There--at the foot of the page, from 'eo tamen
pacto.' It is plain enough. It says, 'On the understanding that if
an heir be born to the aforesaid Don Leone, in lawful wedlock, the
present instrument shall be wholly null, void and inefficacious."
An heir was born, and San Giacinto is that heir's grandson. You
may tear up the document. It is not worth the parchment it is
written upon, nor are we either."
"You are mad, Giovannino!" exclaimed the prince, hoarsely, "that
is not the meaning of the words. You have forgotten your Latin."
"I will get you a dictionary--or a lawyer--whichever you prefer."
"You are not in earnest, my boy. Look here--eo tamen pacto--that
means 'by this agreement'--does it not? I am not so rusty as you
seem to think."
"It means 'on this understanding, however.' Go on. Quod si, that
if--praedicto Domino Leoni, to the aforesaid Don Leone--ex
legitimo matrimonio, from a lawful marriage--heres nasceretur, an
heir should be born--hoc instrumentum, this deed--shall be null,
worthless and invalid. You cannot get any other sense out of it. I
have tried for a quarter of an hour. You and I are beggars.
Saracinesca, Torleone, Barda, and all the rest belong to San
Giacinto, the direct descendant of your great-grandfather's elder
brother.
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