Butslowastheyseemedtothequeen，thehoursyetpassed：towardstheafternoonsomecloudsfloatedacrossthebluesky；thequeenremarkeduponthemjoyfullytohercompanion；MarySeytoncongratulatedheruponthem，notonaccountoftheimaginaryomenthatthequeensoughtinthem，butbecauseoftherealimportancethattheweathershouldbecloudy，thatdarknessmightaidthemintheirflight。Whilethetwoprisonerswerewatchingthebillowy，movingvapours，thehourofdinnerarrived；butitwashalfanhourofconstraintanddissimulation，themorepainfulthat，nodoubtinreturnforthesortofgoodwillshownhimbythequeeninthemorning，WilliamDouglasthoughthimselfobliged，inhisturn，toaccompanyhisdutieswithfittingcompliments，whichcompelledthequeentotakeamoreactivepartintheconversationthanherpreoccupationallowedher；butWilliamDouglasdidnotseeminanywaytoobservethisabsenceofmind，andallpassedasatbreakfast。
Directlyhehadgonethequeenrantothewindow：thefewcloudswhichwerechasingoneanotherintheskyanhourbeforehadthickenedandspread，and——allthebluewasblottedout，togiveplacetoahuedullandleadenaspewter。MaryStuart’spresentimentswerethusrealised：astothelittlehouseinKinross，whichonecouldstillmakeoutinthedusk，itremainedshutup，andseemeddeserted。
Nightfell：thelightshoneasusual；thequeensignalled，itdisappeared。MaryStuartwaitedinvain；everythingremainedindarkness：theescapewasforthesameevening。Thequeenheardeighto’clock，nineo’clock，andteno’clockstrikesuccessively。Atteno’clockthesentinelswererelieved；MaryStuartheardthepatrolspassbeneathherwindows，thestepsofthewatchrecede：thenallreturnedtosilence。Halfanhourpassedawaythus；suddenlytheowl’scryresoundedthrice，thequeenrecognisedGeorgeDouglas’ssignal：thesuprememomenthadcome。
Inthesecircumstancesthequeenfoundallherstrengthrevive：shesignedtoMarySeytontotakeawaythebarandtofixtheropeladder，while，puttingoutthelamp，shefeltherwayintothebedroomtoseekthecasketwhichcontainedherfewremainingjewels。
Whenshecameback，GeorgeDouglaswasalreadyintheroom。
“Allgoeswell，madam，“saidhe。“Yourfriendsawaityouontheothersideofthelake，ThomasWardenwatchesatthepostern，andGodhassentusadarknight。“
Thequeen，withoutreplying，gavehimherhand。Georgebenthiskneeandcarriedthishandtohislips；butontouchingit，hefeltitcoldandtrembling。
“Madam，“saidhe，“inHeaven’snamesummonallyourcourage，anddonotletyourselfbedowncastatsuchamoment。“
“OurLady-of-Good-Help，“murmuredSeyton，“cometoouraid！“
“Summontoyouthespiritofthekingsyourancestors，“respondedGeorge，“foratthismomentitisnottheresignationofaChristianthatyourequire，butthestrengthandresolutionofaqueen“
“Oh，Douglas！Douglas，“criedMarymournfully，“afortune-tellerpredictedtomethatIshoulddieinprisonandbyaviolentdeath：
hasnotthehourofthepredictionarrived？“
“Perhaps，“Georgesaid，“butitisbettertodieasaqueenthantoliveinthisancientcastlecalumniatedandaprisoner。“
“Youareright，George，“thequeenanswered；“butforawomanthefirststepiseverything：forgiveme“。Then，afteramoment’spause，“Come，“saidshe；“Iamready。“
