"And if you will take my advice, Signora, I think that the best
thing you could do would be to go to Signor Fortini, the lawyer, who
is interested in the matter on account of being the lawyer of the
Castelmare family. I have always heard him spoken of as an upright
and respectable man. I have heard my uncle speak well of him. If I
were you I would go and talk to him; you will very easily find out
where his studio is. Go and tell him who you are, and what your
interest in the matter is, and I have no doubt but that he will
receive you kindly and listen to what you have to say."
And Signora Orsola took the Contessa Violante's advice, and went
directly to the lawyer's studio in the little cloister under the
walls of the cathedral, on leaving her adviser. As Violante had
said, she had no difficulty whatever in finding it.
The lawyer was at home, and Signora Orsola was at once ushered into
the inner studio, which has been described in a former chapter.
Signor Fortini was, to all appearances, entirely unoccupied; but it
is probable that his mind was fully employed in striving to see his
way through some portion of the difficulties that hedged about on
all sides the subject on which, more or less, all Ravenna was
intent. He was sitting before his table, thickly covered with
papers; but had thrown himself back in his leather-covered arm-
chair, and was grasping his stubbly chin with one hand, the elbow
belonging to which rested on the arm of his chair, while the dark
eyes, shining out beneath his contracted forehead, were fixed on the
ceiling of the little room.
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