We
must not expect, Signor Barone, that the judges will look at the
question quite with the same eyes that we do. They will have none of
the strong persuasion that we--ahem!--that the Marchese Ludovico's
friends have--that he is wholly incapable of committing such a
crime. On the other hand, they are men used to suspicion, and to the
habit of considering a certain amount of suspicion as equivalent to
moral certainty. And I confess--I must confess, my dear sir, that I
am very far from easy as to the result, if we should be unable to
find at least some counterbalancing possibilities, you understand?"
"But it seems to me, Signor, that such are already found; and it was
just upon this point that I was anxious to speak with you to-night.
I have just seen Ludovico. He sent for me to the Circolo. And what
he mainly wanted was to bid me go to the Signorina Paolina
Foscarelli, in order to prepare her for the probability of her own
arrest, and to comfort her with the assurance that no evil could
come to her. Also I was directed by him to tell you, that any
attempt to fix the guilt of this deed on the girl, would be met by
an avowal--a false avowal, of course--that he is himself the guilty
person."
"Ta, ta, ta, ta! Mere stuff, chatter, the talk of a boy in love with
a pretty girl," said the lawyer.
"Just so, just so.
Pages:
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520