"
"I am delighted, Signor Marchese, to have obtained from you at least
thus much. It is at all events something gained. And I shall still
hope, that further reflection may lead you to change your purpose.
Hoping that, I shall, you may depend upon it, breathe no word of
what you have said to me to any living soul. But you must understand
that, without such hope, I should have deemed it my duty to speak on
the subject with the Marchese Ludovico."
"How so, Signor Fortini? A lawyer--"
"Very true, Signor Marchese. A lawyer, as you would observe, is
addressed by his client in confidence, and the confidence should be
sacred. But you must remember that I have the honour to act in this,
as I and my father have done on all other occasions for now three
generations, not only for your lordship, but for the whole of the
family. I am the legal adviser of the Marchese Ludovico, as I was
his father's, and as I am yours. It is my duty, therefore, as I
understand it, to look upon myself as bound to consider the welfare
and interests of the entire family; and I need not remark to you how
cruelly those of the Marchese Ludovico would be compromised by such
an event as we were contemplating just now."
"With regard to speaking to my nephew on the subject, Signor
Fortini, I can have no objection to your doing so, if you think it
your duty.
Pages:
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90