Foremost came, two by two, six noble Roman maidens, covered with grey mourning veils, carrying reversed torches. Then followed a priest, before whom was borne the tall banner of the Cross, with long streamers. Next came a troop of the freedmen of the family of Boëthius, led by Corbulo and the flute-players. Then followed, borne by four Roman girls, an open coffin, covered with flowers. Upon it lay, on a white linen cloth, the dead Camilla, in bridal ornaments, a wreath in her dark hair, an expression of smiling peace upon her slightly-opened lips. Behind the coffin, with loosened hair, staring fixedly before her, came the unhappy mother, surrounded by matrons, who supported her sinking form. A company of female slaves closed the procession, which slowly disappeared into the vault. Cethegus recognised the sobbing Daphnidion, and stopped her. "When did she die?" he asked calmly. "Oh, sir, a few hours ago! Oh, the good, kind, beautiful Domna!" "Did she ever awaken to full consciousness?" "No, sir, never. Only quite at the last she once more opened her large eyes, and appeared to seek for something. 'Where has he gone?' she asked her mother. 'Ah, I see him!' she then cried, and rose from her cushions. 'Child, my child, where will you go?' cried my mistress, weeping. 'Oh, there!' she replied with a rapturous smile; 'to the Isles of the Blessed!' and she closed her eyes and fell back upon her couch; that lovely smile remained upon her lips--and she was gone, gone for ever!" "Who has caused her to be brought down here?" "The Queen. She learned everything, and gave orders that the deceased, as the bride of her son, should be laid beside him and buried in the same tomb." "But what says the physician? How could she die so suddenly?" "Alas! the physician saw her only for a moment; he was too much occupied with the royal corpse; and then my mistress would not suffer the strange man to touch her daughter. It is just her heart that has been broken; one can easily die of that! But peace--they come!" The procession returned in the same order as before, but without the coffin. Daphnidion joined it. Only Rusticiana was missing. Cethegus quietly walked up and down the corridor, to wait for her. At last her bowed-down form came slowly up the steps. She staggered and seemed about to fall. Cethegus quickly caught her arm. "Rusticiana, take courage!" "You here? God! you also loved her! And we--we two have murdered her!" and she sank upon his shoulder. "Silence, unhappy woman!" he whispered, looking around. "Alas! I, her own mother, have killed her! I mixed the fatal draught that caused his death." "All is well," thought Cethegus. "She has no suspicion that Camilla drank, and still less that I saw her do so.--It is a terrible stroke of Fate!" he said aloud. "But reflect, what would have followed had she lived? She loved him!"