Chapter the Thirtieth.
In some breasts passion lies conceal'd and silent, Like war's swart powder in a castle vault, Until occasion, like the linstock, lights it: Then comes at once the lightning--and the thunder, And distant echoes tell that all is rent asunder. OLD PLAY.
Roland Graeme, availing himself of a breach in the holly screen, andof the assistance of the full moon, which was now arisen, had a perfectopportunity, himself unobserved, to reconnoitre the persons and themotions of those by whom his rest had been thus unexpectedly disturbed;and his observations confirmed his jealous apprehensions. They stoodtogether in close and earnest conversation within four yards of theplace of his retreat, and he could easily recognize the tall form anddeep voice of Douglas, and the no less remarkable dress and tone of thepage at the hostelry of Saint Michael's.
"I have been at the door of the page's apartment," said Douglas, "but heis not there, or he will not answer. It is fast bolted on the inside, asis the custom, and we cannot pass through it--and what his silence maybode I know not."
"You have trusted him too far," said the other; "a feather-headedcox-comb, upon whose changeable mind and hot brain there is no making anabiding impression."
"It was not I who was willing to trust him," said Douglas, "but I wasassured he would prove friendly when called upon--for----" Here hespoke so low that Roland lost the tenor of his words, which was themore provoking, as he was fully aware that he was himself the subject oftheir conversation.
"Nay," replied the stranger, more aloud, "I have on my side put him offwith fair words, which make fools vain--but now, if you distrust him atthe push, deal with him with your dagger, and so make open passage."
"That were too rash," said Douglas; "and besides, as I told you, thedoor of his apartment is shut and bolted. I will essay again to wakenhim."
Graeme instantly comprehended, that the ladies, having been somehow madeaware of his being in the garden, had secured the door of the outer roomin which he usually slept, as a sort of sentinel upon that only accessto the Queen's apartments. But then, how came Catherine Seyton tobe abroad, if the Queen and the other lady were still within theirchambers, and the access to them locked and bolted?--"I will beinstantly at the bottom of these mysteries," he said, "and then thankMistress Catherine, if this be really she, for the kind use which sheexhorted Douglas to make of his dagger--they seek me, as I comprehend,and they shall not seek me in vain."
Douglas had by this time re-entered the castle by the wicket, which wasnow open. The stranger stood alone in the garden walk, his arms foldedon his breast, and his eyes cast impatiently up to the moon, as ifaccusing her of betraying him by the magnificence of her lustre. Ina moment Roland Graeme stood before him--"A goodly night," he said,"Mistress Catherine, for a young lady to stray forth in disguise, and tomeet with men in an orchard!"
"Hush!" said the stranger page, "hush, thou foolish patch, and tell usin a word if thou art friend or foe."
"How should I be friend to one who deceives me by fair words, and whowould have Douglas deal with me with his poniard?" replied Roland.
"The fiend receive George of Douglas and thee too, thou born madcap andsworn marplot!" said the other; "we shall be discovered, and then deathis the word."
"Catherine," said the page, "you have dealt falsely and cruelly withme, and the moment of explanation is now come--neither it nor you shallescape me."
"Madman!" said the stranger, "I am neither Kate nor Catherine--the moonshines bright enough surely to know the hart from the hind."
"That shift shall not serve you, fair mistress," said the page, layinghold on the lap of the stranger's cloak; "this time, at least, I willknow with whom I deal."
"Unhand me," said she, endeavouring to extricate herself from his grasp;and in a tone where anger seemed to contend with a desire to laugh, "useyou so little discretion towards a daughter of Seyton?"
But as Roland, encouraged perhaps by her risibility to suppose hisviolence was not unpardonably offensive, kept hold on her mantle,she said, in a sterner tone of unmixed resentment,--"Madman! let mego!--there is life and death in this moment--I would not willingly hurtthee, and yet beware!"
As she spoke she made a sudden effort to escape, and, in doing so, apistol, which she carried in her hand or about her person, went off.
This warlike sound instantly awakened the well-warded castle. The warderblew his horn, and began to toll the castle bell, crying out at the sametime, "Fie, treason! treason! cry all! cry all!"
