not known how easily his heart overflows, and how mine is impervious to
every other arrow than those with which you have wounded it, I believe
that I should have allowed myself to soften; but lest that should alarm
you, I would die rather than give up what I have promised you. As for
you, be sure to act in the same way towards those traitors who will do
all they can to separate you from me. I believe that all those people
have been cast in the same mould: this one always has a tear in his eye;
he bows down before everyone, from the greatest to the smallest; he
wishes to interest them in his favour, and make himself pitied. His
father threw up blood to-day through the nose and mouth; think what these
symptoms mean. I have not seen him yet, for he keeps to the house. The
king wants me to feed him myself; he won't eat unless I do. But,
whatever I may do, you will be deceived by it no more than I shall be
deceiving myself. We are united, you and I, to two kinds of very
detestable people [Mary means Miss Huntly, Bothwell's wife, whom he
repudiated, at the king's death, to marry the queen.]: that hell may
sever these knots then, and that heaven may form better ones, that
nothing can break, that it may make of us the most tender and faithful
couple that ever was; there is the profession of faith in which I would
die.

"Excuse my scrawl: you must guess more than the half of it, but I know no
help for this. I am obliged to write to you hastily while everyone is
asleep here: but be easy, I take infinite pleasure in my watch; for I
cannot sleep like the others, not being able to sleep as I would
like--that is to say, in your arms.

"I am going to get into bed; I shall finish my letter tomorrow: I have
too many things to tell to you, the night is too far advanced: imagine my
despair. It is to you I am writing, it is of myself that I converse with