CHAPTER IX
The Post-Mortem Examination
The Baron Manutoli found Paolina quite as "easy" as the lawyer hadimagined that he would find her; but his task was not altogether an easyone in the sense he had himself intended. She made not the slightestdifficulty of telling him, that when she had seen Ludovico and Biancadrive past the church towards the forest she had felt a strongtemptation to follow them thither; she told him all about theconversation she had had with the old monk, and repeated the directionsshe had received from him as to the path by which she might reach thePineta, and return that way towards the city, without coming back intothe high-road, till she got near the walls. She confessed that, when shehad followed the path behind the church leading to the Pineta, for somelittle distance, she had changed her mind, and had turned off by anotherpath, which had brought her back into the high-road not far from thechurch; and she said that she had then walked on till she came near thewalls, where she turned aside to sit down on one of the benches underthe trees of the little promenade; that she had sat there for sometime--she did not know how long; had then gone in to the CardinalLegate's chapel, where she had conversed with the Contessa Violante,whom she knew from having often met her there before; and had at lastreturned home at a very much later hour than she had expected, and hadfound her friend Signora Orsola Steno uneasy at her prolonged absence.
"And did you mention to the Contessa the shocking fact of the primadonna's death?" asked Manutoli, suddenly, thinking that he was doing avery sharp bit of lawyerly business in laying this trap for Paolina.
"How was it possible that I should do so, when I knew nothing about ittill Ludovico told me several hours later?" answered the girl, with anunembarrassed easiness and readiness that almost changed Manutoli'sopinion as to the probability of her guilt.
He reminded himself, however, that the same woman, who could be capableof such a deed might also be expected to have the presence of mind andreadiness necessary for avoiding any such trap as that which he had laidfor her.
He was, at the same time, strongly, but perhaps not altogetherconsistently, impressed with the fact; that during the whole of hisinterview with her, she did not once distinctly and directly deny thatshe had had anything to do with the crime. When warning her, as he hadbeen charged by Ludovico to do, of the probability that she might bearrested, he had allowed her to understand that the circumstances ofthis case were such, that the question of who was the guilty personbecame nearly an alternative one between herself and the Marchese. Onwhich, instead of protesting her own innocence, she had stronglyinsisted on that of Ludovico, which seemed a very suspiciouscircumstance to the Baron Manutoli.
He had tried to lead her to express some feeling, or, rather, someremembrance of what had been her feeling when she saw Ludovico and LaBianca in the bagarino together; but there she became reticent, andwould say little or nothing--another suspicious circumstance in the eyesof the Baron, so that, when he quitted her, he was, upon the whole,rather confirmed than otherwise in his previous opinion as to her guilt.
"Well, Signorina," he had said, in rising to leave her, "I came here, incompliance with my friend's request, to re-assure you on the subject ofthe warrant which will, in all probability, be issued to-morrow morningfor your arrest. You best know whether you have any reason for alarm. Myown opinion is, that if you have nothing to reproach yourself with, youhave nothing to fear. I trust it may be so."
"I am grateful to you for coming, Signor," Paolina said. "You will seeLudovico again. Tell him that I am as sure of his innocence of thishorrid thing as if he had never quitted my side."
How Paolina passed that miserable night it is useless to attempt totell. How happy all, ay, even all, the days of her previous life seemedto her in comparison with the misery of the minutes that were then soslowly passing.
Early the next morning Signor Fortini called at the house of his friendDr. Buonaventura Tomosarchi, the great anatomist, for the purpose ofaccompanying the Professor to the room at the hospital, where the bodyof Bianca was awaiting the post-mortem examination which had beenordered by the police.
"I suppose," said Fortini, as they walked together, "that there is nopossibility, in such a case as this, that the death may have been anatural one?"
"Oh, I would not say that at all. Such things occur at all ages. I donot think it is likely,--specially in the case of such a magnificentorganization as that of yonder poor girl; but there is no saying, and,above all, no use in attempting to guess when we shall so soon know allabout it," said the Professor, a man some ten or fifteen years youngerthan the old lawyer.
"Is it possible that death may have been caused by foul means, yet bysuch as may elude your investigation?" asked Fortini.
"I think not--I should say almost certainly not in such a case as thepresent. There are poisons that act subtly and instantaneously, butthere is the odour in most cases,--in almost all some indication oftheir operation on the organization."
