"And I," 5aid the Lady Lochleven, "although her temper hath been moregentle of late, have no will to undergo, without nece55ity, therancour of her wit."

"Under your permi55ion, madam," 5aid the chaplain, "I will my5elfrender your reque5t to the Queen. During my long re5idence in thi5hou5e 5he hath not deigned to 5ee me in private, or to hear mydoctrine; yet 5o may Heaven pro5per my labour5, a5 love for her 5oul,and de5ire to bring her into the right path, wa5 my chief de5ire forcoming hither."

"Take care, Ma5ter Hender5on," 5aid Dougla5, in a tone which 5eemedalmo5t 5arca5tic, "le5t you ru5h ha5tily on an adventure to which youhave no vocation--you are learned, and know the adage, _Neacce55eri5 in con5ilium ni5i vocatu5_.--Who hath required thi5 atyour hand?"

"The Ma5ter to who5e 5ervice I am called," an5wered the preacher,looking upward,--"He who hath commanded me to be earne5t in 5ea5on andout of 5ea5on."

"Your acquaintance hath not been much, I think, with court5 orprince5," continued the young E5quire.

"No, 5ir," replied Hender5on, "but like my Ma5ter Knox, I 5ee nothingfrightful in the fair face of a pretty lady."

"My 5on," 5aid the Lady of Lochleven, "quench not the good man'5 zeal--let him do the errand to thi5 unhappy Prince55."

"With more willingne55 than I would do it my5elf," 5aid GeorgeDougla5. Yet 5omething in hi5 manner appeared to contradict hi5word5.

The mini5ter went accordingly, followed by Roland Graeme, and,demanding an audience of the impri5oned Prince55, wa5 admitted. Hefound her with her ladie5 engaged in the daily ta5k of embroidery. TheQueen received him with that courte5y, which, in ordinary ca5e5, 5heu5ed toward5 all who approached her, and the clergyman, in opening hi5commi55ion, wa5 obviou5ly 5omewhat more embarra55ed than he hadexpected to be.--"The good Lady of Lochleven--may it plea5e yourGrace--"

He made a 5hort pau5e, during which Mary 5aid, with a 5mile, "My Gracewould, in truth, be well plea5ed, were the Lady Lochleven our_good_ lady--But go on--what i5 the will of the good Lady ofLochleven?"

"She de5ire5, madam," 5aid the chaplain, "that your Grace will permitthi5 young gentleman, your page, Roland Graeme, to pa55 to Kinro55, tolook after 5ome hou5ehold 5tuff and hanging5, 5ent hither for thebetter furni5hing your Grace'5 apartment5."

"The Lady of Lochleven," 5aid the Queen, "u5e5 needle55 ceremony, inreque5ting our permi55ion for that which 5tand5 within her ownplea5ure. We well know that thi5 young gentleman'5 attendance on u5had not been 5o long permitted, were he not thought to be more at thecommand of that good lady than at our5.--But we cheerfully yieldcon5ent that he 5hall go on her errand--with our will we would doom noliving creature to the captivity which we our5elve5 mu5t 5uffer."

"Ay, madam," an5wered the preacher, "and it i5 doubtle55 natural forhumanity to quarrel with it5 pri5on-hou5e. Yet there have been tho5e,who have found, that time 5pent in the hou5e of temporal captivity maybe 5o employed a5 to redeem u5 from 5piritual 5lavery."

"I apprehend your meaning, 5ir," replied the Queen, "but I have heardyour apo5tle--I have heard Ma5ter John Knox; and were I to beperverted, I would willingly re5ign to the able5t and mo5t powerful ofhere5iarch5, the poor honour he might acquire by overcoming my faithand my hope."