ying you in giving you thus into the hands of these
infamous English."

"You are right, Bourgoin," said the queen; "moreover, my death would be a
sad sight for you, which I ought to spare your age and your friendship.
Mr. Sheriff," added she, "call someone to support me, for you see that I
cannot walk."

The sheriff bowed, and signed to two guards whom he had kept hidden
behind the door to lend him assistance in case the queen should resist,
to approach and support her; which they at once did; and Mary Stuart went
on her way, preceded and followed by her servants weeping and wringing
their hands. But at the second door other guards stopped them, telling
them they must go no farther. They all cried out against such a
prohibition: they said that for the nineteen years they had been shut up
with the queen they had always accompanied her wherever she went; that it
was frightful to deprive their mistress of their services at the last
moment, and that such an order had doubtless been given because they
wanted to practise some shocking cruelty on her, of which they desired no
witnesses. Bourgoin, who was at their head, seeing that he could obtain
nothing by threats or entreaties, asked to speak with the earls; but this
claim was not allowed either, and as the servants wanted to pass by
force, the soldiers repulsed them with blows of their arquebuses; then,
raising her voice--

"It is wrong of you to prevent my servants following me," said the queen,
"and I begin to think, like them, that you have some ill designs upon me
beyond my death."

The sheriff replied, "Madam, four of your servants are chosen to follow
you, and no more; when you have come down, they will be fetched, and will
rejoin you."

"What!" said the queen, "the four chosen persons cannot even follow me
now?"

"The order is thus given by the earls," answered the sheriff, "and, to my
great regret, madam, I can do nothing."

Then the queen turned to them, and taking the cross from Annibal Stewart,
and in her other hand her book of Hours and her handkerchief, "My
children," said she, "this is one more grief to add to our other griefs;
let us bear it like Christians, and offer this fresh sacrifice to God."

At these words sobs and cries burst forth on all sides: the unhappy
servants fell on their knees, and while some rolled on the ground,
tearing their hair, others kissed her hands, her knees, and the hem of
her gown, begging her forgiveness for every po