THE INQUISITION
“Yes.”
“There was another package of cigarette papers of the same make as these?”
“There was.”
“You read them?”
“I did.”
“Was this before or after you found the second package—these which I now have in my hand?”
“Before.”
“How long before?”
“It was the night of Lady Heathcote’s dinner in London—the night Mr. Hammersley took me home in the machine.”
“The night you were followed by men in another machine?”
“Yes.”
“You escaped to Ashwater Park with the package of papers which Herr Hammersley had given you and, after hiding in a tree, in the privacy of your room read these papers?”
“I did.”
“Were the contents of the papers you read at Ashwater Park the same as those you hold in your hand?”
“As nearly as I can remember, they were, exactly.”
“Word for word?”
“I cannot say that. There were certain names and certain figures that I remember very clearly as being exactly the same. I—I” she hesitated. “There were reasons why, in the state of mind that I was in, what I saw remained impressed upon my memory.”
Hammersley throughout had sat immovable. But Rizzio, who had shown signs of anxiety, now interrupted.
“Excellenz, I beg”
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