Thequeen’sservantshadrusheduponthescaffold，pickingupthebookofHoursandthecrucifixasrelics；andJeanneKennedy，rememberingthelittledogwhohadcometohismistress，lookedaboutforhimonallsides，seekinghimandcallinghim，butshesoughtandcalledinvain。Hehaddisappeared。
Atthatmoment，asoneoftheexecutionerswasuntyingthequeen’sgarters，whichwereofbluesatinembroideredinsilver，hesawthepoorlittleanimal，whichhadhiddeninherpetticoat，andwhichhewasobligedtobringoutbyforce；then，havingescapedfromhishands，ittookrefugebetweenthequeen’sshouldersandherhead，whichtheexecutionerhadlaiddownnearthetrunk。Jeannetookhimthen，inspiteofhishowls，andcarriedhimaway，coveredwithblood；foreveryonehadjustbeenorderedtoleavethehall。
BourgoinandGervaisstayedbehind，entreatingSirAmyasPaulettoletthemtakethequeen’sheart，thattheymightcarryittoFrance，astheyhadpromisedher；buttheywereharshlyrefusedandpushedoutofthehall，ofwhichallthedoorswereclosed，andtherethereremainedonlytheexecutionerandthecorpse。
Brantomerelatesthatsomethinginfamoustookplacethere！
CHAPTERX
Twohoursaftertheexecution，thebodyandtheheadweretakenintothesamehallinwhichMaryStuarthadappearedbeforethecommissioners，setdownonatableroundwhichthejudgeshadsat，andcoveredoverwithablacksergecloth；andthereremainedtillthreeo’clockintheafternoon，whenWatersthedoctorfromStamfordandthesurgeonfromFotheringayvillagecametoopenandembalmthem——anoperationwhichtheycarriedoutundertheeyesofAmyasPauletandhissoldiers，withoutanyrespectfortherankandsexofthepoorcorpse，whichwasthusexposedtotheviewofanyonewhowantedtoseeit：itistruethatthisindignitydidnotfulfilitsproposedaim；forarumourspreadaboutthatthequeenhadswollenlimbsandwasdropsical，while，onthecontrary，therewasnotoneofthespectatorsbutwasobligedtoconfessthathehadneverseenthebodyofayounggirlinthebloomofhealthpurerandlovelierthanthatofMaryStuart，deadofaviolentdeathafternineteenyearsofsufferingandcaptivity。
Whenthebodywasopened，thespleenwasinitsnormalstate，withtheveinsalittlelividonly，thelungsyellowishinplaces，andthebrainone-sixthlargerthanisusualinpersonsofthesameageandsex；thuseverythingpromisedalonglifetoherwhoseendhadjustbeensocruellyhastened。
Areporthavingbeenmadeoftheabove，thebodywasembalmedafterafashion，putinaleadencoffinandthatinanotherofwood，whichwasleftonthetabletillthefirstdayofAugust——thatis，fornearlyfivemonths——beforeanyonewasallowedtocomenearit；andnotonlythat，buttheEnglishhavingnoticedthatMaryStuart’sunhappyservants，whowerestilldetainedasprisoners，wenttolookatitthroughthekeyhole，stoppedthatupinsuchawaythattheycouldnotevengazeatthecoffinenclosingthebodyofherwhomtheyhadsogreatlyloved。
However，onehourafterMaryStuart’sdeath，HenryTalbot，whohadbeenpresentatit，setoutatfullspeedforLondon，carryingtoElizabeththeaccountofherrival’sdeath；butattheveryfirstlinessheread，Elizabeth，truetohercharacter，criedoutingriefandindignation，sayingthatherordershadbeenmisunderstood，thattherehadbeentoogreathaste，andthatallthiswasthefaultofDavisontheSecretaryofState，towhomshehadgiventhewarranttokeeptillshehadmadeuphermind，butnottosendtoFotheringay。
Accordingly，DavisonwassenttotheTowerandcondemnedtopayafineoftenthousandpoundssterling，forhavingdeceivedthequeen。
Meanwhile，amidallthisgrief，anembargowaslaidonallvesselsinalltheportsoftherealm，sothatthenewsofthedeathshouldnotreachabroad，especiallyFrance，exceptthroughskilfulemissarieswhocouldplacetheexecutionintheleastunfavourablelightforElizabeth。Atthesametimethescandalouspopularfestivitieswhichhadmarkedtheannouncementofthesentenceagaincelebratedthetidingsoftheexecution。Londonwasilluminated，bonfireslit，andtheenthusiasmwassuchthattheFrenchEmbassywasbrokenintoandwoodtakentorevivethefireswhentheybegantodiedown。
