and Antonio was powerless to accomplish.

On that self-same night there suddenly arose, in Strada Ripetta before
Pasquale's house, such a terrible swearing, shouting, and quarrelling
that all the neighbours started from their sleep, and the Sbirri (who
had been after a murderer who took sanctuary in the Piazza di Spagna),
supposing there was another murder going on, came hurrying up with
their torches. When they, and a crowd of people attracted by the noise
who came with them, arrived on the scene of the supposed murder, what
was seen was poor little Pitichinaccio lying on the ground as if dead;
Michele belabouring the Pyramid Doctor with a frightful cudgel, and the
said Doctor in the act of falling down; whilst Signor Pasquale, picking
himself up with difficulty, drew his sword, and began furiously lunging
at Michele. All round lay fragments of shattered guitars. Several
people stopped the old gentleman's arm, or he would infallibly have run
Michele through the body. The latter (who, now that the torches had
come, saw, for the first time, who it was that he had to do with),
stood like a statue, with eyes staring out of his head. Presently He
emitted a terrific yell, tore his hair, and implored forgiveness and
mercy. Neither the Pyramid Doctor nor Pitichinaccio were seriously
hurt, but they were so stiff, and so black and blue, that they could
not move a muscle, and had to be carried home.

Signor Pasquale had brought this trouble upon his own pate. We are
aware that Salvator and Antonio had favoured Marianna with the most
beautiful night-music imaginable, but I have forgotten to add that they
went on repeating it on succeeding nights, tremendously infuriating
Signor Pasquale; his anger was held in check by the neighbours, and he
was silly enough to apply to the authorities to prevent the two
painters from singing in Strada Ripetta. The authorities considered it
an unheard of thing in Rome to forbid anybody singing whenever he
chose, and said it was absurd to demand it. On this Signor Pasquale
determined to put an end to the thing himself, and promised Michele a
good sum of money if he would fall upon the singers and give them a
good cudgelling on the first opportunity. Michele at once provided
himself with a big stick, and kept watch every night behind the door.
However, it happened that Salvator and Antonio thought it advisable to
discontinue the night-music in Strada Ripetta on the nights immediately
preceding the e