I was summoned before the court, they said they would
reward me for denouncing the society, they said they would give me a
thousand ducats. Ha, ha, ha! a thousand ducats for making myself the
wretched creature I am! But I did not come here to frighten your
ladyship, I came here to humbly beg a favour. Gracious lady, the
magistrates told me that a mixed commission will be appointed to try the
forgers and that his lordship, the baron, will be the president of this
commission; on him depends the life and death of everyone concerned."
Henrietta felt obliged to lean against the wall.
"My lady, I do not expect impossibilities, I cannot wish that the guilty
should remain unpunished--justice is justice! But the leader of the
whole gang was Fatia Negra, he planned everything, the others only
carried out his orders. And now there is a lot of false witnesses ready
to swear that my father was the ring-leader and throw all the blame upon
him, but it was Fatia Negra and nobody else as God knows."
Every time the peasant woman mentioned Fatia Negra's name a spasmodic
twitch convulsed Henrietta's pale features.
"Gracious lady," continued Anicza, "I implore you by the tender mercies
of God not to abandon me. Grant me my petition! Either let them kill me
or lock me up with the others. I implore you, my lady, to speak or write
to your husband (if these things must be in writing) on my behalf.
Pages:
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335