ort and assistance. We shall have to
rest on our oars for a few days, and then we shall see what more is to
be done. Keep up your courage. Formica will help."

A Fresh Misfortune Comes Upon Signor Pasquale Capuzzi. Antonio
Scacciati Carries Out A Plot At Musso's Theatre, And Flies To
Florence.

Signor Pasquale knew but too well who were the authors of the trick
played upon him and the poor Pyramid Doctor near the Porto del Popolo;
and we can imagine his rage with Antonio and with Salvator Rosa, whom
he rightly considered to be the prime mover in the matter. He did his
utmost to console Marianna, who was quite ill, from the fright--as she
put it--but really from disappointment and vexation at the accursed
Michele's having carried her off, with his Sbirri, from Antonio.
Meanwhile, Margarita industriously brought her tidings of her lover,
and she based all her hopes and expectations upon the enterprising
Salvator. She waited most impatiently from day to day for anything in
the shape of fresh events, and vented her vexation upon the old
gentleman by a thousand teasings and naggings, which rendered him
humble and submissive in his foolish amourishness, but had not the
effect of in any degree casting out the love-devil by which he was
possessed. When Marianna had poured out upon his devoted head a full
measure of all the evil caprices of a selfish girl, she had only to
suffer him to press his withered lips a single time upon her little
hand, and he would vow, in the excess of his delight, that he would
never leave off kissing the Pope's slipper till he had obtained his
dispensation to marry his niece, quintessence as she was of all beauty
and loveliness. Marianna was careful to do nothing to disturb this
condition of delight, for those rays of hope of her uncle's made her
own to shine brighter--her hopes of being all the nearer escaping him,
the more firmly he believed himself to be united to her by bonds which
were indissoluble.

Some time had elapsed when, one day, Michele came stumping upstairs and
announced to his master (who opened the door after a good deal of
knocking), with much prolixity, that there was a gentleman below who
insisted, most urgently, on speaking with Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, who,
he was aware, lived in that house.

"Oh, all ye heavenly hosts!" cried the old gentleman, in a rage,
"doesn't this lubber know as well as possible that I never speak with
strangers in the house!"

But Mic