Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 296: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—-—- + ——— - -—— JOSEPH WILMOT: OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 283 earnestly asserted their innocence in my presence when they must have known that their case looked blacker in my eyes, on account of the hidden trea- stire, than even if did in the eyes of the world at large P—and yet that world at large entertained not a single doubt of their criminality! Then, how could 1? Nevertheless, I felt uneasy on the sub- ject : I strove to believe in even the bare possi- bility of their innocence : I turned the whole case over and over again in my mind; but the longer I reflected upon it, the more damnatory seemed all its details. As I was returning in the direction of my hotel, I met Signor Turano—who, with that gentlemanly courtesy which so eminently characterized him, shook me by the hand and glided into a conversa- tion on general topics. He turned to walk with me; and perceiving that my demeanour was me- lancholy, he inquired into the motive with an air of friendly concern. I informed him that I had been to see the two young Greeks on some little matter of business; and he said, “ Ah! it isa shocking case. Castelli, who is charged with their defence, tells me that they have not a hope.” “ You are acquainted, then, with Signor Cas- telli ?’ I observed. * Yes, I know him slightly,” responded Signor Turano. “ But this visit to the prison has dis- spirited you: and though our acquaintance has been so brief, yet you will perhaps pardon me for Saying that I feel interested in you. Will you dine with me this evening? Perhaps we shall be acting with a mutual charity: for you are all lonely here—and I am the same.” I accepted the invitation ; and we separated for the present. The Corsican gentleman, whom I have before alluded to, was no longer at the hotel where I was staying ; and thus I really had no one to speak to, and was by no meaus sorry to form the acquaintance of so accomplished, gentle- manly, and engaging a man as Signor Turano. Accordingly, at the appointed hour I repaired to the hotel at which he was living ; and he received me with the most courteous welcome. We sate down to dinner ; and I soon found that my idea of his conversational powers fell short of the extent to which they could reach. He had travelled much—he had evidently mixed in the best society —he had a fund of anecdote—and yet there was nothing pedantic in his discourse ; nor had he the air of monopolizing the conversation. If L had not certain things hanging heavy upon my mind, I should have spent an exceedingly pleasant even- ing. About three weeks passed away, during which interval nothing of any consequence occurred. I received a couple of letters from Signor Portici, to the effect that Leonora was slowly recovering— that her consciousness had returned—that she was still confined to her bed—and that, as he had pre- dicted, she would not hear of Constantine’s guilt. Twice did I again call upon Durazzo in the prison, to communicate the tidings of Leonora’s improved health: but on neither of these occasions did another syllable emanate from his lips in the shape of argument or assurance relative to his innocence. I saw Castelli two or three times: but he was generally in too great a hurry to have any leisure for discourse. Turano I met trequently: we some- times dined together; and the more I saw of him, ———— —- o— — — — ——_—__—__—_. © the more [ liked him. By the way, it will be as well to observe that I learnt in the course of con- versation that he had some important business which was detaining him at Ajaccio. The day for the trial of the two Greeks was now close at hand; and, as the reader may suppose, the ease excited a very great sensation at Ajaccio. By a singular coincidence the Special Land Commission found itself called upon to consider the claims to the Monte d’Oro title and property on the very same day as that appointed for the trial of Du- razzo and the page. This arose from the fact of the Commissioners taking the cases in the order in which they were originally entered in their books. Oastelli was engaged in both the criminal and the civil case: but this produced him little inconveni- ence, for the reasons which | will immediately ex- plain. In the first place, in respect to Durazzo and the page, it was merely his duty as a lawyer to prepare the brief for their defence, which was to be conducted by able counsel retained for the purpose. Therefore Castelli’s presence in the criminal tribunal was scarcely needea. In the second place, the Land Commissioners sate in a hall next to the criminal tribunal itself—all the law-courts of Ajaccio being beneath one roof, the building itself bearing the usual French denomina- tion of the Palace of Justice. Thus Signor Cas- telli was enabled to step from one Court into another, according as his presence might be needed if either. Previous to the unfortunate affair in which the two Greeks were involved, I had experienced a deep interest in the Monte d’Oro case in conse- quence of all I had heard from the Corsican gentlemen whom I met at the hotel when first at Ajaccio. But the other and far graver case had lately absorbed all the curiosity I had felt in the former,—of which indeed I had lately ceased to think. But when the day came for the hearing of the two cases, I entered the Court in which the Land Commissioners sate: for the Monte d’Oro case came on at ten o’clock in the morning—- whereas the trial of the prisoners was not to com- mence until eleven, on account of some mistake in notifying to the farmer and his son the precise period when their presence would be again re- quired at Ajaccio as witnesses. In the Court of the Land Commissioners I met the Corsican gentleman, who informed me that he had only returned that very morning from a visit to France. The Court was much crowded: but I had no doubt that the greater portion of the audience would flit away at eleven o’clock to the criminal tribunal adjoining. Signor Castelli, with two barristers, was seated at the table,—having a vast pile of papers before him; but there did not appear to be any other counsel present to assert the pretensions of any opposing claimant, The Deputy-Procurator Royal, or Sub-Attorney Gene- ral, was however in his place to watch the pro- ceedings on the part of the Crown, as is usual in all the Courts in France and under French juris- diction. The proceedings took place in French: aud therefore I had no difficulty in comprehending them. There were three Commissioners, who were robed as Judges, and who sate upon the bench; so that the appearance of the Court was perfectly judicial. “ This is a case,” said the Clerk of the Court, oOo (C S (C(O)