A boy, belonging to one of the
gate officials, brought, at the lawyer's bidding, a glass of cold
water, by the help of which the young Marchese was quickly restored
to consciousness. He was able to rise to his feet again before the
officers had concluded their official questioning of those who had
brought in the body. And the lawyer looked anxiously into his face
to ascertain that he was capable of understanding what was said to
him, as he stood, still apparently half-stunned by the shock of the
event, against the doorway of the little dwelling of the
gatekeepers.
"Stand where you are and say nothing; we will go away together
presently," whispered the lawyer in his ear, griping him hard at the
same time by the arm, and giving him a little shake, as if to rouse
him to comprehension; a mode of speaking and acting on the part of
Signor Fortini, which would have seemed very extraordinary to the
young Marchese at any other time, but which he was now too much
overpowered by what had happened to notice.
Signor Fortini had no official character or function, which in any
way gave him the right, or made it his duty to meddle with the
circumstances, that had occurred by chance in his presence. But he
was so well known to all the city, was mixed in one way or another
with so many matters of business, and was so much and so generally
looked up to, that the people at the gate, hardly knowing what their
own duty required of them under circumstances so unusual, turned to
him for directions as to what they ought to do.
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