"He was sentenced to death; whether the sentence had been already executed our emissary could not ascertain."
"Bertuccio," said the count anxiously, "if Aslitta—"
"Aslitta is dead!" cried Luciola, who had entered unperceived and sank to her knees sobbing.
"Who dares to allege that?" exclaimed the count, turning pale.
"Step to the window," stammered Luciola.
The count did so and staggered back, for the sight he saw confirmed the poor girl's words; four men, with uncovered heads, carried a bier on which lay a motionless body. It was the Marquis Aslitta, and Monte-Cristo's heart swelled as he recognized him.
"How could this calamity have happened?" whispered Spero, clinging anxiously to Luciola.
Bertuccio, in the meantime, had run down into the street to direct the carriers. He now returned and tremblingly said:
"A quarter of an hour ago our men found the body in the moat of the fortifications; how Aslitta got there is a riddle."