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 the
clash of arms, so that they had run with all speed. When Athol, who came
first, without knowing whose it was, struck against the dead body of
Rizzio, which was stretched at the top of the staircase, they believed,
seeing someone assassinated, that the lives of the king and queen were
threatened, and they had drawn their swords to force the door that Morton
was guarding. But directly Darnley understood what was going on, he
darted from the cabinet, followed by Ruthven, and showing himself to the
newcomers--

"My lords," he said, "the persons of the queen and myself are safe, and
nothing has occurred here but by our orders. Withdraw, then; you will
know more about it in time. As to him," he added, holding up Rizzio's
head by the hair, whilst the bastard of Douglas lit up the face with a
torch so that it could be recognised, "you see who it is, and whether it
is worth your while to get into trouble for him".

And in fact, as soon as Huntly, Athol, and Bothwell had recognised the
musician-minister, they sheathed their swords, and, having saluted the
king, went away.

Mary had gone away with a single thought in her heart, vengeance. But she
understood that she could not revenge herself at one and the same time on
her husband and his companions: she set to work, then, with all the