498 RETGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 45. door. It boded ill for the supposed reconciliation that the Prince's father, though in the castle at the time, remained in his own room, either still brooding over his wrongs and afraid that some insult should be passed upon him, or else forbidden by the Queen to appear. As soon as the baptism was over the suit for the re- storation of Morton was continued : Bedford added his intercession to that of Murray ; Both well, Athol, and all the other noblemen joined in the entreaty ; and on the 24th the Queen with some affectation of reluctance gave way. George Douglas, who had been the first to strike Rizzio, and Faldonside, who had held a pistol to her breast, were alone excepted from a general and final pardon. 1 Under any circumstances it could only have been with terror that Darnley could have encountered Morton and young Ruthven ; but the conversation at Craig- millar, which had stolen into England, had been carried equally to his own ear. He knew that the pardon of Rizzio's murderers had been connected with his own destruction ; and a whisper had reached him also of the bond which, though unsigned by the Queen, had been ' drawn by her own device/ 2 Snlgngr as ]jorton re- mained in exile he could hope_that_ jfche conspiracy against him was incomplete. The proclamation of the pardon was his death-knell, and the same night, swiftly, ' without word spoken or leave taken, he stole away from Stirling and fled to his father.' 1 Bedford to Cecil, December 30 : Scotch MSS. Molls House. 2 Deposition of Thomas Crawford : MS. Ibid.
