When it is considered that the greatest scientists and
specialists in Europe have recently disagreed concerning documents
which are undoubtedly of modern manufacture, and which were
produced by just such men as Arnoldo Meschini, it need not appear
surprising that the latter should successfully impose upon a court
of law. The circumstances of the Saracinesca family history, too,
lent an air of probability to the alleged facts. The poverty and
temporary disappearance of Leone's descendants explained why they
had not attempted to recover their rights. Nay, more, since Leone
had died when his son was an infant, and since there was no copy
of the document among his papers, it was more than probable that
the child on growing up had never known the nature of the deed,
and would not have been likely to suspect what was now put forward
as the truth, unless his attention were called to it by some
person possessed of the necessary knowledge.
The papers were returned to Prince Saracinesca in the afternoon
with a polite note of thanks. It will be remembered that the
prince had not read the documents, as he had meant to do, in
consequence of the trouble between Giovanni and Corona which had
made him forget his intention. He had not looked over them since
he had been a young man and the recollection of their contents was
far from clear.
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