But the weapon used is a needle. Is it more likely that a man
or that a woman should have by chance such an article about them? I
confess it seems to me that this circumstance alone is sufficient to
turn the scale of the probabilities unmistakably."
"But that is not all," said the Commissary, laying his finger
impressively on the lawyer's sleeve; "my belief is that that old
friar, padre Fabiano, is aware of the fact that the murder was
committed by Paolina Foscarelli. I am not disposed to think that he
had any hand in the doing of the deed; but I think the he has a
knowledge of her guilt. He is ill now, doubtless; but I do not
believe that he is suffering from fever and ague. He is suffering
from the emotions of horror and terror. We know that he was in the
Pineta much about the time at which the murder must have been
committed, and very near the spot where it must have been committed.
And he comes back in a state of terrible emotion and consternation.
His manner in speaking to us to-day you must have observed. I have
no belief in an old friar being so terribly impressed by the mere
sight of a dead body."
"That is all true," said the lawyer, nodding his head up and down
several times; "and the circumstances do seem to point to the
probability of your conclusion; but--"
"But why, you will say, should the old man, if he has a merely
innocent knowledge of that which I suspect him to know, refuse to
tell the whole truth simply as he knows it? I will tell you why not.
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