“Mylord，“criedthequeen，“doyouforgetacertainrepastgiveninanEdinburghtavern，bythissameBothwell，tothosesamenoblemenwhotreathimto-dayasanadultererandamurderer；doyouforgetthatattheendofthatmeal，andonthesametableatwhichithadbeengiven，apaperwassignedtoinvitethatsamewoman，towhomto-
dayyoumakethehasteofhernewweddingacrime，toleaveoffawidow’smourningtoreassumeamarriagerobe？forifyouhaveforgottenit，mylords，whichwoulddonomorehonourtoyoursobrietythantoyourmemory，Iundertaketoshowittoyou，Iwhohavepreservedit；andperhapsifwesearchwellweshallfindamongthesignaturesthenamesofLindsayofByresandWilliamRuthven。
OnobleLordHerries，“criedMary，“loyalJamesMelville，youalonewererightthen，whenyouthrewyourselvesatmyfeet，entreatingmenottoconcludethismarriage，which，Iseeitclearlyto-day，wasonlyatrapsetforanignorantwomanbyperfidiousadvisersordisloyallords。“
“Madam，“criedRuthven，inspiteofhiscoldimpassivitybeginningtolosecommandofhimself，whileLindsaywasgivingstillmorenoisyandlessequivocalsignsofimpatience，“madam，allthesediscussionsarebesideouraim：Ibegyoutoreturntoit，then，andinformusif，yourlifeandhonourguaranteed，youconsenttoabdicatethecrownofScotland。“
“AndwhatsafeguardshouldIhavethatthepromisesyouheremakemewillbekept？“
“Ourword，madam，“proudlyrepliedRuthven。
“Yourword，mylord，isaveryfeeblepledgetooffer，whenonesoquicklyforgetsone’ssignature：haveyounotsometrifletoaddtoit，tomakemealittleeasierthanIshouldbewithitalone？“
“Enough，Ruthven，enough，“criedLindsay。“Doyounotseethatforanhourthiswomananswersourproposalsonlybyinsults？“
“Yes，letusgo，“saidRuthven；“andthankyourselfonly，madam，forthedaywhenthethreadbreakswhichholdstheswordsuspendedoveryourhead。“
“Mylords，“criedMelville，“mylords，inHeaven’sname，alittlepatience，andforgivesomethingtoherwho，accustomedtocommand，istodayforcedtoobey。“
“Verywell，“saidLindsay，turninground，“staywithher，then，andtrytoobtainbyyoursmoothwordswhatisrefusedtoourfrankandloyaldemand。Inaquarterofanhourweshallreturn：lettheanswerbereadyinaquarterofanhour！“
Withthesewords，thetwonoblemenwentout，leavingMelvillewiththequeen；andonecouldcounttheirfootsteps，fromthenoisethatLindsay’sgreatswordmade，inresoundingoneachstepofthestaircase。
ScarcelyweretheyalonethanMelvillethrewhimselfatthequeen’sfeet。
“Madam，“saidhe，“youremarkedjustnowthatLordHerriesandmybrotherhadgivenyourMajestyadvicethatyourepentednothavingfollowed；well，madam，reflectonthatIinmyturngiveyou；foritismoreimportantthantheother，foryouwillregretwithstillmorebitternessnothavinglistenedtoit。Ah！youdonotknowwhatmayhappen，youareignorantofwhatyourbrotheriscapable。“
“Itseemstome，however，“returnedthequeen，“thathehasjustinstructedmeonthathead：whatmorewillhedothanhehasdonealready？Apublictrial！Oh！itisallIask：letmeonlypleadmycause，andweshallseewhatjudgeswilldaretocondemnme。“
“Butthatiswhattheywilltakegoodcarenottodo，madam；fortheywouldbemadtodoitwhentheykeepyouhereinthisisolatedcastle，inthecareofyourenemies，havingnowitnessbutGod，whoavengescrime，butwhodoesnotpreventit。Recollect，madam，whatMachiavellihassaid，’Aking’stombisneverfarfromhisprison。’
Youcomeofafamilyinwhichonediesyoung，madam，andalmostalwaysofasuddendeath：twoofyourancestorsperishedbysteel，andonebypoison。“
“Oh，ifmydeathweresuddenandeasy，“criedMary，“yes，Ishouldacceptitasanexpiationformyfaults；forifIamproudwhenI
comparemyselfwithothers，Melville，IamhumblewhenIjudgemyself。IamunjustlyaccusedofbeinganaccompliceofDarnley’sdeath，butIamjustlycondemnedforhavingmarriedBothwell。“
“Timepresses，madam；timepresses，“criedMelville，lookingatthesand，which，placedonthetable，wasmarkingthetime。“Theyarecomingback，theywillbehereinaminute；andthistimeyoumustgivethemananswer。Listen，madam，andatleastprofitbyyoursituationasmuchasyoucan。Youarealoneherewithonewoman，withoutfriends，withoutprotection，withoutpower：anabdicationsignedatsuchajuncturewillneverappeartoyourpeopletohavebeenfreelygiven，butwillalwayspassashavingbeentornfromyoubyforce；andifneedbe，madam，ifthedaycomeswhensuchasolemndeclarationisworthsomething，well，thenyouwillhavetwowitnessesoftheviolencedoneyou：theonewillbeMarySeyton，andtheother，“headdedinalowvoiceandlookinguneasilyabouthim，——
