“Come，myfaithfulkinsmen！“criedLordArbroath，dashingforwardonhissidewiththesameobject；“come，mymen-at-arms！ForGodandthequeen！“
Thetwotroopsprecipitatedthemselvesimmediatelyindisorderandranagainstoneanotherinthenarrowway，where，aswehavesaid，twomencouldhardlypassabreast。Therewasaterriblecollisionthere，andtheconflictbeganamongfriendswhoshouldhavebeenunitedagainsttheenemy。Finally，thetwotroops，leavingbehindthemsomecorpsesstifledinthepress，orevenkilledbytheircompanions，passedthroughthedefilepell-mellandwerelostsightofintheravine。ButduringthisstruggleSeytonandArbroathhadlostprecioustime，andthedetachmentsentbyMurray，whichhadtakentheroadbyGlasgow，hadreachedthevillagebeforehand；itwasnownecessarynottotakeit，buttoretakeit。
Argyllsawthatthewholeday’sstrugglewouldbeconcentratedthere，and，understandingmoreandmoretheimportanceofthevillage，immediatelyputhimselfattheheadofthebodyofhisarmy，commandingarearguardoftwothousandmentoremainthereandawaitfurtherorderstotakepartinthefighting。Butwhetherthecaptainwhocommandedthemhadillunderstood，orwhetherhewaseagertodistinguishhimselfintheeyesofthequeen，scarcelyhadArgyllvanishedintotheravine，attheendofwhichthestrugglehadalreadycommencedbetweenKirkcaldyofGrangeandMortonontheoneside，andontheotherbetweenArbroathandSeyton，than，withoutregardingthecriesofMaryStuart，hesetoffinhisturnatagallop，leavingthequeenwithoutotherguardthanthelittleescortoftwentymenwhichDouglashadchosenforher。Douglassighed。
“Alas！“saidthequeen，hearinghim，“Iamnotasoldier，butthereitseemstomeisabattleverybadlybegun。“
“Whatistobedone？“repliedDouglas。“Weareeveryoneofusinfatuated，fromfirsttolast，andallthesemenarebehavingto-daylikemadmenorchildren。“
“Victory！victory！“saidthequeen；“theenemyisretreating，fighting。IseethebannersofSeytonandArbroathfloatingnearthefirsthousesinthevillage。Oh！mybravelords，“criedshe，clappingherhands。“Victory！victory！“
Butshestoppedsuddenlyonperceivingabodyoftheenemy’sarmyadvancingtochargethevictorsinflank。
“Itisnothing，itisnothing，“saidDouglas；“solongasthereisonlycavalrywehavenothingmuchtofear，andbesidestheEarlofArgyllwillfallinintimetoaidthem。“
“George，“saidLittleWilliam。
“Well？“askedDouglas。
“Don’tyousee？“thechildwenton，stretchingouthisarmstowardstheenemy’sforce，whichwascomingonatagallop。
“What？“
“Eachhorsemancarriesafootmanarmedwithanarquebusebehindhim，sothatthetroopistwiceasnumerousasitappears。“
“That’strue；uponmysoul，thechildhasgoodsight。LetsomeonegoatoncefullgallopandtakenewsofthistotheEarlorArgyll。“
“I！I！“criedLittleWilliam。“Isawthemfirst；itismyrighttobearthetidings。“
“Go，then，mychild，“saidDouglas；“andmayGodpreservethee！“
Thechildflew，quickaslightning，nothearingorfeigningnottohearthequeen，whowasrecallinghim。HewasseentocrossthegorgeandplungeintothehollowroadatthemomentwhenArgyllwasdebouchingattheendandcomingtotheaidofSeytonandArbroath。
Meanwhile，theenemy’sdetachmenthaddismounteditsinfantry，which，immediatelyformedup，wasscatteringonthesidesoftheravinebypathsimpracticableforhorses。
“Williamwillcometoolate！“criedDouglas，“oreven，shouldhearriveintime，thenewsisnowuselesstothem。Ohmadmen，madmenthatweare！Thisishowwehavealwayslostallourbattles！“
“Isthebattlelost，then？“demandedMary，growingpale。
“No，madam，no，“criedDouglas；“Heavenbethanked，notyet；butthroughtoogreathastewehavebegunbadly。“
“AndWilliam？“saidMaryStuart。
“Heisnowservinghisapprenticeshipinarms；for，ifIamnotmistaken，hemustbeatthismomentattheveryspotwherethosemarksmenaremakingsuchquickfiring。“
“Poorchild！“criedthequeen；“ifillshouldbefallhim，Ishallneverconsolemyself。“
“Alas！madam，“repliedDouglas，“Igreatlyfearthathisfirstbattleishislast，andthateverythingisalreadyoverforhim；for，unlessImistake，thereishishorsereturningriderless。“
“Oh，myGod！myGod！“saidthequeen，weeping，andraisingherhandstoheaven，“itisthendecreedthatIshouldbefataltoallaroundme！“
Georgewasnotdeceived：itwasWilliam’shorsecomingbackwithouthisyoungmasterandcoveredwithblood。
“Madam，“saidDouglas，“weareillplacedhere；letusgainthathillockonwhichistheCastleofCrookstone：fromthenceweshallsurveythewholebattlefield。“
“No，notthere！notthere！“saidthequeeninterror：“withinthatcastleIcametospendthefirstdaysofmymarriagewithDarnley；itwillbringmemisfortune。“
“Well，beneaththatyew-tree，then，“saidGeorge，pointingtoanotherslightrisenearthefirst；“butitisimportantforustolosenodetailofthisengagement。EverythingdependsperhapsforyourMajestyonanill-judgedmanoeuvreoralostmoment。“
