A greater still! What do you mean by that?

PAULET.

You heard the bugle-horns?

MARY (starting back with foreboding apprehension).

You frighten me.

PAULET.

The queen is hunting in the neighborhood----

MARY.

What!

PAULET.

In a few moments she"ll appear before you.

KENNEDY (hastening towards MARY, and about to fall).

How fare you, dearest lady? You grow pale.

PAULET.

How? Is"t not well? Was it not then your prayer?

"Tis granted now, before it was expected; You who had ever such a ready speech, Now summon all your powers of eloquence, The important time to use them now is come.

MARY.

Oh, why was I not told of this before?

Now I am not prepared for it--not now What, as the greatest favor, I besought, Seems to me now most fearful; Hannah, come, Lead me into the house, till I collect My spirits.

PAULET.

Stay; you must await her here.

Yes! I believe you may be well alarmed To stand before your judge.

SCENE III.

Enter the EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

MARY.

"Tis not for that, O G.o.d!

Far other thoughts possess me now.

Oh, worthy Shrewsbury! You come as though You were an angel sent to me from heaven.

I cannot, will not see her. Save me, save me From the detested sight!

SHREWSBURY.

Your majesty, Command yourself, and summon all your courage, "Tis the decisive moment of your fate.

MARY.

For years I"ve waited, and prepared myself.

For this I"ve studied, weighed, and written down Each word within the tablet of my memory That was to touch and move her to compa.s.sion.

Forgotten suddenly, effaced is all, And nothing lives within me at this moment But the fierce, burning feeling of my wrongs.

My heart is turned to direst hate against her; All gentle thoughts, all sweet forgiving words, Are gone, and round me stand with grisly mien, The fiends of h.e.l.l, and shake their snaky locks!

SHREWSBURY.

Command your wild, rebellious blood;--constrain The bitterness which fills your heart. No good Ensues when hatred is opposed to hate.

How much soe"er the inward struggle cost You must submit to stern necessity, The power is in her hand, be therefore humble.

MARY.

To her? I never can.

SHREWSBURY.

But pray, submit.

Speak with respect, with calmness! Strive to move Her magnanimity; insist not now Upon your rights, not now--"tis not the season.

MARY.

Ah! woe is me! I"ve prayed for my destruction, And, as a curse to me, my prayer is heard.

We never should have seen each other--never!

Oh, this can never, never come to good.

Rather in love could fire and water meet, The timid lamb embrace the roaring tiger!

I have been hurt too grievously; she hath Too grievously oppressed me;--no atonement Can make us friends!

SHREWSBURY.

First see her, face to face: Did I not see how she was moved at reading Your letter? How her eyes were drowned in tears?

No--she is not unfeeling; only place More confidence in her. It was for this That I came on before her, to entreat you To be collected--to admonish you----

MARY (seizing his hand).

Oh, Talbot! you have ever been my friend, Had I but stayed beneath your kindly care!

They have, indeed, misused me, Shrewsbury.

SHREWSBURY.

Let all be now forgot, and only think How to receive her with submissiveness.

MARY.

Is Burleigh with her, too, my evil genius?

SHREWSBURY.

No one attends her but the Earl of Leicester.

MARY.

Lord Leicester?

SHREWSBURY.

Fear not him; it is not he Who wishes your destruction;--"twas his work That here the queen hath granted you this meeting.

MARY.

Ah! well I knew it.

SHREWSBURY.

What?