Atlast，attheendofthistime，andasshewasbeginningtodespairofseeingGeorgeDouglasagain，onemorning，onopeningthewindow，sheutteredacry。MarySeytonrantoher，andthequeen，withouthavingstrengthtospeak，showedherinthemiddleofthelakethetinyboatatanchor，andintheboatLittleDouglasandGeorge，whowereabsorbedinfishing，theirfavouriteamusement。Theyoungmanhadarrivedthedaybefore，andaseveryonewasaccustomedtohisunexpectedreturns，thesentinelhadnotevenblownthehorn，andthequeenhadnotknownthatatlastafriendhadcome。
However，shewasthreedaysyetwithoutseeingthisfriendotherwisethanshehadjustdone-thatis，onthelake。Itistruethatfrommorningtilleveninghedidnotleavethatspot，fromwhichhecouldviewthequeen’swindowsandthequeenherself，when，togazeatawiderhorizon，sheleanedherfaceagainstthebars。Atlast，onthemorningofthefourthday，thequeenwasawakenedbyagreatnoiseofdogsandhorns：sheimmediatelyrantothewindow，fortoaprisonereverythingisanevent，andshesawWilliamDouglas，whowasembarkingwithapackofhoundsandsomehuntsmen。Infact，makingatruce，foraday，withhisgaoler’sduties，toenjoyapleasuremoreinharmonywithhisrankandbirth，hewasgoingtohuntinthewoodswhichcoverthelastridgeofBenLomond，andwhich，eversinking，diedownonthebanksofthelake。
Thequeentrembledwithdelight，forshehopedthatLadyLochlevenwouldmaintainherill-will，andthatthenGeorgewouldreplacehisbrother：thishopewasnotdisappointed。Attheusualtimethequeenheardthefootstepsofthosewhowerebringingherherbreakfast；thedooropened，andshesawGeorgeDouglasenter，precededbytheservantswhowerecarryingthedishes。Georgebarelybowed；butthequeen，warnedbyhimnottobesurprisedatanything，returnedhimhisgreetingwithadisdainfulair；thentheservantsperformedtheirtaskandwentout，astheywereaccustomed。
“Atlast，“saidthequeen，“youarebackagain，then。“
Georgemotionedwithhisfinger，wenttothedoortolistenifalltheservantshadreallygoneaway，andifnoonehadremainedtospy。
Then，returningmoreatease，andbowingrespectfully——
“Yes，madam，“returnedhe；“and，Heavenbethanked，Ibringgoodnews。“
“Oh，tellmequickly！“criedthequeen；“forstayinginthiscastleishell。Youknewthattheycame，didyounot，andthattheymademesignanabdication？“
“Yes，madam，“repliedDouglas；“butwealsoknewthatyoursignaturehadbeenobtainedfromyoubyviolencealone，andourdevotiontoyourMajestyisincreasedthereby，ifpossible。“
“But，afterall，whathaveyoudone？“
“TheSeytonsandtheHamiltons，whoare，asyourMajestyknows，yourmostfaithfulservants，“——Maryturnedround，smiling，andputoutherhandtoMarySeyton，——“havealready，“continuedGeorge，“assembledtheirtroops，whokeepthemselvesinreadinessforthefirstsignal；
butastheyalonewouldnotbesufficientlynumeroustoholdthecountry，weshallmakeourwaydirectlytoDumbarton，whosegovernorisours，andwhichbyitspositionanditsstrengthcanholdoutlongenoughagainstalltheregent’stroopstogivetothefaithfulheartsremainingtoyoutimetocomeandjoinus。“
“Yes，yes，“saidthequeen；“Iseeclearlywhatweshalldooncewegetoutofthis；buthowarewetogetout？“
“Thatistheoccasion，madam，“repliedDouglas，“forwhichyourMajestymustcalltoyouraidthatcourageofwhichyouhavegivensuchgreatproofs。“
“IfIhaveneedonlyofcourageandcoolness，“repliedthequeen，“beeasy；neithertheonenortheotherwillfailme。“
“Hereisafile，“saidGeorge，givingMarySeytonthatinstrumentwhichhejudgedunworthytotouchthequeen’shands，“andthiseveningIshallbringyourMajestycordstoconstructaladder。Youwillcutthroughoneofthebarsofthiswindow，itisonlyataheightoftwentyfeet；Ishallcomeuptoyou，asmuchtotryitastosupportyou；oneofthegarrisonisinmypay，hewillgiveuspassagebythedooritishisdutytoguard，andyouwillbefree。“