“Guideme，then，“thequeensaid；“for，asforme，Inolongerseeit。Eachreportofthatterriblecannonadeechoestothedepthsofmyheart。“
Howeverwellplacedaswasthiseminenceforoverlookingfromitssummitthewholebattlefield，thereiterateddischargeofcannonandmusketrycovereditwithsuchacloudofsmokethatitwasimpossibletomakeoutfromitanythingbutmasseslostamidamurderousfog。
Atlast，whenanhourhadpassedinthisdesperateconflict，throughtheskirtsofthisseaofsmokethefugitiveswereseentoemergeanddisperseinalldirections，followedbythevictors。Only，atthatdistance，itwasimpossibletomakeoutwhohadgainedorlostthebattle，andthebanners，whichonbothsidesdisplayedtheScottisharms，couldinnowayclearupthisconfusion。
AtthatmomenttherewasseencomingdownfromtheGlasgowhillsidesalltheremainingreserveofMurray’sarmy；itwascomingatfullspeedtoengageinthefighting；butthismanoeuvremightequallywellhaveforitsobjectthesupportofdefeatedfriendsastocompletetheroutoftheenemy。However，soontherewasnolongeranydoubt；forthisreservechargedthefugitives，amidwhomitspreadfreshconfusion。Thequeen’sarmywasbeaten。Atthesametime，threeorfourhorsemenappearedonthehithersideoftheravine，advancingatagallop。Douglasrecognisedthemasenemies。
“Fly，madam，“criedGeorge，“flywithoutlossofasecond；forthosewhoarecominguponusarefollowedbyothers。Gaintheroad，whileIgotocheckthem。Andyou，“addedhe，addressingtheescort，“bekilledtothelastmanratherthanletthemtakeyourqueen。“
“George！George！“criedthequeen，motionless，andasifrivetedtothespot。
ButGeorgehadalreadydashedawaywithallhishorse’sspeed，andashewassplendidlymounted，heflewacrossthespacewithlightningrapidity，andreachedthegorgebeforetheenemy。Therehestopped，puthislanceinrest，andaloneagainstfivebravelyawaitedtheencounter。
Astothequeen，shehadnodesiretogo；but，onthecontrary，asifturnedtostone，sheremainedinthesameplace，hereyesfastenedonthiscombatwhichwastakingplaceatscarcelyfivehundredpacesfromher。Suddenly，glancingatherenemies，shesawthatoneofthemboreinthemiddleofhisshieldableedingheart，theDouglasarms。Thensheutteredacryofpain，anddroopingherhead“DouglasagainstDouglas；brotheragainstbrother！“shemurmured：“itonlywantedthislastblow。“
“Madam，madam，“criedherescort，“thereisnotaninstanttolose：
theyoungmasterofDouglascannotholdoutlongthusaloneagainstfive；letusfly！letusfly！“Andtwoofthemtakingthequeen’shorsebythebridle，putittothegallop，atthemomentwhenGeorge，afterhavingbeatendowntwoofhisenemiesandwoundedathird，wasthrowndowninhisturninthedust，thrusttotheheartbyalance-
head。Thequeengroanedonseeinghimfall；then，asifhealonehaddetainedher，andasifhebeingkilledshehadnointerestinanythingelse，sheputRosabelletothegallop，andassheandhertroopweresplendidlymounted，theyhadsoonlostsightofthebattlefield。
Shefledthusforsixtymiles，withouttakinganyrest，andwithoutceasingtoweeportosigh：atlast，havingtraversedthecountiesofRenfrewandAyr，shereachedtheAbbeyofDundrennan，inGalloway，andcertainofbeing，forthetimeatleast，shelteredfromeverydanger，shegavetheordertostop。Thepriorrespectfullyreceivedheratthegateoftheconvent。
“Ibringyoumisfortuneandruin，father，“saidthequeen，alightingfromherhorse。
“Theyarewelcome，“repliedtheprior，“sincetheycomeaccompaniedbyduty。“
ThequeengaveRosabelletothecareofoneofthemen-at-armswhohadaccompaniedher，andleaningonMarySeyton，whohadnotleftherforamoment，andonLordHerries，whohadrejoinedherontheroad，sheenteredtheconvent。
LordHerrieshadnotconcealedherpositionfromMaryStuart：thedayhadbeencompletelylost，andwiththeday，atleastforthepresent，allhopeofreascendingthethroneofScotland。ThereremainedbutthreecoursesforthequeentotaketowithdrawintoFrance，SpainorEngland。OntheadviceofLordHerries，whichaccordedwithherownfeeling，shedecideduponthelast；andthatsamenightshewrotethisdoublemissiveinverseandinprosetoElizabeth：
“MYDEARSISTER，——Ihaveoftenenoughbeggedyoutoreceivemytempest-tossedvesselintoyourhavenduringthestorm。Ifatthispassshefindsasafeharbourthere，Ishallcastanchorthereforever：otherwisethebarkisinGod’skeeping，forsheisreadyandcaulkedfordefenceonhervoyageagainstallstorms。Ihavedealtopenlywithyou，andstilldoso：donottakeitinbadpartifI
writethus；itisnotindefianceofyou，asitappears，forineverythingIrelyonyourfriendship。“
Thissonnetaccompaniedtheletter：——
Onethoughtalonebringsdangeranddelight；
Bitterandsweetchangeplacesinmyheart，Withdoubt，andthenwithhope，ittakesitspart，Tillpeaceandrestalikeareputtoflight。