AninstinctofmisfortuneincommonhaddrawnLittleDouglastoGeorge。George，seeingthechildill-treatedbyeveryone，hadconceivedanaffectionforhim，andLittleDouglas，feelinghimselflovedamidtheatmosphereofindifferencearoundhim，turnedwithopenarmsandhearttoGeorge：itresultedfromthismutuallikingthatoneday，whenthechildhadcommittedIdonotknowwhatfault，andthatWilliamDouglasraisedthewhiphebeathisdogswithtostrikehim，thatGeorge，whowassittingonastone，sadandthoughtful，hadimmediatelysprungup，snatchedthewhipfromhisbrother’shandsandhadthrownitfarfromhim。AtthisinsultWilliamhaddrawnhissword，andGeorgehis，sothatthesetwobrothers，whohadhatedoneanotherfortwentyyearsliketwoenemies，weregoingtocutoneanother’sthroats，whenLittleDouglas，whohadpickedupthewhip，comingbackandkneelingbeforeWilliam，offeredhimtheignominiousweapon，saying“Strike，cousin；Ihavedeservedit。“
Thisbehaviourofthechildhadcausedsomeminutes’reflectiontothetwoyoungmen，who，terrifiedatthecrimetheywereabouttocommit，hadreturnedtheirswordstotheirscabbardsandhadeachgoneawayinsilence。SincethisincidentthefriendshipofGeorgeandLittleDouglashadacquirednewstrength，andonthechild’ssideithadbecomeveneration。
Wedwelluponallthesedetailssomewhatatlength，perhaps，butnodoubtourreaderswillpardonuswhentheyseetheusetobemadeofthem。
Thisisthefamily，lessGeorge，who，aswehavesaid，wasabsentatthetimeofherarrival，intothemidstofwhichthequeenhadfallen，passinginamomentfromthesummitofpowertothepositionofaprisoner；forfromthedayfollowingherarrivalMarysawthatitwasbysuchatitleshewasaninmateofLochlevenCastle。Infact，LadyDouglaspresentedherselfbeforeherassoonasitwasmorning，andwithanembarrassmentanddislikeilldisguisedbeneathanappearanceofrespectfulindifference，invitedMarytofollowherandtakestockoftheseveralpartsofthefortresswhichhadbeenchosenbeforehandforherprivateuse。Shethenmadehergothroughthreerooms，ofwhichonewastoserveasherbedroom，thesecondassitting-room，andthethirdasante-chamber；afterwards，leadingthewaydownaspiralstaircase，whichlookedintothegreathallofthecastle，itsonlyoutlet，shehadcrossedthishall，andhadtakenMaryintothegardenwhosetreesthequeenhadseentoppingthehighwallsonherarrival：itwasalittlesquareofground，formingaflower-bedinthemidstofwhichwasanartificialfountain。Itwasenteredbyaverylowdoor，repeatedintheoppositewall；thisseconddoorlookedontothelakeand，likeallthecastledoors，whosekeys，however，neverleftthebeltorthepillowofWilliamDouglas，itwasguardednightanddaybyasentinel。Thiswasnowthewholedomainofherwhohadpossessedthepalaces，theplains，andthemountainsofanentirekingdom。
Mary，onreturningtoherroom，foundbreakfastready，andWilliamDouglasstandingnearthetablehewasgoingtofulfilaboutthequeenthedutiesofcarverandtaster。