"The police," came the answer, short and sharp. "Open at once."
Volterra opened, and was confronted by a man in plain clothes, who was accompanied by two soldiers in grey uniforms, and another man, who looked like a cabman. On seeing a gentleman, the detective, who had been about to enter unceremoniously, checked himself and raised his hat, with an apology. Volterra stepped back.
"Come in," he said, "and tell me what your business is. I am the owner of this palace, at present. I am Baron Volterra, and a Senator."
The men all became very polite at once, and entered rather sheepishly.
The cabman came in last, and Volterra shut the door.
"Who is this individual?" he asked, looking at the cabman.
"Tell your story," said the man in plain clothes, addressing the latter.
"I am a coachman, Excellency," the man answered in a servile tone. "I have a cab, number eight hundred and seventy-six, at the service of your Excellency, and it was I who drove the gentleman to the hospital yesterday afternoon."
"What gentleman?"
"The gentleman who was hurt in the house of your Excellency."
Volterra stared from the cabman to the man in plain clothes, not understanding. Then it occurred to him that the man in uniform might be wearing it as a disguise, and that he had to do with a party of clever thieves, and he felt for a little revolver which he always carried about with him.