登陆注册
19400600000035

第35章

"You will soon see what his interest in the matter was," continued the prefect. "The miller of whom your sister speaks--I think his name was Teodoro--was the tenant of a mill belonging to the colonel, standing on the very stream the ownership of which M. Barricini was disputing with your father. The colonel, always a generous man, made very little profit out of the mill. Now Tomaso thought that if Barricini got possession of the stream there would be a heavy rent to pay, for it is well known that Barricini is rather fond of money. In short, to oblige his brother, Tomaso forged the letter from the bandit--and there's the whole story. You know that in Corsica the strength of the family tie is so great that it does sometimes lead to crime. Please read over this letter to me from the attorney-general. It confirms what I have just told you."

Orso looked through the letter, which gave a detailed relation of Tomaso's confession, and Colomba read it over his shoulder.

When she had come to the end of it she exclaimed:

"Orlanduccio Barricini went down to Bastia a month ago, when it became known that my brother was coming home. He must have seen Tomaso, and bought this lie of him!"

"Signorina," said the prefect, out of patience, "you explain everything by odious imputations! Is that the way to find out the truth? You, sir, can judge more coolly. Tell me what you think of the business now? Do you believe, like this young lady, that a man who has only a slight sentence to fear would deliberately charge himself with forgery, just to oblige a person he doesn't know?"

Orso read the attorney-general's letter again, weighing every word with the greatest care--for now that he had seen the old lawyer, he felt it more difficult to convince himself than it would have been a few days previously. At last he found himself obliged to admit that the explanation seemed to him to be satisfactory. But Colomba cried out vehemently:

"Tomaso Bianchi is a knave! He'll not be convicted, or he'll escape from prison! I am certain of it!"

The prefect shrugged his shoulders.

"I have laid the information I have received before you, monsieur. I will now depart, and leave you to your own reflections. I shall wait till your own reason has enlightened you, and I trust it may prove stronger than your sister's suppositions."

Orso, after saying a few words of excuse for Colomba, repeated that he now believed Tomaso to be the sole culprit.

The prefect had risen to take his leave.

"If it were not so late," said he, "I would suggest your coming over with me to fetch Miss Nevil's letter. At the same time you might repeat to M. Barricini what you have just said to me, and the whole thing would be settled."

"Orso della Rebbia will never set his foot inside the house of a Barricini!" exclaimed Colomba impetuously.

"This young lady appears to be the /tintinajo/[*] of the family!" remarked the prefect, with a touch of irony.

[*] This is the name given to the ram or he-goat which wears a bell and leads the flock, and it is applied, metaphorically, to any member of a family who guides it in all important matters.

"Monsieur," replied Colomba resolutely, "you are deceived. You do not know the lawyer. He is the most cunning and knavish of men. I beseech you not to make Orso do a thing that would overwhelm him with dishonour!"

"Colomba!" exclaimed Orso, "your passion has driven you out of your senses!"

"Orso! Orso! By the casket I gave you, I beseech you to listen to me!

There is blood between you and the Barricini. You shall not go into their house!"

"Sister!"

"No, brother, you shall not go! Or I will leave this house, and you will never see me again! Have pity on me, Orso!" and she fell on her knees.

"I am grieved," said the prefect, "to find Mademoiselle Colomba so unreasonable. You will convince her, I am sure."

He opened the door and paused, seeming to expect Orso to follow him.

"I can not leave her now," said Orso. "To-morrow, if----"

"I shall be starting very early," said the prefect.

"Brother," cried Colomba, clasping her hands, "wait till to-morrow morning, in any case. Let me look over my father's papers. You can not refuse me that!"

"Well, you shall look them over to-night. But at all events you shall not torment me afterward with your violent hatreds. A thousand pardons, monsieur! I am so upset myself to-night--it had better be to-morrow."

"The night brings counsel," said the prefect, as he went out. "I hope all your uncertainty will have disappeared by to-morrow."

"Saveria," Colomba called, "take the lantern and attend the Signor Prefetto. He will give you a letter to bring back to my brother."

She added a few words which reached Saveria's ear alone.

"Colomba," said Orso, when the prefect was gone, "you have distressed me very much. Will no evidence convince you?"

"You have given me till to-morrow," she replied. "I have very little time; but I still have some hope."

Then she took a bunch of keys and ran up to a room on the upper story.

There he could hear her pulling open drawers, and rummaging in the writing-desk in which Colonel della Rebbia had kept his business papers.

