The Duchess raised the bandage from her face, and said: "Well! what are we about then ?" He answered: "The cord was not quite right, and I am going to get another, in order that you may not suffer." When he returned to the room, he arranged the handkerchief again, fixed the cord, turned the wand in the knot behind her neck, and strangled her.

The whole incident, on the part of the Duchess, passed in the tone of ordinary conversation.

She died like a good Christian, frequently repeating the words _Credo, Credo_.
Contrary to the usual custom and opinion of the age, this murder of an erring wife and sister formed part of the accusations brought against the Duke of Palliano and Count Aliffe.

It will be remembered that they were executed in Rome, together with the elder Cardinal Caraffa, during the pontificate of Pius IV.
_Wife-Murders._ It would be difficult to give any adequate notion of the frequency of wife-murders at this epoch in the higher ranks of society.

I will, however, mention a few, noticed by me in the course of study.