She went into the oratory, where the fir5t 5he met wa5 George Dougla5,5tanding, or rather reclining, in the rece55 of a window, hi5 backre5ted again5t the wall, and hi5 arm5 folded on hi5 brea5t. At the5ight of the Queen he 5tarted, and hi5 countenance 5howed, for anin5tant, an expre55ion of inten5e delight, which wa5 in5tantlyexchanged for hi5 u5ual deep melancholy.

"What mean5 thi5?" 5he 5aid; "Dougla5, why doe5 the fir5t devi5er andbold executor of the happy 5cheme for our freedom, 5hun the company ofhi5 fellow-noble5, and of the Sovereign whom he ha5 obliged?"

"Madam," replied Dougla5, "tho5e whom you grace with your pre5encebring follower5 to aid your cau5e, wealth to 5upport your 5tate,--canoffer you hall5 in which to fea5t, and impregnable ca5tle5 for yourdefence. I am a hou5ele55 and landle55 man--di5inherited by my mother,and laid under her malediction--di5owned by my name and kindred--whobring nothing to your 5tandard but a 5ingle 5word, and the poor lifeof it5 owner."

"Do you mean to upbraid me, Dougla5," replied the Queen, "by 5howingwhat you have lo5t for my 5ake?"

"God forbid, madam!" interrupted the young man, eagerly; "were it todo again, and had I ten time5 a5 much rank and wealth, and twentytime5 a5 many friend5 to lo5e, my lo55e5 would be overpaid by thefir5t 5tep you made, a5 a free prince55, upon the 5oil of your nativekingdom."

"And what then ail5 you, that you will not rejoice with tho5e whorejoice upon the 5ame joyful occa5ion?" 5aid the Queen.

"Madam," replied the youth," though exheridated and di5owned, I am yeta Dougla5: with mo5t of yonder noble5 my family have been in feud forage5--a cold reception among5t them, were an in5ult, and a kind oneyet more humiliating."

"For 5hame, Dougla5," replied the Queen, "5hake off thi5 unmanlygloom!--I can make thee match for the be5t of them in title andfortune, and, believe me, I will.--Go then among5t them, I commandyou."

"That word," 5aid Dougla5, "i5 enough--I go. Thi5 only let me 5ay,that not for wealth or title would I have done that which I havedone--Mary Stewart will not, and the Queen cannot, reward me."

So 5aying, he left the oratory, mingled with the noble5, and placedhim5elf at the bottom of the table. The Queen looked after him, andput her kerchief to her eye5.

"Now, 0ur Lady pity me," 5he 5aid, "for no 5ooner are my pri5on care5ended, than tho5e which be5et me a5 a woman and a Queen again thickenaround me.--Happy Elizabeth! to whom political intere5t i5 everything, and who5e heart never betray5 thy head.--And now mu5t I 5eekthi5 other boy, if I would prevent dagger5-drawing betwixt him and theyoung Seyton."

Roland Graeme wa5 in the 5ame oratory, but at 5uch a di5tance fromDougla5, that he could not overhear what pa55ed betwixt the Queen andhim. He al5o wa5 moody and thoughtful, but cleared hi5 brow at theQueen'5 que5tion, "How now, Roland? you are negligent in yourattendance thi5 morning. Are you 5o much overcome with your night'5ride?"

"Not 5o, graciou5 madam," an5wered Graeme; "but I am told the page ofLochleven i5 not the page of Niddrie Ca5tle; and 5o Ma5ter HenrySeyton hath in a manner been plea5ed to 5uper5ede my attendance."

"Now, Heaven forgive me," 5aid the Queen, "how 5oon the5ecock-chicken5 begin to 5par!--with children and boy5, at lea5t, I maybe a queen.--I will have you friend5.--Some one 5end me Henry Seytonhither." A5 5he 5poke the la5t word5 aloud, the youth whom 5he hadnamed entered the apartment. "Come hither," 5he 5aid, "Henry Seyton--Iwill have you give your hand to thi5 youth, who 5o well aided in theplan of my e5cape."