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PERILS OF BRITANNICUS 191
'
Ask me
'
nothing/ said Titus ;
I was only just in time, if,
indeed, I have been in time.'
Britannieus was silent. He suspected that some attempt
had been made upon his life, and that it had been partially
frustrated by the faithfulness of his friend. He had no doubt
on the subject, when, a little later, he was seized with violent
pains. Happily, however, he had scarcely more than tasted
of the beccafico, and in the fit of sickness which followed,
nature came to his relief. His recovery was aided by the pure
and glowing state of his health. After a few hours of excruciating
agony he sank into a long refreshing sleep.
He woke in the twilight, to find himself lying on a couch,
while Octavia and Titus, sitting on either side of him, were
rubbing his cold hands.
'
'
Where am I ? he asked. ' Oh, I remember ! And he said
'
no more ;
but he took the hand of Titus, and drew his sister
near to him and kissed her.
The hearts of all three were too full for words, but as they
sat there a message came that the Augusta was coming
to visit
them.
Agrippina was of course admitted, and left her attendants
at the door. As the lovely haughty lady entered, they could
not help observing, even by the dim light of the two silver
lamps which had just been lit,
that a change had passed over
her features, and that she had been weeping. Haughty they
still were, but wrath and disappointment and failure, purchased
at the cost of crime, had stamped them with an expression of
agony, as though she wore the brand of Cain. When she heard
of the sudden illness of Britannieus, she divined its cause too
well. While her power was waning so rapidly, she had been
no longer able to maintain the elaborate system of espionage
which had helped her when she was Empress ;
but she, too,
was aware that Pollio had visited Locusta, and the misgiving
had seized her that the poison might be meant for herself.
That it turned out to be for Britannieus was hardly less appalling
to her. She felt that her imprudence had made Nero jealous
of him, and that his death would deprive her of her last resource.
She rejoiced, therefore, unfeignedly at the boy's
recovery, and when she visited him he saw that, for the first
time, she spoke with genuine kindness to Octavia, and that
her expressions of pity and condolence to himself were sincere.