Yes, even Peter was
human, all too human.
While Jenny related her sufferings and made appeal to her listener's
overmastering devotion, I left the house and Brendon saw me go. To
get a boat, that I might cross to Bellagio, was the work of ten
minutes. I took one without troubling the owner, loaded a dozen
heavy stones and soon rowed to Villa Pianezzo and ascended the water
steps. A black beard was all the disguise I used, save that I had
left my coat in the boat and appeared before Redmayne in shirt
sleeves.
With trembling accents I related to Assunta, who of course knew me
not, that Poggi was taken fatally ill and might hardly hope to last
an hour. It was enough. I returned to the boat and in three minutes
Albert joined me and offered me untold gold to row as I had never
rowed before. A hundred and fifty yards from shore I directed him to
pass into the bow of the boat, explaining that I should so make
greater speed. As he passed me, the little pole-axe fell. He
suffered nothing and in five minutes more, with heavy stones
fastened to feet and arms, he sank beneath Como.
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