admiring, with a self-satisfied smile, the pinkish lights upon his
finger-nails, and the girl was gazing as before out of the window into
the green close wherein the leaves stirred and the shadows had begun
to swim lazily on the grass with the coming of the wind from off the
sea.

"To this I would add as followeth," continued Crichton. "The
Chancellor of Scotland to William, Earl of Douglas, greeting and
homage! Sir William Crichton ventures to hope that the Earl of Douglas
will do him the great honour to come to his new Castle of Crichton,
there to be entertained as beseemeth his dignity, to the healing of
all ancient enmities, and also that they both may do honour to the
ambassador of the King of France ere he set sail again for his own
land."

"It is indeed a worthy epistle," said James the Gross, who, being
sleepy, wished for an end to be made.

"There is at least in it no lack of 'Chancellor of Scotland!'" sneered
Livingston, covertly.

"Gently, gently, great sirs," interposed de Retz, as the Chancellor
looked up with anger in his eye; "have out your quarrels as you
will--after the snapping of the trap. Remember that this which we do
is a matter of life or death for all of us."

"But the Douglases will wash us off the face of Scotland if we so much
as lay hand on the Earl," objected Livingston. "It might even affect
the safety of his Majesty's person!"