ignor Formica! In what way can that
buffoon help me?"

"Ho! ho!" laughed Salvator. "Please to bear in mind, I beg you, that
Signor Formica is worthy of your respect. Don't you know that he is a
sort of magician who in secret is master of the most mysterious arts? I
tell you, Signor Formica will help you. Old Maria Agli, the clever
Bolognese Doctor Gratiano, is also a sharer in the plot, and will,
moreover, have an important part to play in it. You shall abduct your
Marianna, Antonio, from Musso's theatre."

"You are flattering me with false hopes, Salvator," said Antonio. "You
have just now said yourself that Signor Pasquale will take care to
avoid all open attacks. How can you suppose then, after his recent
unpleasant experience, that he can possibly make up his mind to visit
Musso's theatre again?"

"It will not be such a difficult thing as you imagine to entice the old
man there," replied Salvator. "What will be more difficult to effect,
will be, to get him in the theatre without his satellites. But, be that
as it may, what you have now got to do, Antonio, is to have everything
prepared and arranged with Marianna, so as to flee from Rome the moment
the favourable opportunity comes. You must go to Florence; your skill
as a painter will, after your arrival, in itself recommend you there;
and you shall have no lack of acquaintances, nor of honourable
patronage and assistance--that you may leave to me to provide for.
After we have had a few days' rest, we will then see what is to be done
further. Once more, Antonio--live in hope; Formica will help you."

V.

_Of the new mishap which befalls Signor Pasquale Capussi. Antonio
Scacciati successfully carries out his plan in Nicolo Musso's theatre,
and flees to Florence._

Signor Pasquale was only too well aware who had been at the bottom of
the mischief that had happened to him and the poor Pyramid Doctor near
the Porta del Popolo, and so it may be imagined how enraged he was
against Antonio, and against Salvator Rosa, whom he rightly judged to
be the ringleader in it all. He was untiring in his efforts to comfort
poor Marianna, who was quite ill from fear,--so she said; but in
reality she was mortified that the scoundrel Michele with his gendarmes
had come up, and torn her from her Antonio's arms. Meanwhile Margaret
was very active in bringing her tidings of her lover; and she based all
her hopes upon the enterprising mind of Salv