nding at
his door, completely dressed. At his back were the Pyramid Doctor, and
the accursed Sbirro, whilst there was some little many-coloured object
running in and out amongst their legs; this, I believe, was that little
abortion of a Pitichinaccio. As soon as the old fellow saw me he
menaced me with his fist, uttered the most gruesome curses and
maledictions, and swore he would have every bone in my body broken if I
dared to come to his door. 'Be off with you to all the devils in Hell,
cursed Beard-scratcher!' he croaked and screamed at me. 'You thought to
make a fool of me, with all sorts of infernal lies and deceptions; you
have striven like the very Satan himself to tempt and mislead my
Marianna. But wait a little. I will spend my last farthing, if
necessary, in getting your life-light snuffed out before you are aware
of it. And as for your fine patron, Signor Salvator--the murderer, the
robber, the cheat-the-gallows!--he shall to hell to join his leader,
Mas' Aniello. Him I'll get kicked out of Rome; that won't give me much
trouble.' Thus did the old man rave; and as the cursed Sbirro, egged on
by the Pyramid Doctor, made as if he would set on me and attack me,
whilst the curious populace began to crowd round, what could I do but
get off as quickly as possible? In my despair I thought I should not
come to you, for I felt certain you would only laugh--and in fact you
hardly can help doing so at this moment."

Indeed, when Antonio ceased speaking, Salvator did laugh heartily.

"Now," he cried, "now the affair is really beginning to become
most delightful. But I shall now tell you, circumstantially, my
dear Antonio, what happened in Capuzzi's house when you had gone
out. Scarcely had you got down-stairs, when Signor Splendiano
Accoramboni--who, heaven knows how, had found out that his bosom
friend Capuzzi had broken his leg in the night--came, in the most
solemn state, to see him, bringing a surgeon with him. Your bandagings,
and your whole treatment of Capuzzi, could not but excite some
suspicion; the surgeon took the splints and bandages off, and of course
found--what we know very well--that there was nothing whatever the
matter with Capuzzi's foot; not so much as a sprained ankle. Very well;
it did not require much acuteness to find out the rest."

"My dearest Maestro," asked Antonio, full of amazement, "how on earth
did you manage to find out all this?--how could you get into Capuzzi's
house, and know all tha