Mezzoni the Brigand — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

= 158 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. now. She acted as though she were talking in her sleep. ‘Where is Alberto?’’ she asked, suddenly, think- ing she might unconsciously betray his secret. | ‘“‘Ha! Alberto, where is h2?’’ she repeated. ‘*Al- berto, where is Alberto?”’ ‘‘Where did you get this poison, signora?’’ contin- ued the detective. ‘*Poison!’’ she echoed. _ The officer saw that she was in a hysterical condi- tion, and it was useless to interrogate her further. So he summoned a servant, told her that her mistress was not well, and left the palace for the office of the prefect of police. Here he gave the information which he had gained, and the vial of poison was handed to a chemist to be analyzed. Steps were also taken to have the body of the late Count Amadeo ex- humed, and an autopsy was ordered to be made. It did not require long to substantiate the fact of poisoning, with the means already at hand, and on the following day the Countess Amadeo was arrested and conducted to prison. The tongues of the Neapolitan gossips were now very busy; the present certainly seemed to be a har- vest time with them, and wonder upon wonder, and marvel upon marvel were daily being brought to the light. Here was Alberto Corrello turning out to be a burglar, and the Countess Amadeo a murderess. What next was to astonish the public of Naples? Little was now talked of but the absent Alberto and the imprisoned countess. The police believed that the wounded man must be secreted somewhere in the city, and a systematic search was in progress, though from prudential motives it was, of course, kept as secret as possible. —comicboo cs.co ae « . =< x | . “ “i : * ~~» at *