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confirmation to an act of such slight importance？ And my beloved
brother； to bear it without remorse； needs that it should be I who
add a fresh title to those of Earl of Mar and of Murray that I have
already bestowed upon him？ But one cannot desire anything more
respectful and touching than all this； and I should be very wrong to
complain。 My lords；〃 continued the queen； rising and changing her
tone； 〃return to those who have sent you； and tell them that to such
demands Mary Stuart has no answer to give。〃
〃Take care； madam；〃 responded Ruthven； 〃for I have told you it is
only on these conditions that your pardon can be granted you。〃
〃And if I refuse this generous pardon；〃 asked Mary； 〃what will
happen？〃
〃I cannot pronounce beforehand； madam； but your Grace has enough
knowledge of the laws； and above all of the history of Scotland and
England； to know that murder and adultery are crimes for which more
than one queen has been punished with death。〃
〃And upon what proofs could such a charge be founded； my lord？
Pardon my persistence； which takes up your precious time； but I am
sufficiently interested in the matter to be permitted such a
question。〃
〃The proof； madam？〃 returned Ruthven。 〃There is but one； I know； but
that one is unexceptionable： it is the precipitate marriage of the
widow of the assassinated with the chief assassin； and the letters
which have been handed over to us by James Balfour； which prove that
the guilty persons had united their adulterous hearts before it was
permitted them to unite their bloody hands。〃
〃My lord；〃 cried the queen； 〃do you forget a certain repast given in
an Edinburgh tavern； by this same Bothwell； to those same noblemen
who treat him to…day as an adulterer and a murderer； do you forget
that at the end of that meal； and on the same table at which it had
been given； a paper was signed to invite that same woman； to whom to…
day you make the haste of her new wedding a crime； to leave off a
widow's mourning to reassume a marriage robe？ for if you have
forgotten it； my lords； which would do no more honour to your
sobriety than to your memory； I undertake to show it to you； I who
have preserved it； and perhaps if we search well we shall find among
the signatures the names of Lindsay of Byres and William Ruthven。
O noble Lord Herries；〃 cried Mary； 〃loyal James Melville； you alone
were right then； when you threw yourselves at my feet； entreating me
not to conclude this marriage； which； I see it clearly to…day； was
only a trap set for an ignorant woman by perfidious advisers or
disloyal lords。〃
〃Madam；〃 cried Ruthven； in spite of his cold impassivity beginning to
lose command of himself； while Lindsay was giving still more noisy
and less equivocal signs of impatience； 〃madam； all these discussions
are beside our aim： I beg you to return to it； then； and inform us
if； your life and honour guaranteed； you consent to abdicate the
crown of Scotland。〃
〃And what safeguard should I have that the promises you here make me
will be kept？〃
〃Our word； madam；〃 proudly replied Ruthven。
〃Your word； my lord； is a very feeble pledge to offer； when one so
quickly forgets one's signature： have you not some trifle to add to
it； to make me a little easier than I should be with it alone？〃
〃Enough； Ruthven； enough；〃 cried Lindsay。 〃Do you not see that for
an hour this woman answers our proposals only by insults？〃
〃Yes； let us go；〃 said Ruthven； 〃and thank yourself only； madam； for
the day when the thread breaks which holds the sword suspended over
your head。〃
〃My lords；〃 cried Melville； 〃my lords； in Heaven's name； a little
patience； and forgive something to her who； accustomed to command； is
today forced to obey。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Lindsay； turning round； 〃stay with her； then； and
try to obtain by your smooth words what is refused to our frank and
loyal demand。 In a quarter of an hour we shall return： let the
answer be ready in a quarter of an hour！〃
With these words； the two noblemen went out； leaving Melville with
the queen； and one could count their footsteps； from the noise that
Lindsay's great sword made； in resounding on each step of the
staircase。
Scarcely were they alone than Melville threw himself at the queen's
feet。
〃Madam；〃 said he；〃 you remarked just now that Lord Herries and my
brother had given your Majesty advice that you repented not having
followed； well； madam； reflect on that I in my turn give you； for it
is more important than the other； for you will regret with still more
bitterness not having listened to it。 Ah！ you do not know what may
happen； you are ignorant of what your brother is capable。〃
〃It seems to me； however；〃 returned the queen； 〃that he has just
instructed me on that head： what more will he do than he has done
already？ A public trial！ Oh！ it is all I ask： let me only plead my
cause； and we shall see what judges will dare to condemn me。〃
〃But that is what they will take good care not to do； madam； for they
would be mad to do it when they keep you here in this isolated
castle； in the care of your enemies； having no witness but God； who
avenges crime； but who does not prevent it。 Recollect； madam； what
Machiavelli has said； 'A king's tomb is never far from his prison。'
You come of a family in which one dies young； madam； and almost
always of a sudden death： two of your ancestors perished by steel；
and one by poison。〃
〃Oh； if my death were sudden and easy；〃 cried Mary； 〃yes； I should
accept it as an expiation for my faults； for if I am proud when I
compare myself with others； Melville； I am humble when I judge
myself。 I am unjustly accused of being an accomplice of Darnley's
death； but I am justly condemned for having married Bothwell。〃
〃Time presses； madam； time presses；〃 cried Melville； looking at the
sand； which； placed on the table； was marking the time。 〃They are
coming back； they will be here in a minute； and this time you must
give them an answer。 Listen； madam； and at least profit by your
situation as much as you can。 You are alone here with one woman；
without friends； without protection； without power： an abdication
signed at such a juncture will never appear to your people to have
been freely given； but will always pass as having been torn from you
by force； and if need be； madam； if the day comes when such a solemn
declaration is worth something； well； then you will have two
witnesses of the violence done you： the one will be Mary Seyton； and
the other；〃 he added in a low voice and looking uneasily about him；
〃the other will be Robert Melville。〃
Hardly had he finished speaking when the footsteps of the two nobles
were again heard on the staircase； returning even before the quarter
of an hour had elapsed； a moment afterwards the door opened； and
Ruthven appeared； while over his shoulder was seen Lindsay's head。
〃Madam；〃 said Ruthven； 〃we have returned。