Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/263

 he saw that his friend Splendiano alone was hunted by the demons. The hideous Pitchinaccio, shuddering with fear, had hidden his head under his master's cloak, and clung to his doublet with all the tenacity of a drowning man. The beautiful Marianna had fainted,—"Come back to thyself, my cherished one, my sweet dove," said Capuzzi to her after the doctor had been carried off; "alas, the devil is carrying my illustrious friend Splendiano under the Pyramid of Cestius! May saint Bernard, who was so great a physician of souls, have pity on his, and defend it against the enemies which it will find in the other world! Alas, alas! who now will sing bass in my evening concerts? and when shall I be able myself, after such an accident, to draw from my throat one single pure and clear octave? Finally, all is for the best, for God has spared us. Come back to thyself, Marianna, my chicken, all is over!"

The young girl came gradually to herself, and begged Capuzzi to allow her to walk by herself, whilst he shook off the despairing embrace of Pitichinaccio; but the uncle would not consent to it, and pressed her arm more closely within his own, to protect her against all kinds of danger to come. Now, as he retook the road to his house, four horrible demons appeared suddenly by his side, as if vomited from the earth; these four figures, muffled up in fire colored cloaks, threw out from their mouths and eyes bluish flames, and began to dance around Capuzzi, crying out:

"Phew, phew! Pasquale Capuzzi! old amorous devil, accursed fool! We are thy companions from hell, we are the devils of ugly lovers, and we are about to transport thee to our furnace, with that little monster Pitchinaccio!"

And in the midst of these bowlings, which made the echoes tremble, the four demoniacs threw themselves upon Capuzzi and Pitichinaccio, and gave them such a frightful fall, that the unfortunate Argus of the beautiful Marianna began to bray like a beaten donkey. The young girl had disengaged her aim from Canuzzi as soon as the devils had made their