Theweddingwasdismal，asbecameafestivalundersuchoutrageousauspices。Morton，Maitland，andsomebaseflatterersofBothwellalonewerepresentatit。TheFrenchambassador，althoughhewasacreatureoftheHouseofGuise，towhichthequeenbelonged，refusedtoattendit。
Mary’sdelusionwasshort-lived：scarcelywassheinBothwell’spowerthanshesawwhatamastershehadgivenherself。Gross，unfeeling，andviolent，heseemedchosenbyProvidencetoavengethefaultsofwhichhehadbeentheinstigatorortheaccomplice。Soonhisfitsofpassionreachedsuchapoint，thatoneday，nolongerabletoendurethem，MaryseizedadaggerfromErskine，whowaspresentwithMelvilleatoneofthesescenes，andwouldhavestruckherself，sayingthatshewouldratherdiethancontinuelivingunhappilyasshedid；yet，inexplicableasitseems，inspiteofthesemiseries，renewedwithoutceasing，Mary，forgettingthatshewaswifeandqueen，tenderandsubmissiveasachild，wasalwaysthefirsttobereconciledwithBothwell。
Nevertheless，thesepublicscenesgaveapretexttothenobles，whoonlysoughtanopportunityforanoutbreak。TheEarlofMar，theyoungprince’stutor，Argyll，Athol，Glencairn，Lindley，Boyd，andevenMortonandMaitlandthemselves，thoseeternalaccomplicesofBothwell，rose，theysaid，toavengethedeathoftheking，andtodrawthesonfromhandswhichhadkilledthefatherandwhichwerekeepingthemothercaptive。AstoMurray，hehadkeptcompletelyinthebackgroundduringallthelastevents；hewasinthecountyofFifewhenthekingwasassassinated，andthreedaysbeforethetrialofBothwellhehadaskedandobtainedfromhissisterpermissiontotakeajourneyontheContinent。
Theinsurrectiontookplaceinsuchapromptandinstantaneousmanner，thattheConfederatelords，whoseplanwastosurpriseandseizebothMaryandBothwell，thoughttheywouldsucceedatthefirstattempt。
ThekingandqueenwereattablewithLordBorthwick，whowasentertainingthem，whensuddenlyitwasannouncedthatalargebodyofarmedmenwassurroundingthecastle：BothwellandMarysuspectedthattheywereaimedat，andastheyhadnomeansofresistance，Bothwelldressedhimselfasasquire，Maryasapage，andbothimmediatelytakinghorse，escapedbyonedoorjustastheConfederateswerecominginbytheother。ThefugitiveswithdrewtoDunbar。
TheretheycalledtogetherallBothwell’sfriends，andmadethemsignakindoftreatybywhichtheyundertooktodefendthequeenandherhusband。Inthemidstofallthis，MurrayarrivedfromFrance，andBothwellofferedthedocumenttohimastotheothers；butMurrayrefusedtoputhissignaturetoit，sayingthatitwasinsultinghimtothinkheneedbeboundbyawrittenagreementwhenitwasaquestionofdefendinghissisterandhisqueen。ThisrefusalhavingledtoanaltercationbetweenhimandBothwell，Murray，truetohissystemofneutrality，withdrewintohisearldom，andletaffairsfollowwithouthimthefataldeclinetheyhadtaken。
InthemeantimetheConfederates，afterhavingfailedatBorthwick，notfeelingstrongenoughtoattackBothwellatDunbar，marcheduponEdinburgh，wheretheyhadanunderstandingwithamanofwhomBothwellthoughthimselfsure。ThismanwasJamesBalfour，governorofthecitadel，thesamewhohadpresidedoverthepreparationoftheminewhichhadblownupDarnley，andwhomBothwellhad，metonenteringthegardenatKirkofField。NotonlydidBalfourdeliverEdinburghCastleintothehandsoftheConfederates，buthealsogavethemalittlesilvercofferofwhichthecipher，an“F“crowned，showedthatithadbelongedtoFrancisII；andinfactitwasagiftfromherfirsthusband，whichthequeenhadpresentedtoBothwell。
Balfourstatedthatthiscoffercontainedpreciouspapers，whichinthepresentcircumstancesmightbeofgreatusetoMary’senemies。
TheConfederatelordsopenedit，andfoundinsidethethreegenuineorspuriouslettersthatwehavequoted，themarriagecontractofMaryandBothwell，andtwelvepoemsinthequeen’shandwriting。AsBalfourhadsaid，thereinlay，forherenemies，arichandpreciousfind，whichwasworthmorethanavictory；foravictorywouldyieldthemonlythequeen’slife，whileBalfour’streacheryyieldedthemherhonour。
CHAPTERIV
