Access Online - The European Library

228ARIADNE.The one for whom he had died she must notknow!oh, she must never know!Isaid to myself;yet how keep from her what all Romemourned, how deafen her ear to the woe thatwas a whole city's ?Istaggered up to the house on the GoldenHill,why,Iknow not, only as aU Rome wasflocking there; there was a great multitudebefore the gates, and there were throngs of hisown friends in the green garden ways.The old bhnd womanwithin heard the noise ofthe many feet, andnodded her head." That is all the princes come for him,Idaresay:he lives with the kings, you know," andthen, for she grew childish,she sent her maids" about: Go, tell them he is not home, but hewill be home to-night; yes, to-night. Ibadehim notbe long."And no one could be found who woulcl tell herthe truth. AVhen at last a priest told her, shewould not believe. She shook her head." Dead before me ? Nay,nay, Godis good."AVhen the priest sadly insisted, she would nothear.