion，seemedverymuchsurprisedathisboldness，andscornfullysigningtohimtorise，shecoldlyrepliedthatherheartwassilentasregardedtheEarlofBothwell，andthat，ifsheshouldeverre-
marry，whichwasnotprobable，shewouldneitherforgetwhatsheowedtoherpeoplenorwhatsheowedtoherself。
Melvilledidnotallowhimselftobediscouragedbythisexperience，andpretended，tohavereceivedaletterthatoneofhisfriends，ThomasBishop，hadwrittenhimfromEngland。Heshowedthislettertothequeen；butatthefirstlinesMaryrecognisedthestyle，andaboveallthefriendshipofherambassador，andgivingthelettertotheEarlofLivingston，whowaspresent，“Thereisaverysingularletter，“saidshe。“Readit。ItisquiteinMelvine’smanner。“
Livingstonglancedthroughtheletter，buthadscarcelyreadthehalfofitwhenhetookMelvillebythehand，anddrawinghimintotheembrasureofawindow“MydearMelville，“saidhe，“youwerecertainlymadwhenyoujustnowimpartedthislettertothequeen：assoonastheEarlofBothwellgetswindofit，andthatwillnotbelong，hewillhaveyouassassinated。Youhavebehavedlikeanhonestman，itistrue；butatcourtitisbettertobehaveasacleverman。Goaway，then，asquicklyaspossible；itisIwhorecommendit。“
Melvilledidnotrequiretobetoldtwice，andstayedawayforaweek。Livingstonwasnotmistaken：scarcelyhadBothwellreturnedtothequeenthanheknewallthathadpassed。HeburstoutintocursesagainstMelville，andsoughtforhimeverywhere；buthecouldnotfindhim。
Thisbeginningofopposition，weakasitwas，nonethelessdisquietedBothwell，who，sureofMary’slove，resolvedtomakeshortworkofthings。Accordingly，asthequeenwasreturningfromStirlingtoEdinburghsomedaysafterthesceneswehavejustrelated，BothwellsuddenlyappearedattheBridgeofGrammontwithathousandhorsemen，and，havingdisarmedtheEarlofHuntly，Livingston，andMelville，whohadreturnedtohismistress，heseizedthequeen’shorsebythebridle，andwithapparentviolenceheforcedMarytoturnbackandfollowhimtoDunbar；whichthequeendidwithoutanyresistance——astrangethingforoneofMary’scharacter。
Thedayfollowing，theEarlsofHuntly，Livingston，Melville，andthepeopleintheirtrainweresetatliberty；then，tendaysafterwards，Bothwellandthequeen，perfectlyreconciled，returnedtoEdinburghtogether。
Twodaysafterthisreturn，Bothwellgaveagreatdinnertothenobleshispartisansinatavern。Whenthemealwasended，ontheverysametable，amidhalf-drainedglassesandemptybottles，Lindsay，Ruthven，Morton，Maitland，andadozenorfifteenothernoblemensignedabondwhichnotonlysetforththatupontheirsoulsandconsciencesBothwellwasinnocent，butwhichfurtherdenotedhimasthemostsuitablehusbandforthequeen。Thisbondconcludedwiththissufficientlystrangedeclaration：
“Afterall，thequeencannotdootherwise，sincetheearlhascarriedheroffandhaslainwithher。“
Yettwocircumstanceswerestillopposedtothismarriage：thefirst，thatBothwellhadalreadybeenmarriedthreetimes，andthathisthreewiveswereliving；thesecond，thathavingcarriedoffthequeen，thisviolencemightcausetoberegardedasnullthealliancewhichsheshouldcontractwithhim：thefirstoftheseobjectionswasattendedto，tobeginwith，astheonemostdifficulttosolve。
Bothwell’stwofirstwiveswereofobscurebirth，consequentlyhescornedtodisquiethimselfaboutthem；butitwasnotsowiththethird，adaughterofthatEarlofHuntlywhobeentrampledbeneaththehorses’feet，andasisterofGordon，whohadbeendecapitated。
FortunatelyforBothwell，hispastbehaviourmadehiswifelongforadivorcewithaneagernessasgreatashisown。Therewasnotmuchdifficulty，then，inpersuadinghertobringachargeofadulteryagainstherhusband。Bothwellconfessedthathehadhadcriminalintercoursewitharelativeofhiswife，andtheArchbishopofSt。
Andrews，thesamewhohadtakenuphisabodeinthatsolitaryhouseatKirkofFieldtobepresentatDarnley’sdeath，pronouncedthemarriagenull。Thecasewasbegun，pushedon，anddecidedintendays。
Astothesecondobstacle，thatoftheviolenceusedtothequeen，Maryundertooktoremoveitherself；for，beingbroughtbeforethecourt，shedeclaredthatnotonlydidshepardonBothwellforhisconductasregardedher，butfurtherthat，knowinghimtobeagoodandfaithfulsubject，sheintendedraisinghimimmediatelytonewhonours。Infact，somedaysafterwardsshecreatedhimDukeofOrkney，andonthe15thofthesamemonth——thatistosay，scarcelyfourmonthsafterthedeathofDarnley——withlevitythatresembledmadness，Mary，whohadpetitionedforadispensationtowedaCatholicprince，hercousininthethirddegree，marriedBothwell，aProtestantupstart，who，hisdivorcenotwithstanding，wasstillbigamous，andwhothusfoundhimselfinthepositionofhavingfourwivesliving，includingthequeen。