CHAPTER II.
As Cethegus emerged from the subterranean chamber into the ground-floorof the palace, and prepared to follow the Queen, his ear was caught andhis progress arrested by the solemn and sorrowful tones of flutes. Heguessed what it meant.
His first impulse was to turn aside. But he presently decided toremain.
It would happen some time, therefore it was best at once. He must findout how far she was informed.
The tones of the flutes came nearer, alternating with a monotonousdirge. Cethegus stepped into a wide niche of the dark corridor, intowhich the head of a little procession already turned.
Foremost came, two by two, six noble Roman maidens, covered with greymourning veils, carrying reversed torches. Then followed a priest,before whom was borne the tall banner of the Cross, with longstreamers. Next came a troop of the freedmen of the family of Boethius,led by Corbulo and the flute-players. Then followed, borne by fourRoman girls, an open coffin, covered with flowers. Upon it lay, on awhite linen cloth, the dead Camilla, in bridal ornaments, a wreath inher dark hair, an expression of smiling peace upon her slightly-openedlips.
Behind the coffin, with loosened hair, staring fixedly before her, camethe unhappy mother, surrounded by matrons, who supported her sinkingform.
A company of female slaves closed the procession, which slowlydisappeared 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 largeeyes, and appeared to seek for something. 'Where has he gone?' sheasked her mother. 'Ah, I see him!' she then cried, and rose from hercushions. 'Child, my child, where will you go?' cried my mistress,weeping. 'Oh, there!' she replied with a rapturous smile; 'to the Islesof 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 forever!"
"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 thesame tomb."
"But what says the physician? How could she die so suddenly?"
"Alas! the physician saw her only for a moment; he was too muchoccupied with the royal corpse; and then my mistress would not sufferthe strange man to touch her daughter. It is just her heart that hasbeen broken; one can easily die of that! But peace--they come!"
The procession returned in the same order as before, but without thecoffin. 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 andseemed 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 draughtthat caused his death."
"All is well," thought Cethegus. "She has no suspicion that Camilladrank, and still less that I saw her do so.--It is a terrible stroke ofFate!" he said aloud. "But reflect, what would have followed had shelived? She loved him!"
"What would have followed?" cried Rusticiana, receding. "Oh, if she butlived! Who can prevent love? Oh that she had become his--his wife--hismistress, provided only that she lived!"
"But you forget that he _must_ have died?"
"Must? Why must he have died? So that you might carry out yourambitious plans? Oh, selfishness without example!"
"They are your plans that I carry out, not mine; how often must Irepeat it? _You_ have conjured up the God of Revenge, not I. Why do youaccuse me if he demand a sacrifice? Think better of it. Farewell."
But Rusticiana violently seized his arm. "And that is all? And you havenothing more--not a word, not a tear for my child? And you would makeme believe that you have acted thus to avenge her, to avenge me? Youhave never had a heart! You did not even love her--coldly you see herdie! Ha, curses, curses upon thee!"
"Be silent, frantic woman!"
"Silent! no, I will speak and curse you! Oh that I knew of somethingthat was as dear to you as Camilla was to me! Oh that you, like me,could see your whole life's last and only joy torn away--that you couldsee it vanish, and despair! If there be a God in heaven you will liveto do so!"
Cethegus smiled.
"You do not believe in heavenly vengeance? Well, then, believe in thevengeance of a miserable mother! You shall tremble! I will hasten tothe Queen and tell her all! You shall die!"
"And you will die with me."
"With a smile--if only I can see you perish!" and she would havehurried away, but Cethegus held her back with an iron grasp.
"Stop, woman! Do you think that I am not on my guard with such as you?Your sons, Anicius and Severinus, are here in Italy, secretly--inRome--in my house. You know that death is the penalty of their return.A word--and they die with us. Then you may take to your husband yoursons, as well as your daughter, who has died by your means. Her bloodupon your head!" and quickly turning the angle of the corridor, hedisappeared.
"My sons!" cried Rusticiana, and sank down upon the marble pavement.
A few days after, the widow of Boethius, with Corbulo and Daphnidion,left the court for ever. In vain the Queen sought to detain her.
The faithful freedman took her back to the sheltered Villa of Tifernum,which she now deeply regretted ever having left. There, in the place ofthe little Temple of Venus, she erected a basilica, in the crypt ofwhich an urn was placed, containing the hearts of the two lovers.
In her passionate soul her prayers for the salvation of her child wereinseparably bound up with a petition for revenge upon Cethegus, whosereal share in Camilla's death she did not even suspect; she only feltthat he had used mother and daughter as tools for his plans, and hadsacrificed the girl's happiness and life with heartless coldness.
And scarcely less continuously than the flame of the eternal lampbefore the urn, the prayer and the curse of the lonely mother rose upto heaven.
The hour came which disclosed to her all the Prefect's guilt, and thevengeance which she called down from heaven did not tarry.