I think my Lord of
Murray will himself own that it is the duty of a faithful page to
defend his lady against intrusion on her privacy."
Accordingly, he stepped to the little vestibule, made fast, with lock
and bar, the door which opened from thence to the large staircase, and
then sat himself down to attend the result. He had not long to wait--a
rude and strong hand first essayed to lift the latch, then pushed and
shook the door with violence, and, when it resisted his attempt to
open it, exclaimed, "Undo the door there, you within!"
"Why, and at whose command," said the page, "am I to undo the door
of the apartments of the Queen of Scotland?"
Another vain attempt, which made hinge and bolt jingle, showed that
the impatient applicant without would willingly have entered
altogether regardless of his challenge; but at length an answer was
returned.
"Undo the door, on your peril--the Lord Lindesay comes to speak with
the Lady Mary of Scotland."
"The Lord Lindesay, as a Scottish noble," answered the page, "must
await his Sovereign's leisure."
An earnest altercation ensued amongst those without, in which Roland
distinguished the remarkable harsh voice of Lindesay in reply to Sir
Robert Melville, who appeared to have been using some soothing
language--"No! no! no! I tell thee, no! I will place a petard against
the door rather than be baulked by a profligate woman, and bearded by
an insolent footboy."
"Yet, at least," said Melville, "let me try fair means in the first
instance.
Pages:
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351