’TWAS night—mirk night—the sleet beat on, | |
| The wind, as now, was rude, | |
| And I was lonely in my room | |
| In dreary Holyrood. | |
| I heard a cry, a tramp of men, | 5 |
| A clash of steel below, | |
| And from my window, in the court | |
| I saw the torches glow. | |
| More common were such sounds to me | |
| Than hum of evening hymn; | 10 |
| I caught my sword, and hurried out | |
| Along the passage dim. | |
| But O, the shriek that thrilled me then— | |
| The accents of despair, | |
| The man’s imploring agony, | 15 |
| The woman’s frantic prayer! | |
| “O, for the love of God and Christ, | |
| Have mercy—mercy—I! | |
| O mistress—Queen—protect me yet, | |
| I am not fit to die!” | 20 |
| “O God! stand by me, Darnley—you— | |
| My husband! will you see | |
| Black murder in my presence here! | |
| O God! he turns from me! | |
| Back—villains, back! you shall not strike, | 25 |
| Unless you slay me too. | |
| O help! help! help! they kill the Queen! | |
| Help! help! O nobles—you— | |
| O Ruthven—Douglas—as you trust | |
| For mercy in your need, | 30 |
| For Christ’s dear sake, be satisfied— | |
| Do not this monstrous deed! | |
| I’ll yield—O yes! I’ll break with France, | |
| Do anything you will, | |
| But spare him—spare him—spare him, friends! | 35 |
| Why should you seek to kill? | |
| O God! unloose me, Darnley! shame! | |
| Let go my arm, thou knave! | |
| To me—to me—all Scottish hearts— | |
| Help! Murder! Come and save!” | 40 |
| |
| A door flew wide. I saw them there— | |
| Ruthven in mail complete, | |
| George Douglas, Ker of Fawdonside, | |
| And Riccio at their feet. | |
| With rapiers drawn and pistols bent, | 45 |
| They seized their wretched prey; | |
| They wrenched her garments from his grasp, | |
| They stabbed him where he lay. | |
| I saw George Douglas raise his arm, | |
| I saw his dagger gleam; | 50 |
| And then I heard the dying yell, | |
| And Mary’s piteous scream. | |
| I saw her writhe in Darnley’s arms | |
| As in a serpent’s fold— | |
| The coward! he was pale as death, | 55 |
| But would not loose his hold! | |
| And then the torches waved and shook, | |
| And louder grew the din, | |
| And up the stair, and through the doors | |
| The rest came trooping in. | 60 |
| What could I do? No time was that | |
| To listen or to wait; | |
| Thronged were the rooms with furious men, | |
| And close beset the gate. | |
| Morton and Lindsay kept the court, | 65 |
| With many a deadly foe; | |
| And swords are swift to do their work | |
| When blood begins to flow. | |
| Darkling I traced the passage back | |
| As swiftly as I came, | 70 |
| For through the din that rose without | |
| I heard them shout my name. | |
| Enough!—that night one victim died | |
| Before Queen Mary’s face, | |
| And in my heart, I doomed that night | 75 |
| Another in his place. | |
| Not that I cared for Riccio’s life, | |
| They might have worked their will; | |
| Though base it was in men so high | |
| A helpless wretch to kill. | 80 |
| But I had seen my Queen profaned, | |
| Outraged before my face, | |
| By him, the dastard, heartless boy, | |
| The land’s and our disgrace. | |
| ’Twas he devised the felon plot— | 85 |
| ’Twas he that planned the crime— | |
| He led the murderers to her room— | |
| And—God—at what a time! * * * * * | |
| I was a witness on that night | |
| Of all his shame and guilt; | 90 |
| I saw his outrage on the Queen, | |
| I saw the blood he spilt; | |
| And, ere the day had dawned, I swore, | |
| Whilst spurring through the sand, | |
| I would avenge that treachery, | 95 |
| And slay him with my hand— | |
| Or, in the preachers’ cherished phrase, | |
| Would purge him from the land! | |
| |
