y. But where is Signor Formica, where
is my good physician? let me thank him a thousand times for my cure; it
is he alone who has accomplished it. The terror that he has caused me
to feel has brought about a complete revolution within me."

Pasquarello stepped forward. Antonio threw himself upon his neck,
crying, "O Signor Formica, you to whom I owe my life, my all--oh! take
off this disfiguring mask, that I may see your face, that Formica may
not be any longer a mystery to me."

Pasquarello took off his cap and his artificial mask, which looked like
a natural face, since it offered not the slightest hindrance to the
play of countenance, and this Formica, this Pasquarello, was
transformed into--Salvator Rosa.[6.5]

"Salvator!" exclaimed Marianna, Antonio, and Capuzzi, utterly
astounded.

"Yes," said that wonderful man, "it is Salvator Rosa, whom the Romans
would not recognise as painter and poet, but who in the character of
Formica drew from them, without their being aware of it, almost every
evening for more than a year, in Nicolo Musso's wretched little
theatre, the most noisy and most demonstrative storms of applause, from
whose mouth they willingly took all the scorn, and all the satiric
mockery of what is bad, which they would on no account listen to and
see in Salvator's poems and pictures. It is Salvator Formica who has
helped you, dear Antonio."

"Salvator," began old Capuzzi, "Salvator Rosa, albeit I have always
regarded you as my worst enemy, yet I have always prized your artistic
skill very highly, and now I love you as the worthiest friend I have,
and beg you to accept my friendship in return."

"Tell me," replied Salvator, "tell me, my worthy Signor Pasquale, what
service I can render you, and accept my assurances beforehand, that I
will leave no stone unturned to accomplish whatever you may ask of me."

And now the genial smile which had not been seen upon Capuzzi's face
since Marianna had been carried off, began to steal back again. Taking
Salvator's hand he lisped in a low voice, "My dear Signor Salvator, you
possess an unlimited influence over good Antonio; beseech him in my
name to permit me to spend the short rest of my days with him, and my
dear daughter Marianna, and to accept at my hands the inheritance left
her by her mother, as well as the good dowry which I was thinking of
adding to it. And he must not look jealous if I occasionally kiss the
dear sweet child's little white hand; and ask