"
"Bah, what senseless nonsense!" interrupted the Commissary,
indignantly.
"Of course. I pointed out to the old lady that her theory was,
according to the medical testimony, simply impossible; but that
naturally made not the slightest difference in her opinion of the
matter. And then, aided by a little gentle assistance, she prattled
on, an old fool, admitting, or insisting rather, that there had been
bitter hatred and animosity between Paolina and the murdered woman;
that Paolina had conceived the bitterest jealousy of the singer;
that she was persuaded that the latter was scheming with a set
purpose to lure her acknowledged lover, the Marchese, away from her;
that she was further persuaded that the singer nourished the
bitterest hatred of her, Paolina. What do you say to that, Signor
Commissary? How does the land lie now, eh?" said the lawyer,
triumphantly, in conclusion.
Signor Pietro nodded his head with most emphatic approbation and
confirmation of his friend's opinion.
"Is not it the more likely story in every way?" pursued the lawyer;
"just look at it. The Marchese is known to every man, woman, and
child in Ravenna; and being known for what he is, it would be
difficult to persuade anybody that he had lifted his hand to murder
a defenceless and sleeping woman. But we can all of us easily
understand that it is exceedingly likely that he may have so behaved
as to make these two women furiously jealous of each other; at least
to have made this girl Paolina, to whom, it seems, he had promised
marriage, desperately furious against the other, whom she had but
too good reason to suspect of having attracted the preference of the
Marchese.
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