"Good-evening, Signor Giovacchino. You have come, of course, to ask whether the representations you made to me this morning have availed to induce me to waver in the purpose I announced to you," said the Marchese, scarcely looking up so as to meet the eye of the lawyer. "Signor Marchese," returned Fortini, "it is my turn this time to communicate to you intelligence which will strike you, I fear, to the full as painfully as I was struck by what you told me this morning." The Marchese started; and the lawyer observed that the start seemed to continue and propagate itself, as it were, into a tremor, that ran through all his person, as he said, with chattering teeth: "What do you mean? Has anything happened?--anything--out of the common way, eh?--eh?--what--what is it?" "That has happened, Signor Marchese, which makes all further consideration of the step you confided to me your intention of taking this morning unnecessary. The lady, whom you purposed to make your wife, is no more." "No more--how no more?--what--what is it you mean?" said the Marchese, evidently terribly shocked, as was manifested by the tremor and shivering which seized him yet more violently than before; yet still without looking up so as to meet the lawyer's eye. "She is dead, Signor Marchese," said the lawyer, looking at him curiously. "Dead--La Bianca dead! I don't believe it. It is some scheme for frustrating the purpose you disapproved of--some plan managed between you and my nephew. You have sent her away, and want to persuade me that she is dead." "Your mind is unhinged by the shock of my intelligence, Signor Marchese--naturally enough--or such an absurd notion would not have occurred to you. I have seen the dead body of Bianca Lalli. It is now in the custody of the police," said the lawyer, with slow gravity. "The police!" cried the Marchese, shooting a momentary glance up into the lawyer's face. "Necessarily so; for, Signor Marchese, the unhappy--the miserable truth is that a foul murder has been committed. The girl was murdered in the Pineta this morning." "Murdered! Gracious heaven! Murdered--but why murdered? Why may she not have died by a natural death?--that is--I mean--of course I mean, if there were no evident marks of violence on the body." The lawyer paused a minute, as if some cause of perplexity had been suggested to him by the words of the Marchese, before he replied,--"There were, in truth, no marks of evident violence on the body, or, at least, none such as an unskilled eye would observe on a very superficial examination. But all that will be ascertained at the medical examination, which will take place to-morrow morning. But I think it can hardly be doubted that the death was not a natural one," said the lawyer, shaking his head gravely.