The apparition of Catherine Seyton, which the page had let loose in thefirst moment of astonishment, vanished in darkness; but the plash ofoars was heard, and, in a second or two, five or six harquebuses and afalconet were fired from the battlements of the castle successively,as if levelled at some object on the water. Confounded with theseincidents, no way for Catherine's protection (supposing her to be in theboat which he had heard put from the shore) occurred to Roland, save tohave recourse to George of Douglas. He hastened for this purposetowards the apartment of the Queen, whence he heard loud voices and muchtrampling of feet. When he entered, he found himself added to a confusedand astonished group, which, assembled in that apartment, stood gazingupon each other. At the upper end of the room stood the Queen, equippedas for a journey, and--attended not only by the Lady Fleming, but by theomnipresent Catherine Seyton, dressed in the habit of her own sex, andbearing in her hand the casket in which Mary kept such jewels as she hadbeen permitted to retain. At the other end of the hall was the Lady ofLochleven, hastily dressed, as one startled from slumber by the suddenalarm, and surrounded by domestics, some bearing torches, others holdingnaked swords, partisans, pistols, or such other weapons as they hadcaught up in the hurry of a night alarm. Betwixt these two parties stoodGeorge of Douglas, his arms folded on his breast, his eyes bent onthe ground, like a criminal who knows not how to deny, yet continuesunwilling to avow, the guilt in which he has been detected.
"Speak, George of Douglas," said the Lady of Lochleven; "speak, andclear the horrid suspicion which rests on thy name. Say, 'A Douglas wasnever faithless to his trust, and I am a Douglas.' Say this, my dearestson, and it is all I ask thee to say to clear thy name, even under, sucha foul charge. Say it was but the wile of these unhappy women, and thisfalse boy, which plotted an escape so fatal to Scotland--so destructiveto thy father's house."
"Madam," said old Dryfesdale the steward, "this much do I say for thissilly page, that he could not be accessary to unlocking the doors, sinceI myself this night bolted him out of the castle. Whoever limned thisnight-piece, the lad's share in it seems to have been small."
"Thou liest, Dryfesdale," said the Lady, "and wouldst throw the blame onthy master's house, to save the worthless life of a gipsy boy."
"His death were more desirable to me than his life," answered thesteward, sullenly; "but the truth is the truth."
At these words Douglas raised his head, drew up his figure to its fullheight, and spoke boldly and sedately, as one whose resolution wastaken. "Let no life be endangered for me. I alone----"
"Douglas," said the Queen, interrupting him, "art thou mad? Speak not, Icharge you."
"Madam," he replied, bowing with the deepest respect, "gladly would Iobey your commands, but they must have a victim, and let it be the trueone.--Yes, madam," he continued, addressing the Lady of Lochleven, "Ialone am guilty in this matter. If the word of a Douglas has yet anyweight with you, believe me that this boy is innocent; and on yourconscience I charge you, do him no wrong; nor let the Queen sufferhardship for embracing the opportunity of freedom which sincereloyalty--which a sentiment yet deeper--offered to her acceptance. Yes!I had planned the escape of the most beautiful, the most persecuted ofwomen; and far from regretting that I, for a while, deceived the maliceof her enemies, I glory in it, and am most willing to yield up lifeitself in her cause."
"Now may God have compassion on my age," said the Lady of Lochleven,"and enable me to bear this load of affliction! O Princess, bo
rn in aluckless hour, when will you cease to be the instrument of seduction andof ruin to all who approach you? O ancient house of Lochleven, famed solong for birth and honour, evil was the hour which brought the deceiverunder thy roof!"
"Say not so, madam," replied her grandson; "the old honours of theDouglas line will be outshone, when one of its descendants dies for themost injured of queens--for the most lovely of women."
"Douglas," said the Queen, "must I at this moment--ay, even at thismoment, when I may lose a faithful subject for ever, chide thee forforgetting what is due to me as thy Queen?"
"Wretched boy," said the distracted Lady of Lochleven, "hast thoufallen even thus far into the snare of this Moabitish woman?--hast thoubartered thy name, thy allegiance, thy knightly oath, thy duty to thyparents, thy country, and thy God, for a feigned tear, or a sicklysmile, from lips which flattered the infirm Francis--lured to death theidiot Darnley--read luscious poetry with the minion Chastelar--mingledin the lays of love which were sung by the beggar Rizzio--and which werejoined in rapture to those of the foul and licentious Bothwell?"
"Blaspheme not, madam!" said Douglas;--"nor you, fair Queen, andvirtuous as fair, chide at this moment the presumption of thyvassal!--Think not that the mere devotion of a subject could have movedme to the part I have been performing. Well you deserve that each ofyour lieges should die for you; but I have done more--have done that towhich love alone could compel a Douglas--I have dissembled. Farewell,then, Queen of all hearts, and Empress of that of Douglas!--When you arefreed from this vile bondage--as freed you shall be, if justice remainsin Heaven--and when you load with honours and titles the happy manwho shall deliver you, cast one thought on him whose heart would havedespised every reward for a kiss of your hand--cast one thought on hisfidelity, and drop one tear on his grave." And throwing himself at herfeet, he seized her hand, and pressed it to his lips.
"This before my face!" exclaimed the Lady of Lochleven--"wilt thou courtthy adulterous paramour before the eyes of a parent?--Tear them asunder,and put him under strict ward! Seize him, upon your lives!" she added,seeing that her attendants looked at each other with hesitation.
