“Followmeeverywhere。“
“MyGod！myGod！“criedMaryStuart，“havepityonus！“Then，havingbreathedashortprayerinalowvoice，whileMarySeytonwastakingthecasketinwhichwerethequeen’sjewels，“Iamready，“saidshe：
“andyou，darling？“
“Ialso，“repliedMarySeyton。
“Come，then，“saidLittleDouglas。
Thetwoprisonersfollowedthechild；thequeengoingfirst，andMarySeytonafter。Theiryouthfulguidecarefullyshutagainthedoorbehindhim，sothatifawarderhappenedtopasshewouldseenothing；thenhebegantodescendthewindingstair。Half-waydown，thenoiseofthefeastreachedthem，aminglingofshoutsoflaughter，theconfusionofvoices，andtheclinkingofglasses。Thequeenplacedherhandonheryoungguide’sshoulder。
“Whereareyouleadingus？“sheaskedhimwithterror。
“Outofthecastle，“repliedthechild。
“Butweshallhavetopassthroughthegreathall？“
“Withoutadoubt；andthatisexactlywhatGeorgeforesaw。Amongthefootmen，whoseliveryyourMajestyiswearing，noonewillrecogniseyou。“
“MyGod！myGod！“thequeenmurmured，leaningagainstthewall。
“Courage，madam，“saidMarySeytoninalowvoice，“orwearelost。“
“Youareright，“returnedthequeen；“letusgo“。Andtheystartedagainstillledbytheirguide。
Atthefootofthestairhestopped，andgivingthequeenastonepitcherfullofwine“Setthisjugonyourrightshoulder，madam，“saidhe；“itwillhideyourfacefromtheguests，andyourMajestywillgiverisetolesssuspicionifcarryingsomething。You，MissMary，givemethatcasket，andputonyourheadthisbasketofbread。Now，that’sright：doyoufeelyouhavestrength？“
“Yes，“saidthequeen。
“Yes，“saidMarySeyton。
“Thenfollowme。“
Thechildwentonhisway，andafterafewstepsthefugitivesfoundthemselvesinakindofantechambertothegreathall，fromwhichproceedednoiseandlight。Severalservantswereoccupiedtherewithdifferentduties；notonepaidattentiontothem，andthatalittlereassuredthequeen。Besides，therewasnolongeranydrawingback：
LittleDouglashadjustenteredthegreathall。
Theguests，seatedonbothsidesofalongtablerangedaccordingtotherankofthoseassembledatit，werebeginningdessert，andconsequentlyhadreachedthegayestmomentoftherepast。Moreover，thehallwassolargethatthelampsandcandleswhichlightedit，multipliedastheywere，leftinthemostfavourablehalf-lightbothsidesoftheapartment，inwhichfifteenortwentyservantswerecomingandgoing。ThequeenandMarySeytonmingledwiththiscrowd，whichwastoomuchoccupiedtonoticethem，andwithoutstopping，withoutslackening，withoutlookingback，theycrossedthewholelengthofthehall，reachedtheotherdoor，andfoundthemselvesinthevestibulecorrespondingtotheonetheyhadpassedthroughoncomingin。Thequeensetdownherjugthere，MarySeytonherbasket，andboth，stillledbythechild，enteredacorridorattheendofwhichtheyfoundthemselvesinthecourtyard。Apatrolwaspassingatthemoment，buthetooknonoticeofthem。
Thechildmadehiswaytowardsthegarden，stillfollowedbythetwowomen。There，fornolittlewhile，itwasnecessarytotrywhichofallthekeysopenedthedoor；it——wasatimeofinexpressibleanxiety。Atlastthekeyturnedinthelock，thedooropened；thequeenandMarySeytonrushedintothegarden。Thechildclosedthedoorbehindthem。
