"My place is by his side,—no matter what befall! If I am killed,—never was death more welcome! Farewell, Otto—farewell—"
Her voice broke. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed piteously.
He drew them down with gentle force.
"It is not my purpose to detain you here! All I ask of you, is to wait, until my order has had time to reach Eckhardt. After the Senator has yielded,—you may go to him,—I will then myself have you escorted to Castel San Angelo. For the sake of the past,—wait!"
"The past! The past! That can never, never be revived!" she moaned. "Oh, that I were dead, that I were dead!"
He took her in his arms.
"My love,—my own,—I cannot hear you speak thus—take courage! I have long forgiven you!"
Her head rested on his shoulders. For a moment they seemed to have forgotten the world and all around them.
Suddenly the rush of mailed feet resounded in the ante-room. The door of the chamber was unceremoniously thrust open and Haco, captain of the imperial guard, entered the apartment, recoiling almost as quickly as he had done so, at the unexpected sight which met his gaze.
"How dare you?" Otto accosted him with flaming eyes, while Stephania had retreated into the shadows, covering her face, which was pale as death, with her hands.