to-morrow, to-morrow.... After the
saddest nights ... the mornings come again...."

The professor rose and mixed a powder in a glass of water:

"Drink this, highness...."

Othomar drank.

"And now lie quiet and close those wide eyes."

"I shall not be able to sleep though...."

"That is not necessary, only close those eyes...."

Barzia stroked them with his hand; the prince kept them closed. His hand
again lay in the hand of the professor.

A hush descended upon the room. Outside, in the corridors and galleries,
perplexed steps approached at times, from the distance, in futile haste;
then they sounded away, far away, in despair. A world of sorrow seemed
to fill the palace, there, outside that room, until it held every hall
of it with its dark, tenebrous woe. But in this one room nothing
stirred. The professor sat still and stared before him, absorbed in
thought; the crown-prince had fallen asleep like a child.

7

Next morning the day rose upon an empire in mourning. Prince Berengar
had passed away in the night.

Othomar had slept long and woke late, as in a strange calm. When
Professor Barzia told him of the young prince's end--the apathy of the
last moments, after a raging fever--it seemed to him as if he already
knew it. The great sorrow which he felt was singularly peaceful, without
rebellion in his heart, and surprised himself. He remained lying calmly
when the professor forbade him to get up. He pictured to himself without
emotion the little prince, motionless, with his eyes closed, on his
camp-bed. Mechanically he folded his hands and prayed for his brother's
little soul.

He was not allowed to leave his room that day and saw only the empress,
who came to him for an instant. He was not at all surprised that she too
was calm, dry-eyed: she had not yet shed tears. Even when he raised
himself from his pillows and embraced her, she did not cry. Nor did he
cry, but only his own calmness astonished him: not hers. She stayed for
but a moment; then she went away, as though with mechanical steps, and
he was left alone. He saw nobody else that day except Barzia: not even
Andro entered his room.

Outside the chamber, the prince, judging from certain steps in the
corridors, certain sounds of voices--the little that penetrated to
him--could divine the sorrow of the palace; he pictured sad tidings
spreading through the land, through Europe and causing people to stand
in consternation in the presence of dea