第14章

AtthatmomentMarySeytonannouncedtothequeenthatLadyDouglaswasaskingpermissiontovisither。

Itwasthesecondtime，afterlonghatredonLadyDouglas’spartandcontemptuousindifferenceonthequeen’s，thatthetwowomenwerefacetoface；thereforethequeen，withthatinstinctiveimpulseofcoquetrywhichurgeswomen，inwhateversituationtheyfindthemselves，todesiretobebeautiful，aboveallforwomen，madeasigntoMarySeyton，and，goingtoalittlemirrorfastenedtothewallinaheavyGothicframe，shearrangedhercurls，andreadjustedthelaceofhercollar；then；havingseatedherselfintheposemostfavourabletoher，inagreatarm-chair，theonlyoneinhersitting-

room，shesaidsmilinglytoMarySeytonthatshemightadmitLadyDouglas，whowasimmediatelyintroduced。

Mary’sexpectationwasnotdisappointed：LadyDouglas，inspiteofherhatredforJamesVsdaughter，andmistressofherselfasshethoughtsheas，couldnotpreventherselffromshowingbyamovementofsurprisetheimpressionthatthismarvelousbeautywasmakingonher：shethoughtsheshouldfindMarycrushedbyherunhappiness，pallidfromherfatigues，humbledbycaptivity，andshesawherscalm，lovely，andhaughtyasusual。Maryperceivedtheeffectthatshewasproducing，andaddressingherselfwithanironicalsmilepartlytoMarySeyton，whowasleaningonthebackofherchair，andpartlytoherwhowaspayingherthisunforeseenvisit“Wearefortunateto-day，“saidshe，“forwearegoingasitseemstoenjoythesocietyofourgoodhostess，whomwethankbesidesforhavingkindlymaintainedwithustheemptyceremonyofannouncingherself——aceremonywithwhich，havingthekeysofourapartment，shecouldhavedispensed。“

“Ifmypresenceisinconvenienttoyourgrace，“repliedLadyLochleven，“Iamallthemoresorryforit，ascircumstanceswillobligemetoimposeittwicedaily，atleastduringtheabsenceofmyson，whoissummonedtoEdinburghbytheregent；thisisofwhatI

cametoinformyourgrace，notwiththeemptyceremonialofthecourt，butwiththeconsiderationwhichLadyLochlevenowestoeveryonewhohasreceivedhospitalityinhercastle。“

“Ourgoodhostessmistakesourintention，“Maryanswered，withaffectedgood-nature；“andtheregenthimselfcanbearwitnesstothepleasurewehavealwayshadinbringingnearertousthepersonswhocanrecalltous，evenindirectly，ourwell-belovedfather，JamesV。

ItwillbethereforeunjustlythatLadyDouglaswillinterpretinamannerdisagreeabletoherselfoursurpriseatseeingher；andthehospitalitythatsheoffersussoobliginglydoesnotpromiseus，inspiteofhergoodwill，sufficientdistractionsthatweshoulddepriveourselvesofthosethathervisitscannotfailtoprocureus。“

“Unfortunately，madam，“repliedLadyLochleven，whomMarywaskeepingstandingbeforeher，“whateverpleasureImyselfderivefromthesevisits，Ishallbeobligedtodeprivemyselfof，exceptatthetimesIhavementioned。Iamnowtoooldtobearfatigue，andIhave，alwaysbeentooproudtoenduresarcasms。“

“Really，Seyton，“criedMary，seemingtorecollectherself，“wehadnotdreamedthatLadyLochleven，havingwonherrighttoastoolatthecourtofthekingmyfather，wouldhaveneedtopreserveitintheprisonofthequeenhisdaughter。Bringforwardaseat，Seyton，thatwebenotdeprivedsosoon，andbyafailureofmemoryonourpart，ofourgracioushostess’scompany；oreven，“wentonMary，risingandpointingoutherownseattoLadyLochleven，whowasmakingamotiontowithdraw，“ifastooldoesnotsuityou，mylady，takethiseasy-chair：youwillnotbethefirstmemberofyourfamilytositinmyplace。“

