ago eaten all the goodness and all the music out of it? Not
ten--not five--not three--not one ducat shall you have for it, it's
scarcely worth a farthing. Away with the tumbledown thing!" and he
kicked over the little instrument again and again, till the strings
were all jarring and jangling together.

"Ha!" screeched Capuzzi, "justice is still to be had in Rome; I will
have you arrested, sir,--arrested and cast into the deepest dungeon
there is," and off he was rushing out of the room, blustering like a
hailstorm. But Salvator took fast hold of him with both hands, and drew
him down into the chair again, softly murmuring in his ear, "My dear
Signor Pasquale, don't you perceive that I was only jesting with you?
You shall have for your spinet, not ten, but _thirty_ ducats cash
down." And he went on repeating, "thirty bright ducats in ready money,"
until Capuzzi said in a faint and feeble voice, "What do you say, my
dear sir? Thirty ducats for the spinet without its being repaired?"
Then Salvator released his hold of the old gentleman, and asserted
on his honour that within an hour the instrument should be worth
thirty--nay, forty ducats, and that Signor Pasquale should receive as
much for it.

Taking in a fresh supply of breath, and sighing deeply, the old
gentleman murmured, "Thirty--forty ducats!" Then he began, "But you
have greatly offended me, Signor Salvator"---- "Thirty ducats,"
repeated Salvator. Capuzzi simpered, but then began again, "But you
have grossly wounded my feelings, Signor Salvator"---- "Thirty ducats,"
exclaimed Salvator, cutting him short; and he continued to repeat,
"Thirty ducats! thirty ducats!" as long as the old gentleman continued
to sulk--till at length Capuzzi said, radiant with delight, "If you
will give me thirty,--I mean forty ducats for the spinet, all shall be
forgiven and forgotten, my dear sir."

"But," began Salvator, "before I can fulfil my promise, I still have
one little condition to make, which you, my honoured Signor Pasquale
Capuzzi di Senigaglia, can easily grant. You are the first musical
composer in all Italy, besides being the foremost singer of the day.
When I heard in the opera _Le Nozze di Teti e Peleo_ the great scene
which that shameless Francesco Cavalli has thievishly taken from your
works, I was enraptured. If you would only sing me that aria whilst I
put the spinet to rights you would confer upon me a pleasure than which
I can conceive of none more enjoyable."