Two children running by, stopped, gazed, came nearer, and then at what they saw, fled, screaming. No one else approached. The world seemed empty. Twilight began to fall. Then in his half-delirium Count Conrad thought again of the dead bird, and laughed wolfishly to himself, making with tottering steps back toward the hollow. To search coherently for food or drink or succor was now beyond his power. Presently again he sank across the grass and lay there crying like a child, whimpering and whispering. Once or twice he made an effort, snatched at the long grass, fell back again, and lay now in silence.
After a time, but while it was still light, he seemed to wake as from a trance, and saw a figure moving down the glade toward him. Was he still living? He could scarcely tell. Was this Visconti come again to mock him? The thought spurred the man, though dying, almost to strive to rise and meet his fate standing. But sky, grass, trees, and stone reeled about him in a chaos of green and blue. He strove to speak, but his tongue refused. The dark figure came nearer, stopped beside him, stooped and spoke, but Count Conrad did not see nor heed. He lay, a woeful spectacle, as if dead indeed.
He awoke, as he thought never to wake again, with moistened lips, and water on his forehead, and a face that was not Visconti's bending over him; a dark face with strange brown eyes that looked at him with sombre interest.
"Thou comest from the Duke?" gasped Conrad. Francisco shook his head.
"Then thou comest to save me?" whispered Conrad eagerly, hope dawning in his eyes.
"I will save thee if I can," replied Francisco. "Thou art alone?"
Conrad moved his head. He was too weak for more. Then a sudden thought shot horror into his face, and he struggled to a sitting posture.
"The water!" he gasped out. "The water--from the fountain--thou gave me to drink of that?"
Francisco followed in surprise the direction of his glance.
"No," he said. "I had it with me; 'twas water and wine too."
"Oh!" Conrad sank back. "The water is poisoned--all----"
"Poisoned--Visconti's doing!" said Francisco.
"How didst thou get in?" whispered Conrad feebly. "Visconti barred all entrances."
"I found one unknown to any; canst thou, with my help, walk there?"