in power and
her child's violin was exchanged for a larger and finer one, to her
great joy and satisfaction.

Slowly and patiently she crept along. By day and by night the beloved
violin was ever near her. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes late at
night, when ever her teacher could find the time, she listened to his
instructions and played over the endless exercises. Seven hours practice
every day. Three lessons a week; nothing allowed to interfere. Sleep,
eat, a little exercise in the open air, practice and lessons, lessons
and practice. Such was her young artist life.

The lessons gradually increased in variety and difficulty. Scales in
every key, running passages of every imaginable character; and with it
all not a single piece, song, or pretty melody of any kind. Ten months
of finger exercises; nearly a year of dry scales.

As we have already mentioned, Nantes was very much given to talking
about the little Camilla's studies. The men in the orchestra laughed at
Felix Simon and Salvatore Urso for their silly experiment with the
child. The idea of a girl playing a violin! It was too absurd! And of
all children, that mite of a Camilla; thin, pale, and too small for her
age, she was the last one to think of such a thing.

One day a famous violinist, Apollinaire DeKonstki, now the director of
the Conservatory of Music, at Warsaw, visited Nantes, and gave a concert
at the theatre. Perhaps it would be well to ask him to hear the child
play. His opinion might be of great value, and perhaps it would silence
the miserable chatter in the town. "Would DeKonstki kindly hear the
little one play?" Yes. He would, with pleasure. He intended to give a
banquet to some of his friends that evening, and after the opera, and
when the supper was over, she might come to his rooms at the Hotel de
France. She sat in her usual corner in the orchestra all through the
evening, and then, near midnight, with her violin under her arm, she
crossed the Place Graslin and called at the Hotel de France. The great
artist was sitting in the dining room by the long table where the
banquet had been given. There were goblets and champagne glasses on the
table, and after talking about her music for a few moments he took a
fork, and gently tapping on a wine-glass, asked her what note that was.
It was E. And this one? A. And this one? D. The next? A flat. And the
next? G. Round the table he marched, fork in hand, striking the glasses
and asking their note