believing, as she did, that Don Alberto had made his plans for that very
night, and thinking, as was natural, that his great power in Rome might
even have sufficed to have her followed from the Lateran, in which case
he could well hinder her husband and Gambardella from joining her, and
she would be at his mercy just as if she had gone home to sleep in the
palace.

Tommaso and young Altieri rode quickly away from the illuminated meadow,
which was now full of people who either thronged the overflowing booths,
or walked about on the grass laughing and talking, and waiting till
those who were supping should make room for them. The riding mules of
those times were swift and much surer of foot than horses, and it was
not long before the two men reached the rickety wooden gate of the old
Jewish cemetery.

Here Tommaso dismounted, and whispering to Don Alberto to do the same,
he tied the mules' bridles to the gate-post, which was still sound. Then
he led the way up the hill, and both men trod so cautiously that when
they passed the little house Ortensia did not hear a footfall in the
road through the closed windows. Tommaso did not stop at the house door,
however, but led Altieri on to the next, which was placed in the long
wall and gave access to the vineyard. It was not fastened, and both went
in, Tommaso putting his arm through Don Alberto's to guide him and help
him if he stumbled.

The rain on the previous night had softened the earth, and there was a
path between the inside of the wall and the trained vines. They followed
this, until they were twenty paces from the house, when Tommaso stopped.

'The lady is alone in there,' he said, pointing. 'Show me the money.'

Don Alberto was prepared. With his left hand he produced a heavy
deerskin purse, and with the other he drew a long knife from under his
cloak. It gleamed in the starlight, and Tommaso saw it not far from his
throat; but with the utmost coolness he took the purse and tried its
weight in his hand, before untying the strings to feel the coins. When
he was satisfied, he tied the purse again and gave it back to Don
Alberto, who at once returned his knife to its sheath.

'To satisfy you,' said the old highwayman, 'I have set a ladder against
the window of the room where she is probably waiting, and I have made a
small hole through the outer shutter, through which you can see her. You
will then come down the ladder, and I will let you into the house by the
back