MeanwhileBothwellhadleviedsometroops，andthoughthimselfinapositiontoholdthecountry：accordingly，hesetoutwithhisarmy，withoutevenwaitingfortheHamiltons，whowereassemblingtheirvassals，andJune15th，1567，thetwoopposedforceswerefacetoface。Mary，whodesiredtotrytoavoidbloodshed，immediatelysenttheFrenchambassadortotheConfederatelordstoexhortthemtolayasidetheirarms；buttheyreplied“thatthequeendeceivedherselfintakingthemforrebels；thattheyweremarchingnotagainsther，butagainstBothwell。“Thentheking’sfriendsdidwhattheycouldtobreakoffthenegotiationsandgivebattle：itwasalreadytoolate；thesoldiersknewthattheyweredefendingthecauseofoneman，andthattheyweregoingtofightforawoman’scaprice，andnotforthegoodofthecountry：theycriedaloud，then，that“sinceBothwellalonewasaimedat，itwasforBothwelltodefendhiscause“。Andhe，vainandblusteringasusual，gaveoutthathewasreadytoprovehisinnocenceinpersonagainstwhomsoeverwoulddaretomaintainthathewasguilty。Immediatelyeveryonewithanyclaimtonobilityintherivalcampacceptedthechallenge；andasthehonourwasgiventothebravest，KirkcaldyofGrange，MurrayofTullibardine，andLordLindsayofByresdefiedhimsuccessively。
But，beitthatcouragefailedhim，beitthatinthemomentofdangerhedidnothimselfbelieveinthejusticeofhiscause，he，toescapethecombat，soughtsuchstrangepretextsthatthequeenherselfwasashamed；andhismostdevotedfriendsmurmured。
ThenMary，perceivingthefatalhumourofmen’sminds，decidednottoruntheriskofabattle。ShesentaheraldtoKirkcaldyofGrange，whowascommandinganoutpost，andashewasadvancingwithoutdistrusttoconversewiththequeen，Bothwell，enragedathisowncowardice，orderedasoldiertofireuponhim；butthistimeMaryherselfinterposed，forbiddinghimunderpainofdeathtooffertheleastviolence。Inthemeanwhile，astheimprudentordergivenbyBothwellspreadthroughthearmy，suchmurmursburstforththatheclearlysawthathiscausewasforeverlost。
Thatiswhatthequeenthoughtalso；fortheresultofherconferencewithLordKirkcaldywasthatsheshouldabandonBothwell’scause，andpassoverintothecampoftheConfederates，onconditionthattheywouldlaydowntheirarmsbeforeherandbringherasqueentoEdinburgh。Kirkcaldylefthertotaketheseconditionstothenobles，andpromisedtoreturnnextdaywithasatisfactoryanswer。
ButatthemomentofleavingBothwell，Marywasseizedagainwiththatfatalloveforhimthatshewasneverabletosurmount，andfeltherselfovercomewithsuchweakness，that，weepingbitterly，andbeforeeveryone，shewantedKirkcaldytobetoldthatshebrokeoffallnegotiations；however，asBothwellhadunderstoodthathewasnolongersafeincamp，itwashewhoinsistedthatthingsshouldremainastheywere；and，leavingMaryintears，hemounted，andsettingoffatfullspeed，hedidnotstoptillhereachedDunbar。
Nextday，atthetimeappointed，thearrivalofLordKirkcaldyofGrangewasannouncedbythetrumpetersprecedinghim。Marymounteddirectlyandwenttomeethim；them，ashealightedtogreether，“Mylord；“saidshe，“Isurrendertoyou，ontheconditionsthatyouhaveproposedtomeonthepartofthenobles，andhereismyhandasasignofentireconfidence“。Kirkcaldythenkneltdown，kissed，thequeen’shandrespectfully；and，rising，hetookherhorsebythebridleandledittowardstheConfederates’camp。
Everyoneofanyrankinthearmyreceivedherwithsuchmarksofrespectasentirelytosatisfyher；butitwasnotsoatallwiththesoldiersandcommonpeople。Hardlyhadthequeenreachedthesecondline，formedbythem，thangreatmurmursarose，andseveralvoicescried，“Tothestake，theadulteress！Tothestake，theparricide！“
However，Maryboretheseoutragesstoicallyenoughbutamoreterribletrialyetwasinstoreforher。Suddenlyshesawrisebeforeherabanner，onwhichwasdepictedononesidethekingdeadandstretchedoutinthefatalgarden，andontheothertheyoungprincekneeling，hishandsjoinedandhiseyesraisedtoheaven，withthisinscription，“OLord！judgeandrevengemycause！“Maryreinedinherhorseabruptlyatthissight，andwantedtoturnback；butshehadscarcelymovedafewpaceswhentheaccusingbanneragainblockedherpassage。Wherevershewent，shemetthisdreadfulapparition。
