ation.

Next day, M. de Chateauneuf was summoned before the queen, and there
confronted with Stafford, who impudently maintained that he had treated
of a plot with M. de Trappes and a certain prisoner for debt--a plot
which aimed at nothing less than endangering the Queen's life. M. de
Chateauneuf defended himself with the warmth of indignation, but
Elizabeth had too great an interest in being unconvinced even to attend
to the evidence. She then said to M. de Chateauneuf that his character
of ambassador alone prevented her having him arrested like his accomplice
M. de Trappes; and immediately despatching, as she had promised, an
ambassador to King Henry III, she charged him not to excuse her for the
sentence which had just been pronounced and the death which must soon
follow, but to accuse M. de Chateauneuf of having taken part in a plot of
which the discovery alone had been able to decide her to consent to the
death of the Queen of Scotland, certain as she was by experience, that so
long as her enemy lived her existence would be hourly threatened.

On the same day, Elizabeth made haste to spread, not only in London, but
also throughout England, the rumour of the fresh danger from which she
had just escaped, so that, when, two days after the departure of the
French envoys, the Scottish ambassadors, who, as one sees, had not used
much speed, arrived, the queen answered them that their request came
unseasonably, at a time when she had just had proof that, so long as Mary
Stuart existed, her own (Elizabeth's) life was in danger. Robert
Melville wished to reply to this; but Elizabeth flew into a passion,
saying that it was he, Melville, who had given the King of Scotland the
bad advice to intercede for his mother, and that if she had such an
adviser she would have him beheaded. To which Melville answered--

"That at the risk of his life he would never spare his master good
advice; and that, on the contrary, he who would counsel a son to let his
mother perish, would deserve to be beheaded."

Upon this reply, Elizabeth ordered the Scotch envoys to withdrew, telling
them that she would let them have her answer.

Three or four days passed, and as they heard nothing further, they asked
again for a parting audience to hear the last resolve of her to whom they
were sent: the queen then decided to grant it, and all passed, as with M.
de Bellievre, in recriminations and complaints. Finally, Elizabeth asked
them what guarante