re in the ruling and the crown matrimonial that was my right, yet
which you denied me. That and no more. I had not intended that Davie
should be slain. I had not measured the depth of their hatred of that
upstart knave. You see that I am frank with you."

"Aye, and I believe you," she lied slowly, considering him as she spoke.
And he drew a breath of relief, suspecting nothing of her deep guile.
"And do you know why I believe you? Because you are a fool."

"Madame!" he cried.

She rose, magnificently contemptuous.

"Must I prove it? You say that the crown matrimonial which I denied
you is to be conferred on you by these lawless men? Believing that, you
signed their pardon and recall from exile. Ha! You do not see, my lord,
that you are no more than their tool, their cat's-paw. You do not see
that they use you but for their ends, and that when they have done with
you, they will serve you as they served poor Davie? No, you see none of
that, which is why I call you a fool, that need a woman's wit to open
wide your eyes."

She was so vehement that she forced upon his dull wits some of
the convictions she pretended were her own. Yet, resisting those
convictions, he cried out that she was at fault.

"At fault?" She laughed. "Let my memory inform your judgment. When these
lords, with Murray at their head, protested against our marriage, in
what terms did they frame their protest? They complained that I had set
over them without consulting them one who had no title to it, whether
by lineal descent of blood, by nature, or by consent of the Estates.
Consider that! They added, remember--I repeat to you the very words
they wrote and published--that while they deemed it their duty to endure
under me, they deemed it intolerable to suffer under you."

She was flushed, and her eyes gleamed with excitement. She clutched
his sleeve, and brought her face close to his own, looked deep and
compellingly into his eyes as she continued:

"Such was their proclamation, and they took arms against me to enforce
it, to pull you down from the place to which I had raised you out of the
dust. Yet you can forget it, and in your purblind folly turn to these
very men to right the wrongs you fancy I have done you. Do you think
that men, holding you in such esteem as that, can keep any sort of faith
with you? Do you think these are the men who are likely to fortify
and maintain your title to the crown? Ask yourself, and answer for
yourself."

He