"They are doubtful," said Mary. "Save thyself, Douglas, I command thee!"
He started up from the floor, and only exclaiming, "My life or death areyours, and at your disposal!"--drew his sword, and broke through thosewho stood betwixt him and the door. The enthusiasm of his onset was toosudden and too lively to have been opposed by any thing short of themost decided opposition; and as he was both loved and feared by hisfather's vassals, none of them would offer him actual injury.
The Lady of Lochleven stood astonished at his sudden escape--"Am Isurrounded," she said, "by traitors? Upon him, villains!--pursue, stab,cut him down."
"He cannot leave the island, madam," said Dryfesdale, interfering; "Ihave the key of the boat-chain."
But two or three voices of those who pursued from curiosity, or commandof their mistress, exclaimed from below, that he had cast himself intothe 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 trueservant of his father, let him shoot the runagate dead, and let the lakecover our shame!"
The report of a gun or two was heard, but they were probably shot ratherto obey the Lady, than with any purpose of hitting the mark; and Randalimmediately entering, said that Master George had been taken up by aboat 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 toshore, and a cloud has come over the moon."
"And has the traitor then escaped?" said the Lady, pressing her handsagainst her forehead with a gesture of despair; "the honour of ourhouse is for ever gone, and all will be deemed accomplices in this basetreachery."
"Lady of Lochleven," said Mary, advancing towards her, "you have thisnight cut off my fairest hopes--You have turned my expected freedominto bondage, and dashed away the cup of joy in the very instant I wasadvancing it to my lips--and yet I feel for your sorrow the pity thatyou deny to mine--Gladly would I comfort you if I might; but as I maynot, I would at least part from you in charity."
"Away, proud woman!" said the Lady; "who ever knew so well as thouto deal the deepest wounds under the pretence of kindness andcourtesy?--Who, since the great traitor, could ever so betray with akiss?"
"Lady Douglas of Lochleven," said the Queen, "in this moment thou canstnot offend me--no, not even by thy coarse and unwomanly language, heldto me in the presence of menials and armed retainers. I have this nightowed so much to one member of the house of Lochleven, as to cancelwhatever its mistress can do or say in the wildness of her passion."
"We are bounden to you, Princess," said Lady Lochleven, putting a strongconstraint on herself, and passing from her tone of violence to thatof bitter irony; "our poor house hath been but seldom graced with royalsmiles, and will hardly, with my choice, exchange their rough honestyfor such court-honour as Mary of Scotland has now to bestow."
"They," replied Mary, "who knew so well how to _take_, may thinkthemselves excused from the obligation implied in receiving. And thatI have now little to offer, is the fault of the Douglasses and theirallies."
"Fear nothing, madam," replied the Lady of Lochleven, in the same bittertone, "you retain an exchequer which neither your own prodigality candrain, nor your offended country deprive you of. While you have fairwords and delusive smiles at command, you need no other bribes to lureyouth to folly."
The Queen cast not an ungratified glance on a large mirror, which,hanging on one side of the apartment, and illuminated by thetorch-light, reflected her beautiful face and person. "Our hostess growscomplaisant," she said, "my Fleming; we had not thought that grief andcaptivity had left us so well stored with that sort of wealth whichladies prize most dearly."
"Your Grace will drive this severe woman frantic," said Fleming, ina low tone. "On my knees I implore you to remember she is alreadydreadfully offended, and that we are in her power."
"I will not spare her, Fleming," answered the Queen; "it is against mynature. She returned my honest sympathy with insult and abuse, and Iwill gall her in return,--if her words are too blunt for answer, let heruse her poniard if she dare!"
"The Lady Lochleven," said the Lady Fleming aloud, "would surely do wellnow 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 eldestson is a widower--were he not more worthy the flattering hopes withwhich you have seduced his brother?--True, the yoke of marriage has beenalready thrice fitted on--but the church of Rome calls it a sacrament,and its votaries may deem it one in which they cannot too oftenparticipate."
"And the votaries of the church of Geneva," replied Mary, colouring withindignation, "as they deem marriage _no_ sacrament, are said at timesto dispense with the holy ceremony."--Then, as if afraid of theconsequences of this home allusion to the errors of Lady Lochleven'searly life, the Queen added, "Come, my Fleming, we grace her too muchby this altercation; we will to our sleeping apartment. If she woulddisturb us again to-night, she must cause the door to be forced." Sosaying, she retired to her bed-room, followed by her two women.
Lady Lochleven, stunned as it were by this last sarcasm, and not theless deeply incensed that she had drawn it upon herself, remained likea statue on the spot which she had occupied when she received anaffront so flagrant. Dryfesdale and Randal endeavoured to rouse her torecollection by questions.