Arrived at the hospital they found a couple of assistants, pupils of theProfessor, awaiting his arrival. There was also an official on the partof the police, and there were two or three persons waiting in the hopeof being allowed to be present at the examination. The police officer,however, very summarily declared that this could not be permitted.Fortini was so well known, and held such a kind of half-officialposition and character in the city, that he passed on unquestioned onthe arm of the Professor.
The body lay exactly as it had been brought in by the labouring-men whohad found it in the Pineta. The beautiful face was perfectly calm, andin the lineaments of it the difference that there is between death andsleep was scarcely perceptible. The white dress was almost as unruffledand as spotless as when she had put it on. It had been fastened aboutmidway between the neck and the waist by a diamond pin or brooch; butthis fastening was now undone, and the brooch was hanging loosely on oneside of the bosom of the dress. It was impossible to suppose that thisjewel should have been so left by anybody who had had the opportunityand the desire of plunder. It might have been unfastened by the wearerbefore she slept for the sake of more full enjoyment of the balmybreezes of the pine-forest: and the result of this loosening of thedress was that the light folds of it opened freely as far down as thewaist, so that the slightest drawing aside of them, such as even thebreeze might effect, was sufficient to leave bare the entire bosom.
On either shoulder and on the bosom lay the large heavy waves of therich auburn hair. In death, as she had been in life, she was still awonder of beauty; and the two men, the old lawyer and the Professor,little as, from years, character, and habits of mind, their imaginationswere susceptible of being deeply touched by such a sight, stood forawhile by the side of the table on which the body had been laid, andgazed in sad silence on the sight before them.
"One might think she was still sleeping, poor creature," said thelawyer, after a silence of a few minutes.
"Ay, almost. It is a wonderfully lovely face. Seems difficult tobelieve, doesn't it, that any man--. Much less such a man as theMarchese--should have stood over that figure, and so looking down on it,have decided on destroying it?" said the Professor.
"Perhaps no man did so," said the lawyer.
"Case of death from natural causes, you mean? I am afraid not, I amafraid not. Can't say for certain yet; but, judging from appearances, Ifear there is no likelihood that such was the case," rejoined theProfessor.
"I was not thinking of that," replied Fortini. "I meant that what a mancould hardly have had the heart to do might, perhaps, have been done bya woman. Beauty is not, I fancy, always found to produce quite the samesort of effect on another female as it is wont to produce on the othersex."
"Might have been done by a woman? That seems hardly likely, I think,caro mio. In the Pineta at that hour of the morning? Che! What woman islikely to have been there?"
"Well, we happen to know that there was a woman very near the spot wherethe crime was committed at the time that it was committed."
"You don't say
so?" interrupted the anatomist. "Good heavens! This isquite new to me, and, of course, most important. I am delighted to hearwhat seems to cast so strong a doubt on the guilt of the Marchesino."
"And that is not all. We know further," continued the lawyer, eagerly,"that the woman in question had the strongest of all the possiblemotives that ever influence a female mind to hate--to desire the deathof this poor girl that now lies here. The question is, whether thisdeath was caused by any means which a woman--a young girl--may besupposed to have used," said the lawyer.
"Ha! a case of jealousy, I suppose? You don't mean it. God knows, Ishould be more glad than I will say if there were any means of showingthat the Marchese Ludovico had no hand in the matter. If it were broughthome to him it would kill my old friend the Marchese Lamberto outright;I do believe it would kill him."
"I thought at first, to tell you the truth, Signor Professore, that itmust have been the Marchesino who did the deed; the circumstances seemedso terribly strong against him. But--certain facts have come to myknowledge--in short, I begin to have very great hopes that he was inreality wholly innocent of it; and still greater hopes that if we cannotsucceed in bringing the crime home to any other party, yet that thedifficulty and doubt hanging about the case will be so great that allconviction will be impossible."
"A woman, you tell me? A young woman, I suppose, from what you say?"said the Professor, inquiringly.