同类推荐
  • 菩萨道树经

    菩萨道树经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 苇航纪谈

    苇航纪谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 娱书堂诗话

    娱书堂诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 正学隅见述

    正学隅见述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 翻译名义

    翻译名义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 娇妻时代:霸道总裁轻轻爱

    娇妻时代:霸道总裁轻轻爱

    她本只是一个普通的大学毕业生,她只想过普通的生活。无奈天不尽人意,在大学毕业后出来找工作的时候,遇到了他。他的出现,让她原本已经计划好的生活发生了天翻地覆的变化。他说,有了他,她就可以在这个城市横着走;她说,有了他,麻烦就会越来越多!而这段变化,只有他说停才能停。
  • 重案小组:杀戮的秘密

    重案小组:杀戮的秘密

    比起案件呈现出来的赤裸裸的血腥,背后隐藏的才是真正可怕的东西!一个重案小组,一连串可怕的重口味刑事案件,每一次的刑侦都是一次对人性的探讨和解刨,到底人性里面隐藏着怎样的能量破事?这一连串可怕的重口味杀人案件的出现,从三个新兵的登场亮相,让我为你揭晓这“重”案背后的秘密!
  • 子衿泪

    子衿泪

    自万年前神魔大战后,世间天地被分为六界:人界,鬼界,妖界,魔界,仙界以及神界。据说,万年前,魔王成神之后,野心越来越大,一心想统治六界,神界作为最强大的种族,受其余四界的委托,保护天下苍生,与魔神展开了一场激烈的大战……
  • 荒破神穹

    荒破神穹

    小说讲述了天才少年凌武在创造了家族空前绝后的修炼纪录后突然成了废人,整整一年时间,家族冷遇,旁人轻视,……种种打击接踵而至。就在他即将绝望的时候,从他手上的戒指里浮现,一扇全新的大门在面前开启!
  • 重新开始之都市龙吟

    重新开始之都市龙吟

    一个天生聪慧却缺少感情的人,当回到他祖国后如何寻找属于他的感情?众多的男人对他五体投地,众多的女人对他怀着一颗爱慕之心。“我只对我喜欢的女孩温柔,你们什么都不是。”叶怀虚淡淡道。“如果你有我这般的智慧,今天就是你指着我的鼻子来骂了!”叶怀虚冰冷的声音响了起来。
  • 宿命双修者

    宿命双修者

    16岁的双修奇才翎羽告别师父只身一人来到陌生的城市又将如何凭借着自己的本领在无亲无故的环境中生存?等待她的如她才能一般注定不会平凡
  • 阴阳破命

    阴阳破命

    阴阳秘术,妖鬼玄奇。重复的梦境,是否前世的记忆?
  • TFboys三色堇边的四叶草

    TFboys三色堇边的四叶草

    TFboys,还记得你们的四叶草么?Queen,还记得你们的三色堇么?四叶草边的三色堇,是Queen来陪伴TFboys的三只呐,但是她们一个接一个的倒下了,失踪的失踪,伤的伤,残的残,早已溃不成军了,那么,你们的爱该何去何从?她们不是辛杜瑞拉,关键时刻没有神仙教母的救赎。他们也不是白马王子,能成功的救下自己的白雪公主……但是,这一切的一切?真的……会这样么……时空会同意么?时间会带着他们去哪呢?“我愿意以自己的性命换取她的一世平安。”“我不同意。”这……是出现了神仙教母么?“等我……拜托。”“不……不是这样的!”到底发生了什么呐,结局不是说好的甜蜜吗?“我们一起去。”架空世代很可怕……
  • 情志蓝天

    情志蓝天

    本书较系统地阐述了李天院士的成长过程。李天院士是沈阳飞机设计研究所副总设计师、首席专家。1963年毕业于清华大学工程力学数学系。多年来从事飞机空气动力设计研究工作。他谦逊谨慎,执著求索。严谨求实,艰苦创新,为航空事业做出突出贡献。于2005年被选为中国科学院院士。为实现航空报国的远大理想,他一心扑在新机设计、试验、计算和研制工作上。在飞机气动力基础研究、风洞试验、国际合作,以及在先进气动布局、隐身技术、主动控制特别是在飞机总体综合设计等国家重点课题预研上做出了天创性的突出贡献。
  • 你赐予了我光明

    你赐予了我光明

    大学校草陈少卿因为意外而失去了光明,万念俱灰的他在护士林素雅的照顾和开导下走出了阴影,本来可以幸福生活的他们,却又一次被命运捉弄了......