1 5 66.] THE DARNLEY MARRIAGE, 387 again lifted, and against the dark background, alone, his corslet glimmering through the folds of a crim- son sash, a steel cap on his head, and his face pale as if he had risen from the grave, stood the figure of Huthven. Glaring for a moment on Darnley, and answering his kiss with the one word ' Judas/ Mary Stuart con- fronted the awful apparition, and demanded the mean- ing of the intrusion. Pointing to Bizzio, and with a voice sepulchral as his features, Huthven answered : ' Let yon man come forth ; he has been here over long/
- "What has he done ? ' the Queen answered ; ' he is
here by my will.' ' What means this ? ' she said, turn- ning again on Darnley. The caitiff heart was already flinching. * Ce n'est rien ! ' he muttered. ' It is nothing ! ' l But those whom he had led into the business would not let it end in nothing. 'Madame/ said Ruthven, 'he has offended your honour ; he has offended your husband's honour ; he has caused your Majesty to banish a great part of the no- bility that he might be made a lord ; he has been the 1 Bedford and Randolph in their report from Berwick, said the King answered ' It was against her hon- our.' But these words were used by Ruthven. An original report, printed by TEULET, vol. ii. p. 262, compared with that given by Mary herself in the letter to the Archbishop of Glasgow, printed in KEITH, creates a belief that the words in the text were those which Darnley really used. They are more in keeping with his character.
