"Yes; about half an hour or more before," answered the friar.
"And where was she when the second lady passed, going towards the Pineta?" asked the lawyer again.
"She was on the scaffolding in the church, which had been prepared for her to make her copies of the mosaics."
"Do you know whether she saw, or was aware that the second lady had passed the church to go towards the Pineta?"
"I know that she was aware of it; I was with her on the scaffolding. We both together saw the woman who was afterwards brought back dead pass in a bagarino with the Marchese Ludovico di Castelmare, towards the Pineta."
The lawyer looked hard at the Commissary; and the latter in obedience, as it seemed, to the look, took out his note-book again, and made a note of the declaration.
"And what did the young lady who came to copy the mosaics do afterwards? Where did you part with her?" resumed the lawyer.
"She left the church, and walked in the direction of the forest. I parted from her at the door of the church."
"And did you see her any more in the course of that morning?" asked the lawyer again.
"I did not: I saw her no more from that time to this," replied the friar. During the whole of this interrogation, he had appeared far less distressed and disturbed than he had been before speaking of his having seen the body of La Bianca carried past the church towards the city. He had answered all the questions concerning Paolina readily and without hesitation.