But murder,
secret midnight murder, could not have been committed by the man
she had chosen as her friend. And yet, through it all, there was a
resolve that even though he should have committed murder she would
be true to him. If it should come to the very worst, then would she
declare the intensity of the affection with which she regarded the
murderer. As to Mr. Bonteen, what the Duchess said was true enough;
why should not he be killed as well as another? In her present frame
of mind she felt very little pity for Mr. Bonteen. After a fashion a
verdict of "served him right" crossed her mind, as it had doubtless
crossed that of the Duchess when she was writing her letter. The man
had made himself so obnoxious that it was well that he should be out
of the way. But not on that account would she believe that Phineas
Finn had murdered him.
Could it be true that the man after all was dead? Marvellous reports,
and reports marvellously false, do spread themselves about the world
every day. But this report had come from the Duke, and he was not
a man given to absurd rumours.
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