AninstinctofmisfortuneincommonhaddrawnLittleDouglastoGeorge。George，seeingthechildill-treatedbyeveryone，hadconceivedanaffectionforhim，andLittleDouglas，feelinghimselflovedamidtheatmosphereofindifferencearoundhim，turnedwithopenarmsandhearttoGeorge：itresultedfromthismutuallikingthatoneday，whenthechildhadcommittedIdonotknowwhatfault，andthatWilliamDouglasraisedthewhiphebeathisdogswithtostrikehim，thatGeorge，whowassittingonastone，sadandthoughtful，hadimmediatelysprungup，snatchedthewhipfromhisbrother’shandsandhadthrownitfarfromhim。AtthisinsultWilliamhaddrawnhissword，andGeorgehis，sothatthesetwobrothers，whohadhatedoneanotherfortwentyyearsliketwoenemies，weregoingtocutoneanother’sthroats，whenLittleDouglas，whohadpickedupthewhip，comingbackandkneelingbeforeWilliam，offeredhimtheignominiousweapon，saying“Strike，cousin；Ihavedeservedit。“
Thisbehaviourofthechildhadcausedsomeminutes’reflectiontothetwoyoungmen，who，terrifiedatthecrimetheywereabouttocommit，hadreturnedtheirswordstotheirscabbardsandhadeachgoneawayinsilence。SincethisincidentthefriendshipofGeorgeandLittleDouglashadacquirednewstrength，andonthechild’ssideithadbecomeveneration。
Wedwelluponallthesedetailssomewhatatlength，perhaps，butnodoubtourreaderswillpardonuswhentheyseetheusetobemadeofthem。
Thisisthefamily，lessGeorge，who，aswehavesaid，wasabsentatthetimeofherarrival，intothemidstofwhichthequeenhadfallen，passinginamomentfromthesummitofpowertothepositionofaprisoner；forfromthedayfollowingherarrivalMarysawthatitwasbysuchatitleshewasaninmateofLochlevenCastle。Infact，LadyDouglaspresentedherselfbeforeherassoonasitwasmorning，andwithanembarrassmentanddislikeilldisguisedbeneathanappearanceofrespectfulindifference，invitedMarytofollowherandtakestockoftheseveralpartsofthefortresswhichhadbeenchosenbeforehandforherprivateuse。Shethenmadehergothroughthreerooms，ofwhichonewastoserveasherbedroom，thesecondassitting-room，andthethirdasante-chamber；afterwards，leadingthewaydownaspiralstaircase，whichlookedintothegreathallofthecastle，itsonlyoutlet，shehadcrossedthishall，andhadtakenMaryintothegardenwhosetreesthequeenhadseentoppingthehighwallsonherarrival：itwasalittlesquareofground，formingaflower-bedinthemidstofwhichwasanartificialfountain。Itwasenteredbyaverylowdoor，repeatedintheoppositewall；thisseconddoorlookedontothelakeand，likeallthecastledoors，whosekeys，however，neverleftthebeltorthepillowofWilliamDouglas，itwasguardednightanddaybyasentinel。Thiswasnowthewholedomainofherwhohadpossessedthepalaces，theplains，andthemountainsofanentirekingdom。
Mary，onreturningtoherroom，foundbreakfastready，andWilliamDouglasstandingnearthetablehewasgoingtofulfilaboutthequeenthedutiesofcarverandtaster。
InspiteoftheirhatredforMary，theDouglaseswouldhaveconsidereditaneternalblemishontheirhonourifanyaccidentshouldhavebefallenthequeenwhileshewasdwellingintheircastle；anditwasinorderthatthequeenherselfshouldnotentertainanyfearinthisrespectthatWilliamDouglas，inhisqualityoflordofthemanor，hadnotonlydesiredtocarvebeforethequeen，buteventotastefirstinherpresence，allthedishesservedtoher，aswellasthewaterandtheseveralwinestobebroughther。ThisprecautionsaddenedMarymorethanitreassuredher；forsheunderstoodthat，whileshestayedinthecastle，thisceremonywouldpreventanyintimacyattable。However，itproceededfromtoonobleanintentionforhertoimputeitasacrimetoherhosts：sheresignedherself，then，tothiscompany，insupportableasitwastoher；only，fromthatdayforward，shesocutshorthermealsthatallthetimeshewasatLochlevenherlongestdinnersbarelylastedmorethanaquarterofanhour。
