Seeing the others terrified and paralysed, it had struck her common-sense that her mistress was alone.

Corona understood.
"Help me to carry him," she said, quietly; and the peasant and the noble lady stooped and lifted the dead duke, and bore him to his chamber without a word, and laid him tenderly upon his bed.
"Send for the doctor," said Corona; "I will watch beside him." "But, Excellency, are you not afraid ?" asked the woman.
Corona's lip curled a little.
"I am not afraid," she answered.

"Send at once." When the woman was gone, she sat down by the bedside and waited.

Her tears were dry now, but she could not think.

She waited motionless for an hour.