“Andwhenwillthatbe？“criedthequeen。
“Wemustwaitfortwothings，madam，“repliedDouglas：“thefirst，tocollectatKinrossanescortsufficientforyourMajesty’ssafety；
thesecond，thattheturnfornightwatchofThomasWardenshouldhappentobeatanisolateddoorthatwecanreachwithoutbeingseen。“
“Andhowwillyouknowthat？Doyoustayatthecastle，then？“
“Alas！no，madam，“repliedGeorge；“atthecastleIamauselessandevenadangerousfriedforyou，whileoncebeyondthelakeIcanserveyouinaneffectualmanner。“
“AndhowwillyouknowwhenWarden’sturntomountguardhascome？“
“Theweathercockinthenorthtower，insteadofturninginthewindwiththeothers，willremainfixedagainstit。“
“ButI，howshallIbewarned？“
“Everythingisalreadyprovidedforonthatside：thelightwhichshineseachnightinthelittlehouseinKinrossincessantlytellsyouthatyourfriendskeepwatchforyou；butwhenyouwouldliketoknowifthehourofyourdeliveranceapproachesorrecedes，inyourturnplacealightinthiswindow。Theotherwillimmediatelydisappear；then，placingyourhandonyourbreast，countyourheartbeats：ifyoureachthenumbertwentywithoutthelightreappearing，nothingisyetsettled；ifyouonlyreachten，themomentapproaches；ifthelightdoesnotleaveyoutimetocountbeyondfive，yourescapeisfixedforthefollowingnight；ifitreappearsnomore，itisfixedforthesameevening；thentheowl’scry，repeatedthriceinthecourtyard，willbethesignal；letdowntheladderwhenyouhearit“。
“Oh，Douglas，“criedthequeen，“youalonecouldforeseeandcalculateeverythingthus。Thankyou，thankyouahundredtimes！“
Andshegavehimherhandtokiss。
Avividredflushedtheyoungman’scheeks；butalmostdirectlymasteringhisemotion，hekneeleddown，and，restrainingtheexpressionofthatloveofwhichhehadoncespokentothequeen，whilepromisinghernevermoretospeakofit，hetookthehandthatMaryextended，andkisseditwithsuchrespectthatnoonecouldhaveseeninthisactionanythingbutthehomageofdevotionandfidelity。
Then，havingbowedtothequeen，hewentout，thatalongerstaywithhershouldnotgiverisetoanysuspicions。
Atthedinner-hourDouglasbrought，ashehadsaid，aparcelofcord。
Itwasnotenough，butwheneveningcameMarySeytonwastounrollitandletfalltheendfromthewindow，andGeorgewouldfastentheremaindertoit：thethingwasdoneasarranged，andwithoutanymishap，anhourafterthehuntershadreturned。
ThefollowingdayGeorgeleftthecastle。
ThequeenandMarySeytonlostnotimeinsettingabouttheropeladder，anditwasfinishedonthethirdday。Thesameevening，thequeeninherimpatience，andrathertoassureherselfofherpartisans’vigilancethaninthehopethatthetimeofherdeliverancewassonear，broughtherlamptothewindow：immediately，andasGeorgeDouglashadtoldher，thelightinthelittlehouseatKinrossdisappeared：thequeenthenlaidherhandonherheartandcounteduptotwenty-two；thenthelightreappeared；theywerereadyforeverything，butnothingwasyetsettled。Foraweekthequeenthusquestionedthelightandherheart-beatswithouttheirnumberchanging；atlast，ontheeighthday，shecountedonlyasfarasten；
attheelevenththelightreappeared。
Thequeenbelievedherselfmistaken：shedidnotdaretohopewhatthisannounced。Shewithdrewthelamp；then，attheendofaquarterofanhour，showeditagain：herunknowncorrespondentunderstood。
withhisusualintelligencethatafreshtrialwasrequiredofhim，andthelightinthelittlehousedisappearedinitsturn。Maryagainquestionedthepulsationsofherheart，and，fastasitleaped，beforethetwelfthbeatthepropitiousstarwasshiningonthehorizon：therewasnolongeranydoubt；everythingwassettled。
