1567.] ThE MURDER OF DARNLE Y. 519 it before the Queen should go. Powrie and Wilson were dismissed ; Hepburn and the three others dragged the bags through the cellar into Mary Stuart's room. They had intended to put the powder into a cask, but the door was too narrow, so they carried it as it was and poured it out in a heap upon the floor. They blundered in the darkness. Bothwell, who was listening in the room above, heard them stumbling at their work, and stole down to warn them to be silent ; but by that time all was in its place. The dark mass in which the fire-spirit lay imprisoned rose dimly from the ground ; the match was in its place, and the Earl glided back to the Queen's side. It was now past midnight. Hay and Hepburn were to remain with the powder alone. 'You know what you have to do/ Ormeston whispered ; ' when all is quiet above, you fire the end of the lint and come away/ With these words Ormeston passed stealthily into the garden. Paris, who had been assisting in the ar- rangement, went upstairs to the King's room, and his appearance was the signal concerted beforehand for the party to break up. Bothwell whispered a few words in Ar gyle's ear ; Argyle touched Paris on the back signi- ficantly : there was a pause the length of a Paternos- ter 1 when the Queen suddenly recollected that there was a masque and a dance at the Palace on the occasion of the marriage, and that she had promised to be present. 1 Examination of Paris : PITCAIRN.
