You know not, it seems, by what mischance it came to me.' 'It was a lucky mischance, be it what it may, Signor,' replied Bertolini, smiling.

'I would, that one so lucky had befallen me.' Montoni looked gravely at him.

'If you will attend to what I say,' he resumed, 'you shall hear the story.' The countenances of Bertolini and Verezzi expressed something more than curiosity; Cavigni, who seemed to feel none, had probably heard the relation before.
'It is now near twenty years,' said Montoni, 'since this castle came into my possession.

I inherit it by the female line.

The lady, my predecessor, was only distantly related to me; I am the last of her family.