“‘Marched to death as to a festival!’”
The man paused from exhaustion; but after a few moments of silence, continued:
“Why she wished to destroy the house of Leaton I do not know, but I became her blind tool in that work of destruction——”
“Name this woman!” exclaimed Malcolm, under his breath.
“I cannot; I know neither her name nor her country. She bears half a dozen aliases, and speaks with equal facility half a dozen modern languages—”
“You mean the Italian Princess Pezzilini?”
“I mean the mysterious woman who has successfully imposed herself upon a few guileless country families as that illustrious lady. I first met her many years ago at Rome, where I was in the suite of the English Ambassador, and she in the household of the Princess Gentilescha Pezzilini. When the Palazza Pezzilini was burned by the mob, she purloined the family jewels and papers, and fled with me to Paris, where, with the aid of her documents, she succeeded in passing herself upon Lord Leaton’s retired circle as the illustrious lady who had really perished in the burning palace. She accompanied them to England, bringing me in her train. You know what followed. Why she wished to exterminate the whole race of her benefactors from the face of the earth, I never knew. She used me without trusting me, or confided in me only so far as was absolutely needful. And when she had no further use for me, she turned her death-dealing powers against me to get me out of the way. Death was dealt to me insidiously, slowly, and cautiously; but still I knew that it was death, and that it came from her hand. Even then I was too much under her spell to denounce her; but I escaped from her, and fled for my life when I embarked in the vessel. Judge how glad I was that the poor innocent girl was escaping too!”
“But to do that young lady justice, you are aware that this confession must be made on oath before a magistrate, in the presence of witnesses, with every circumstantial detail, and reduced to writing.”
“I know that, and have already sent to summon the proper persons,” moaned the man, who now seemed thoroughly exhausted.
Malcolm gave him drink. And in a few minutes afterwards a justice of the peace, attended by his clerk, arrived at the hut. A magistrate in a populous district is inured to startling revelations. Therefore this worthy justice sat calmly through the terrible statement made upon oath by the dying man, and reduced to writing by the clerk. The document was signed by Antony More, and witnessed by Malcolm Montrose and another.