AtthisterriblesarcasmLadyLochleventookasteptowardsMaryStuart，holdinginherhandtheknifewhichshehadjustbeenusingtocutoffapieceofmeatbroughthertotaste；butthequeenroseupwithsogreatacalmandwithsuchmajesty，thateitherfrominvoluntaryrespectorshameofherfirstimpulse，sheletfalltheweaponshewasholding，andnotfindinganythingsufficientlystronginreplytoexpressherfeelings，shesignedtotheservantstofollowher，andwentoutoftheapartmentwithallthedignitythatangerpermittedhertosummontoheraid。
ScarcelyhadLadyLochlevenlefttheroomthanthequeensatdownagain，joyfulandtriumphantatthevictoryshehadjustgained，andatewithabetterappetitethanshehadyetdonesinceshewasaprisoner，whileMarySeytondeploredinalowtoneandwithallpossiblerespectthisfatalgiftofreparteethatMaryhadreceived，andwhich，withherbeauty，wasoneofthecausesofallhermisfortunes；butthequeendidnothingbutlaughatallherobservations，sayingshewascurioustoseethefigurehergoodhostesswouldcutatdinnertime。
Afterbreakfast，thequeenwentdownintothegarden：hersatisfiedpridehadrestoredsomeofhercheerfulness，somuchsothat，seeing，whilecrossingthehall，amandolinlyingforgottenonachair，shetoldMarySeytontotakeit，tosee，shesaid，ifshecouldrecallheroldtalent。Inrealitythequeenwasoneofthebestmusiciansofthetime，andplayedadmirably，saysBrantome，ontheluteandviold’amour，aninstrumentmuchresemblingthemandolin。
MarySeytonobeyed。
Arrivedinthegarden，thequeensatdowninthedeepestshade，andthere，havingtunedherinstrument，sheatfirstdrewfromitlivelyandlighttones，whichsoondarkenedlittlebylittle，atthesametimethathercountenanceassumedahueofdeepmelancholy。MarySeytonlookedatherwithuneasiness，althoughforalongtimeshehadbeenusedtothesesuddenchangesinhermistress’shumour，andshewasabouttoaskthereasonofthisgloomyveilsuddenlyspreadoverherface，when，regulatingherharmonies，Marybegantosinginalowvoice，andasifforherselfalone，thefollowingverses：——