ized her round the waist and bore her away from
Rizzio, who remained on his knees pale and trembling, while Douglas's
bastard, confirming the prediction of the astrologer who had warned
Rizzio to beware of a certain bastard, drawing the king's own dagger,
plunged it into the breast of the minister, who fell wounded, but not
dead. Morton immediately took him by the feet and dragged him from the
cabinet into the larger room, leaving on the floor that long track of
blood which is still shown there; then, arrived there, each rushed upon
him as upon a quarry, and set upon the corpse, which they stabbed in
fifty-six places. Meanwhile Darnley held the queen, who, thinking that
all was not over, did not cease crying for mercy. But Ruthven came back,
paler than at first, and at Darnley's inquiry if Rizzio were dead, he
nodded in the affirmative; then, as he could not bear further fatigue
in his convalescent state, he sat down, although the queen, whom Darnley
had at last released, remained standing on the same spot. At this Mary
could not contain herself.

"My lord," cried she, "who has given you permission to sit down in my
presence, and whence comes such insolence?"

"Madam," Ruthven answered, "I act thus not from insolence, but from
weakness; for, to serve your husband, I have just taken more exercise
than my doctors allow". Then turning round to a servant, "Give me
a glass of wine," said he, showing Darnley his bloody dagger before
putting it back in its sheath, "for here is the proof that I have well
earned it". The servant obeyed, and Ruthven drained his glass with as
much calmness as if he had just performed the most innocent act.

"My lord," the queen then said, taking a step towards him, "it may be
that as I am a woman, in spite of my desire and my will, I never find
an opportunity to repay you what you are doing to me; but," she added,
energetically striking her womb with her hand, "he whom I bear there,
and whose life you should have respected, since you respect my Majesty
so little, will one day revenge me for all these insults". Then, with a
gesture at once superb and threatening, she withdrew by Darnley's door,
which she closed behind her.

At that moment a great noise was heard in the queen's room. Huntly,
Athol, and Bothwell, who, we are soon about to see, play such an
important part in the sequel of this history, were supping together in
another hall of the palace, when suddenly they had heard outcries and
t