Crestfallenatthisevent，M。deChateauneufwasstillshutupattheEmbassy，when，afortnightlater，hereceivedaninvitationfromElizabethtovisitheratthecountryhouseoftheArchbishopofCanterbury。M。deChateauneufwentthitherwiththefirmresolvetosaynowordtoheronwhathadhappened；butassoonasshesawhim，Elizabeth，dressedinblack，rose，wenttohim，and，overwhelminghimwithkindattentions，toldhimthatshewasreadytoplaceallthestrengthofherkingdomatHenryIII’sdisposaltohelphimputdowntheLeague。Chateauneufreceivedalltheseofferswithacoldandsevereexpression，withoutsaying，ashehadpromisedhimself，asinglewordabouttheeventwhichhadputboththequeenandhimselfintomourning。But，takinghimbythehand，shedrewhimaside，andthere，withdeepsighs，said——
“Ah！sir，sinceIsawyouthegreatestmisfortunewhichcouldbefallmehashappened：Imeanthedeathofmygoodsister，theQueenofScotland，ofwhichIswearbyGodHimself，mysoulandmysalvation，thatIamperfectlyinnocent。Ihadsignedtheorder，itistrue；
butmycounsellorshaveplayedmeatrickforwhichIcannotcalmmyself；andIsweartoGodthatifitwerenotfortheirlongserviceIwouldhavethembeheaded。Ihaveawoman’sframe，sir，butinthiswoman’sframebeatsaman’sheart。“
Chateauneufbowedwithoutaresponse；buthislettertoHenryIIIandHenry’sanswerprovethatneithertheonenortheotherwasthedupeofthisfemaleTiberius。
Meanwhile，aswehavesaid，theunfortunateservantswereprisoners，andthepoorbodywasinthatgreathallwaitingforaroyalinterment。Thingsremainedthus，Elizabethsaid，togivehertimetoorderasplendidfuneralforhergoodsisterMary，butinrealitybecausethequeendarednotplaceinjuxtapositionthesecretandinfamousdeathandthepublicandroyalburial；then，wasnottimeneededforthefirstreportswhichitpleasedElizabethtospreadtobecreditedbeforethetruthshouldbeknownbythemouthsoftheservants？ForthequeenhopedthatoncethiscarelessworldhadmadeupitsmindaboutthedeathoftheQueenofScots，itwouldnottakeanyfurthertroubletochangeit。Finally，itwasonlywhenthewarderswereastiredastheprisoners，thatElizabeth，havingreceivedareportstatingthattheill-embalmedbodycouldnolongerbekept，atlastorderedthefuneraltotakeplace。
Accordingly，afterthe1stofAugust，tailorsanddressmakersarrivedatFotheringayCastle，sentbyElizabeth，withclothandblacksilkstuffs，toclotheinmourningallMary’sservants。Buttheyrefused，nothavingwaitedfortheQueenofEngland’sbounty，buthavingmadetheirfuneralgarmentsattheirownexpense，immediatelyaftertheirmistress’sdeath。Thetailorsanddressmakers，however，nonethelesssetsoactivelytoworkthatonthe7theverythingwasfinished。
Nextday，ateighto’clockintheevening，alargechariot，drawnbyfourhorsesinmourningtrappings，andcoveredwithblackvelvetlikethechariot，whichwas，besides，adornedwithlittlestreamersonwhichwereembroideredthearmsofScotland，thoseofthequeen，andthearmsofAragon，thoseofDarnley，stoppedatthegateofFotheringayCastle。Itwasfollowedbytheheraldking，accompaniedbytwentygentlemenonhorseback，withtheirservantsandlackeys，alldressedinmourning，who，havingalighted，mountedwithhiswholetrainintotheroomwherethebodylay，andhaditbroughtdownandputintothechariotwithallpossiblerespect，eachofthespectatorsstandingwithbaredheadandinprofoundsilence。
