"I am here to ask your Eminence to order her release
without delay---"
"On what grounds?" inquired the statesman, raising his eyebrows a
little as though surprised by the way in which the request was
made.
"Because she is innocent, because her arrest was due to the
mistake of the prefect of police--the evidence was against her,
but it was absurd to suppose that she could have done it---"
"The prefect of police received my approval. Have you any means of
showing that she is innocent?"
"Showing it?" repeated Gouache, who looked dazed for a moment, but
recovered himself immediately, turning white to the lips. "What
could be easier?" he exclaimed. "The murderer is before you--I saw
the prince, I asked him for his daughter's hand in marriage, he
insulted me. I left the room, but I returned soon afterwards. I
found him alone, and I killed him--I do not know how I did it---"
"With Donna Faustina's handkerchief," suggested the cardinal.
"Perhaps you do not remember that it was lying on the floor and
that you picked it up and knotted it---"
"Yes, yes! Round his neck," cried Gouache nervously. "I remember.
But I saw red, everything swam, the details are gone. Here I am--
your Eminence's prisoner--I implore you to send the order at
once!"
The cardinal had hitherto maintained a grave expression.
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