Atthislastallusion，whichrecalledtoherMurray’susurpation，LadyLochlevenwasnodoubtabouttomakesomeexceedinglybitterreply，whentheyoungmanwiththedarkhairappearedonthethreshold，withoutbeingannounced，and，advancingtowardsLadyLochleven，withoutsalutingMary——

“Madam，“saidhe，bowingtotheformer，“theboatwhichtookmybrotherhasjustreturned，andoneofthemeninitischargedwithapressingchargethatLordWilliamforgottomaketoyouhimself。“

Then，salutingtheoldladywiththesamerespect，heimmediatelywentoutoftheroom，withoutevenglancingatthequeen，who，hurtbythisimpertinence，turnedroundtoMarySeyton，and，withherusualcalm——

“Whathavetheytoldus，Seyton，ofinjuriousrumourswhichwerespreadaboutourworthyhostessaproposofachildwithapalefaceanddarkhair？Ifthischild，asIhaveeveryreasontobelieve，hasbecometheyoungmanwhojustwentoutoftheroom，IamreadytoaffirmtoalltheincredulousthatheisatrueDouglas，ifnotforcourage，ofwhichwecannotjudge，thenforinsolence，ofwhichhehasjustgivenusproofs。Letusreturn，darling，“continuedthequeen，leaningonMarySeyton’sarm；“forourgoodhostess，outofcourtesy，mightthinkherselfobligedtokeepuscompanylonger，whileweknowthatsheisimpatientlyawaitedelsewhere。“

Withthesewords，Marywentintoherbedroom；whiletheoldlady，stillquitestunnedwiththeshowerofsarcasmsthatthequeenhadrainedonher，withdrew，murmuring，“Yes，yes，heisaDouglas，andwithGod’shelphewillproveit，Ihope。“

Thequeenhadhadstrengthaslongasshewassustainedbyherenemy’spresence，butscarcelywasshealonethanshesankintoachair，andnolongerhavinganywitnessofherweaknessthanMarySeyton，burstintotears。Indeed，shehadjustbeencruellywounded：

tillthennomanhadcomenearherwhohadnotpaidhomageeithertothemajestyofherrankortothebeautyofhercountenance。Butpreciselyhe，onwhomshehadreckoned，withoutknowingwhy，withinstinctivehopes，insultedheratoneandthesametimeinherdoubleprideofqueenandwoman：thussheremainedshutuptillevening。

Atdinner-time，justasLadyLochlevenhadinformedMary，sheascendedtothequeen’sapartment，inherdressofhonour，andprecedingfourservantswhowerecarryingtheseveraldishescomposingtheprisoner’srepast，andwho，intheirturn，werefollowedbytheoldcastlesteward，having，asondaysofgreatceremony，hisgoldchainroundhisneckandhisivorystickinhishand。Theservants’placedthedishesonthetable，andwaitedinsilenceforthemomentwhenitshouldpleasethequeentocomeoutofherroom；butatthismomentthedooropened，andinplaceofthequeenMarySeytonappeared。

“Madam，“saidsheonentering，“hergracewasindisposedduringtheday，andwilltakenothingthisevening；itwillbeuseless，then，foryoutowaitlonger。“

“Permitmetohope，“repliedLadyLochleven，“thatshewillchangeherdecision；inanycase，seemeperformmyoffice。“

Atthesewords，aservanthandedLadyLochlevenbreadandsaltonasilversalver，whiletheoldsteward，who，intheabsenceofWilliamDouglas，fulfilledthedutiesofcarver，servedtoheronaplateofthesamemetalamorselfromeachofthedishesthathadbeenbrought；then，thistransactionended“Sothequeenwillnotappearto-day？“LadyLochleveninquired。

“ItisherMajesty’sresolve，“repliedMarySeyton。

“Ourpresenceisthenneedless，“saidtheoldlady；“butinanycasethetableisserved，andifhergraceshouldhaveneedofanythingelse，shewouldhavebuttonameit。“

