ntly went her way, and entered the garden: at the first glance
she took it in in its full extent; it was deserted.

Mary walked there a moment; then, soon tiring of the promenade, she went
up again to her room: in passing back through the courtyard she had
noticed that the horses were no longer there. Directly she returned into
her apartment, she went then to the window to see if she could discover
anything upon the lake to guide her in her conjectures: a boat was in
fact receding, and in this boat were the two horses and the two horsemen;
one was William Douglas, the other a simple squire from the house.

Mary continued watching the boat until it had touched the shore. Arrived
there, the two horsemen got out, disembarked their horses, and went away
at full gallop, taking the same road by which the queen had come; so
that, as the horses were prepared for a long journey, Mary thought that
William Douglas was going to Edinburgh. As to the boat, scarcely had it
landed its two passengers on the opposite shore than it returned towards
the castle.

At that moment Mary Seyton announced to the queen that Lady Douglas was
asking permission to visit her.

It was the second time, after long hatred on Lady Douglas's part and
contemptuous indifference on the queen's, that the two women were face to
face; therefore the queen, with that instinctive impulse of coquetry
which urges women, in whatever situation they find themselves, to desire
to be beautiful, above all for women, made a sign to Mary Seyton, and,
going to a little mirror fastened to the wall in a heavy Gothic frame,
she arranged her curls, and readjusted the lace of her collar; then;
having seated herself in the pose most favourable to her, in a great
arm-chair, the only one in her sitting-room, she said smilingly to Mary
Seyton that she might admit Lady Douglas, who was immediately introduced.

Mary's expectation was not disappointed: Lady Douglas, in spite of her
hatred for James Vs daughter, and mistress of herself as she thought she
as, could not prevent herself from showing by a movement of surprise the
impression that this marvelous beauty was making on her: she thought she
should find Mary crushed by her unhappiness, pallid from her fatigues,
humbled by captivity, and she saw hers calm, lovely, and haughty as
usual. Mary perceived the effect that she was producing, and addressing
herself with an ironical smile partly to Mary Seyton, who was leaning on
the ba