The Count of Monte Cristo

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streets. Then they returned to the Rospoli Palace; but the count and
the blue domino had also disappeared; the two windows, hung with yellow
damask, were still occupied by the persons whom the count had invited.
At this moment the same bell that had proclaimed the beginning of the
mascherata sounded the retreat. The file on the Corso broke the line,
and in a second all the carriages had disappeared. Franz and Albert were
opposite the Via delle Maratte; the coachman, without saying a word,
drove up it, passed along the Piazza di Spagni and the Rospoli Palace
and stopped at the door of the hotel. Signor Pastrini came to the door
to receive his guests. Franz hastened to inquire after the count, and to
express regret that he had not returned in sufficient time; but Pastrini
reassured him by saying that the Count of Monte Cristo had ordered a
second carriage for himself, and that it had gone at four o'clock to
fetch him from the Rospoli Palace. The count had, moreover, charged
him to offer the two friends the key of his box at the Argentina. Franz
questioned Albert as to his intentions; but Albert had great projects
to put into execution before going to the theatre; and instead of making