human
Dead, my Paolina; and I am suspected of having murdered her,
gpt
What--what! You suspected! By whom? What does it mean? La Bianca murdered--and by you. What does it mean, Ludovico mio? For pity's sake, tell me, what does it mean?
human
I was the last person with whom she was seen alive; and--there was, it seems, strong reason why it may be supposed that I should wish her dead--God help me! I learned this morning--the poor girl told me herself, to my extreme surprise--that my uncle, the Marchese Lamberto, had proposed marriage to her. You can understand, my darling, that such a marriage would be a very dreadful misfortune to me: therefore, people think that I put the unhappy girl to death.
gpt
Oh, my love, my love; come to me, come to me, and let me hold you! said the poor girl, struggling to speak amid her convulsive sobbing, and holding out her hands towards him.
human
Oh, my Ludovico, this is very dreadful. But it is impossible--impossible! They will know that it is impossible that you could have done such a thing. Murder! You--murder a defenceless girl! Oh, it is nonsense. Nobody will believe anything so monstrous.
gpt
Thanks, my Paolina--thanks, my own darling. At least there is one heart that knows me. And, my Paolina, it is an immense comfort to me--not that I doubted it for an instant--but it is an infinite comfort to me to know that you, at least in your heart of hearts, are certain that I did not--that it never could have entered into my mind to do this thing.
human
I believe it! I could just as soon imagine that I myself had done it. But, Ludovico, my beloved, it will not be believed; it is too monstrous. You are known here; it cannot be believed.
gpt
And yet, my Paolina, one who has known me all my life, who was my father's friend--one who knows me well, and who looks at things as the magistrates will look at them--he believes it; believes it so much, and is so certain that others will believe it, that he strongly urged me to escape from the city, and from the country. That, Paolina, knowing my innocence, I would not do. To save myself from the stake I would not have gone away without telling you, my own one, that I had not done this deed. I could not go, and so leave you--
human
My own--my own! How I love you, my Ludovico, now in the time of this great trouble better than ever I did before. There was no need to tell me, my love, that your hands are innocent of murder. But surely--surely you did well not to fly, leaving the hideous accusation behind you.
gpt
So I thought, my own love--my own high-minded right-thinking darling--so I thought; and here I stay to answer my accusers. But the fatality of the circumstances is such that--in truth, I see little hope of clearing myself, save by the possible discovery of the causes that led to this terrible death.
human
Was there anything to show how she--that is, I mean, whether she--died by violence?
gpt
Nothing--nothing whatever. As we saw the body under the city gateway, when the men who found it brought it in, there was not the smallest trace of violence visible. She lay as if, save for the deadly pallor of her face, she might have been still sleeping. And I am most anxious for the medical examination of the body. It may be that they will be able to discover that death was produced by some natural cause.
human
Surely that is the most likely. Had any robbery been committed?
gpt
None--none whatever; and she had valuables exposed on her person which were untouched. This is one of the worst circumstances against me; as it excludes the idea of the dead having been done by common malefactors for the sake of plunder.
human
And no marks of violence? It must have been a natural death; such things do happen. I remember hearing of a case-
gpt
I must go, darling; I must leave you. I must hasten to the Palazzo del Governo to make my statement of what has occurred. It is hard to leave you, my Paolina--very hard to leave you, not knowing when or under what circumstances I am likely to see you again.
human
Ludovico, see me again! shrieked the girl, as a new and dreadful idea presented itself for the first time to her mind;
gpt
I fear me, Paolina, that it will not be in my power to do that, returned Ludovico, with a melancholy smile.
human
Should they leave me at liberty, of course I shall fly to you on the instant they dismiss me. But, you must not expect that, my love. I shall be detained doubtless, until--until the truth has been discovered respecting this horrible tragedy. One kiss my own, own darling before we part.
gpt
See now, my love, my only love. You must remember all the time, that there is no hour of the day or night that I shall not be thinking of you, and loving you all the time, always, always. And remember, that if all the whole world says that you did this thing, I shall still know that it was as impossible as that I did it myself. Remember that always, my best beloved.
human
Thanks, my Paolina; it will be very sweet to me to remember it. And dearest, one thing more. It will hardly be likely that in the present circumstances, under all this weight of misfortune, my poor uncle will be likely to have time or attention to give to you, But if you have need of anything--of advice, of assistance, of protection--speak to the Contessa Violante, and--stay, you shall take a message to her from me. Tell her that I begged you to say, as from me to her, that in the teeth of all appearances I am innocent in thought, word, and deed in this matter. I think she will believe it; I must go, my love, my own!
gpt
Pray God, it be not for long, tesoro mio. I shall pray to the Holy Virgin for you morning and night.
human
Addio, Paolina mia. Yet one kiss, anima mia, addio,