Hertoiletended，thequeenwentfromherreception-roomtoherante-
room，wheretherewasanaltarsetupandarranged，atwhich，beforehehadbeentakenfromher，herchaplainusedtosaymass；andkneelingonthesteps，surroundedbyallherservants，shebeganthecommunionprayers，andwhentheywereended，drawingfromagoldenboxahostconsecratedbyPiusV，whichshehadalwaysscrupulouslypreservedfortheoccasionofherdeath，shetoldBourgointotakeit，and，ashewasthesenior，totakethepriest’splace，oldagebeingholyandsacred；andinthismannerinspiteofalltheprecautionstakentodepriveherofit，thequeenreceivedtheholysacramentoftheeucharist。
Thispiousceremonyended，Bourgointoldthequeenthatinherwillshehadforgottenthreepeople——MesdemoisellesBeauregard，deMontbrun，andherchaplain。Thequeenwasgreatlyastonishedatthisoversight，whichwasquiteinvoluntary，and，takingbackherwill，shewroteherwisheswithrespecttotheminthefirstemptymargin；
thenshekneeleddownagaininprayer；butafteramoment，asshesufferedtoomuchinthisposition，sherose，andBourgoinhavinghadbroughtheralittlebreadandwine，sheateanddrank，andwhenshehadfinished，gavehimherhandandthankedhimforhavingbeenpresenttohelpheratherlastmealashewasaccustomed；andfeelingstronger，shekneeleddownandbegantoprayagain。
Scarcelyhadshedoneso，thantherewasaknockingatthedoor：thequeenunderstoodwhatwasrequiredofher；butasshehadnotfinishedpraying，shebeggedthosewhowerecometofetchhertowaitamoment，andinafewminutes’shewouldbeready。
TheEarlsofKentandShrewsbury，rememberingtheresistanceshehadmadewhenshehadhadtogodowntothecommissionersandappearbeforethelawyers，mountedsomeguardsintheante-roomwheretheywerewaitingthemselves，sothattheycouldtakeherawaybyforceifnecessary，shouldsherefusetocomewillingly，orshouldherservantswanttodefendher；butitisuntruethatthetwobaronsenteredherroom，assomehavesaid。Theyonlysetfootthereonce，ontheoccasionwhichwehaverelated，whentheycametoappriseherofhersentence。
Theywaitedsomeminutes，nevertheless，asthequeenhadbeggedthem；
then，abouteighto’clock，theyknockedagain，accompaniedbytheguards；buttotheirgreatsurprisethedoorwasopenedimmediately，andtheyfoundMaryonherkneesinprayer。Uponthis，SirThomasAndrew，whowasatthetimesheriffofthecountyofNottingham，enteredalone，awhitewandinhishand，andaseveryonestayedontheirkneespraying，hecrossedtheroomwithaslowstepandstoodbehindthequeen：hewaitedamomentthere，andasMaryStuartdidnotseemtoseehim——
“Madam，“saidhe，“theearlshavesentmetoyou。“
Atthesewordsthequeenturnedround，andatoncerisinginthemiddleofherprayer，“Letusgo，“shereplied，andshemadereadytofollowhim；thenBourgoin，takingthecrossofblackwoodwithanivoryChristwhichwasoverthealtar，said——
“Madam，wouldyounotliketotakethislittlecross？“
“Thankyouforhavingremindedme，“Maryanswered；“Ihadintendedto，butIforgot“。Then，givingittoAnnibalStewart，herfootman，thathemightpresentitwhensheshouldaskforit，shebegantomovetothedoor，andonaccountofthegreatpaininherlimbs，leaningonBourgoin，who，astheydrewnear，suddenlylethergo，saying——
“Madam，yourMajestyknowsifweloveyou，andall，suchasweare，arereadytoobeyyou，shouldyoucommandustodieforyou；butI，Ihavenotthestrengthtoleadyoufarther；besides，itisnotbecomingthatwe，whoshouldbedefendingyoutothelastdropofourblood，shouldseemtobebetrayingyouingivingyouthusintothehandsoftheseinfamousEnglish。“
“Youareright，Bourgoin，“saidthequeen；“moreover，mydeathwouldbeasadsightforyou，whichIoughttospareyourageandyourfriendship。Mr。Sheriff，“addedshe，“callsomeonetosupportme，foryouseethatIcannotwalk。“
Thesheriffbowed，andsignedtotwoguardswhomhehadkepthiddenbehindthedoortolendhimassistanceincasethequeenshouldresist，toapproachandsupporther；whichtheyatoncedid；andMaryStuartwentonherway，precededandfollowedbyherservantsweepingandwringingtheirhands。Butattheseconddoorotherguardsstoppedthem，tellingthemtheymustgonofarther。Theyallcriedoutagainstsuchaprohibition：theysaidthatforthenineteenyearstheyhadbeenshutupwiththequeentheyhadalwaysaccompaniedherwherevershewent；thatitwasfrightfultodeprivetheirmistressoftheirservicesatthelastmoment，andthatsuchanorderhaddoubtlessbeengivenbecausetheywantedtopractisesomeshockingcrueltyonher，ofwhichtheydesirednowitnesses。Bourgoin，whowasattheirhead，seeingthathecouldobtainnothingbythreatsorentreaties，askedtospeakwiththeearls；butthisclaimwasnotallowedeither，andastheservantswantedtopassbyforce，thesoldiersrepulsedthemwithblowsoftheirarquebuses；then，raisinghervoice——
“Itiswrongofyoutopreventmyservantsfollowingme，“saidthequeen，“andIbegintothink，likethem，thatyouhavesomeilldesignsuponmebeyondmydeath。“
Thesheriffreplied，“Madam，fourofyourservantsarechosentofollowyou，andnomore；whenyouhavecomedown，theywillbefetched，andwillrejoinyou。“
