human
Yes, of course. There was no help for it, you know.
gpt
Of course not. I suppose he came here as soon as he parted from me. It so happened that we were together at the gate when the body was brought there,
human
So I understand. You will be called on for your evidence as to his manner on being confronted with it.
gpt
Of course; fortunately I have nothing to say on that point that can do any damage. He was much moved, naturally; we both were; but nothing more than any man in his place would have been.
human
But the worst, the only fatal point in that confession of his, is that the girl told him of the Marchese Lamberto's intention of marrying her. Why in heaven's name did he let that slip out?
gpt
My notion is that it just did slip out, as you say. An old hand, a man accustomed to be at odds with the laws and the police, would have known better. Did he make the same statement here?
human
On my asking him, as I felt compelled to do, what special conversation had passed between him and the girl that morning, he told me the fact,
gpt
But what led you to ask him such a question?
human
Ah!--something that had reached my ears. We are forced, you know, Signor Giovacchino, to have very long ears in our business. His conversation with you to-day was held in the street,--a bad place for such talk, Signor Giovacchino.
gpt
And not chosen by me for such a purpose, as you may imagine. Little could I guess what sort of confidence I was about to hear.
human
Not that it makes any difference. All that would have had to come out, you know, Signor Giovacchino.
gpt
Oh, quite so, quite so; no, no difference in the world. Did he come to you immediately on leaving me?
human
No; it would have been better upon the whole if he had done so. He went first, it seems, to the residence of a lady, one Signorina Paolina Foscarelli, being very desirous, he said, of not leaving her to hear of the business from other lips than his own. It is a pity, because his abstaining from flight might have been something in his favour, if he had not made it appear, that his remaining in the city might have been caused by his desire to see again this Paolina. Do you know anything about her? I see by our books that she came here last autumn from Venice. What is she like?
gpt
It so happens that I never saw her. But I am told that she is pretty--very pretty--remarkably so.
human
Ah--h--h! that's what kept the poor young fellow from running till it was too late to run. And yet, continued the Commissary, pausing on his words, and tapping his forehead with his finger as if a new idea had just occurred to him--
gpt
Che volete? returned the lawyer with a shrug.
human
Boys will be boys, and women--are women.
gpt
Yes; but the women sometimes don't quite like--
human
I suppose the medical report can hardly have been made yet?
gpt
No; there has not been time. It was too late in the afternoon. Professor Tomosarchi will make a post-mortem examination the first thing to-morrow morning; and I daresay we shall have his report in the course of the day, if, as is most likely, there is nothing to call for more than a superficial examination.
human
I shall be very anxious to hear the result of his investigation--very. I will look in, if you will allow me, to-morrow morning. And now I think I will go to that unfortunate man, the Marchese Lamberto. I should not be at all surprised if I were to find that he had heard nothing about all this. Only think what it is I shall have to tell him--the woman about whom he has been so mad as to have determined on sacrificing to her everything, fame, position, friends, respect,--everything--is dead! It is his monstrous proposal that has caused her death; and the same folly has made the representative of his house a murderer and a felon. Think, Signor Pietro, what that man's feelings must be when these tidings are told him.
gpt
Depend upon it, the whole city knows all about it by this time,
human
But I think it exceedingly likely that he has not been out of his library, all day,
gpt
But the servants will have heard the news. Ill news travels fast,
human
Yes; but the servants will hardly have ventured to repeat such tidings to him. Two to one it will fall to my lot to tell him. A pleasant office, isn't it, Signor Pietro?
gpt
Not one I should like to undertake. Good-evening, Signor Giovacchino. If I don't see you to-morrow morning I will send you a couple of lines with the result of the medical examination.
human
Thanks, Signor Pietro; but I will look in about the beginning of your office hours to-morrow morning. I feel as if I should be able to think of nothing else but this terrible business for some time to come. Felice sera.