Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 300: what you’re looking at

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

, ee eee eee + was as pale as death, that his lips were ashy white, and that he was gazing witha perfect agony of dismay, so to speak, upon the Corsican who had just arrested him, Signor Castelli was evidently as much stricken with astonishment as myself; in short, such a turn was given to the proceedings that I do verily believe every one totally forgot the other remarkable trial which had by this time commenced in the adjoining Court. The idea that Turano should be a forger—that mild gentlemanly personage whose manners were ‘sO prepossessing, whose conversation was so delight- ful, and for whom [I had begun to conceive a feel- ing bordering upon friendship—it seemed to be something incredible! And yet it was all true, There they stood,—the accused and the accuser ; and the former ventured not to breathe a single word of denial to the charge thrown out against him by the latter. For two or three minutes there was a complete suspension of the business of the Special Commission,—vntil the Deputy-Procurator Royal rose and said, ** This individual is accused of forgery. Does his accuser mean that he has forged documents which in any way bear upon the present case ?—for if so, you, Gentlemen Commissioners, will at once take cognizance of the offence. But if on the other hand the charge ef forgery has no reference to the business now engaging our atten- tion, the prisoner must be removed and taken be- fore the proper criminal magistrate.” “The forgeries of which Turano is guilty,” said the Corsican, “ have reference to the present case. I am one of the chiefs of the department of the Secret Police in Paris; and here is my authority for the step which I have just taken,” Thus speaking, the Corsican handed the docu- ment to the Clerk of the Court, who passed it up to the presiding Commissioner, by whom it was atten- tively read. “It is perfectly formal,” said this functionary ; “and we will proceed with the investigation of the case.” “TIT demand,” said the Corsican, “that what- soever documents Turano may have placed in the hands of Signor Castelli, be at once im- pounded.” “T will save the Court the necessity of issuing an order to that effect,” obvserved Castelli: “for I at once hand over to the Deputy-Procurator what- soever documents the prisoner may have placed in my hands,” While this colloquy was progressing, Turano sank down upon a seat just behind the barristers’ table, and thus concealed himself from the view of the great bulk of the audience. From the position which I occupied, I could obtain a partial view of him: J saw that he was covering his face with his hands, and that his posture indicated the deepest mental dejection. The deeds being handed over to the Crown lawyer, the Corsican proceeded to give the following explanations :— “Many years ago an individual bearing the name of Turano was tried before a Paris tribunal for various acts of swindling; and he was sen- tenced to the galleys for a period. He accom- | plished his term of penal servitude at Toulon; and thence, itis believed, he passed in the first instance to England. There he lived as a mere adventurer, —his plausible manners obtaining many dupes. From England it is supposed that he returned to _ JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MFMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. TR RR a a eS CF Sr Oe 287 the Continent, where he travelled about through many countries, living in the same disreputable manner as before. At length, some few months back, he reappeared in Paris,—doubtless hoping that in the long interval which had elapsed since his previous adventures there, he was altozether forgotten. But information was given to ths police; anda watch was set upon his actions. It was ascertained that he was well supplied with money, and that he was living creditably so far as the payment of his bills was concerned. But in the course of time something transpired to excite suspicion that he was playing a deep and nefarious game. He made inquiries at the shop of a law- stationer for some blank legal forms bearing the Government stamps of several years back. These forms he succeeded in procuring. The purpose for which he required them still remained a mystery ; and although I felt convinced he had an unlawful object in view, yet without further evidence I could not possibly interfere with him. A con- tinuous watch was however kept upon his pro- ceedings: but all of a sudden, a few weeks ago, he disappeared from Paris —and no trace could be obtained of the direction which he had taken. It was however believed that he had returned to England; and amidst the pressure of other busi+ ness he and his affairs were forgotten. Very shortly afterwards I was charged with a secret mission to Ajaccio—a mission which was specially entrusted to me as I myself am a Corsican by birth. What this mission was, if is unnecessary for me to mention, inasmuch as it has nothing to do with the present case. Suffice it to say that this mission brought me to Ajaccio; and I had not been in the town many days, when accident threw me in the way of Signor Turano. I was walking through the streets with a young English gentle- man, when we met Turano,—with whom it aps peared this English gentleman had some slight previous acquaintance. I should observe, to pre- vent misconception, that the English gentleman— whom I need not name—is of the highest respec. tability; and I am convinced that he was totally ignorant of the real character of Turano. Turano knew me not: but I resolved to ascertain for what purpose he was at Ajaccio. I soon succeeded in discovering that he had called at Signor Castelli’s office; and then it suddenly occurred to me that he might possibly be asserting a claim to the estates of Monte d’Oro. Knowing that some little time would elapse before this case would come on for hearing—and having found out that Turano had been in Bastia and other parts of the island before coming to Ajaccio—I determined to follow up the clue thus afforded to me. I repaired to Bastia— but could learn nothing there, beyond the fact that Turano had arrived in the first instance by the Marseilles steamer. I proceeded to Marseilles: and there I obtained information which induced me to hasten on to Paris. On instituting inquiries in the capital, I found out a scrivener in very humble circumstances, who had been employed by Turano to fill up certain documents in the wonted law-style of writing: and with the proper legal phraseology. I likewise discovered, beyond all possibility,of doubt, that this Turano—though bearing the same name—is in reality no connexion of the elder branch of the Monte d’Oro family : neither is his Christian name really Alberti. It is ee CORNICE OOO ee tsi” — eee