The last resource was the porter at the outer gate. They applied
to him; and in answer to their questions he asserted that he had
most certainly seen a lady in a yellow domino and mask drive
away, about half an hour before, in a hired coach.
"Should you remember the coachman again?" asked D'Arbino.
"Perfectly; he is an old friend of mine."
"And you know where he lives?"
"Yes; as well as I know where I do."
"Any reward you like, if you can get somebody to mind your lodge,
and can take us to that house."
In a few minutes they were following the porter through the dark,
silent streets. "We had better try the stables first," said the
man. "My friend, the coachman, will hardly have had time to do
more than set the lady down. We shall most likely catch him just
putting up his horses."
The porter turned out to be right. On entering the stable-yard,
they found that the empty coach had just driven into it.
"You have been taking home a lady in a yellow domino from the
masquerade?" said D'Arbino, putting some money into the
coachman's hand.
"Yes, sir; I was engaged by that lady for the evening--engaged to
drive her to the ball as well as to drive her home."
"Where did you take her from?"
"From a very extraordinary place--from the gate of the Campo
Santo burial-ground."
During this colloquy, Finello and D'Arbino had been standing with
Fabio between them, each giving him an arm.
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