"Ma foi, I've told you before I did not know it was you. I only beheld a stranger, and thinking that the stranger might interfere with my plans, I stole across the ante-chamber, and when you fell back--well, I used my chloroform. Then I left you lying hidden behind the tapestry, and went on watching Madame Morone at her Borgian supper. She was dragging Pallanza's body to the pillar, and, having safely shut him up there, departed with a satisfied smile on her face; so I was left alone with two apparently dead men--Pallanza in the pillar, and you behind the tapestry." "A sufficiently dramatic situation I think, Marchese." "Eh! no doubt. There is more drama in life---especially in Italian life--than people think, and there are even stranger events than this comedy of the Palazzo Morone take place in our midst." "From what I have seen of your people, Luigi, I quite believe it. Well, about this dramatic situation--what did you do next?" "Cospetto! I played my part on the stage with great judgment, I can tell you. When I was sure that Madame Morone had left the palazzo I re-lighted the candles, and went to see what appearance my man behind the tapestry presented. To my surprise I recognised Signor Hugo Cranston, and you may fancy I was considerably astonished, as I could not understand how you had become mixed up in this Boccaccian adventure. Friendship said, 'Revive him and apologize.' Caution remarked, 'Remove him from the palazzo, and let him think the events of the night a dream.'" "Oh! and you adopted the advice of caution?" "Diavolo! what else could I do? You might have interfered with my plans; and, besides, I always intended to give you an explanation when the Contessa became the Marchesa Beltrami. Circumstances, however, have brought about the explanation sooner than I intended." "So I see," I replied drily. "However, you removed me from the palace." "Yes! I called up my two men, and, telling them you were--well--overcome by Bacchus, ordered them to take you to the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and leave you there. Ecco!" "Oh, Beltrami." "Eh, you reproach me. Well, I no doubt deserve your reproaches, but it was the best excuse I could think of, as it doesn't do to trust servants too much. Ebbene! they took you away and left you in the Piazza, where you awoke in the morning?" "I did, with a confounded headache." "Ma foi! that was the chloroform, no doubt. Having thus arranged your little matter I went to the pillar and released Guiseppe Pallanza." "He was not dead, then?" "No! She gave him ten drops, I tell you. So that, although he was not actually dead, he had all the appearance of a corpse. I could not revive him as I had not the antidote; so, when my two men returned, I had him brought here." "Here! In this house?"