Twodaysafterherarrival，Mary，onsittingdowntotableforbreakfast，foundonherplatealetteraddressedtoherwhichhadbeenputtherebyWilliamDouglas。MaryrecognisedMurray’shandwriting，andherfirstfeelingwasoneofjoy；forifarayofhoperemainedtoher，itcamefromherbrother，towhomshehadalwaysbeenperfectlykind，whomfromPriorofSt。Andrew’sshehadmadeanearlinbestowingonhimthesplendidestateswhichformedpartoftheoldearldomofMurray，andtowhom，whichwasofmoreimportance，shehadsincepardoned，orpretendedtopardon，theparthehadtakeninRizzio’sassassination。
Herastonishmentwasgreat，then，when，havingopenedtheletter，shefoundinitbitterreproachesforherconduct，anexhortationtodopenance，andanassuranceseveraltimesrepeatedthatsheshouldneverleaveherprison。Heendedhisletterinannouncingtoherthat，inspiteofhisdistasteforpublicaffairs，hehadbeenobligedtoaccepttheregency，whichhehaddonelessforhiscountrythanforhissister，seeingthatitwasthesolemeanshehadofstandinginthewayoftheignominioustrialtowhichthenobleswishedtobringher，asauthor，oratleastaschiefaccomplice，ofDarnley’sdeath。Thisimprisonmentwasthenclearlyagreatgoodfortuneforher，andsheoughttothankHeavenforit，asanalleviationofthefateawaitingherifhehadnotintercededforher。
ThisletterwasalightningstrokeforMary：only，asshedidnotwishtogiveherenemiesthedelightofseeinghersuffer，shecontainedhergrief，and，turningtoWilliamDouglas——
“Mylord，“saidshe，“thislettercontainsnewsthatyoudoubtlessknowalready，foralthoughwearenotchildrenbythesamemother，hewhowritestomeisrelatedtousinthesamedegree，andwillnothavedesiredtowritetohissisterwithoutwritingtohisbrotheratthesametime；besides，asagoodson，hewillhavedesiredtoacquainthismotherwiththeunlooked-forgreatnessthathasbefallenhim。“
“Yes，madam，“repliedWilliam，“weknowsinceyesterdaythat，forthewelfareofScotland，mybrotherhasbeennamedregent；andasheisasonasrespectfultohismotherasheisdevotedtohiscountry，wehopethathewillrepairtheevilthatforfiveyearsfavouritesofeverysortandkindhavedonetoboth。“
“Itislikeagoodson，andatthesametimelikeacourteoushost，togobacknofartherintothehistoryofScotland，“repliedMaryStuart，“andnottomakethedaughterblushforthefather’serrors；
forIhaveheardsaythattheevilwhichyourlordshiplamentswaspriortothetimetowhichyouassignit，andthatKingJamesValsohadformerlyfavourites，bothmaleandfemale。Itistruethattheyaddthattheonesasillrewardedhisfriendshipastheothershislove。Inthis，ifyouareignorantofit，mylord，youcanbeinstructed，ifheisstillliving，byacertain。PorterfeldorPorterfield，Idon’tknowwhich，understandingthesenamesofthelowerclassestooilltoretainandpronouncethem，butaboutwhich，inmystead，yournoblemothercouldgiveyouinformation。“
Withthesewords，MaryStuartrose，and，leavingWilliamDouglascrimsonwithrage，shereturnedintoherbedroom，andboltedthedoorbehindher。
AllthatdayMarydidnotcomedown，remainingatherwindow，fromwhichsheatleastenjoyedasplendidviewovertheplainsandvillageofKinross；butthisvastextentonlycontractedherheartthemore，when，bringinghergazebackfromthehorizontothecastle，shebehelditswallssurroundedonallsidesbythedeepwatersofthelake，onwhosewidesurfaceasingleboat，whereLittleDouglaswasfishing，wasrockinglikeaspeck。ForsomemomentsMary’seyesmechanicallyrestedonthischild，whomshehadalreadyseenuponherarrival，whensuddenlyahornsoundedfromtheKinrossside。