Marycouldnotsleepallnight：thispersistencyofherpartisansinspiredherwithgratitudetothepointoftears。Thedaycame，andthequeenseveraltimesquestionedhercompaniontoassureherselfthatitwasnotalladream；ateverysounditseemedtoherthattheschemeonwhichherlibertyhungwasdiscovered，andwhen，atbreakfastandatdinnertime，WilliamDouglasenteredasusual，shehardlydaredlookathim，forfearofreadingonhisfacetheannouncementthatallwaslost。
Intheeveningthequeenagainquestionedthelight：itmadethesameanswer；nothinghadaltered；thebeaconwasalwaysoneofhope。
Forfourdaysitthuscontinuedtoindicatethatthemomentofescapewasathand；ontheeveningofthefifth，beforethequeenhadcountedfivebeats，thelightreappeared：thequeenleaneduponMarySeyton；shewasnearlyfainting，betweendreadand’delight。Herescapewasfixedforthenextevening。
Thequeentriedoncemore，andobtainedthesamereply：therewasnolongeradoubt；everythingwasreadyexcepttheprisoner’scourage，foritfailedherforamoment，andifMarySeytonhadnotdrawnupaseatintime，shewouldhavefallenprone；but，thefirstmomentover，shecollectedherselfasusual，andwasstrongerandmoreresolutethanever。
Tillmidnightthequeenremainedatthewindow，hereyesfixedonthatstarofgoodomen：atlastMarySeytonpersuadedhertogotobed，offering，ifshehadnowishtosleep，toreadhersomeversesbyM。Ronsard，orsomechaptersfromtheMerdesHistoires；butMaryhadnodesirenowforanyprofanereading，andhadherHoursread，makingtheresponsesasshewouldhavedoneifshehadbeenpresentatamasssaidbyaCatholicpriest：towardsdawn，however，shegrewdrowsy，andasMarySeyton，forherpart，wasdroppingwithfatigue，shefellasleepdirectlyinthearm-chairattheheadofthequeen’sbed。
Nextdaysheawoke，feelingthatsomeonewastappingherontheshoulder：itwasthequeen，whohadalreadyarisen。
“Comeandsee，darling，“saidshe，——“comeandseethefinedaythatGodisgivingus。Oh！howaliveisNature！HowhappyIshallbetobeoncemorefreeamongthoseplainsandmountains！Decidedly，Heavenisonourside。“
“Madam，“repliedMary，“Iwouldratherseetheweatherlessfine：itwouldpromiseusadarkernight；andconsider，whatweneedisdarkness，notlight。“
“Listen，“saidthequeen；“itisbythiswearegoingtoseeifGodisindeedforus；iftheweatherremainsasitis，yes，youareright，Heabandonsus；butifitcloudsover，oh！then，darling，thiswillbeacertainproofofHisprotection，willitnot？“
MarySeytonsmiled，noddingthatsheadoptedhermistress’ssuperstition；thenthequeen，incapableofremainingidleinhergreatpreoccupationofmind，collectedthefewjewelsthatshehadpreserved，enclosedtheminacasket，gotreadyfortheeveningablackdress，inordertobestillbetterhiddeninthedarkness：and，thesepreparationsmade，shesatdownagainatthewindow，ceaselesslycarryinghereyesfromthelaketothelittlehouseinKinross，shutupanddumbasusual。
Thedinner-hourarrived：thequeenwassohappythatshereceivedWilliamDouglaswithmoregoodwillthanwasherwont，anditwaswithdifficultysheremainedseatedduringthetimethemeallasted；butsherestrainedherself，andWilliamDouglaswithdrew，withoutseemingtohavenoticedheragitation。
ScarcelyhadhegonethanMaryrantothewindow；shehadneedofair，andhergazedevouredinadvancethosewidehorizonswhichshewasabouttocrossanew；itseemedtoherthatonceatlibertyshewouldnevershutherselfupinapalaceagain，butwouldwanderaboutthecountrysidecontinually：then，amidallthesetremorsofdelight，fromtimetotimeshefeltunexpectedlyheavyatheart。ShethenturnedroundtoMarySeyton，tryingtofortifyherstrengthwithhers，andtheyounggirlkeptupherhopes，butratherfromdutythanfromconviction。