Fortwohoursshehadincessantlyunderhereyestheking’scorpseaskingvengeance，andtheyoungprincehersonprayingGodtopunishthemurderers。Atlastshecouldendureitnolonger，and，cryingout，shethrewherselfback，havingcompletelylostconsciousness，andwouldhavefallen，ifsomeonehadnotcaughtholdofher。
IntheeveningsheenteredEdinburgh，alwaysprecededbythecruelbanner，andshealreadyhadrathertheairofaprisonerthanofaqueen；for，nothavinghadamomentduringthedaytoattendtohertoilet，herhairwasfallingindisorderabouthershoulders，herfacewaspaleandshowedtracesoftears；andfinally，herclotheswerecoveredwithdustandmud。Assheproceededthroughthetown，thehootingsofthepeopleandthecursesofthecrowdfollowedher。
Atlast，halfdeadwithfatigue，wornoutwithgrief，boweddownwithshame，shereachedthehouseoftheLordProvost；butscarcelyhadshegottherewhentheentirepopulationofEdinburghcrowdedintothesquare，withcriesthatfromtimetotimeassumedatoneofterrifyingmenace。Severaltimes，then，Marywishedtogotothewindow，hopingthatthesightofher，ofwhichshehadsooftenprovedtheinfluence，woulddisarmthismultitude；buteachtimeshesawthisbannerunfurlingitselflikeabloodycurtainbetweenherselfandthepeople——aterriblerenderingoftheirfeelings。
However，allthishatredwasmeantstillmoreforBothwellthanforher：theywerepursuingBothwellinDarnley’swidow。ThecurseswereforBothwell：Bothwellwastheadulterer，Bothwellwasthemurderer，Bothwellwasthecoward；whileMarywastheweak，fascinatedwoman，who，thatsameevening，gaveafreshproofofherfolly。
Infact，directlythefallingnighthadscatteredthecrowdandalittlequietwasregained，Mary，ceasingtobeuneasyonherownaccount，turnedimmediatelytoBothwell，whomshehadbeenobligedtoabandon，andwhowasnowproscribedandfleeing；whileshe，asshebelieved，wasabouttoreassumehertitleandstationofqueen。Withthateternalconfidenceofthewomaninherownlove，bywhichsheinvariablymeasurestheloveofanother，shethoughtthatBothwell’sgreatestdistresswastohavelost，notwealthandpower，buttohavelostherself。Soshewrotehimalongletter，inwhich，forgetfulofherself，shepromisedhimwiththemosttenderexpressionsoflovenevertodeserthim，andtorecallhimtoherdirectlythebreakingupoftheConfederatelordsshouldgiveherpowertodoso；then，thisletterwritten，shecalledasoldier，gavehimapurseofgold，andchargedhimtotakethislettertoDunbar，whereBothwelloughttobe，andifhewerealreadygone，tofollowhimuntilhecameupwithhim。
Thenshewenttobedandsleptmorecalmly；for，unhappyasshewas，shebelievedshehadjustsweetenedmisfortunesstillgreaterthanhers。
Nextdaythequeenwasawakenedbythestepofanarmedmanwhoenteredherroom。Bothastonishedandfrightenedatthisneglectofpropriety，whichcouldaugurnothinggood，Marysatupinbed，andpartingthecurtains，sawstandingbeforeherLordLindsayofByres：
sheknewhewasoneofheroldestfriends，sosheaskedhiminavoicewhichshevainlytriedtomakeconfident，whathewantedofheratsuchatime。
“Doyouknowthiswriting，madam？“LordLindsayaskedinaroughvoice，presentingtothequeenthelettershehadwrittentoBothwellatnight，whichthesoldierhadcarriedtotheConfederatelords，insteadoftakingtoitsaddress。
“Yes，doubtless，mylord，“thequeenanswered；“butamIalreadyaprisoner，then，thatmycorrespondenceisintercepted？orisitnolongerallowedtoawifetowritetoherhusband？“
“Whenthehusbandisatraitor，“repliedLindsay，“no，madam，itisnolongerallowedtoawifetowritetoherhusband——atleast，however，ifthiswifehaveapartinhistreason；whichseemstome，besides，quiteprovedbythepromiseyoumaketothiswretchtorecallhimtoyou。“
“Mylord，“criedMary，interruptingLindsay，“doyouforgetthatyouarespeakingtoyourqueen。“
“Therewasatime，madam，“Lindsayreplied，“whenIshouldhavespokentoyouinamoregentlevoice，andbendingtheknee，althoughitisnotinthenatureofusoldScotchtomodelourselvesonyourFrenchcourtiers；butforsometime，thankstoyourchangingloves，youhavekeptussoofteninthefield，inharness，thatourvoicesarehoarsefromthecoldnightair，andourstiffkneescannolongerbendinourarmour：youmustthentakemejustasIam，madam；sinceto-day，forthewelfareofScotland，youarenolongeratlibertytochooseyourfavourites。“