Georgeimmediatelywenttothewindow，securedtheladderagainandmorefirmly，thengettingupontothesillandholdingtothebarswithonehand，hestretchedouttheothertothequeen，who，asresoluteasshehadbeentimidamomentbefore，mountedonastool，andhadalreadysetonefootonthewindow-ledge，whensuddenlythecry，“Whogoesthere？“rangoutatthefootofthetower。Thequeensprangquicklyback，partlyinstinctivelyandpartlypushedbyGeorge，who，onthecontrary，leanedoutofthewindowtoseewhencecamethiscry，which，twiceagainrenewed，remainedtwiceunanswered，andwasimmediatelyfollowedbyareportandtheflashofafirearm：
atthesamemomentthesentinelondutyonthetowerblewhisbugle，anothersetgoingthealarmbell，andthecries，“Toarms，toarms！“
and“Treason，treason！“resoundedthroughoutthecastle。
“Yes，yes，treason，treason！“criedGeorgeDouglas，leapingdownintotheroom。“Yes，theinfamousWardenhasbetrayedus！“Then，advancingtoMary，coldandmotionlessasastatue，“Courage，madam，“
saidhe，“courage！Whateverhappens，afriendyetremainsforyouinthecastle；itisLittleDouglas。“
Scarcelyhadhefinishedspeakingwhenthedoorofthequeen’sapartmentopened，andWilliamDouglasandLadyLochleven，precededbyservantscarryingtorchesandarmedsoldiers，appearedonthethreshold：theroomwasimmediatelyfilledwithpeopleandlight。
“Mother，“saidWilliamDouglas，pointingtohisbrotherstandingbeforeMaryStuartandprotectingherwithhisbody，“doyoubelievemenow？Look！“
Theoldladywasforamomentspeechless；thenfindingawordatlast，andtakingastepforward——
“Speak，GeorgeDouglas，“criedshe，“speak，andclearyourselfatonceofthechargewhichweighsonyourhonour；saybutthesewords，’ADouglaswasneverfaithlesstohistrust，’andIbelieveyou“。
“Yes，mother，“answeredWilliam，“aDouglas！……buthe——heisnotaDouglas。“
“MayGodgrantmyoldagethestrengthneededtobearonthepartofoneofmysonssuchamisfortune，andonthepartoftheothersuchaninjury！“exclaimedLadyLochleven。“Owomanbornunderafatalstar，“shewenton，addressingthequeen，“whenwillyouceasetobe，intheDevil’shands，aninstrumentofperditionanddeathtoallwhoapproachyou？OancienthouseofLochleven，cursedbethehourwhenthisenchantresscrossedthythreshold！“
“Donotsaythat，mother，donotsaythat，“criedGeorge；“blessedbe，onthecontrary，themomentwhichprovesthat，ifthereareDouglaseswhonolongerrememberwhattheyowetotheirsovereigns，thereareotherswhohaveneverforgottenit。“
“Douglas！Douglas！“murmuredMaryStuart，“didInottellyou？“
“AndI，madam，“saidGeorge，“whatdidIreplythen？ThatitwasanhonourandadutytoeveryfaithfulsubjectofyourMajestytodieforyou。“
“Well，die，then！“criedWilliamDouglas，springingonhisbrotherwithraisedsword，whilehe，leapingback，drewhis，andwithamovementquickasthoughtandeagerashatreddefendedhimself。ButatthesamemomentMaryStuartdartedbetweenthetwoyoungpeople。
“Notanotherstep，LordDouglas，“saidshe。“Sheatheyoursword，George，orifyouuseit，letbetogohence，andagainsteveryonebutyourbother。Istillhaveneedofyourlife；takecareofit。“
“Mylife，likemyarmandmyhonour，isatyourservice，madam，andfromthemomentyoucommanditIshallpreserveitforyou。“
Withthesewords，rushingtothedoorwithaviolenceandresolvewhichpreventedanyone’sstoppinghim——
“Back！“criedhetothedomesticswhowerebarringthepassage；“makewayfortheyoungmasterofDouglas，orwoetoyou！“。
“Stophim！“criedWilliam。“Seizehim，deadoralive！Fireuponhim！
Killhimlikeadog！“
