she exclaimed. "The sound of music is stronger than gold!" Yet I was
detained six days, during which there were mysterious comings and
goings. The old witch herself, who had made me write on a piece of paper
the words "I travel to Naples" and my name, disappeared for a day, and
came back with a letter, which she commanded me not to read then.
Finally, in the midst of night, she led me out of the robbers' den and
took me across a rocky path to a dumb peasant with an ass, which I was
made to mount. She kissed my forehead and departed. When daylight broke
I opened the letter, which contained a passport in my name, an order for
five hundred scudi on a Naples bank, and the words "Bernardo is out of
danger, but do not return to Rome for some months."

When I joined the high-road, I took carriage for Naples. Among my
travelling companions was a portly, handsome, Neapolitan lady, with whom
I became very friendly, and who invited me to her house. She was the
wife of a Professor Maretti, and her name was Santa. The professor
himself was a little half-famished looking man, full of learning, by the
show of which he was in the habit of boring everybody who came near him.
Santa made up for this by her liveliness and her warm interest in my
affairs. Amid music and laughter I spent many happy hours in her house,
made friends, and was encouraged to make my début as an improvisatore. I
had written to Eccellenza a true account of the reason of my departure,
and informed him of my future intentions; but his reply, which arrived
after long delay, was a stunning blow to me. He was exceedingly annoyed,
washed his hands of me, and wished me not on any account to connect his
name with my public life.


_IV.--On the Road to Fame_