"
"But I don't see what interest or wish he can have to hide anything
from us," said Fortini.
"N--n--no; one don't see that he should have but one can't be too
suspicious, mio buono Signor Giovacchino," said the police
authority; "and then, what does he mean by being ill?" he added,
after a little thought; "he was well yesterday. It looks me very
much as if he did not want to be questioned."
"I should not think that he can have much to tell. We shall see
whether his account confirms the story of the girl as to what took
place in the church. But the probability is that that part of her
tale is all true enough. The question is what did she do with
herself during all those hours that elapsed between the time she
quitted the church and the time when she reached her home? And I
have little hope that the friar should be able to throw any light
upon that," said the lawyer.
"We shall see; here comes the lay-brother. Ugh! what a life it must
be to live in such a place as this from one year's end to the other;
nothing but a frate could stand it," said the Commissary, looking
upon the desolation around him with infinite disgust.
"Father Fabiano is not much fit to speak to anybody; the cold fit of
the ague is very strong upon him. But if you choose to go up to him
you can--specially as there is nothing to stop you.
Pages:
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555