I don't much
think the Conte had anything to do with it, for my part."
"What were you asking about at the gate?"
"Well, I thought I would just ascertain if any other parties had
passed the gate that same morning," said the Commissary.
"Others! Have we not enough to make a sufficient puzzle already?"
said Fortini.
"Yes, indeed; but information is always useful. The men say that
they are quite sure that no other person of any kind whatever passed
the gate either outwards or inwards, during the night till the Conte
Leandro passed in the morning; and then the girl not long
afterwards; and then the Marchesino with the prima donna."
The lawyer remained plunged in thought for some minutes, as the
carriage rolled over the flat dismal-looking road towards the old
church; and then he said, shaking his head, and pouting out his
lips,--
"I think we shall find, Signor Pietro, that that girl has done it.
There's nothing a jealous woman will not do. We shall find, I think,
that to have been the case; that is, if we succeed in finding out
anything at all. Perhaps the most likely thing is that we may never
know what hand did the deed."
"Oh, come, I hope better things than that. That would not suit our
book at all. We must find it out if we can; and it is early days yet
to talk of being beat. We are not half at the end of our means of
investigation yet, Signor Giovacchino," said the Commissary.
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