Abouttwo-thirdsofthewayacross，LittleDouglasheldouthishandasasigntothemtostop；then，puttingdownthecasketandthekeysontheground，heplacedhishandstogether，andblowingintothem，thriceimitatedtheowl’scrysowellthatitwasimpossibletobelievethatahumanvoicewasutteringthesounds；then，pickingupthecasketandthekeys，hekeptonhiswayontiptoeandwithanattentiveear。Ongettingnearthewall，theyagainstopped，andafteramoment’sanxiouswaitingtheyheardagroan，thensomethinglikethesoundofafallingbody。Somesecondslatertheowl’scrywas——answeredbyatu-whit-tu-whoo。
“Itisover，“LittleDouglassaidcalmly；“come。“
“Whatisover？“askedthequeen；“andwhatisthatgroanweheard？“
“Therewasasentryatthedoorontothelake，“thechildanswered，“butheisnolongerthere。“
Thequeenfeltherheart’sbloodgrowcold，atthesametinethatachillysweatbrokeouttotherootsofherhair；forsheperfectlyunderstood：anunfortunatebeinghadjustlosthislifeonheraccount。Tottering，sheleanedonMarySeyton，whoherselffeltherstrengthgivingway。MeanwhileLittleDouglaswastryingthekeys：
thesecondopenedthedoor。
“Andthequeen？“saidinalowvoiceamanwhowaswaitingontheothersideofthewall。
“Sheisfollowingme，“repliedthechild。
GeorgeDouglas，foritwashe，sprangintothegarden，and，takingthequeen’sarmononesideandMarySeyton’sontheother，hehurriedthemawayquicklytothelake-side。WhenpassingthroughthedoorwayMaryStuartcouldnothelpthrowinganuneasylookabouther，anditseemedtoherthatashapelessobjectwaslyingatthebottomofthewall，andasshewasshudderingallover“Donotpityhim，“saidGeorgeinalowvoice，“foritisajudgmentfromheaven。ThatmanwastheinfamousWardenwhobetrayedus。“
“Alas！“saidthequeen，“guiltyashewas，heisnonethelessdeadonmyaccount。“
“Whenitconcernedyoursafety，madam，wasonetohaggleoverdropsofthatbaseblood？Butsilence！Thisway，William，thisway；letuskeepalongthewall，whoseshadowhidesus。Theboatiswithintwentysteps，andwearesaved。“
Withthesewords，Georgehurriedonthetwowomenstillmorequickly，andallfour，withouthavingbeendetected，reachedthebanksofthelake。’AsDouglashadsaid，alittleboatwaswaiting；and，onseeingthefugitivesapproach，fourrowers，couchedalongitsbottom，rose，andoneofthem，springingtoland，pulledthechain，sothatthequeenandMarySeytoncouldgetin。Douglasseatedthemattheprow，thechildplacedhimselfattherudder，andGeorge，withakick，pushedofftheboat，whichbegantoglideoverthelake。
“Andnow，“saidhe，“wearereallysaved；fortheymightaswellpursueaseaswallowonSolwayFirthastrytoreachus。Row，children，row；nevermindiftheyhearus：themainthingistogetintotheopen。“
“Whogoesthere？“criedavoiceabove，fromthecastleterrace。
“Row，row，“saidDouglas，placinghimselfinfrontofthequeen。
“Theboat！theboat！“criedthesamevoice；“bringtotheboat！“
Then，seeingthatitcontinuedtorecede，“Treason！treason！“criedthesentinel。“Toarms！“
Atthesamemomentaflashlitupthelake；thereportofafirearmwasheard，andaballpassed，whistling。Thequeenutteredalittlecry，althoughshehadrunnodanger，George，aswehavesaid，havingplacedhimselfinfrontofher，quiteprotectingherwithhisbody。
Thealarmbellnowrang，andallthecastlelightswereseenmovingandglancingabout，asifdistracted，intherooms。
“Courage，children！“saidDouglas。“Rowasifyourlivesdependedoneachstrokeoftheoar；forerefiveminutestheskiffwillbeoutafterus。“
“Thatwon’tbesoeasyforthemasyouthink，George，“saidLittleDouglas；“forIshutallthedoorsbehindme，andsometimewillelapsebeforethekeysthatIhaveleftthereopenthem。Astothese，“addedhe，showingthosehehadsoskilfullyabstracted，“I
resignthemtotheKelpie，thegenieofthelake，andInominatehimporterofLochlevenCastle。“
