g about the
conjunction (_adoperandol tu_).]

[Footnote 222: _i.e._ Guiscardo's soul.]

[Footnote 223: _i.e._ in the heart.]

So saying, no otherwise than as she had a fountain of water in her
head, bowing herself over the bowl, without making any womanly outcry,
she began, lamenting, to shed so many and such tears that they were a
marvel to behold, kissing the dead heart the while an infinite number
of times. Her women, who stood about her, understood not what this
heart was nor what her words meant, but, overcome with compassion,
wept all and in vain questioned her affectionately of the cause of her
lament and studied yet more, as best they knew and might, to comfort
her. The lady, having wept as much as herseemed fit, raised her head
and drying her eyes, said, 'O much-loved heart, I have accomplished
mine every office towards thee, nor is there left me aught else to do
save to come with my soul and bear thine company.' So saying, she
called for the vial wherein was the water she had made the day before
and poured the latter into the bowl where was the heart bathed with so
many of her tears; then, setting her mouth thereto without any fear,
she drank it all off and having drunken, mounted, with the cup in her
hand, upon the bed, where composing her body as most decently she
might, she pressed her dead lover's heart to her own and without
saying aught, awaited death.

Her women, seeing and hearing all this, albeit they knew not what
water this was she had drunken, had sent to tell Tancred everything,
and he, fearing that which came to pass, came quickly down into his
daughter's chamber, where he arrived what time she laid herself on her
bed and addressed himself too late to comfort her with soft words;
but, seeing the extremity wherein she was, he fell a-weeping
grievously; whereupon quoth the lady to him, 'Tancred, keep these
tears against a less desired fate than this of mine and give them not
to me, who desire them not. Who ever saw any, other than thou, lament
for that which he himself hath willed? Nevertheless, if aught yet live
in thee of the love which once thou borest me, vouchsafe me for a last
boon that, since it was not thy pleasure that I should privily and in
secret live with Guiscardo, my body may openly abide with his,
whereassoever thou hast caused cast him dead.' The agony of his grief
suffered not the prince to reply; whereupon the young lady, feeling
herself come to her end, strained the dead he