Withthesewords，LadyLochleven，withthesamestiffnessandthesamedignitywithwhichshehadcome，withdrew，followedbyherfourservantsandhersteward。

AsLadyLochlevenhadforeseen，thequeen，yieldingtotheentreatiesofMarySeyton，cameoutofherroomatlast，towardseighto’clockintheevening，satdowntotable，and，servedbytheonlymaidofhonourlefther，atealittle；then，gettingup，shewenttothewindow。

Itwasoneofthosemagnificentsummereveningsonwhichthewholeofnatureseemsmakingholiday：theskywasstuddedwithstars，whichwerereflectedinthelake，andintheirmidst，likeamorefierystar，theflameofthechafing-dishshone，burningatthesternofalittleboat：thequeen，bythegleamofthelightitshed，perceivedGeorgeDouglasandLittleDouglas，whowerefishing。Howevergreatherwishtoprofitbythisfineeveningtobreathethepurenightair，thesightofthisyoungmanwhohadsogrosslyinsultedherthisverydaymadesuchakeenimpressiononherthatsheshutherwindowdirectly，and，retiringintoherroom，wenttobed，andmadehercompanionincaptivityreadseveralprayersaloud；then，notbeingabletosleep，sogreatlywassheagitated，sherose，andthrowingonamantlewentagaintothewindowtheboathaddisappeared。

Maryspentpartofthenightgazingintotheimmensityoftheheavens，orintothedepthsofthelake；butinspiteofthenatureofthethoughtsagitatingher，shenonethelessfoundverygreatphysicalalleviationincontactwiththispureairandincontemplationofthispeacefulandsilentnight：thussheawokenextdaycalmerandmoreresigned。Unfortunately，thesightofLadyLochleven，whopresentedherselfatbreakfast-time，tofulfilherdutiesastaster，broughtbackherirritability。Perhaps，however，thingswouldhavegoneonsmoothlyifLadyLochleven，insteadofremainingstandingbythesideboard，hadwithdrawnafterhavingtastedthevariousdishesofthecourses；butthisinsistingonremainingthroughoutthemeal，whichwasatbottomamarkofrespect，seemedtothequeenunbearabletyranny。

“Darling，“saidshe，speakingtoMarySeyton，“haveyoualreadyforgottenthatourgoodhostesscomplainedyesterdayofthefatigueshefeltinnstanding？Bringher，then，oneofthetwostoolswhichcomposeourroyalfurniture，andtakecarethatitisnottheonewiththelegbroken“。“IfthefurnitureofLochlevenCastleisinsuchbadcondition，madam，“theoldladyreplied，“itisthefaultofthekingsofScotland：thepoorDouglasesfornearlyacenturyhavehadsuchasmallpartoftheirsovereigns’favour，thattheyhavenotbeenabletokeepupthesplendouroftheirancestorstothelevelofthatofprivateindividuals，andbecausetherewasinScotlandacertainmusician，asIaminformed，whospenttheirincomeforawholeyearinonemonth。“

“Thosewhoknowhowtotakesowell，mylady，“thequeenanswered，“havenoneedofbeinggivento：itseemstometheDouglaseshavelostnothingbywaiting，andthereisnotayoungersonofthisnoblefamilywhomightnotaspiretothehighestalliances；itistrulyvexatiousthatoursisterthequeenofEnglandhastakenavowofvirginity；asisstated。“

“Orrather，“interruptedLadyLochleven，“thattheQueenofScotlandisnotawidowbyherthirdhusband。But，“continuedtheoldlady，pretendingtorecollectherself，“Idonotsaythattoreproachyourgrace。Catholicslookuponmarriageasasacrament，andonthisheadreceiveitasoftenastheycan。“

“This，then，“returnedMary，“isthedifferencebetweenthemandtheHuguenots；forthey，nothavingthesamerespectforit，thinkitisallowedthemtodispensewithitincertaincircumstances。“