As they came into the city, the rain stopped, but the air was heavy with a damp, soggy mist through which the street lamps glowed, each set in a luminous halo. The streets were full of a noisy merry crowd and the carriage made slow progress. Once it stopped altogether and a masked Pierrot climbed up on one step, a gay Harlequin on the other while a very masculine _ballerina_ in draggled pink tarletan installed herself or himself beside the driver.
"_Tò!_" said the Pierrot, and blew out a long paper sausage that squeaked as it collapsed; the Harlequin emptied a shovelful of confetti over the silent pair.
"Who is the mysterious princess?" squeaked the Pierrot, "Unveil! unveil, fair one!"
As Ragna paid no attention he snatched her veil from her face and fell into a pose of ecstatic mock admiration. Ragna threw herself back, alarmed.
"Here!" said Mirko, starting up angrily, "I won't have this! Let the lady alone, will you? Get down!"
"Pray, be more courteous!" mouthed Arlecchino, "_In carnevale ogni scherzo vale._" The crowd shrieked approval.
"Here, then," said Mirko, diving into his pocket and bestowing a gold piece on each masker, "go and drink to the health of your '_carnevale_' with this."
The _ballerina_ poked a long red cardboard nose down under the hood, squeaking in high falsetto.
"And poor Colombina? Don't forget poor Colombina!"
Mirko found another gold piece for Colombina and the three masks jumped down shouting joyously.
The crowd took up the cry and it rang after the retreating carriage.
Mirko looked at Ragna deprecatingly, but meeting her scornful eyes, turned his own away.
When at last they reached the Piazza Montecitorio he insisted on helping her out, and holding her fast by the hand, asked her:
She drew her hand away from him, and without looking at him said "Good-bye" with a finality of accent not to be mistaken; then the _portone_ swallowed her up. Mirko, with a muttered oath clambered back into the carriage and drove to his hotel. As he entered the lobby he encountered the unexpected form of Angelescu.
"When did you come?" he asked in surprise.
"At noon, and I have been waiting for you ever since. I have a message for you from the King--" he spoke the last word in a whisper.