"
The old lawyer flung down on the table, with a clatter, a paper-
knife which he had taken into his hand while speaking, and rising
abruptly from his chair, took one or two turns across the room
before he answered a word. Then coming in front of the Marchese, and
still continuing to stand, he said,
"You have warned me, Signor Marchese, not to make any remarks on the
communication you have just made to me. There is one, however, which
perforce I must make. It is that I must decline to take any
instructions, or to act in any way, for the forwarding of such a
purpose."
"There are other attorneys in Ravenna, Signor Fortini."
"Plenty, Signor Marchese; plenty who will be abundantly ready to do
your bidding. But Giovacchino Fortini will not. Good heaven! I
should expect to have my dear and honoured old friend and patron,
your father, coming out of his grave to upbraid me. Signor Marchese,
you know right well--as well as I do myself--that at this time of
day, I don't care two straws, as a mere matter of gain, whether I
continue to be honoured with the transaction of your legal affairs
or not. But I do care on other grounds. And I do implore you to
believe that I am speaking to you more as a friend than as a
lawyer;--that I am speaking to you as the whole city would speak,
and will speak when it hears of this--this incredible--this
monstrous notion,--when I entreat you to think yet further on this
most disastrous purpose.
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