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Updated: June 5, 2025
And an hour later he rode up to the Casa Perucca, having approached that ancient house by a winding path from the valley below, instead of by the high-road from the Col San Stefano to Olmeta, which runs past its very gate. The Casa Perucca is rather singularly situated, and commands one of the most wonderful views in this wild land of unrivalled prospects.
It is as well to state here, once for all, that we are dealing with Olmeta-di-Tuda, and not that other Olmeta the virtuous, di Capocorso, in fact, which would shudder at the thought of a dead man lying on its "Place," before the windows of the very Mairie, under the shadow of the church.
"Now it is in the train from Paris to Marseilles; now it is on board the Perseverance, steaming across the Gulf of Lyons," had been her thought night and morning. "Now it is at Bastia," she had imagined on waking at dawn that day. And at length she had it now, in thought, close to her on the Olmeta road in front of her.
"It was above Asco, in the high mountains near Cinto," he continued, "and about a week ago. It was he who gave me money, and told me to come and fight for France. He was arranging for others to do the same." "The abbe is a practical man," said Lory. "Yes and he told me news of Olmeta," said the man, glancing sideways at his companion. "What news?" "You have no doubt heard it of Vasselot."
He looked round to make sure that none could overhear. "It was I who shot that Italian dog, Pietro Andrei," he mentioned in confidence, "on the road below Olmeta but that was a personal matter." "Ah!" said Lory, who had heard the story of Andrei's death on the market-place at Olmeta, and the stern determination of his widow to avenge it. "Yes I was starving, and Andrei had money on him.
I may come round by Olmeta later if I lose my way." The man smiled grimly. In Corsica men rarely laugh. "You will not do that. You know this country too well for that. You are the officer connected with the railway. I have seen you looking through your instruments at the earth, in the mountains, in the rocks, and down in the plains everywhere."
He returned slowly to the carriage, and told the driver to return to Olmeta. "I have changed my plans," he said, still mindful of the secret he had received with other pastoral charges from his predecessor. "Jean is not in the chateau, so I shall not go to St. Florent to-night." He leant forward, and looked up at the old castle outlined against the sky.
"I met the Abbe Susini at Olmeta," she said to Mademoiselle Brun, a few minutes later in the great bare drawing-room of the Casa Perucca. "And he transmitted the Count de Vasselot's command that we should leave the Casa Perucca to-night for France. I suggested that the order should be given to the Chateau de Vasselot instead of the Casa Perucca, and the abbe took me at my word.
For this was Corsican work that is to say, dirty work from behind a rock, in the back, at close range, without warning or mercy, as honest men would be ashamed to shoot the merest beast of the forest. It was as likely as not a charge of buck-shot low down in the body, leaving the rest to hemorrhage or gangrene. All Olmeta knew of it, and every man took care that it should be no business of his.
I asked, turning on Billy, who stared and excusably at this evidence of our emotion. "No, he bain't," said Billy; "leastways, he was with her when I left him, at a place called Olmeta, or something of the sort. But by this time he've a-gone north again." "And why goes he north?" "Because that's where the Genoese have shut up the lady." "Meaning the Queen Emilia?" Billy nodded.
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