"
"You mean that you advise me to leave Rome. Is that it?" Malipieri now
spoke with the utmost indifference, and glanced carelessly at the end
of his cigar as he knocked the ash into the gold cup at his side.
"You certainly cannot stay any longer in the palace," Volterra said,
in an advisory and deprecatory tone.
"You seem to be badly frightened," observed Malipieri. "I really
cannot see why I should change my quarters until we have finished what
we are doing."
"I am afraid you will have to go. You are looked upon as very
'suspicious.' It would not be so bad, if your servant had not been a
convict."
"How do you know that?" Malipieri asked with sudden sternness.
"Everything of that sort is known to the police," answered Volterra,
whose manner had become very mild. "Of course you have your own
reasons for employing such a person."
"He is an innocent man, who was unjustly convicted."
"Oh, indeed! Poor fellow! Those things happen sometimes, I know. It is
more than kind of you to employ him. Nevertheless, you cannot help
seeing that the association of ideas is unfortunate and gives a bad
impression. The man was never proved to be innocent, and when he had
served his term, he was involved as your servant in your political
escapade. You do not mind my speaking of that matter lightly? It is
the safest way to look at it, is it not? Yes.
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