Onopeninghereyes，MaryStuartthoughtshehadhadoneofthosedreamssogainfultoprisoners，whenwakingtheyseeagaintheboltsontheirdoorsandthebarsontheirwindows。Sothequeen，unabletobelievetheevidenceofhersenses，ran，halfdressed，tothewindow。Thecourtyardwasfilledwithsoldiers，andthesesoldiersallfriendswhohadhastenedatthenewsofherescape；sherecognisedthebannersofherfaithfulfriends，theSeytons，theArbroaths，theHerries，andtheHamiltons，andscarcelyhadshebeenseenatthewindowthanallthesebannersbentbeforeher，withtheshoutsahundredtimesrepeatedof“LongliveMaryofScotland！Longliveourqueen！“Then，withoutgivingheedtothedisarrayofhertoilet，lovelyandchastewithheremotionandherhappiness，shegreetedtheminherturn，hereyesfulloftears；butthistimetheyweretearsofjoy。However，thequeenrecollectedthatshewasbarelycovered，andblushingathavingallowedherselftobethuscarriedawayinherecstasy，sheabruptlydrewback，quiterosywithconfusion。
Thenshehadaninstant’swomanlyfright：shehadfledfromLochlevenCastleintheDouglaslivery，andwithouteithertheleisureortheopportunityfortakingwomen’sclotheswithher。Butshecouldnotremainattiredasaman；sosheexplainedheruneasinesstoMarySeyton，whorespondedbyopeningtheclosetsinthequeen’sroom。
Theywerefurnished，notonlywithrobes，themeasureforwhich，likethatofthesuit，hadbeentakenfromMaryFleming，butalsowithallthenecessariesforawoman’stoilet。Thequeenwasastonished：itwaslikebeinginafairycastle。
“Mignonne，“saidshe，lookingoneafteranotherattherobes，allthestuffsofwhichwerechosenwithexquisitetaste，“Iknewyourfatherwasabraveandloyalknight，butIdidnotthinkhimsolearnedinthematterofthetoilet。Weshallnamehimgroomofthewardrobe。“
“Alas！madam，“smilinglyrepliedMarySeyton，“youarenotmistaken：
myfatherhashadeverythinginthecastlefurbisheduptothelastcorselet，sharpenedtothelastsword，unfurledtothelastbanner；
butmyfather，readyasheistodieforyourMajesty，wouldnothavedreamedforaninstantofofferingyouanythingbuthisrooftorestunder，orhiscloaktocoveryou。ItisDouglasagainwhohasforeseeneverything，preparedeverything——everythingeventoRosabelle，yourMajesty’sfavouritesteed，whichisimpatientlyawaitinginthestablethemomentwhen，mountedonher，yourMajestywillmakeyourtriumphalre-entryintoEdinburgh。“
“Andhowhashebeenabletogetherbackagain？“Maryasked。
“IthoughtthatinthedivisionofmyspoilsRosabellehadfallentothefairAlice，mybrother’sfavouritesultana？“
“Yes，yes，“saidMarySeyton，“itwasso；andashervaluewasknown，shewaskeptunderlockandkeybyanarmyofgrooms；butDouglasisthemanofmiracles，and，asIhavetoldyou，RosabelleawaitsyourMajesty。“
“NobleDouglas！“murmuredthequeen，witheyesfulloftears；then，asifspeakingtoherself，“Andthisispreciselyoneofthosedevotionsthatwecanneverrepay。Theotherswillbehappywithhonours，places，money；buttoDouglaswhatmatterallthesethings？“
“Come，madam，come，“saidMarySeyton，“GodtakesonHimselfthedebtsofkings；HewillrewardDouglas。AstoyourMajesty，reflectthattheyarewaitingdinnerforyou。Ihope，“addedshe，smiling，“thatyouwillnotaffrontmyfatherasyoudidLordDouglasyesterdayinrefusingtopartakeofhisfeastonhisfortunatehome-
coming。“
“Andluckhascometomeforit，Ihope，“repliedMary。“Butyouareright，darling：nomoresadthoughts；wewillconsiderwhenwehaveindeedbecomequeenagainwhatwecandoforDouglas。“
Thequeendressedandwentdown。AsMarySeytonhadtoldher，thechiefnoblemenofherparty，alreadygatheredroundher，werewaitingforherinthegreathallofthecastle。Herarrivalwasgreetedwithacclamationsoftheliveliestenthusiasm，andshesatdowntotable，withLordSeytononherrighthand，Douglasonherleft，andbehindherLittleWilliam，whothesamedaywasbeginninghisdutiesaspage。
Nextmorningthequeenwasawakenedbythesoundoftrumpetsandbugles：ithadbeendecidedthedaybeforethatsheshouldsetoutthatdayforHamilton，wherereinforcementswerelookedfor。Thequeendonnedanelegantriding-habit，andsoon，mountedonRosabelle，appearedamidherdefenders。Theshoutsofjoyredoubled：herbeauty，hergrace，andhercouragewereadmiredbyeveryone。MaryStuartbecameherownselfoncemore，andshefeltspringupinheragainthepoweroffascinationshehadalwaysexercisedonthosewhocamenearher。Everyonewasingoodhumour，andthehappiestofallwasperhapsLittleWilliam，whoforthefirsttimeinhislifehadsuchafinedressandsuchafinehorse。
TwoorthreethousandmenwereawaitingthequeenatHamilton，whichshereachedthesameevening；andduringthenightfollowingherarrivalthetroopsincreasedtosixthousand。The2ndofMayshewasaprisoner，withoutanotherfriendbutachildinherprison，withoutothermeansofcommunicationwithheradherentsthantheflickeringanduncertainlightofalamp，andthreedaysafterwards——thatistosay，betweentheSundayandtheWednesday——shefoundherselfnotonlyfree，butalsoattheheadofapowerfulconfederacy，whichcountedatitsheadnineearls，eightpeers，ninebishops，andanumberofbaronsandnoblesrenownedamongthebravestofScotland。
