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 into each other, and assigned as the dwelling of
the captive Princess. The outermost was a small hall or ante-room,
within which opened a large parlour, and from that again the Queen's
bedroom. Another small apartment, which opened into the same parlour,
contained the beds of the gentlewomen in waiting.
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