AtthesamemomentLittleDouglasthrewawayhisline，andbegantorowtowardstheshorewhencethesignalhadcomewithskillandstrengthbeyondhisyears。Mary，whohadlethergazerestonhimabsently，continuedtofollowhimwithhereyes，andsawhimmakeforaspotontheshoresodistantthattheboatseemedtoheratlengthbutanimperceptiblespeck；butsoonitreappeared，growinglargerasitapproached，andMarycouldthenobservethatitwasbringingbacktothecastleanewpassenger，who，havinginhisturntakentheoars，madethelittleskiffflyoverthetranquilwaterofthelake，whereitleftafurrowgleaminginthelastraysofthesun。Verysoon，flyingonwiththeswiftnessofabird，itwasnearenoughforMarytoseethattheskilfulandvigorousoarsmanwasayoungmanfromtwenty-fivetotwenty-sixyearsofage，withlongblackhair，cladinaclosecoatofgreencloth，andwearingaHighlander’scap，adornedwithaneagle’sfeather；then，aswithhisbackturnedtothewindowhedrewnearer，LittleDouglas，whowasleaningonhisshoulder，saidafewwordswhichmadehimturnroundtowardsthequeen：immediatelyMary，withaninstinctivemovementratherthanwiththedreadofbeinganobjectofidlecuriosity，drewback，butnotsoquickly，however，butthatshehadbeenabletoseethehandsomepalefaceoftheunknown，who，whenshereturnedtothewindow，haddisappearedbehindoneofthecornersofthecastle。
Everythingisacauseofconjecturetoaprisoner：itseemedtoMarythatthisyoungman’sfacewasnotunknowntoher，andthathehadseenheralready；butthoughgreatthecarewithwhichshequestionedhermemory，shecouldnotrecallanydistinctremembrance，somuchsothatthequeenendedinthinkingittheplayofherimagination，orthatsomevagueanddistinctresemblancehaddeceivedher。
However，inspiteofMary，thisideahadtakenanimportantplaceinhermind：sheincessantlysawthislittleboatskimmingthewater，andtheyoungmanandthechildwhowereinitdrawingnearher，asiftobringherhelp。Itfollowedthat，althoughtherehadbeennothingrealinallthesecaptive’sdreams，shesleptthatnightacalmersleepthanshehadyetdonesinceshehadbeeninLochlevenCastle。
Nextday，onrising，Maryrantoherwindow：theweatherwasfine，andeverythingseemedtosmileonher，thewater，theheavensandtheearth。But，withoutbeingabletoaccountfortherestrainingmotive，shedidnotwanttogodownintothegadenbeforebreakfast。
Whenthedooropened，’sheturnedquicklyround：itwas，asonthedaybefore，WilliamDouglas，whocametofulfilhisdutyastaster。
Thebreakfastwasashortandsilentone；then，assoonasDouglashadwithdrawn，Marydescendedinherturn：incrossingthecourtyardshesawtwohorsesreadysaddled，whichpointedtotheneardepartureofamasterandasquire。Wasittheyoungmanwiththeblackhairalreadysettingoutagain？ThisiswhatMarydidnotdareordidnotwishtoask。Sheconsequentlywentherway，andenteredthegarden：
atthefirstglanceshetookitininitsfullextent；itwasdeserted。
Marywalkedthereamoment；then，soontiringofthepromenade，shewentupagaintoherroom：inpassingbackthroughthecourtyardshehadnoticedthatthehorseswerenolongerthere。Directlyshereturnedintoherapartment，shewentthentothewindowtoseeifshecoulddiscoveranythinguponthelaketoguideherinherconjectures：aboatwasinfactreceding，andinthisboatwerethetwohorsesandthetwohorsemen；onewasWilliamDouglas，theotherasimplesquirefromthehouse。
Marycontinuedwatchingtheboatuntilithadtouchedtheshore。
Arrivedthere，thetwohorsemengotout，disembarkedtheirhorses，。
andwentawayatfullgallop，takingthesameroadbywhichthequeenhadcome；sothat，asthehorseswerepreparedforalongjourney，MarythoughtthatWilliamDouglaswasgoingtoEdinburgh。Astotheboat，scarcelyhaditlandeditstwopassengersontheoppositeshorethanitreturnedtowardsthecastle。