“What！“saidthequeen，“thefourchosenpersonscannotevenfollowmenow？“
“Theorderisthusgivenbytheearls，“answeredthesheriff，“and，tomygreatregret，madam，Icandonothing。“
Thenthequeenturnedtothem，andtakingthecrossfromAnnibalStewart，andinherotherhandherbookofHoursandherhandkerchief，“Mychildren，“saidshe，“thisisonemoregrieftoaddtoourothergriefs；letusbearitlikeChristians，andofferthisfreshsacrificetoGod。“
Atthesewordssobsandcriesburstforthonallsides：theunhappyservantsfellontheirknees，andwhilesomerolledontheground，tearingtheirhair，otherskissedherhands，herknees，andthehemofhergown，beggingherforgivenessforeverypossiblefault，callinghertheirmotherandbiddingherfarewell。Finding，nodoubt，thatthisscenewaslastingtoolong，thesheriffmadeasign，andthesoldierspushedthemenandwomenbackintotheroomandshutthedooronthem；still，fastaswasthedoor，thequeennonethelessheardtheircriesandlamentations，whichseemed，inspiteoftheguards，asiftheywouldaccompanyhertothescaffold。
Atthestair-head，thequeenfoundAndrewMelvilleawaitingher：hewastheMasterofherHousehold，whohadbeensecludedfromherforsometime，andwhowasatlastpermittedtoseeheroncemoretosayfarewell。Thequeen，hasteninghersteps，approachedhim，andkneelingdowntoreceivehisblessing，whichhegaveher，weeping——
“Melville，“saidshe，withoutrising，andaddressinghimas“thou“
forthefirsttime，“asthouhastbeenanhonestservanttome，bethesametomyson：seekhimoutdirectlyaftermydeath，andtellhimofitineverydetail；tellhimthatIwishhimwell，andthatI
beseechGodtosendhimHisHolySpirit。“
“Madam，“repliedMelville，“thisiscertainlythesaddestmessagewithwhichamancanbecharged：nomatter，Ishallfaithfullyfulfilit，Isweartoyou。“
“Whatsayestthou，Melville？“respondedthequeen，rising；“andwhatbetternewscanstthoubear，onthecontrary，thanthatIamdeliveredfromallmyills？Tellhimthatheshouldrejoice，sincethesufferingsofMaryStuartareatanend；tellhimthatIdieaCatholic，constantinmyreligion，faithfultoScotlandandFrance，andthatIforgivethosewhoputmetodeath。TellhimthatIhavealwaysdesiredtheunionofEnglandandScotland；tellhim，finally，thatIhavedonenothinginjurioustohiskingdom，tohishonour，ortohisrights。Andthus，goodMelville，tillwemeetagaininheaven。“
Then，leaningontheoldman，whosefacewasbathedintears，shedescendedthestaircase，atthefootofwhichshefoundthetwoearls，SirHenryTalbot，LordShrewsbury’sson，AmyasPaulet，DrueDrury，RobertBeale，andmanygentlemenoftheneighbourhood，：thequeen，advancingtowardsthemwithoutpride，butwithouthumility，complainedthatherservantshadbeenrefusedpermissiontofollowher，andaskedthatitshouldbegranted。Thelordsconferredtogether；andamomentaftertheEarlofKentinquiredwhichonesshedesiredtohave，sayingshemightbeallowedsix。SothequeenchosefromamongthemenBourgoin，Gordon，Gervais，andDidier；andfromthewomenJeanneKennedyandElspethCurle，theonesshepreferredtoall，thoughthelatterwassistertothesecretarywhohadbetrayedher。Butherearoseafreshdifficulty，theearlssayingthatthispermissiondidnotextendtowomen，womennotbeingusedtobepresentatsuchsights，andwhentheywere，usuallyupsettingeveryonewithcriesandlamentations，and，assoonasthedecapitationwasover，rushingtothescaffoldtostaunchthebloodwiththeirhandkerchiefs——amostunseemlyproceeding。
“Mylords，“thensaidthequeen，“Ianswerandpromiseformyservants，thattheywillnotdoanyofthethingsyourhonoursfear。
Alas！poorpeople！theywouldbeverygladtobidmefarewell；andI
hopethatyourmistress，beingamaidenqueen，andaccordinglysensitiveforthehonourofwomen，hasnotgivenyousuchstrictordersthatyouareunabletograntmethelittleIask；somuchthemore，“addedsheinaprofoundlymournfultone，“thatmyrankshouldbetakenintoconsideration；forindeedIamyourqueen’scousin，granddaughterofHenryVII，QueenDowagerofFranceandcrownedQueenofScotland。“
Thelordsconsultedtogetherforanothermoment，andgrantedherdemands。Accordingly，twoguardswentupimmediatelytofetchthechosenindividuals。
Thequeenthenmovedontothegreathall，leaningontwoofSirAmyasPaulet’sgentlemen，accompaniedandfollowedbytheearlsandlords，thesheriffwalkingbeforeher，andAndrewMelvillebearinghertrain。Herdress，ascarefullychosenaspossible，aswehavesaid，consistedofacoifoffinecambric，trimmedwithlace，withalaceveilthrownbackandfallingtothegroundbehind。Sheworeacloakofblackstampedsatinlinedwithblacktaffetasandtrimmedinfrontwithsable，withalongtrainandsleeveshangingtotheground；thebuttonswereofjetintheshapeofacornsandsurroundedwithpearls，hercollarintheItalianstyle；herdoubletwasoffiguredblacksatin，andunderneathsheworestays，lacedbehind，incrimsonsatin，edgedwithvelvetofthesamecolour；agoldcrosshungbyapomanderchainatherneck，andtworosariesathergirdle：