And he gave no assistance himself towards
arriving at any satisfactory explanation of so strange a
circumstance. He was unable, or unwilling, to account in any way for
his conduct on that Ash Wednesday morning.
"He had thought it pleasanter to take a walk that fine morning, than
to go to bed after the ball."
Nothing could be more unlike the usual known habits and tastes of
the Conte Leandro, than such a freak. But supposing such a whim to
have occurred to him, would he have set out on his walk evidently
intending to be disguised--with a cloak wrapped round the fantastic
costume in which he had been at the ball? Was such a supposition in
any wise credible, or admissible?
In each of the three cases there seemed also to be a motive for the
deed that might be deemed sufficient to have led to it; and from
which neither of the parties suspected could show that they were
free.
In the case of the Marchese Ludovico, it was the terrible temptation
of delivering his family name from ridicule and disgrace, and
himself from the prospect of absolute beggary.
In the case of Paolina, it was the madness of woman's jealousy,
wrought to a pitch of desperation by circumstances similar to such
as had ere now produced many a similar tragedy.
In the case of the Conte Leandro, it was the cruel mortification of
a man whose monstrous vanity was notorious to the whole city.
Pages:
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574