The monastery; The abbot.

406 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
clouds your brows, my worthy lady. But be of good cheer; the crown cf
Scotland has many a fair manor, and your affectionate son, and my no less
affectionate brother, will endow the good knight your husband with the
best of them, ere Mary should be dismissed from this hospitable castle
from your ladyship's lack of means to support the charges."
"The Douglasses of Lochleven, madam," answered the lady, "have
known for ages how to discharge their duty to the State, without looking
for reward, even when the task was both irksome and dangerous."
"Nay! but, my dear Lochleven," said the Queen, "you are over scrupulous-I pray you accept of a goodly manor; what should support the Queen
of Scotland in this her princely court, saving her own crown-lands —and
who should minister to the wants of a mother, save an affectionate son like
the Earl of Murray, who possesses so wonderfully both the power and
inclination?-Or said you it was the danger of the task which clouded your
smooth and hospitable brow? —No doubt, a page is a formidable addition
to my body-guard of females; and I bethink me it must have been for that
reason that my Lord of Lindesay refused even now to venture within the
reach of a force so formidable, without being attended by a competent
retinue."
The Lady Lochleven started, and looked something surprised; and Mary
suddenly changing her manner from the smooth ironical affectation of mildness to an accent of austere command, and drawing up at the same time
her fine person, said, with the full majesty of her rank, "Yes! Lady of
Lochleven; I know that Ruthven is already in the castle, and that Lindesay
waits on the bank the return of your barge to bring him hither along with
Sir Robert Melville. For what purpose do these nobles come -and why
am I not in ordinary decency apprised of their arrival?"
"Their purpose, madam," replied the Lady of Lochleven, " they must
themselves explain -but a formal annunciation were needless, where your
Grace hath attendants who can play the espial so well."'Alas! poor Fleming," said the Queen, turning to the elder of the female
attendants, "thou wilt be tried, condemned, and gibbeted, for a spy in the
garrison, because thou didst chance to cross the great hall while my good
Lady of Lochleven was parleying at the full pitch of her voice with her
pilot Randal. Put black wool in thy ears, girl, as you value the wearing of
them longer. Remember, in the Castle of Lochleven, ears and tongues are
matters not of use, but for show merely. Our good hostess can hear, as
well as speak, for us all. We excuse your fatther attendance, my lady
hostess," she said, once more addressing the object of her resentment, " and
retire to prepare for an interview with our rebel lords. We will use the
ante-chamber of our sleeping apartment as our hall of audience. You,
young man," she proceeded, addressing Roland Graeme, and at once softening the ironical sharpness of her manner into good-humoured raillery, " you,
who are all our male attendance, from our Lord High Chamberlain down to
our least galopin, follow us to prepare our court."
She turned, and walked slowly towards the castle. The Lady of Lochleven folded her arms, and smiled in bitter resentment, as she watched her
retiring steps. /
"The whole male attendance!" she muttered, repeating the Queen's last
words, "and well for thee had it been had thy train never been larger;"
then turning to Roland, in whose way she had stood while making this
pause, she made room for him to pass, saying at the same time, "Art thou
already eaves-dropping? follow thy mistress, minion, and, if thou wilt, tell
her what I have now said."
Roland Graeme hastened after his royal mistress and her attendants, who
-had just entered a postern-gate communicating betwixt the castle and the
small garden. They ascended a winding-stair as high as the second story,
which was in a great measure occupied by a suite of three rooms, opening