Twoorthreesoldiers，notdaringtodisobeyWilliam，pretendedtopursuehisbrother。Thensomegunshotswereheard，andavoicecryingthatGeorgeDouglashadjustthrownhimselfintothelake。
“Andhashethenescaped？“criedWilliam。
MaryStuartbreathedagain；theoldladyraisedherhandstoHeaven。
“Yes，yes，“murmuredWilliam，——“yes，thankHeavenforyourson’sflight；forhisflightcoversourentirehousewithshame；countingfromthishour，weshallbelookeduponastheaccomplicesofhistreason。“
“Havepityonme，William！“criedLadyLochleven，wringingherhands。
“Havecompassionoyouroldmother！SeeyounotthatIamdying？“
Withthesewords，shefellbackwards，paleandtottering；thestewardandaservantsupportederintheirarms。
“Ibelieve，mylord，“saidMarySeyton，comingforward，“thatyourmotherhasasmuchneedofattentionjustnowasthequeenhasneedofrepose：doyounotconsideritistimeforyoutowithdraw？“
“Yes，yes，“saidWilliam，“togiveyoutimetospinfreshwebs，I
suppose，andtoseekwhatfreshfliesyoucantakeinthem？Itiswell，goonwithyourwork；butyouhavejustseenthatitisnoteasytodeceiveWilliamDouglas。Playyourgame，Ishallplaymine“。
Thenturningtotheservants，“Goout，allofyou，“saidhe；“andyou，mother，come。“
Theservantsandthesoldiersobeyed；thenWilliamDouglaswentoutlast，supportingLadyLochleven，andthequeenheardhimshutbehindhimanddouble-lockthetwodoorsofherprison。
ScarcelywasMaryalone，andcertainthatshewasnolongerseenorheard，thanallherstrengthdesertedher，and，sinkingintoanarm-
chair，sheburstoutsobbing。
Indeed，allhercouragehadbeenneededtosustainhersofar，andthesightofherenemiesalonehadgivenherthiscourage；buthardlyhadtheygonethanhersituationappearedbeforeherinallitsfatalhardship。Dethroned，aprisoner，withoutanotherfiendinthisimpregnablecastlethanachildtowhomshehadscarcegivenattention，andwhowasthesoleandlastthreadattachingherpasthopestoherhopesforthefuture，whatremainedtoMaryStuartofhertwothronesandherdoublepower？Hername，thatwasall；her，namewithwhich，free，shehaddoubtlessstirredScotland，butwhichlittlebylittlewasabouttobeeffacedintheheartsofheradherents，andwhichduringherlifetimeoblivionwastocoverperhapsaswithashroud。SuchanideawasinsupportabletoasoulasloftyasMaryStuart’s，andtoanorganisationwhich，likethatoftheflowers，hasneed，beforeeverything，ofair，light，andsun。
FortunatelythereremainedtoherthebestbelovedofherfourMarys，who，alwaysdevotedandconsoling，hastenedtosuccourandcomforther；butthistimeitwasnoeasymatter，andthequeenletheractandspeakwithoutansweringherotherwisethanwithsobsandtears；
whensuddenly，lookingthroughthewindowtowhichshehaddrawnuphermistress’sarmchair——
“Thelight！“criedshe，“madam，thelight！“
Atthesametimesheraisedthequeen，andwitharmoutstretchedfromthewindow，sheshowedherthebeacon，theeternalsymbolofhope，relightedinthemidstofthisdarknightonKinrosshill：therewasnomistakepossible，notastarwasshininginthesky。
“LordGod，IgiveTheethanks，“saidthequeen，fallingonherkneesandraisingherarmstoheavenwithagestureofgratitude：“Douglashasescaped，andmyfriendsstillkeepwatch。“
Then，afteraferventprayer，whichrestoredtoheralittlestrength，thequeenre-enteredherroom，and，tiredoutbyhervariedsuccessiveemotions，shesleptanuneasy，agitatedsleep，overwhichtheindefatigableMarySeytonkeptwatchtilldaybreak。