"They are doubtful," said Mary. "Save thyself, Douglas, I command thee!"
He started up from the floor, and only exclaiming, "My life or death are yours, and at your disposal!"--drew his sword, and broke through those who stood betwixt him and the door. The enthusiasm of his onset was too sudden and too lively to have been opposed by any thing short of the most decided opposition; and as he was both loved and feared by his father's vassals, none of them would offer him actual injury.
The Lady of Lochleven stood astonished at his sudden escape--"Am I surrounded," she said, "by traitors? Upon him, villains!--pursue, stab, cut him down."
"He cannot leave the island, madam," said Dryfesdale, interfering; "I have the key of the boat-chain."
But two or three voices of those who pursued from curiosity, or command of their mistress, exclaimed from below, that he had cast himself into the lake.
"Brave Douglas still!" exclaimed the Queen--"Oh, true and noble heart, that prefers death to imprisonment!"
"Fire upon him!" said the Lady of Lochleven; "if there be here a true servant of his father, let him shoot the runagate dead, and let the lake cover our shame!"
The report of a gun or two was heard, but they were probably shot rather to obey the Lady, than with any purpose of hitting the mark; and Randal immediately entering, said that Master George had been taken up by a boat from the castle, which lay at a little distance.
"Man a barge, and pursue them!" said the Lady.
"It were quite vain," said Randal; "by this time they are half way to shore, and a cloud has come over the moon."
"And has the traitor then escaped?" said the Lady, pressing her hands against her forehead with a gesture of despair; "the honour of our house is for ever gone, and all will be deemed accomplices in this base treachery."
"Lady of Lochleven," said Mary, advancing towards her, "you have this night cut off my fairest hopes--You have turned my expected freedom into bondage, and dashed away the cup of joy in the very instant I was advancing it to my lips--and yet I feel for your sorrow the pity that you deny to mine--Gladly would I comfort you if I might; but as I may not, I would at least part from you in charity."
"Away, proud woman!" said the Lady; "who ever knew so well as thou to deal the deepest wounds under the pretence of kindness and courtesy?--Who, since the great traitor, could ever so betray with a kiss?"
"Lady Douglas of Lochleven," said the Queen, "in this moment thou canst not offend me--no, not even by thy coarse and unwomanly language, held to me in the presence of menials and armed retainers. I have this night owed so much to one member of the house of Lochleven, as to cancel whatever its mistress can do or say in the wildness of her passion."
"We are bounden to you, Princess," said Lady Lochleven, putting a strong constraint on herself, and passing from her tone of violence to that of bitter irony; "our poor house hath been but seldom graced with royal smiles, and will hardly, with my choice, exchange their rough honesty for such court-honour as Mary of Scotland has now to bestow."
"They," replied Mary, "who knew so well how to take, may think themselves excused from the obligation implied in receiving. And that I have now little to offer, is the fault of the Douglasses and their allies."
"Fear nothing, madam," replied the Lady of Lochleven, in the same bitter tone, "you retain an exchequer which neither your own prodigality can drain, nor your offended country deprive you of. While you have fair words and delusive smiles at command, you need no other bribes to lure youth to folly."
The Queen cast not an ungratified glance on a large mirror, which, hanging on one side of the apartment, and illuminated by the torch-light, reflected her beautiful face and person. "Our hostess grows complaisant," she said, "my Fleming; we had not thought that grief and captivity had left us so well stored with that sort of wealth which ladies prize most dearly."
"Your Grace will drive this severe woman frantic," said Fleming, in a low tone. "On my knees I implore you to remember she is already dreadfully offended, and that we are in her power."
"I will not spare her, Fleming," answered the Queen; "it is against my nature. She returned my honest sympathy with insult and abuse, and I will gall her in return,--if her words are too blunt for answer, let her use her poniard if she dare!"
"The Lady Lochleven," said the Lady Fleming aloud, "would surely do well now to withdraw, and to leave her Grace to repose."
"Ay," replied the Lady, "or to leave her Grace, and her Grace's minions, to think what silly fly they may next wrap their meshes about. My eldest son is a widower--were he not more worthy the flattering hopes with which you have seduced his brother?--True, the yoke of marriage has been already thrice fitted on--but the church of Rome calls it a sacrament, and its votaries may deem it one in which they cannot too often participate."
"And the votaries of the church of Geneva," replied Mary, colouring with indignation, "as they deem marriage no sacrament, are said at times to dispense with the holy ceremony."--Then, as if afraid of the consequences of this home allusion to the errors of Lady Lochleven's early life, the Queen added, "Come, my Fleming, we grace her too much by this altercation; we will to our sleeping apartment. If she would disturb us again to-night, she must cause the door to be forced." So saying, she retired to her bed-room, followed by her two women.
Lady Lochleven, stunned as it were by this last sarcasm, and not the less deeply incensed that she had drawn it upon herself, remained like a statue on the spot which she had occupied when she received an affront so flagrant. Dryfesdale and Randal endeavoured to rouse her to recollection by questions.
"What is your honourable Ladyship's pleasure in the premises?"
"Shall we not double the sentinels, and place one upon the boats and another in the garden?" said Randal.
"Would you that despatches were sent to Sir William at Edinburgh, to acquaint him with what has happened?" demanded Dryfesdale; "and ought not the place of Kinross to be alarmed, lest there be force upon the shores of the lake?"
"Do all as thou wilt," said the Lady, collecting herself, and about to depart. "Thou hast the name of a good soldier, Dryfesdale, take all precautions.--Sacred Heaven! that I should be thus openly insulted!"
"Would it be your pleasure," said Dryfesdale, hesitating, "that this person--this Lady--be more severely restrained?"
"No, vassal!" answered the Lady, indignantly, "my revenge stoops not to so low a gratification. But I will have more worthy vengeance, or the tomb of my ancestors shall cover my shame!"
"And you shall have it, madam," replied Dryfesdale--"ere two suns go down, you shall term yourself amply revenged."
The Lady made no answer--perhaps did not hear his words, as she presently left the apartment. By the command of Dryfesdale, the rest of the attendants were dismissed, some to do the duty of guard, others to their repose. The steward himself remained after they had all departed; and Roland Graeme, who was alone in the apartment, was surprised to see the old soldier advance towards him with an air of greater cordiality than he had ever before assumed to him, but which sat ill on his scowling features.