This done, he extinguished the solar lamp; put it out of sight; desired me once more to follow him; and led the way back along the same labyrinth of staircases and corridors by which he brought me.

It was gray dawn as he hurried me into the coach.
The blinds were already down--the door was instantly closed--again we seemed to be going through an infinite number of streets--again we stopped, and I found myself at the corner of the Via Margutta.
"'Alight, Signore,' said the stranger, speaking for the first time since we started.

'Alight--you are but a few yards from your own door.

Here are a hundred scudi; and all that you have now to do, is to forget your night's work, as if it had never been.' "With this he closed the carriage-door, the horses dashed on again, and, before I had time even to see if any arms were blazoned on the panels, the whole equipage had disappeared.
"And here, strange to say, the adventure ended.

I never was called upon for evidence.