the old donkey by the nose. The very wildest
undertakings are not wild enough for me, in circumstances like those.
This very moment I shall set to work to see what more I can find out
about the old fellow and all his ways of life. You must not let
yourself be seen in this, Antonio. Go you quietly home, and come to me
to-morrow as early as you can, that we may consider the plan for our
first attack."

With that Salvator washed his brushes, threw on his cloak, and hastened
to the Corso; whilst Antonio, comforted, and with fresh hope in his
heart, went home, as Salvator had enjoined him.

* * * * * *

Signor Pasquale Capuzzi makes his appearance in Salvator Rosa's
abode.--What happened there.--Rosa and Scacciati's artful
stratagem, and its consequences.

Antonio was not a little surprised, the next morning, when Salvator
gave him the most minute account of Capuzzi's whole manner of life,
which, in the interval, he had found out all about. Salvator said the
miserable Marianna was tortured by the crack-brained old scoundrel in
the most fiendish manner. That he sighed, and made love to her all day
long; and, what was worse, by way of touching her heart, sang to her
all sorts of amorous ditties and arias which he had composed, or
attempted to compose. Moreover, he was so madly jealous that he would
not allow this much-to-be-compassionated girl even the usual female
attendance, for fear of love-intrigues to which the Abigail might
possibly be corrupted. "Instead of that," Salvator went on, "there
comes, every morning and evening, a little horrible, ghastly spectre of
a creature, with hollow eyes, and pale, flabby, hanging cheeks, to do
what a maid-servant ought to do for the beautiful Marianna. And this
spectre is none other than that tiny hop-o-my-thumb Pitichinaccio,
dressed in woman's clothes. When Capuzzi is away, he carefully locks
and bars all the doors; and besides that, watch and ward is kept by
that infernal fellow who was once a Bravo, afterwards a Sbirro, who
lives downstairs in Capuzzi's house. Therefore it seems impossible to
get inside the door. But I promise you, Antonio, that to-morrow night
you shall be in the room with Capuzzi, and see your Marianna, though,
this time, only in Capuzzi's presence."

"What!" cried Antonio, "is that which appears to me an impossibility
going to come to pass to-morrow night?"

"Hush, Antonio!" said Salvator; "let us calmly refl