Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/201

1546.] same hour the drawbridge was lowered, and the front gates were thrown open, to admit the masons and the stone-carts. As the labourers were collecting, William Kirkaldy, the treasurer's eldest son, a boy of about seventeen, and five or six other young men, sauntered to the porter's lodge, and inquired if the Cardinal was stirring. They were told that he had not yet appeared, and they affected to be looking at the alterations, and asking indifferent questions, when presently the Master of Rothes came up, with two or three more, and afterwards John Leslie. The first two parties had caused no suspicion. It was daylight; the castle was full of men; and the idea of danger occurred to no one. John Leslie, however, was known to be on bad terms with Beton, and as he crossed the bridge, the porter started and attempted to close the gates. But the movement was too late. Kirkaldy struck him down with a single blow, snatched the keys from his girdle, and flung him into the foss. Leslie sprang through; the workmen, confused by the sudden surprise, and some of them perhaps in the secret of the plot, were thrust out, and the gates were locked behind them; and while young Grange kept guard over the postern, the rest of the party secured the servants in their rooms, and dismissed them one by one. Beton's apartment overlooked the quadrangle. Being disturbed by the noise, he threw open his window, and called to know the meaning of it. Some one cried that Norman Leslie had taken the castle. He drew back and darted to the back gate, but it was closed; he was caught in the trap, and returning to