Nor had Signor Fortini's cares and preparations ended there. He had
spoken with each one of the magistrates who were to try the case, in
no wise telling them of the Marchese's unwillingness to appear, but
representing the terrible state of mental and bodily prostration to
which the dreadful nature of the late events had very naturally
reduced him, and which would have rendered it utterly impossible for
him to appear in court, but for his indomitable will, and the high
sense of duty, which had led him to think it, under the
circumstances his duty to do so.
To no soul had he whispered a word of the Marchese's very marked
reluctance to attend at the trial, save to his old and intimate
friend of many years standing, the Professor Tomosarchi, whom he had
thought it advisable to consult as to the desirability of his seeing
the Marchese before he was called on to make the effort. To his
surprise he had found Tomosarchi almost as unwilling to see the
Marchese, as the Marchese had been to see him. He did not say at
once, as the latter had done, that he would not see him, But while
admitting the strong desirability that the Marchese should be
present at the trial, he yet manifested a strong reluctance, which
the lawyer could not understand, to taking any share in the task of
persuading and preparing him to do so.
Pages:
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640