“No, I don’t say I think so.  I don’t know what to think.  I should have said, that I was just as likely to do such a thing myself, as Ludovico di Castelmare.  But if there is any truth in what is said, that the Marchese Lamberto was going to marry the girl, it looks very ugly.  God knows what a man might be driven to do in such a case.”

“I suppose if the old Marchese were to marry and have children, Ludovico would have about the same fortune as the old blind man that sits at the door of the Cathedral?” asked the previous speaker.

“Just about as much.  He would be absolutely a beggar,” said the Conte Leandro, who appeared to find considerable pleasure in the announcement.

“I think, that if that was the case, and Ludovico had put the unlucky girl out of the way, it would be the Marchese Lamberto who ought to bear the blame of it.  An old fellow has no right to behave in that sort of way,” said one of the group.

“Of course he has not.  To bring a fellow up to the age of Ludovico in the expectation that he is to have the family property; and then to take it into his head. to marry when he is past fifty.  If Ludovico had put a knife into him instead of into the girl, I should have said that it served him right,” said another.

“And what was the good of murdering the girl?  If the old fellow wants to be married, he will marry some other girl if not this one.  Girls are plenty enough,” said a third.

“Ay, but not such girls as La Bianca—­what a lovely creature she was!  I don’t wonder at the Marchese being caught by her, for my part, seeing her every day as he did,” remarked a fourth.

“Bah, girls are plenty enough, as Gino said, and pretty girls too.  And if the Marchese was minded to marry, it wasn’t the murder of this poor girl that would stop him,” said one of the others.

“And that is a strong reason, as it strikes me, for thinking that Ludovico had nothing to do with it.  He must have known, as well as we, that it was likely enough his uncle would find somebody else,” remarked Manutoli.

“Well, we shall see.  But I would wager a good round sum that Ludovico did it,” said the Conte Leandro; who had by that time recovered his tranquillity.

“Oh, now here’s Leandro, who begins to think again that he does know something about it,” said the Barone Manutoli.

“I said nothing of the sort, Signor Barone.  How should I know?  But everybody may have his opinion, and that is mine.  We shall see by-and-by,” returned Leandro, waspishly.

“I’ll tell you what, signori miei,” said Manutoli; “let it turn out as it may, it is the saddest and worst affair that has been seen in Ravenna for many a day.  I won’t admit the thought, for my part, that the Marchese Ludovico has really committed this murder.  I should prefer to suppose, that some vagabonds had done it for the sake of robbery, and had been disturbed before they could carry out their purpose, or anything.  But it is a very sad affair.  I would have done I don’t know what, rather than that it should have happened.  Think what will be said.  That’s what an artist gets by venturing to Ravenna.  You will see the noise that will be made all over Italy.”