“If I told all I knew,” said Barbera, “there would be many more widows in Ajaccio than there are now. But go on.”
“Well, the fact is,” began Villefort, “Vandemar Della Coscia is in Corsica.”
“I don’t believe it!” cried Barbera.
“I know it,” said Villefort, “so we won’t argue the matter. That young Englishman whom they call Victor Duquesne is really Vandemar Della Coscia in disguise. You know all about the duel between Count Mont d’Oro and the Englishman, so I won’t go over that again. You have heard, I suppose, that Paoli Tarenti and Giuseppe Mondolo were found dead in the woods.”
“Yes!” cried Barbera. “Do you know who killed them?”
“Yes, and I am going to tell you. I got Paoli and his friend to pick a quarrel with the Englishman and finish him before it was over.”
“What did you have against him?” asked Barbera.
“Nothing, but Count Mont d’Oro wished to get him out of the way and I did what I could to help him.”
“For a consideration, of course,” said Barbera, smiling.
“And a mighty poor one, too,” said Villefort.