proud and sparkling eyes, whilst his pleasure, his
joy, was greatly enhanced to find that all the seats near and behind
Marianna were occupied by women alone. A couple of violins and a
bass-fiddle were being tuned behind the curtains of the stage; the old
gentleman's heart beat with expectation; and when all at once the
orchestra struck up the _ritornello_ of his work, he felt an electric
thrill tingling in every nerve.

Formica came forward in the character of Pasquarello, and sang--sang in
Capuzzi's own voice, and with all his characteristic gestures, the most
hopeless aria that ever was heard. The theatre shook with the loud and
boisterous laughter of the audience. They shouted; they screamed
wildly, "O Pasquale Capuzzi! Our most illustrious composer and artist!
Bravo! Bravissimo!" The old gentleman, not perceiving the ridicule and
irony of the laughter, was in raptures of delight. The aria came to an
end, and the people cried "Sh! sh!" for Doctor Gratiano, played on this
occasion by Nicolo Musso himself, appeared on the stage, holding his
hands over his ears and shouting to Pasquarello for goodness' sake to
stop his ridiculous screeching.

Then the Doctor asked Pasquarello how long he had taken to the
confounded habit of singing, and where he had got that execrable piece
from.

Whereupon Pasquarello replied, that he didn't know what the Doctor
would have; he was like the Romans, and had no taste for real music,
since he failed to recognise the most talented of musicians. The aria
had been written by the greatest of living composers, in whose service
he had the good fortune to be, receiving instruction in both music and
singing from the master himself.

Gratiano then began guessing, and mentioned the names of a great number
of well-known composers and musicians, but at every distinguished name
Pasquarello only shook his head contemptuously.

At length Pasquarello said that the Doctor was only exposing gross
ignorance, since he did not know the name of the greatest composer of
the time. It was no other than Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, who had done
him the honour of taking him into his service. Could he not see that he
was the friend and servant of Signor Pasquale?

Then the Doctor broke out into a loud long roar of laughter, and cried.
What! Had he (Pasquarello) after running away from him (the Doctor),
with whom, besides getting his wages and food, he had had his palm
tickled with many a copper, had he gone and