TheadviceofthemostjudiciousamongthoseaboutthequeenwastoshutherselfupinthestrongcastleofDumbarton，which，beingimpregnable，wouldgiveallheradherentstimetoassembletogether，distantandscatteredastheywere：accordingly，theguidanceofthetroopswhoweretoconductthequeentothattownwasentrustedtotheEarlofArgyll，andthe11thofMayshetooktheroadwithanarmyofnearlytenthousandmen。
MurraywasatGlasgowwhenheheardofthequeen’sescape：theplacewasstrong；hedecidedtoholdit，andsummonedtohimhisbravestandmostdevotedpartisans。KirkcaldyofGrange，Morton，LindsayofByres，LordLochleven，andWilliamDouglashastenedtohim，andsixthousandofthebesttroopsinthekingdomgatheredroundthem，whileLordRuthveninthecountiesofBerwickandAngusraisedlevieswithwhichtojointhem。
The13thMay，MortonoccupiedfromdaybreakthevillageofLangside，throughwhichthequeenmustpasstogettoDumbarton。Thenewsoftheoccupationreachedthequeenasthetwoarmieswereyetsevenmilesapart。Mary’sfirstinstinctwastoescapeanengagement：sherememberedherlastbattleatCarberryHill，attheendofwhichshehadbeenseparatedfromBothwellandbroughttoEdinburgh；sosheexpressedaloudthisopinion，whichwassupportedbyGeorgeDouglas，who，inblackarmour，withoutotherarms，hadcontinuedatthequeen’sside。
“Avoidanengagement！“criedLordSeyton，notdaringtoanswerhissovereign，andreplyingtoGeorgeasifthisopinionhadoriginatedwithhim。“Wecoulddoit，perhaps，ifwewereonetoten；butweshallcertainlynotdosowhenwearethreetotwo。Youspeakastrangetongue，myyoungmaster，“continuedhe，withsomecontempt；
“andyouforget，itseemstome，thatyouareaDouglasandthatyouspeaktoaSeyton。“
“Mylord，“returnedGeorgecalmly，“whenweonlyhazardthelivesofDouglasesandSeytons，youwillfindme，Ihope，asreadytofightasyou，beitonetoten，beitthreetotwo；butwearenowanswerableforanexistencedearertoScotlandthanthatofalltheSeytonsandalltheDouglases。Myadviceisthentoavoidbattle。“
“Battle！battle！“criedallthechieftains。
“Youhear，madam？“saidLordSeytontoMaryStuart：“Ibelievethattowishtoactagainstsuchunanimitywouldbedangerous。InScotland，madam，thereisanancientproverbwhichhasitthat’thereismostprudenceincourage。’“
“Buthaveyounotheardthattheregenthastakenupanadvantageousposition？“thequeensaid。
“Thegreyhoundhuntsthehareonthehillsideaswellasintheplain，“repliedSeyton：“wewilldrivehimout，whereverheis。“
“Letitbeasyoudesire，then，mylords。ItshallnotbesaidthatMaryStuartreturnedtothescabbardtheswordherdefendershaddrawnforher。“
Then，turningroundtoDouglas“George，“shesaidtohim，“chooseaguardoftwentymenforme，andtakecommandofthem：youwillnotquitme。“
Georgebentlowinobedience，chosetwentyfromamongthebravestmen，placedthequeenintheirmidst，andputhimselfattheirhead；
thenthetroops，whichhadhalted，receivedtheordertocontinuetheirroad。Intwohours’timetheadvanceguardwasinsightoftheenemy；ithalted，andtherestofthearmyrejoinedit。
Thequeen’stroopsthenfoundthemselvesparallelwiththecityofGlasgow，andtheheightswhichroseinfrontofthemwerealreadyoccupiedbyaforceabovewhichfloated，asabovethatofMary，theroyalbannersofScotland，Ontheotherside，andontheoppositeslope，stretchedthevillageofLangside，encircledwithenclosuresandgardens。Theroadwhichledtoit，andwhichfollowedallthevariationsoftheground，narrowedatoneplaceinsuchawaythattwomencouldhardlypassabreast，then，fartheron，lostitselfinaravine，beyondwhichitreappeared，thenbranchedintotwo，ofwhichoneclimbedtothevillageofLangside，whiletheotherledtoGlasgow。
Onseeingthelieoftheground，theEarlofArgyllimmediatelycomprehendedtheimportanceofoccupyingthisvillage，and，turningtoLordSeyton，heorderedhimtogallopoffandtrytoarrivetherebeforetheenemy，whodoubtless，havingmadethesameobservationasthecommanderoftheroyalforces，wassettinginmotionatthatverymomentaconsiderablebodyofcavalry。
LordSeytoncalleduphismendirectly，butwhilehewasrangingthemroundhisbanner，LordArbroathdrewhissword，andapproachingtheEarlofArgyll“Mylord，“saidhe，“youdomeawronginchargingLordSeytontoseizethatpost：ascommanderofthevanguard，itistomethishonourbelongs。Allowme，then，tousemyprivilegeinclaimingit。“
“ItisIwhoreceivedtheordertoseizeit；Iwillseizeit！“criedSeyton。
“Perhaps，“returnedLordArbroath，“butnotbeforeme！“
“BeforeyouandbeforeeveryHamiltonintheworld！“exclaimedSeyton，puttinghishorsetothegallopandrushingdownintothehollowroad“SaintBennet！andforward！“