We will not narrate what took place in the chamber of the Princess.

The nerves of the unfortunate woman had been so wrought upon by her
fears, that her husband's brutal rage, familiar to her from long
experience, now possessed a new and alarming significance. His
threats were terrible to hear; she fell into convulsions, and
before morning her tormented life was at an end.

There was now something else to think of, and the smashing of
porcelain and cracking of whips came to an end. The Archimandrite
was summoned, and preparations, both religious and secular, were
made for a funeral worthy the rank of the deceased. Thousands
flocked to Kinesma; and when the immense procession moved away from
the castle, although very few of the persons had ever known or
cared in the least, for the Princess Martha, all, without
exception, shed profuse tears. Yes, there was one exception,--one
bare, dry rock, rising alone out of the universal deluge,--Prince
Alexis himself, who walked behind the coffin, his eyes fixed
and his features rigid as stone. They remarked that his face was
haggard, and that the fiery tinge on his cheeks and nose had faded
into livid purple. The only sign of emotion which he gave was a
convulsive shudder, which from time to time passed over his whole
body.

Three archimandrites (abbots)and one hundred priests headed the
solemn funeral procession from the castle to the church on the
opposite hill. There the mass for the dead was chanted, the
responses being sung by a choir of silvery boyish voices. All the
appointments were of the costliest character. Not only all those