"Yes, Signora Marchesa."
"Put out the light. Take your knitting and wait in the ante-room. When he returns come and tell me."
Having given these orders, the Marchesa rolled over on her side, turning her face towards the wall, and leaving the amazed and ill-pleased maid to stare at that white, smooth, impenetrable enigma, her night-cap.
CHAPTER III
THE GREAT STEP
That same evening at exactly ten o'clock the engineer Ribera knocked gently twice on the door of Signor Giacomo Puttini's house at Albogasio Superiore. Presently a window above his head was opened, and a little, old, clean-shaven face of "Sior Zacomo" himself appeared in the moonlight.
"Most worshipful engineer, my respects!" said he. "The servant is coming down to let you in."
"That is not necessary," the other answered. "I am not coming up. It is time to start, so you had better join me at once."
Signor Giacomo began to puff and wink hard.