They told Violante that they had arrived to kill her, and offered her the offices of two Franciscan monks.

Before her death, the Duchess repeatedly insisted on her innocence, and received the Sacrament from the hands of Friar Antonio of Pavia.

The Count, her brother, then proceeded to her execution.

She covered her eyes with a handkerchief, which she, with perfect _sang froid_, drew somewhat lower in order to shut his sight out.

Then he adjusted the cord to her neck; but, finding that it would not exactly fit, he removed it and walked away.