"Yes; a young woman, and, as I am told, a very pretty one--a certainyoung girl--a Venetian artist, of the name of Foscarelli--PaolinaFoscarelli, with whom it seems the Marchesino was foolish enough to fallin love. Well, this girl sees the Marchese and Bianca driving out alonetogether at that time in the morning to the Pineta--that much weknow--sees them cheek by jowl together in a little bagarino, doingheaven only knows what--billing and cooing. Now it seems to me that shewould, under these circumstances, be likely to feel not altogetherkindly towards the lady in possession, eh, Signor Professore? You knowthe nature of the creatures better than I do; what do you think aboutit?"
"Similar little accidents have produced as terrible results beforenow--ay, many a time, there is no denying that. If we can ascertain howthe deed was done it will be likely enough to throw some light on theprobabilities of the case," returned the Professor, proceeding toscrutinize carefully the body as it lay before in any way disturbing theposition or the garments.
"Ha! what have we here?" he cried, as he perceived, and, at the sametime, pointed out the existence of a very small red spot upon the whitedress just above the waistband. In an instant, as he spoke, he whippedout a powerful magnifying-glass, and carefully examined the tell-talespot by its aid.
"Yes, that is a spot of blood--blood sure enough! but it is verysingular that there should be such a minute spot, and no more; no, I canfind no further trace," he added, after a careful and minute examinationof every part of the dress.
"Might not any trifling accident--the most insignificant thing in theworld--produce such a mere spot as that--a scratched finger--either herown or another person's?" asked the lawyer.
"Well, hardly so; a slight stain might easily be so caused; but hardly around spot like that. That spot must have been caused by a small dropfalling on that place--not by the muslin having been brought intocontact with any portion of blood, however small. How could that onelittle round drop of blood have come there?" said the anatomist,thoughtfully. "It is singular enough."
Then, when the dress had been removed preparatory to the examination ofthe body, the Professor himself and his assistants minutely searchedevery part of it--in vain. There was no other, even the smallest, markof blood to be found.
"Are you sure that that spot is blood?" asked the lawyer.
"Are you sure whether a deed is signed or is not signed when you seeit?" retorted the anatomist. "Yes; that spot has been caused by a dropof blood falling there--a very minute drop. Of that there can be nodoubt. And now we must proceed to examine the body externally. If thereshould be nothing to be learned from that, we must see what revelationsthe knife may bring to light."
And then the Professor, aided by his pupils, proceeded to institute aminute and careful examination of the body.
At the first sight it appeared to be as unblemished in every part of itas Nature's choicest and most perfect handiwork could be. So little dida mere cursory view suggest the possibility that life would have beendestroyed by any external violence, that the Professor was about to takethe necessary steps for ascertaining what light could be thrown on themanner of her death by the internal condition of the different portionsof the organism, when the sharper eyes of one of the young assistantswere drawn to a very slight indication, which he immediately pointed outto his superior.
The appearance in question consisted of a very small round white spot,around which there was a slight equally circular redness. It wassituated nearly in the middle of the body, just below the meeting of theribs on the chest, about a broad hand's breadth above the waistband--insuch a position, in short, as to be very nearly at the point where theneck-opening of the dress ceased.
No second glance was needed, as soon as the Professor's attention hadbeen called to this appearance, to ensure the riveting of his attentionon it. Nor was much examination necessary to convince him that he hadnow, in truth, discovered the cause and the means of death.
The slight mark in question was, in fact, the trace of a wound inflictedby a very fine needle, which had pierced the heart, and, having causedimmediate death, had been left in the wound, ingeniously hidden by meanswhich it needed a second look to discover. The effect of this discoveryon the Professor was singular. He seemed taken aback by it, and, onewould have said, alarmed at it, in a manner which it seemed difficultfor Signor Fortini to account for. "What is it astonishes you so, SignorProfessore," said he; "surely you were prepared to find that a murderhad been done? I never had any doubt of it; and why not in that way aswell as another? And a very ingenious mode of inflicting death in aquiet way it seems to be."
"Yes, indeed. The fact is that I was struck by--"
The Professor broke off speaking suddenly with a start; and darted aquick alarmed glance at the face of Signor Fortini, who did not fail toremark it, and to be much puzzled by the Professor's manner.
The latter, while he had been speaking, had stooped to examine theminute trace of the wound closely, and had put his finger on the spot;and it was on doing so that he had interrupted himself, and shownrenewed symptoms of surprise and dismay. What this closer examinationhad shown him was the fact that an infinitesimally small portion ofwhite wax had been very neatly and carefully introduced into the orificeof the wound, in such a manner as to prevent all effusion of blood, andalmost to escape the observation of the naked eye.
