ived to
enlist in his cause the active interest not only of Musso but of the
excellent Formica, and of Agli too. Salvator replied that it had been
very easy, for Formica was his most intimate friend in Rome, so that it
had been a work of both pleasure and love to him to arrange everything
on the stage in accordance with the instructions Salvator gave him.
Antonio protested that, though still he could not help laughing over
the scene which had paved the way to his happiness, he yet wished with
all his heart to be reconciled to the old gentleman, even if he should
never touch a penny of Marianna's fortune, which the old gentleman had
confiscated; the practice of his art brought him in a sufficient
income. Marianna too was often unable to restrain her tears when she
thought that her father's brother might go down to his grave without
having forgiven her the trick which she had played upon him; and so
Pasquale's hatred overshadowed like a dark cloud the brightness of
their happiness. Salvator comforted them both--Antonio and Marianna--by
saying that time had adjusted still worse difficulties, and that chance
would perhaps bring the old gentleman near them in some less dangerous
way than if they had remained in Rome, or were to return there now.

We shall see that a prophetic spirit spoke in Salvator.

A considerable time elapsed, when one day Antonio burst into Salvator's
studio breathless and pale as death. "Salvator!" he cried, "Salvator,
my friend, my protector! I am lost if you do not help me. Pasquale
Capuzzi is here; he has procured a warrant for my arrest for the
seduction of his niece."

"But what can Signor Pasquale do against you now?" asked Salvator.
"Have you not been united to Marianna by the Church?"

"Oh!" replied Antonio, giving way completely to despair, "the blessing
of the Church herself cannot save me from ruin. Heaven knows by what
means the old man has been able to approach the Pope's nephew.[6.3] At
any rate the Pope's nephew has taken the old man under his protection,
and has infused into him the hope that the Holy Father will declare my
marriage with Marianna to be null and void; nay, yet further, that he
will grant him (the old man) dispensation to marry his niece."

"Stop!" cried Salvator, "now I see it all; now I see it all. What
threatens to be your ruin, Antonio, is this man's hatred against me.
For I must tell you that this nephew of the Pope's, a proud, coarse,
boorish clown, was amongst