The four people in the room gazed at him spell-bound, speechless; Lord John reeled against the wall. The duke alone retained his self-possession. Michael advanced into the middle of the room, and for a moment his eyes met Fay's. Who shall say what he read in their terror-stricken depths? Then he turned to the duke and said: "I ask pardon of you, duke, and of the duchess, my cousin, for the inconvenience I have caused you. I confess to the murder of the Marchese di Maltagliala, and sought refuge in the garden. When the garden was surrounded I sought refuge here. I did not tell the duchess what I had done, but I implored her to let me take shelter here, and to promise not to give me up. She ought at once to have given me up. She yielded to the dictates of humanity and suffered me to hide in this room. Duchess, I thank you for your noble, your self-sacrificing but unavailing desire to shield a guilty man." Michael went up to her, took her cold hand and kissed it. Then he turned again to the duke. "I offer you my apologies for this intrusion," he said, and the two men bowed to each other. "And now, signor," he said in Italian to the amazed official, "I am at your service." CHAPTER V Qui sait tout souffrir peut tout oser.--VAUVENARGUES. Michael was imprisoned for the night in a cell attached to the Court of Mandamento, and the next day was sent to Rome to await his trial at the _assise_. Early on the second day after he reached Rome the duke came to him. The two men looked fixedly at each other. They exchanged no form of greeting. The duke made a little sign with his hand, and the warder withdrew outside the cell door, which he left ajar. Then the duke sat down by Michael. "I should have come yesterday," he said in English, "but it took time to gain permission, and also"--he nodded towards the door--"to arrange." "For God's sake give me details," said Michael. The duke gave them in a low voice. He described in a careful sequence the exact position of the dead body, the wound, caused by stabbing in the back, the strong inference that the murdered man had been attacked in the road, and then dragged just inside the Colle Alto garden door. "I don't see any reason why he should have gone outside the garden," said Michael. "Neither do I. But the garden door was unlocked. It had been locked as usual, my gardener swears, and the key left in the lock on the inside. Who then opened it, if for some reason the marchese did not open it himself?" Michael did not answer. "I saw the body before it was moved," continued the duke. "It was still warm. I incline to think the marchese was murdered actually inside the garden, and that he fell on his face where he stood, and was dragged behind the hydrangeas. But the _delegato_ thought differently. You will remember, Carstairs, that the dead man had been dragged by the feet." "Did I put him on the right side or the left of the door as you go in?" "On the left." "On his face?" "Yes."