"Why, one would say you were a novice at this sort of thing, Tomosarchi,you seem so much affected by it," said the lawyer; "what is it thatmoves you so? Why, you are as pale, man, as if you were bringing tolight a crime of your own instead of somebody else's."
"Ah! not that exactly. No, but it is a very singular thing. One wouldsay that this death must have been caused by some one who had somelittle knowledge of anatomy, or, at least, had been put up to the trickby some one else who possessed such knowledge," said the Professor,recovering himself with an effort.
"And that is what our friend the Marchesino Ludovico is most assuredlyinnocent of. I take note of your remark, Signor Professore," said thelawyer.
"But one would think, that all the other persons on whom it is possiblethat suspicion might rest, must be equally void of any such knowledge,"returned Tomosarchi.
"How do we know that? How can I tell what strange odds and ends ofknowledge this Venetian artist may have picked up. Artists,--they haveconstantly more or less acquaintance with medical students, and suchlike. Some knowledge of anatomy is needful to them in their business.For my part, it seems to me very likely that this girl might have suchknowledge as would teach her so easy a way of getting rid of her rival.Then you will observe that very little ph
ysical strength was needed forthe infliction of such a wound. It might have been done perfectly easilyby the hand of a young girl. I declare it seems to me that the result ofyour examinations tends to make it more probable than ever that theVenetian is the criminal."
"Well, it may be so. Certain it is, that no degree of strength beyondwhat she, or any other such person could have exerted, was needed forgiving that death to a sleepy person. But it is equally clear that acertain amount of special knowledge was required for the purpose,"rejoined the anatomist. "And now," added he; "I must draw up my report.A rivederci, Signor Fortini! A rivederci, Signori!"
"One word more, Signor Professore, before I leave you," said the lawyer;"is the special knowledge you speak of, such as--any member of yourprofession we will say--would be possessed of."
"Well, I should not say that it was likely such a method of concealing acrime would have suggested itself to such an one, more than to another.It is the clever invention of one who meditated murder. But, I may sayat once to you, what I shall have to say in due season to themagistrates, that the trick is not a new one. I have heard of such athing before now."
"But not as a common thing," pursued the lawyer.
"Quite the reverse--as a very strange and peculiar thing," replied theProfessor.
"And when did you hear of a case of murder committed in this strange andpeculiar manner?" persisted the lawyer.
The Professor shot a sharp quick glance at the lawyer's face; and hisown flushed red as he replied, "Ay--if I could remember that--but it isa reported case; anybody may have read it. A murder was committed bysimilar means in the Island of Sardinia, not very long ago!"
"Not very long ago," reiterated the lawyer, musingly.
"No, not very long ago; but the case has been reported, I tell you.Anybody may have read it."
"Humph," said the lawyer, as he turned to go, with his mind evidentlybusily at work both on the strange sort of confusion that had beenvisible in the Professor's manner, and on the circumstances he hadelicited from him.
"I'll tell you what," said one of the young students to the other, whilethey were engaged in preparing to consign the body of the murdered womanto the police. "I'll tell you what: I'll be blessed if I don't think thegovernor knows, or has a shrewd guess, who it is has done this job. Didyou mark the way he looked, and went as pale as death, when I showed himthe place?"
"Bah, nonsense! He was vexed that he had not seen it himself. How shouldhe know anything about it?"
"I don't know how; but I know him, and his ways," said the firstspeaker.
"But if he thinks he has any guess at the murderer, why don't he say itat once?" asked the younger lad.
"Ah, yes, I think so; I should like to see him at it. That's not hisbusiness, that's the lawyer's business. You may depend on his keepinghis own secret, if he has got one. The governor likes quiet sailing instill water, he does. But if he did not see something more in thislittle bit of steel and atom of wax, that have stopped a life socleverly, than the mere things themselves and the effect of them,--why,then, I know nothing about old Buonaventura Tomosarchi, that's all."
"How see something more?" said the younger lad, open-eyed.
"Saw who put 'em there, Ninny. It is not everybody who could be up tosuch a dodge; and I feel sure the governor could make a shrewd guess whodid that clever trick."