“Ay, dear child; my mother was starved, Drusus was starved--I too will starve.” Supported by Psyche, she went into the building, into her room. She then prepared for bed, as if it were night. She laid herself upon her couch with eyes closed. She said nothing, but groaned incessantly. A day passed by--two days--without her eating or drinking anything. She resolutely refused food and drink, notwithstanding the pleadings of her companion. On the third day the officer presented himself before Agrippina and commanded her to eat and drink. “That will I not do,” said Agrippina. “I am ordered to make thee eat,” said the officer. “From whom comes that order?” “From the emperor.” “Tell him that I refuse.” The officer withdrew. He sent a letter to Capri, asking for further instructions. The answer was borne by a new officer, the previous one having been arrested for disobedience. The new officer was a man with a brutal face. He spoke with a growl. He entered Agrippina’s room, accompanied by two soldiers equally brutal in appearance. He said to Agrippina: “The old officer has lost his position for disobedience. That wrong is punishable by death at Capri. I have been ordered to make thee eat.” “Does the emperor think that he can force me?” asked Agrippina. “Ay; and I have brought thee some bread and water.” Agrippina made no reply. “I insist that thou shalt eat.” “I refuse.” “Again I insist,” said the officer, becoming angry. “Again I refuse.” “In the name of the emperor, I command thee to eat.” Agrippina made no reply. “Bind her and force open her mouth!” shouted the officer. Psyche tried to interfere, and called for help. One of the soldiers held Agrippina’s head; the other, with his sword, tried to pry open her mouth. The officer stood leaning over her, with some bread soaked in water. So roughly did the soldier use his sword that it slipped, and, tearing Agrippina’s lip and cheek, gouged out her eye. At this sickening sight Psyche swooned. Finally the brutes succeeded in opening her mouth, and the officer forced some bread down her throat. This frightful ordeal ended, the women were then left alone. When Psyche returned to consciousness, her mind seemed paralyzed with horror, but her tender heart prompted her to relieve the suffering of the tortured woman. She tied a bandage over the wounded eye of Agrippina, and procuring a basin of water, bathed the torn lip and cheek of her mistress. “Dost thou suffer much pain?” softly whispered Psyche. “My body pains, my dear child. My mind is dead,” she answered in a hollow voice that sounded like a whisper from a tomb. “What is there that I can do for thee, my lady?” “Nothing, my child. They may try to force me again, but I am resolved to die. Speak to me no more, I pray thee.” Through the remaining hours of that day and all that night Psyche never left her mistress. The next morning the dancing-girl was cruelly forced to leave Pandataria and go to Rome.