“But，“saidthequeen，“howisitthatthisweapon，aftersuchexploits，hasnotremainedasatrophyintheDouglasfamily？NodoubttheEarlofAngusrequiredagreatoccasiontodecidehimto-
renounceinyourfavourthismodernExcalibur“。[HistoryofScotland，bySirWalterScott——“TheAbbott“：historicalpart。]
“Yes，nodoubt，madam，itwasuponagreatoccasion，“repliedLindsay，inspiteoftheimploringsignsmadebyMelville，“andthiswillhaveatleasttheadvantageoftheothers，inbeingsufficientlyrecentforyoutoremember。Itwastendaysago，onthebattlefieldofCarberryHill，madam，whentheinfamousBothwellhadtheaudacitytomakeapublicchallengeinwhichhedefiedtosinglecombatwhomsoeverwoulddaretomaintainthathewasnotinnocentofthemurderofthekingyourhusband。Imadehimanswerthen，Ithethird，thathewasanassassin。Andasherefusedtofightwiththetwoothersunderthepretextthattheywereonlybarons，Ipresentedmyselfinmyturn，Iwhoamearlandlord。ItwasonthatoccasionthatthenobleEarlofMortongavemethisgoodswordtofighthimtothedeath。Sothat，ifhehadbeenalittlemorepresumptuousoralittlelesscowardly，dogsandvultureswouldbeeatingatthismomentthepiecesthat，withthehelpofthisgoodsword，Ishouldhavecarvedforthemfromthattraitor’scarcass。“
Atthesewords，MarySeytonandRobertMelvillelookedateachotherinterror，fortheeventsthattheyrecalledweresorecentthattheywere，sotospeak，stilllivinginthequeen’sheart；butthequeen，withincredibleimpassibilityandasmileofcontemptonherlips——
“Itiseasy，mylord，“saidshe，“tovanquishanenemywhodoesnotappearinthelists；however，believeme，ifMaryhadinheritedtheStuarts’swordasshehasinheritedtheirsceptre，yoursword，longasitis，wouldyethaveseemedtoyoutooshort。Butasyouhaveonlytorelatetousnow，mylord，whatyouintendeddoing，andnotwhatyouhavedone，thinkitfitthatIbringyoubacktosomethingofmorereality；forIdonotsupposeyouhavegivenyourselfthetroubletocomeherepurelyandsimplytoaddachaptertothelittletreatiseDesRodomontadesEspagnollesbyM。deBrantome。“