“theotherwillbeRobertMelville。“
Hardlyhadhefinishedspeakingwhenthefootstepsofthetwonobleswereagainheardonthestaircase，returningevenbeforethequarterofanhourhadelapsed；amomentafterwardsthedooropened，andRuthvenappeared，whileoverhisshoulderwasseenLindsay’shead。
“Madam，“saidRuthven，“wehavereturned。HasyourGracedecided？
Wecomeforyouranswer。“
“Yes，“saidLindsay，pushingasideRuthven，whostoodinhisway，andadvancingtothetable，——“yes，ananswer，clear，precise，positive，andwithoutdissimulation。“
“Youareexacting，mylord，“saidthequeen：“youwouldscarcelyhavetherighttoexpectthatfrommeifIwereinfulllibertyontheothersideofthelakeandsurroundedwithafaithfulescort；butbetweenthesewalls，behindthesebars，inthedepthsofthisfortress，IshallnottellyouthatIsignvoluntarily，lestyoushouldnotbelieveit。Butnomatter，youwantmysignature；well，I
amgoingtogiveittoyou。Melville，passmethepen。“
“ButIhope，“saidLordRuthven，“thatyourGraceisnotcountingonusingyourpresentpositiononedayinargumenttoprotestagainstwhatyouaregoingtodo？“
Thequeenhadalreadystoopedtowrite，shehadalreadysetherhandtothepaper，whenRuthvenspoketoher。Butscarcelyhadhedoneso，thansheroseupproudly，andlettingfallthepen，“Mylord，“
saidshe，“whatyouaskedofmejustnowwasbutanabdicationpureandsimple，andIwasgoingtosignit。Butiftothisabdicationisjoinedthismarginalnote，thenIrenounceofmyownaccord，andasjudgingmyselfunworthy，thethroneofScotland。IwouldnotdoitforthethreeunitedcrownsthatIhavebeenrobbedofinturn。“
“Takecare，madam，“criedLordLindsay，seizingthequeen’swristwithhissteelgauntletandsqueezingitwithallhisangrystrength——takecare，forourpatienceisatanend，andwecouldeasilyendbybreakingwhatwouldnotbend。“
Thequeenremainedstanding，andalthoughaviolentflushhadpassedlikeaflameoverhercountenance，shedidnotutteraword，anddidnotmove：hereyesonlywerefixedwithsuchagreatexpressionofcontemptonthoseoftheroughbaron，thathe，ashamedofthepassionthathadcarriedhimaway，letgothehandhehadseizedandtookastepback。ThenraisinghersleeveandshowingthevioletmarksmadeonherarmbyLordLindsay’ssteelgauntlet，“ThisiswhatIexpected，mylords，“saidshe，“andnothingpreventsmeanylongerfromsigning；yes，IfreelyabdicatethethroneandcrownofScotland，andthereistheproofthatmywillhasnotbeenforced。“
Withthesewords，shetookthepenandrapidlysignedthetwodocuments，heldthemouttoLordRuthven，andbowingwithgreatdignity，withdrewslowlyintoherroom，accompaniedbyMarySeyton。
Ruthvenlookedafterher，andwhenshehaddisappeared，“Itdoesn’tmatter，“hesaid；“shehassigned，andalthoughthemeansyouemployed，Lindsay，maybeobsoleteenoughindiplomacy，itisnotthelessefficacious，itseems。“
“Nojoking，Ruthven，“saidLindsay；“forsheisanoblecreature，andifIhaddared，Ishouldhavethrownmyselfatherfeettoaskherforgiveness。“
“Thereisstilltime，“repliedRuthven，“andMary，inherpresentsituation，willnotbesevereuponyou：perhapsshehasresolvedtoappealtothejudgmentofGodtoproveherinnocence，andinthatcaseachampionsuchasyoumightwellchangethefaceofthings。“
“Donotjoke，Ruthven，“Lindsayansweredasecondtime，withmoreviolencethanthefirst；“forifIwereaswellconvincedofherinnocenceasIamofhercrime，Itellyouthatnooneshouldtouchahairofherhead，noteventheregent。“
“Thedevil！mylord，“saidRuthven。“Ididnotknowyouweresosensitivetoagentlevoiceandatearfuleye；youknowthestoryofAchilles’lance，whichhealedwithitsrustthewoundsitmadewithitsedge：dolikewisemylord，dolikewise。“
“Enough，Ruthven，enough，“repliedLindsay；“youarelikeacorseletofMilansteel，whichisthreetimesasbrightasthesteelarmourofGlasgow，butwhichisatthesametimethriceashard：weknowoneanother，Ruthven，soanendtorailleriesorthreats；enough，believeme，enough。“
Andafterthesewords，LordLindsaywentoutfirst，followedbyRuthvenandMelville，thefirstwithhisheadhighandaffectinganairofinsolentindifference，andthesecond，sad，hisbrowbent，andnoteventryingtodisguisethepainfulimpressionwhichthisscenehadmadeonhim。’[“HistoryofScotland，bySirWalterScott——’TheAbbott“：historicalpart。]
CHAPTERVI
Thequeencameoutofherroomonlyintheevening，totakeherplaceatthewindowwhichlookedoverthelake：attheusualtimeshesawthelightwhichwashenceforthhersolehopeshineinthelittlehouseinKinross；forawholelongmonthshehadnootherconsolationthanseeingit，everynight，fixedandfaithful。