Thisvisitcausedagreatstiramongtheprisoners，whodebatedawhilewhethertheyoughtnottoimplorethefavourofbeingallowedtofollowtheirmistress’sbody，whichtheycouldnotandshouldnotletgoalonethus；butjustastheywereabouttoaskpermissiontospeaktotheheraldking，heenteredtheroomwheretheywereassembled，andtoldthemthathewaschargedbyhismistress，theaugustQueenofEngland，togivetheQueenofScotlandthemosthonourablefuneralhecould；that，notwishingtofailinsuchahighundertaking，hehadalreadymademostofthepreparationsfortheceremony，whichwastotakeplaceonthe10thofAugust，thatistosay，twodayslater，——butthattheleadenshellinwhichthebodywasenclosedbeingveryheavy，itwasbettertomoveitbeforehand，andthatnight，towherethegravewasdug，thantoawaitthedayoftheintermentitself；thatthustheymightbeeasy，thisburialoftheshellbeingonlyapreparatoryceremony；butthatifsomeofthemwouldliketoaccompanythecorpse，toseewhatwasdonewithit，theywereatliberty，andthatthosewhostayedbehindcouldfollowthefuneralpageant，Elizabeth’spositivedesirebeingthatall，fromfirsttolast，shouldbepresentinthefuneralprocession。Thisassurancecalmedtheunfortunateprisoners，whodeputedBourgoin，Gervais，andsixotherstofollowtheirmistress’sbody：thesewereAndrewMelville，Stewart，Gorjon，Howard，Lauder，andNicholasDelamarre。
Atteno’clockatnighttheysetout，walkingbehindthechariot，precededbytheherald，accompaniedbymenonfoot，whocarriedtorchestolighttheway，andfollowedbytwentygentlemenandtheirservants。Inthismanner，attwoo’clockinthemorning，theyreachedPeterborough，wherethereisasplendidcathedralbuiltbyanancientSaxonking，andinwhich，ontheleftofthechoir，wasalreadyinterredgoodQueenCatharineofAragon，wifeofHenryVIII，andwherewashertomb，stilldeckedwithacanopybearingherarms。
Onarriving，theyfoundthecathedralallhungwithblack，withadomeerectedinthemiddleofthechoir，muchinthewayinwhich’chapellesardentes’aresetupinFrance，exceptthattherewerenolightedcandlesroundit。Thisdomewascoveredwithblackvelvet，andoverlaidwiththearmsofScotlandandAragon，withstreamerslikethoseonthechariotyetagainrepeated。Thestatecoffinwasalreadysetupunderthisdome：itwasabier，coveredliketherestinblackvelvetfringedwithsilver，onwhichwasapillowofthesamesupportingaroyalcrown。
Totherightofthisdome，andinfrontoftheburial-placeofQueenCatharineofAragon，MaryofScotland’ssepulchrehadbeendug：itwasagraveofbrick，arrangedtobecoveredlaterwithaslaboramarbletomb，andinwhichwastobedepositedthecoffin，whichtheBishopofPeterborough，inhisepiscopalrobes，butwithouthismitre，cross，orcope，wasawaitingatthedoor，accompaniedbyhisdeanandseveralotherclergy。Thebodywasbroughtintothecathedral，withoutchantorprayer，andwasletdownintothetombamidaprofoundsilence。Directlyitwasplacedthere，themasons，whohadstayedtheirhands，settoworkagain，closingthegravelevelwiththefloor，andonlyleavinganopeningofaboutafootandahalf，throughwhichcouldbeseenwhatwaswithin，andthroughwhichcouldbethrownonthecoffin，asiscustomaryattheobsequiesofkings，thebrokenstavesoftheofficersandtheensignsandbannerswiththeirarms。Thisnocturnalceremonyended，Melville，Bourgoin，andtheotherdeputiesweretakentothebishop’spalace，wherethepersonsappointedtotakepartinthefuneralprocessionweretoassemble，innumbermorethanthreehundredandfifty，allchosen，withtheexceptionoftheservants，fromamongtheauthorities，thenobility，andProtestantclergy。
Thedayfollowing，Thursday，Augustthe9th，theybegantohangthebanquetinghallswithrichandsumptuousstuffs，andthatinthesightofMelville，Bourgoin，andtheothers，whomtheyhadbroughtthither，lesstobepresentattheintermentofQueenMarythantobearwitnesstothemagnificenceofQueenElizabeth。But，asonemaysuppose，theunhappyprisonerswereindifferenttothissplendour，greatandextraordinaryasitwas。