To the questions addressed to him, the accused replied that his name was Fernand Wagner; that he was a native of Germany; that he had no profession, avocation nor calling; that he was possessed of a large fortune; and that having traveled over many parts of the world, he settled in Florence, where he had hoped to enjoy a tranquil and peaceful existence. "The murdered female was reputed to be your sister," said the chief judge. "Was such the fact?" "She was a near relative," answered Wagner. "But was she your sister?" demanded the procurator fiscal. "She was not." "Then in what degree of relationship did she stand toward you?" asked the chief judge. "I must decline to reply to that question." "The tribunal infers, therefore, that the murdered female was not related to you at all," observed the judge. "Was she not your mistress?" "No, my lord!" cried Wagner, emphatically. "As truly as Heaven now hears my assertion, it was not so!" "Was she your wife?" demanded the chief judge. A negative answer was given. The chief judge and the procurator fiscal then by turns questioned and cross-questioned the prisoner in the most subtle manner, to induce him state the degree of relationship subsisting between himself and Agnes; but he either refused to respond to their queries, or else answered direct ones by means of a positive denial. The lieutenant of the sbirri was at length called upon to give an account of the discovery of the dead body and the suspicious circumstances which had led to the arrest of Wagner. Two of these circumstances appeared to be very strong against him. The first was the soiled and blood-stained appearance of the garments which were found in his chamber; the other was the exclamation--"But how know you that it is Agnes who is murdered?"--uttered before any one had informed who had been murdered. Wagner was called upon for an explanation. He stated that he had been out the whole night; that the blood upon his garments had flowed from his own body, which had been scratched and torn in the mazes of the woods; that on his return home he met Agnes in the garden; that he had left her there; and that he was told a young lady had been assassinated in the vicinity of his dwelling, he immediately conceived that the victim must be Agnes.