Butslowastheyseemedtothequeen，thehoursyetpassed：towardstheafternoonsomecloudsfloatedacrossthebluesky；thequeenremarkeduponthemjoyfullytohercompanion；MarySeytoncongratulatedheruponthem，notonaccountoftheimaginaryomenthatthequeensoughtinthem，butbecauseoftherealimportancethattheweathershouldbecloudy，thatdarknessmightaidthemintheirflight。Whilethetwoprisonerswerewatchingthebillowy，movingvapours，thehourofdinnerarrived；butitwashalfanhourofconstraintanddissimulation，themorepainfulthat，nodoubtinreturnforthesortofgoodwillshownhimbythequeeninthemorning，WilliamDouglasthoughthimselfobliged，inhisturn，toaccompanyhisdutieswithfittingcompliments，whichcompelledthequeentotakeamoreactivepartintheconversationthanherpreoccupationallowedher；butWilliamDouglasdidnotseeminanywaytoobservethisabsenceofmind，andallpassedasatbreakfast。
Directlyhehadgonethequeenrantothewindow：thefewcloudswhichwerechasingoneanotherintheskyanhourbeforehadthickenedandspread，and——allthebluewasblottedout，togiveplacetoahuedullandleadenaspewter。MaryStuart’spresentimentswerethusrealised：astothelittlehouseinKinross，whichonecouldstillmakeoutinthedusk，itremainedshutup，andseemeddeserted。
Nightfell：thelightshoneasusual；thequeensignalled，itdisappeared。MaryStuartwaitedinvain；everythingremainedindarkness：theescapewasforthesameevening。Thequeenheardeighto’clock，nineo’clock，andteno’clockstrikesuccessively。Atteno’clockthesentinelswererelieved；MaryStuartheardthepatrolspassbeneathherwindows，thestepsofthewatchrecede：thenallreturnedtosilence。Halfanhourpassedawaythus；suddenlytheowl’scryresoundedthrice，thequeenrecognisedGeorgeDouglas’ssignal：thesuprememomenthadcome。
Inthesecircumstancesthequeenfoundallherstrengthrevive：shesignedtoMarySeytontotakeawaythebarandtofixtheropeladder，while，puttingoutthelamp，shefeltherwayintothebedroomtoseekthecasketwhichcontainedherfewremainingjewels。
Whenshecameback，GeorgeDouglaswasalreadyintheroom。