Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/209

 1564.] THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 189 She commanded herself so far as to listen cautiously. She objected to Dudley's inferiority of rank and said that a marriage with him would impair her honour. It was honour enough, Randolph replied, to inherit such a kingdom as England. ' She looked not/ she said, ' for the kingdom, for her sister might marry and was likely to live longer than herself; she was obliged to consider her own and her friends' expectations, and she did not think they would agree that she should abase her state- so far.' So far she answered in public ; but Mary Stuart' art was to affect a peculiar confidence in the person whom she was addressing. She waited till she wai alone, and then detaining Randolph when the courtiers were gone she said : 1 Now, Mr Randolph, tell me, does your mistress in good earnest wish me to marry my Lord Robert ? ' Randolph assured her that it was so. ' Is that,' she said, ' conform to her promise to use me as a sister or daughter to marry me to her subject ? ' Randolph thought it was. ' If I were a sister or a daughter,' she said, ' were it not better to match me where some alliance or friend- ship might ensue than to marry me where neither could be increased ? ' The alliance which his sovereign desired, Randolph answered, was the perpetual union of the two realms jn a single monarchy. 'The Queen your mistress,' she said, ' being assured of me, might let me marry where it may like me ; and I