"
"Signor Fortini, I am innocent of this crime. It is a crime which
sickens me with horror to think of. What passed in the Pineta passed
exactly as I told you. I left that unhappy girl sleeping, intending
to be absent from her but a few minutes. And as there is a God in
heaven I never again saw her till I saw her dead at the gate," said
Ludovico, speaking with intense earnestness.
"But even if you should convince me, Signor Marchese, that such were
in truth the case, whom else do you think you would be able to
convince? Not one, not a single soul; above all, certainly not one
of those who are used to the investigation of crime, or of those who
would have to pronounce judgment on it. If I were perfectly and
entirely persuaded of your innocence I should still urge you to fly.
The facts of the case are too strong against you."
"But is that the advice you would give to an innocent man, Signor
Fortini? Is that the course which an innocent man would take? Should
I not by flying add such an additional damning circumstance to the
other grounds of suspicion, as to render all possible hope of
clearing myself vain?" remonstrated Ludovico.
"It is true, it would do so; and the argument is, I am bound to say,
the argument of an innocent man. In any other case, in any other
case, I should say face inquiry and prove your innocence.
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