Poppæa was all graciousness; she bade Drusilla trust her friendship utterly. She had had herself her sorrow; whereat tears Orbed large her lucid eyes and fairer made. She quoted Dido out of Virgil, saying, "'Myself not inexperienced in distress, I learn to succor who are miserable.' My Otho--but that wound is yet too fresh! Why had lord Felix died so suddenly? He had no need to die so--if he took His own life rashly in despair; his cause Was far from lost--in fact, was safe enough--" "His brother Pallas," Nero interposed, "Had seen to that; but there were reasons of state Why his acquittal should not yet transpire." "Indeed I comforted my spouse with hope All that I could," Drusilla wiped a tear Responding, "and it was not suicide, I think now, but a prompted murder base." "Murder is rampant everywhere in Rome," The Rhadamanthine Nero sadly said; "But we think little of it till it stalks Into the sacred circle of our own And strikes down husband, mother, ruthlessly!" Poppæa and the emperor joined hands In tacit token of sweet sympathy. 'Such acting! Can I hope to equal it?' Drusilla, not a little dashed in spirit, Said to herself; 'yet let me not despair.' "Madam, thy husband's death must be avenged," So Nero, with imperial complaisance But in a manner to dismiss the theme. Accepting the dismissal meant, and yet Attaching to her dutiful reply A hint to tempt him on, Drusilla said: "I thank thy majesty for saying that; And the same stroke will many crimes avenge."