"What is your honourable Ladyship's pleasure in the premises?"
"Shall we not double the sentinels, and place one upon the boats andanother in the garden?" said Randal.
"Would you that despatches were sent to Sir William at Edinburgh, toacquaint him with what has happened?" demanded Dryfesdale; "and oughtnot the
place of Kinross to be alarmed, lest there be force upon theshores of the lake?"
"Do all as thou wilt," said the Lady, collecting herself, and aboutto depart. "Thou hast the name of a good soldier, Dryfesdale, take allprecautions.--Sacred Heaven! that I should be thus openly insulted!"
"Would it be your pleasure," said Dryfesdale, hesitating, "that thisperson--this Lady--be more severely restrained?"
"No, vassal!" answered the Lady, indignantly, "my revenge stoops not toso low a gratification. But I will have more worthy vengeance, or thetomb of my ancestors shall cover my shame!"
"And you shall have it, madam," replied Dryfesdale--"ere two suns godown, you shall term yourself amply revenged."
The Lady made no answer--perhaps did not hear his words, as shepresently left the apartment. By the command of Dryfesdale, the rest ofthe attendants were dismissed, some to do the duty of guard, others totheir repose. The steward himself remained after they had all departed;and Roland Graeme, who was alone in the apartment, was surprised to seethe old soldier advance towards him with an air of greater cordialitythan he had ever before assumed to him, but which sat ill on hisscowling features.
"Youth," he said, "I have done thee some wrong--it is thine own fault,for thy behaviour hath seemed as light to me as the feather thou wearestin thy hat; and surely thy fantastic apparel, and idle humour of mirthand folly, have made me construe thee something harshly. But I saw thisnight from my casement, (as I looked out to see how thou hadst disposedof thyself in the garden,) I saw, I say, the true efforts which thoudidst make to detain the companion of the perfidy of him who is nolonger worthy to be called by his father's name, but must be cut offfrom his house like a rotten branch. I was just about to come to thyassistance when the pistol went off; and the warder (a false knave, whomI suspect to be bribed for the nonce) saw himself forced to give thealarm, which, perchance, till then he had wilfully withheld. To atone,therefore, for my injustice towards you, I would willingly render you acourtesy, if you would accept of it from my hands."
"May I first crave to know what it is?" replied the page.
"Simply to carry the news of this discovery to Holyrood, where thoumayest do thyself much grace, as well with the Earl of Morton and theRegent himself, as with Sir William Douglas, seeing thou hast seen thematter from end to end, and borne faithful part therein. The makingthine own fortune will be thus lodged in thine own hand, when I trustthou wilt estrange thyself from foolish vanities, and learn to walk inthis world as one who thinks upon the next."
"Sir Steward," said Roland Graeme, "I thank you for your courtesy, but Imay not do your errand. I pass that I am the Queen's sworn servant, andmay not be of counsel against her. But, setting this apart, methinks itwere a bad road to Sir William of Lochleven's favour, to be the first totell him of his son's defection--neither would the Regent be over wellpleased to hear the infidelity of his vassal, nor Morton to learn thefalsehood of his kinsman."
"Um!" said the steward, making that inarticulate sound which expressessurprise mingled with displeasure. "Nay, then, even fly where ye list;for, giddy-pated as ye may be, you know how to bear you in the world."
"I will show you my esteem is less selfish than ye think for," saidthe page; "for I hold truth and mirth to be better than gravity andcunning--ay, and in the end to be a match for them.--You never loved meless, Sir Steward, than you do at this moment. I know you will give meno real confidence, and I am resolved to accept no false protestationsas current coin. Resume your old course--suspect me as much and watchme as closely as you will, I bid you defiance--you have met with yourmatch."
"By Heaven, young man," said the steward, with a look of bittermalignity, "if thou darest to attempt any treachery towards the House ofLochleven, thy head shall blacken in the sun from the warder's turret!"
"He cannot commit treachery who refuses trust," said the page; "and formy head, it stands as securely on my shoulders, as on any turret thatever mason built."
"Farewell, thou prating and speckled pie," said Dryfesdale, "that artso vain of thine idle tongue and variegated coat! Beware trap andlime-twig."
"And fare thee well, thou hoarse old raven," answered the page;"thy solemn flight, sable hue, and deep croak, are no charms againstbird-bolt or hail-shot, and that thou mayst find--it is open war betwixtus, each for the cause of our mistress, and God show the right!"
"Amen, and defend his own people!" said the steward. "I will let mymistress know what addition thou hast made to this mess of traitors.Good night, Monsieur Featherpate."
"Good-night, Seignior Sowersby," replied the page; and, when the old mandeparted, he betook himself to rest.