Page:Matteo Bandello - twelve stories (IA cu31924102029083).pdf/252

 his horse, telling the folk of his house that next day he would soon return.

So he set out for Verona, travelling at great speed, and got there at the hour of the Ave Maria. He at once went to look for Pietro, who was at home, and had done all that he had been told to do. About the fourth hour of the night they both started for San Francesco, taking all necessary tools with them, and on reaching Giulietta's tomb they adroitly opened it and propped up the lid. Romeo had told Pietro to bring a dark lantern with him, which helped them not a little in their work. Entering the tomb, Romeo saw his darling wife lying there, to all appearance cold and dead. At the sight he swooned, and sank down at her side overcome with grief. Then, recovering himself, he tenderly kissed and embraced her, bathing her face with scalding tears, as sobs choked his utterance. But after a long spell of weeping he found his voice, and spoke words that must have touched the hardest of hard hearts to pity.

As he had resolved to be quit of life, he took the phial containing the poison, and putting it to his lips drained it at one draught.