The Daughter of an Empress

"Give the ten thousand scudi at once!" said Albani, with decision.

"And the drops?"

"The pope's wine is too strong: I will reduce it a little with this pure

water."(*) (*) The poison, Acqua Tofana, is pure and clear as water,

without taste or smell. It is prepared from opium and

Spanish flies, combined with some other ingredients, which,

however, are only known to the makers of it. That the Acqua

Tofana is made from the foam sometimes found upon the lips

of the dying, is an idle tale. Allessandro Borgia was the

first to bring it into use.