"What?"
"Montevarchi coming to his end on the very day he had won the suit. In good old times it would have been Giovanni who would have cut his throat, after which we should have all retired to Saracinesca and prepared for a siege. Less civilised but twice as human. No doubt they will say now—even now—that we paid a man to do the work."
"But it was San Giacinto who brought the suit—"
"It was Montevarchi. I have seen my lawyer this morning. He says that Montevarchi sent the people out to Frascati to see San Giacinto and explained the whole matter to them beforehand. He discovered the clause in the deeds first. San Giacinto never even saw them until everything was ready. And on the evening of the very day when it was settled, Montevarchi is murdered. I wonder that it has not struck any one to say we did it."
"You did not oppose the suit. If you had, it would have been different."
"How could I oppose the action? It was clear from the beginning that we had no chance of winning it. The fact remains that we are turned out of our home. The sooner we leave this the better. It will only be harder to go if we stay here."
"Yes," answered Corona sadly. "It will be harder."
"I believe it is a judgment of heaven on Giovanni for his outrageous conduct," growled the prince, suddenly running away with a new idea.
"On Giovanni?" Corona was roused immediately by the mention of her husband in such a connection.
"Yes, for his behaviour to you, the young scoundrel! I ought to have disinherited him at once."