was the king,
not Archibald Douglas. But all that is beside the question, and
recrimination is as bad as sentiment for clouding cold reason. What I
wished to point out is, that assassination of kings or the capture
of them very rarely accomplishes its object. James the First was
assassinated and as result two Stuarts, two Grahams and two Chamberses
were tortured and executed; so his murderers profited little. My
grandfather James the Third was carried off by the Boyds, but Sir
Alexander Boyd was beheaded and his brother and nephew suffered
forfeiture. I think I have shown then that violence is usually
futile."

"Not so," answered Catherine; "your grandfather was assassinated,
and the man who killed him is not known to this day. Your
great-grandfather basely murdered the Black Douglas in Stirling,
thus breaking his word of honour for he had given Douglas safe
conduct, yet he profited by his act and crushed my kinsmen."

"I see, Lady Catherine, that you are too well versed in history for me
to contend with you successfully on that subject," said the king with
a silent laugh. "We will therefore restrict the inquiry to the present
case, as wise people should. Tell me then, so that I may be the better
able to advise you, what is your true object--revenge and my death, or
the wringing from me of concessions for your family?"

"I could not wring concessions from you, because you could not make
good those concessions unless I released you. I dare not release you,
because I dare not trust you."

"I foresaw your difficulty, and so I told your sister that, having
gone so far, you could not retreat. The issue is therefore narrowed
down to death, and how it may best be accomplished. You have made the
tactical mistake of forewarning me. I cannot understand why you did
not mount my horse beside me and stab me in the back as we rode
through the forest. Did this not occur to you, Lady Catherine?"

"It did, but there were objections. Your horse would doubtless have
escaped me, and would have galloped riderless to Stirling; your body
would have been found by break of day, and we but a few hours' march
from Stirling. Here I expect you to lie undiscovered in this locked
room till we are safe in England."

"That is clear reasoning," commented the king with impartiality, "but
have you looked beyond? Who will be the successor of the throne? I
have neither brother nor sister; my two uncles died before I was born,
and I perish childless