ThedischargeofasmallpieceofartilleryansweredWilliam’sjoke；
butasthenightwastoodarkforonetoaimtosuchadistanceasthatalreadybetweenthecastleandtheboat，theballricochettedattwentypacesfromthefugitives，whilethereportdiedawayinechoafterecho。ThenDouglasdrewhispistolfromhisbelt，and，warningtheladiestohavenofear，hefiredintheair，nottoanswerbyidlebravadothecastlecannonade，buttogivenoticetoatroopoffaithfulfriends，whowerewaitingforthemontheothershoreofthelake，thatthequeenhadescaped。Immediately，inspiteofthedangerofbeingsonearKinross，criesofjoyresoundedonthebank，andWilliamhavingturnedtherudder，theboatmadeforlandatthespotwhencetheyhadbeenheard。Douglasthengavehishandtothequeen，whospranglightlyashore，andwho，fallingonherknees，immediatelybegantogivethankstoGodforherhappydeliverance。
Onrising，thequeenfoundherselfsurroundedbyhermostfaithfulservants——Hamilton，Herries，andSeyton，Mary’sfather。Light-headedwithjoy，thequeenextendedherhandstothem，thankingthemwithbrokenwords，whichexpressedherintoxicationandhergratitudebetterthanthechoicestphrasescouldhavedone，whensuddenly，turninground，sheperceivedGeorgeDouglas，aloneandmelancholy。
Then，goingtohimandtakinghimbythehand——
“Mylords，“saidshe，presentingGeorgetothem，andpointingtoWilliam，“beholdmytwodeliverers：beholdthosetowhom，aslongasIlive，Ishallpreservegratitudeofwhichnothingwilleveracquitme。“
“Madam，“saidDouglas，“eachofushasonlydonewhatheought，andhewhohasriskedmostisthehappiest。ButifyourMajestywillbelieveme，youwillnotloseamomentinneedlesswords。“
“Douglasisright，“saidLordSeyton。“Tohorse！tohorse！“
Immediately，andwhilefourcourierssetoutinfourdifferentdirectionstoannouncetothequeen’sfriendsherhappyescape，theybroughtherahorsesaddledforher，whichshemountedwithherusualskill；thenthelittletroop，which，composedofabouttwentypersons，wasescortingthefuturedestinyofScotland，keepingawayfromthevillageofKinross，towhichthecastlefiringhaddoubtlessgiventhealarm，tookatagalloptheroadtoSeyton’scastle，wherewasalreadyagarrisonlargeenoughtodefendthequeenfromasuddenattack。
Thequeenjourneyedallnight，accompaniedononesidebyDouglas，ontheotherbyLordSeyton；then，atdaybreak，theystoppedatthegateofthecastleofWestNiddrie，belongingtoLordSeyton，aswehavesaid，andsituatedinWestLothian。DouglassprangfromhishorsetoofferhishandtoMaryStuart；butLordSeytonclaimedhisprivilegeasmasterofthehouse。ThequeenconsoledDouglaswithaglance，andenteredthefortress。
“Madam，“saidLordSeyton，leadingherintoaroompreparedforherforninemonths，“yourMajestymusthaveneedofrepose，afterthefatigueandtheemotionsyouhavegonethroughsinceyesterdaymorning；youmaysleephereinpeace，anddisquietyourselffornothing：anynoiseyoumayhearwillbemadebyareinforcementoffriendswhichweareexpecting。Astoourenemies，yourMajestyhasnothingtofearfromthemsolongasyouinhabitthecastleofaSeyton。“
Thequeenagainthankedallherdeliverers，gaveherhandtoDouglastokissonelasttime，kissedLittleWilliamontheforehead，andnamedhimherfavouritepageforthefuture；then，profitingbytheadvicegivenher，enteredherroomwhereMarySeyton，totheexclusionofeveryotherwoman，claimedtheprivilegeofperformingaboutherthedutieswithwhichshehadbeenchargedduringtheirelevenmonths’captivityinLochlevenCastle。