We know that the means adopted for the perpetration
of the crime were such as to be quite within a woman's physical
power, and that the weapon used for the purpose such as a woman may
much more readily be supposed to have about her than a man; what do
you say to that as a theory of the facts? Is not the evidence
overpoweringly strong against this Venetian?"
"Of course my own attention had been called to the case of suspicion
against her. But I confess I had not been struck by the last
circumstance you mention; and it seems to me a very strong one. How
can it be supposed that a man--a man like the Marchese Ludovico--
should chance to have a needle about him? The case of suspicion
against him, mark, altogether excludes the notion that he went out
prepared to take the life of this unfortunate woman. It is suggested
that he put her to death in order to escape from the ruin that would
have ensued from his uncle's marriage with her. No other possible
motive for such a deed can be conceived. But he knew nothing of any
such purpose on the part of the Marchese till the girl herself told
him of it as they were driving together to the forest. Therefore, he
had not come out prepared with a needle for the purpose of
committing murder. Neither, it is true, does the theory we are
considering suppose that Paolina came out prepared to do such a
deed.
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